An update from Bishop Justin in South Sudan
We hope that South Sudan has remained in your prayers. Although a ceasefire was signed in May, fighting has continued and insecurity has disrupted livelihoods meaning many face hunger. A UN assessment warns that by December, one in two South Sudanese will be affected by the humanitarian crisis (Source Tearfund).
We have been in touch with Rt Revd Justin Badi, Bishop of our link diocese of Maridi to discover the situation there.
He writes…
“The situation in Maridi and the whole of Western Equatoria is different. People here are working hard to produce their own food. The first harvest was very good and we expect the second harvest to also be good. The only problem is that those produce are not sufficient to the demand in the market and with many displaced people around.
“The images you see on the media are those from Jonglei, Unity State and Upper Nile. The people there are totally displaced and production of food has stopped completely and there is great suffering and starvation. I can say the food situation in Maridi and the Whole of Western Equatoria is still okay.”
With resources stretched, please pray for continued calm in Western Equatoria.
Pray for the ceasefire to hold and that both sides of the ethnic divide can be reconciled.
Please pray that a full scale hunger emergency is averted in Jonglei, Unity State and Upper Nile.
Click here to see and donate to Tearfund’s relief work in South Sudan.