Millions of South Sudanese Face Famine; Appeal Made for Church Humanitarian Aid
More than five million people are expected to face severe food shortages, with over one million children acutely malnourished, as South Sudan enters the "lean season" from May to July this year.
The latest UNICEF report says the number of people that will be hit hard by famine comprises nearly half the population of South Sudan.
The South Sudanese government has already declared famine conditions in parts of the country, according to Relief Web.
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This has prompted World Mission, a Christian missionary group carrying out ministry in South Sudan, to appeal for assistance from church and religious organizations worldwide.
World Mission CEO Greg Kelley noted that millions of people depend entirely on humanitarian aid in South Sudan because the country's infrastructure has been destroyed by decades-long war.
The country's "infrastructure is almost non-existent in every capacity of the word—including educational, from a business standpoint, from a development standpoint, agriculture—just the entire infrastructure is in shambles," he said, as quoted by Mission Network News.
Kelley said Church assistance is badly needed. "This is a tremendous opportunity for us to be the hands and feet of Jesus and respond to these precious people in South Sudan," he said.
He said aside from relief goods, the people of South Sudan can find comfort in the Treasure, the solar-powered audio Bible spoken in their own language that World Mission is distributing to people thirsting for God's Word.
Despite the difficult challenges brought by war and poverty, he said, "God is moving and the Church in South Sudan is growing."
He said they have received reports that the audio Bibles are giving hope and encouragement to the people of South Sudan. He said in one village, 40 people recently gave their lives to Jesus because of listening to the Treasure in their language.
Kelley said even government officials are now listening to the Treasure.
He urged Christians to pray for the leaders of South Sudan so that "God would raise them up with great spiritual depth and capacity ... [and] for them to have courage."
He also urged prayers for the hundreds of people in refugee camps.
The greatest humanitarian crisis since 1945 is unfolding in South Sudan, according to the United Nations. The reason, as reported by NPR, is not drought or climate change. It's civil war.
Because of the fighting, the American relief agency Samaritan's Purse was forced to pull most of its workers out of the country, the news outlet said.
The South Sudanese military said rebel fighters have kidnapped the aid workers and are holding them for ransom demanding food aid in exchange for their release.
