Samaritan’s Purse is helping people recently displaced by violence, and many others, as we meet urgent needs across the country.
There would be no breakfast that morning. Even if there were, Ayian and her son couldn't stomach food right now. Her little boy had only eaten small amounts now for several days and could still hold very little of it down. She winced as she walked—carrying him, then letting him walk a bit, then carrying him again. The pain in her lower back had only grown worse over the past month.
The Samaritan's Purse clinic—a two-hour walk away—was their final hope of getting treatment before the rains cut off all travel and any chance of medical care.
When the killing started last year in Khartoum, Sudan, Ayian fled south with her children on foot. They followed the river as far as they could to secure both water and food—mostly water lilies and fish. More than 600 miles over four months along the scorched Sahel roads. She was returning home, in a sense, though South Sudan hadn't been her home in more than a decade.
She was a teenager all those years ago when she left South Sudan to go north. She began life far from home in Khartoum after escaping the same kind of violence that she was now fleeing again. The two countries, Sudan and South Sudan, have been upended by wars and rumors of wars for many decades. Like everyone, she prays for peace. This morning she was praying for healing: “O God, please make us well.”
Our rapid response clinic was rushed to Mayom County, South Sudan, to respond to one of several areas where the population has exploded almost overnight, with thousands of families fleeing civil war up north.
Ayian was astonished by the crowds of families already gathered on mats and carpets under the large Acacia trees. Three languages mingled in the quiet as families comforted their sick.
In a meeting of local leaders that morning, the groups talked about their experiences since leaving home. Medical issues included urinary tract infections, kidney disease, and miscarriages
“Our women have not given birth since the fall,” one man said.
At the clinic, Ayian told the medical staff how grateful she was that God had brought her and her family there safely.
Ayian sighed with relief as the nurse handed her medicine and explained the plan that would make her and her family well again.
Samaritan’s Purse is caring for many thousands like Ayian who've come fleeing to South Sudan. We provide food, water, medicine, and other relief. These people have lost loved ones and faced many types of trauma. They have a long road ahead to restart their disrupted lives.
This morning she was praying for healing: “O God, please make us well.”
“I have seen many people die on the road. There was no food. There was no water. They had diseases.”
Our Ongoing Work in South Sudan
Samaritan’s Purse has been working in South Sudan, which became an independent nation in 2011, for more than 30 years. With the latest waves of displaced people, both from outside and inside the country, we continue our lifesaving work in Jesus' Name.
We’ve established wells and water points to provide villages with access to clean drinking water. We also distribute emergency food and cooking supplies. We’ve helped to care for victims of trauma, provided literacy training at local churches, helped families improve their futures through livelihoods training, and conducted Biblical leadership training at the local and national levels.
Feeding Programs and Water Projects
When the town of Mayendit flooded several years ago, residents were forced to relocate their lives to a place called Thaker. They had no access to food or water for weeks.
“We were eating water lilies only,” said a young mother named Nyahok. “We were drinking water from the swamps and the rivers.”
She said the water caused diseases and the lack of food threatened her son's life. The 2-year-old boy was slipping toward malnutrition from lack of food and nutrition as they fled the rising waters.
“My son stopped playing and then started falling down because there was nothing to eat,” Nyahok said.
With the rations of ready-to-use emergency food and bags of sorghum we provided her, she fed her family and watched the boy spring back to life.
“Before, we were suffering. Now we are recovering from all that,” she said. “Now he is playing again and smiling.”
When Nyahok first arrived in Thaker from Mayendit, she would travel with other women back to the swamps to retrieve water for the family. During the dry season, though, this would provide barely a bucketful.
Samaritan’s Purse established wells and water tanks for the community.
“Before, there was barely enough to fill one container. Now I can walk a short distance from my house and fill up three or four jerry cans to bring home,” she said. “In the evening, I can fill up the jerry cans again.”
“My son stopped playing and then started falling down because there was nothing to eat.”
“Before, we were suffering.
Now we are recovering from all that.”
“Before, there was barely enough to fill one container. Now I can walk a short distance from my house and fill up three or four jerry cans of clean water to bring home.”
Livelihoods Training
In places like Ajuong Thok, one of the country's largest resettlement areas, we are seeing families begin to thrive through our livelihoods programs.
They are raising and breeding the goats we provided them years ago. They are selling the milk at local markets and using it to feed their families. They are growing profitable gardens and have created small businesses with the produce. They are learning to save and invest in small business enterprises through our village savings and loan program.
Mariam, a mother of seven children, received two goats from the program. Now there are four.
“Now that we have grown from two to four goats, all of our children can benefit from the goat milk,” she said. “I give thanks to God and to Samaritan's Purse. I believe it was because of God's plan and his love for me that I have been given these goats.”
In the years to come, she will be able to sell the milk to provide clothes, food, and schooling for her children.
“I give thanks to God and to Samaritan's Purse. I believe it was because of God's plan and his love for me that I have been given these goats.”
Biblically Based Trauma Healing
Many displaced families throughout South Sudan are now learning to face their grief and loss with the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Stephen fled Khartoum's bombing campaign in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan years ago and has gone through our Biblically based trauma healing program. He is now helping others in South Sudan who have suffered.
“When we were coming from the war, people were shot. Planes came and bombed the school where I worked. Children died. Teachers died. Many people were shot at the school. I was captured and tortured. Some children died from starvation,” he said.
“These are the experiences others have had as well. It is hard to know how to survive,” he said. “Some people are unable even to talk when they come here. They are shocked. They refuse to eat. They run down the road crying.”
“The training teaches us to teach the heart. To pray. To listen. To spend time and endure with them and let them mention the name of their child or other family who died. We are able to comfort them with the Word of God and help them to see that God still has a plan for them in their lives.”
“It is hard to know how to survive. Some people are unable even to talk when they come here. They are shocked. They refuse to eat. They run down the road crying.”
“We are able to comfort them with the Word of God and help them to see that God still has a plan for them in their lives.”
Church-based Literacy Training
Through church-based Biblical literacy training in South Sudan, people are learning to read the Bible for themselves. In turn, this is strengthening churches and communities.
Angelo learned to read through this Samaritan's Purse program and is now working with a local church in Thaker to teach others to read the Bible in their own language.
“We give them the Bible to learn to read in their own language,” he said. “This is how they can grow. They don't have to rely on someone else to read it for them. This is how I learned that God is loving us even if I am a sinner. He will forgive me as a child.”
“Learning to read the Word of God is how I learned that God is loving us even if I am a sinner. He will forgive me as a child.”
Biblical Leadership Training
In Juba, the capital city, we are working through local church leaders and government officials to teach Biblical leadership and change the heart of the nation. Leaders are beginning to experience the power of the Gospel in their lives, and they are leading with Biblical principles.
This training also addresses causes of conflict. Tribal violence over land and resources can cause skirmishes to erupt in towns and villages. Farmers fear going into their fields. Cattle herders fear attacks and raids from other herders.
“Where there is no peace, you will not be able even to go cultivate your farm,” said Timothy, a young father who fled Khartoum last year. “You will be fearing people who are coming across the field. It is only in peace that you can go do what you want to do for your family.”
Moses Telar, a local pastor and the director of the bureau of religious affairs, said the Word of God is the only way to see South Sudan restored to peace.
“How can we heal the wounds of the past?” he said. “If you want to heal, you must receive the virtues of God into the heart.”
Christian Bester, Samaritan's Purse country director in South Sudan, reminds all of our teams that only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can bring about change. And this is why Samaritan's Purse has been working tirelessly there for decades.
“Whether we are rehabilitating boreholes or establishing gardens or giving medicine to people, the question is—are people seeing Jesus in us? Are we telling people about Jesus? Are we working to a standard that reflects the love of Jesus Christ?”
“We want to serve people physically, yes. But spiritual need is the deeper need that people have. This is how the people of South Sudan will experience a new country at peace.”
“If you want to heal, you must receive the virtues of God into the heart.”
