It was less than 3 years ago when Ann and I were in the capital city of Juba, South Sudan witnessing the birth of a new nation.  We could actually feel the excitement of a generation of people, free to establish their own nation.   Our work in the coming years was to help in the building of hospitals, clinics, and schools and train and equip South Sudanese to staff and run them.  

The relative hardship of settling down in South Sudan (heat, isolation, lack of basic amenities) was a small inconvenience in light of the chance to be a part of building a new nation with a people who had suffered so much.  

Today, to paraphrase a title from a renowned Nigerian author, “Things (in South Sudan) have Fallen Apart”. 

Political divide led to fierce fighting amongst their own people just before Christmas, and has driven a wedge through the country, ethnic group against ethnic group, resulting in a horrific outbreak of violence, the massacre of thousands of civilians ... and destruction and burning of much of what was built over these past 3 years.   Is it time to move on … we ask ourselves?              

We left South Sudan a day before the fighting started to attend the funeral of my mother in the U.S.   I returned the first week of January when embassies and UN agencies warned foreigners to stay away.   Our belongings were intact, but our offices, vehicles, boats, and equipment were looted.  Thankfully, our staff fled to neighboring countries and was safe and accounted for.  That would have been the time to gather our essential documents and laptops and move on … so we contemplated. 

I have spent the past six-weeks traveling in and out of towns which have passed from government, to rebel, to government hands to assess health conditions, visit refugee settlements, take stock of all that was destroyed … and to render assistance (essential medicine, safe-birthing kits, water, food, even soap) from the remnant of our supplies.      With each visit the destruction, the evidence of rampant killing, the bodies decaying on the streets, has numbed my senses and makes me wonder … is it time to move on?    

Our decision to remain in South Sudan during a time of war may not make a dent in the conflict, but has helped to create attention and to leverage needed supplies for relief efforts.   

Both faith-based and secular (UN) agencies have pledged support and we are currently offloading medical supplies, tents, blankets … and targeting areas where there are tens of thousands of people internally displaced in their own country in refugee status. The families are everywhere:   living under trees, camped along the swamps, hiding in fear from the killers within, their own countrymen. 

 After so many years of fighting a repressive government to the north and winning independence, it is sobering that this young country has now turned against itself, one group aligned against another.  

Why do we focus on our differences, that which distinguishes ourselves from one another:   the ethnic markings on our forehead, the color of our skin … rather than that which we have in common?  We were formed from the same clay, individually distinct, but collectively resembling the very face of God.   When we raise a hand against another … we only bring it down upon ourselves. 

While Ann and I do not know what our long term plans will be, or what kind of future this country faces;   we do know that we are needed here, we are safe, and have all the support and prayers one could ever hope for.    We will thus continue to help even it means rebuilding what we just yesterday put together … but more importantly, to make a stand … for justice, mercy, and walking humbly with God. 

Genesis 1:27 

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”