Written by: incontext international
Article source: www.incontextinternational.org
Since the start of the rainy season in July 2021, ongoing floods in South Sudan have affected more than 700,000 people across 13 states – the worst flooding in decades. Villages have been swept away or submerged, roads have become inaccessible, cattle have drowned, and crops have been destroyed – worsening the incidence of hunger and water-related diseases, such as Malaria.
Humanitarian agencies have reported that the flood response has been hampered by heavy rains, infrastructure damage and reduced physical accessibility, funding constraints, and insecurity. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been working with the humanitarian country team and South Sudan’s government to deliver urgently needed support to the most affected, including food, hygiene items, emergency shelter and solar lanterns. The Government of South Sudan has also allocated money to respond to the flooding, and local governments are working to alleviate the suffering within their communities by building dikes and installing systems to pump out water and to redirect excess water through canals.
This is the third straight year of extreme flooding in the country, further jeopardising the livelihoods of thousands of people. Around 100,000 of those affected in South Sudan were initially displaced by floods last year and have not been able to return home since. Rains in South Sudan are predicted to continue for the remainder of the year, increasing the number of people expected to be in need of humanitarian assistance. In addition to the flooding, South Sudan has also been embroiled in a brutal civil war for more than six years, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions. Food insecurity and the COVID-19 pandemic are other challenges the newly independent country faces.
According to the Joshua Project, South Sudan is home to almost 11 million people, of whom 56.7% profess to be Christian. Ephesians 6:18 (NLT) says, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” As part of the army of God, we are called to stay alert as we battle in prayer against the enemy, for lost souls and for all believers – in the Spirit, at all times, and on every occasion!
Please join with us in praying for South Sudan.
“True prayer is a way of life, not just for use in cases of emergency. Make it a habit, and when the need arises you will be in practice.” (Billy Graham)
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Date published: 24/11/2021
Feature image: Image for illustrative purposes only. UNMISS Humanitarian Coordinator visits Bentiu IDP Camp with Dutch and British Ambassadors. www.flickr.com
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