South Sudan (MNN) — Thousands crowd into hospitals and police stations in Sudan, waiting for an imminent large-scale fallout between warring sides in El Fasher. Now in its second year, Sudan’s civil war has uprooted 8.8 million people.
At least 600,000 have fled to neighboring South Sudan since the war began. DOOR International’s Rob Myers says Deaf Christians here care for Deaf refugees.
“We find a lot of people in desperate straits, and that gives some of our leaders an opportunity to reach out through humanitarian efforts,” Myers says.
Sudan’s sign language differs from South Sudan’s, but it’s usually an easy barrier to overcome. “They’re (refugees) not coming with a significant amount of sign language, so it’s a little bit of a blank slate,” Myers says.
“Leaders can teach South Sudanese Sign Language and, through that, bring the Gospel and minister to some of this deep, deep trauma.”
Pray Sudanese refugees will find healing through Christ, and ask the Lord to strengthen Deaf Gospel workers.
A Deaf team working with DOOR International on the South Sudanese Sign Language translation poses for a photo in 2017.
(Photo courtesy of DOOR International)
“They’re dealing with people who have a high amount of trauma. But the Gospel is doing some amazing things and opening up some doors that are only coming through those traumatic events,” Myers notes.
Refugee care is only part of an already heavy workload for these believers. Pray the Lord will raise up more leaders to share the burden.
“We have local South Sudanese leaders working within their own communities sharing Jesus and making disciples,” Myers says.
“Additionally, we supported a South Sudanese sign language translation [of] a foundational portion of Scripture that these church planters are now using in the field.”
Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of UNMISS via Flickr.
