South Sudan (MNN) — People escaping the fighting in Khartoum are creating a different kind of crisis in South Sudan. Roughly 50,000 Sudanese refugees have fled to South Sudan. However, when you put people from different tribal groups in the same refugee camp and throw in a dose of fear and anxiety, tensions are bound to boil over.
Krista Biesiadecki, communications manager of Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) says, “In many of these regions, there’s a lot of hostility. Even in the city of Malakal…there were 13 people killed in a conflict in the United Nations refugee camp. Orphanages are being evacuated and children displaced.”
(Photo courtesy of Child Evangelism Fellowship)
For refugee children, going from fighting in their home country to fighting in the refugee camp is frightening.
CEF has been serving refugee camps in South Sudan since 2016. Their staff members are seeking to reach this new wave of Sudanese refugees and children pouring into South Sudan from the northern border. However, some of South Sudan’s northern cities are difficult and even dangerous to get into.
Yet, Francis Candiga, national director of CEF South Sudan shares, “We really feel a burden to share the Gospel with the boys and girls who have a dire need of relief and comfort from the word of God.”
It’s a critical opportunity for refugee kids from Sudan to find Christ’s peace and hope! CEF needs prayer and support to make it happen.
Biesiadecki says, “We can definitely be praying for our CEF staff, for physical protection over them as they travel into those areas and minister to those children in refugee camps – new ones that are forming and then existing ones as well.
“Then, [be] praying for refugee families, especially the children, that they would have an opportunity to hear the Good News while they are in those camps.
“And then [pray] that the Lord would provide finances as well for our staff to be able to travel to expand the ministry in some of those northern areas.”
Click here to learn more about CEF! You can also give to CEF’s ministry here.
Header photo courtesy of Randy Fath/Unsplash.
