Rescue Victims Devastated by Severe Floods
Over 400,000 men, women, and children are without food, shelter, clean water, or other basic necessities as they fled swelling floodwaters that raged across large sections of South Sudan in record proportion. Homes were submerged, livestock swept away, and farmlands destroyed, causing widespread displacement of families and destruction of crops.
The diocese of Malakal is the hardest hit region where relief efforts are currently focused. Victims desperately need not only food and clean water, but also non-food items necessary for shelter and daily survival.
Missionary Nurse Noeleen Loughran reports that people in the Lakes states walked 30-40 miles to escape, carrying whatever belongings they could on top of their heads. Survivors are sleeping under trees with no shelter from monsoon-like rains. Malaria is rampantly spreading from the burgeoning mosquito population.
“Medicine, food, mosquito nets, and plastic sheeting are badly needed to save the lives of the many thousands who are suffering this terrible plight,” she said. “We continue to pray for those here as we do everything we can to try to find assistance for them.”
Because of the unusually severe rainy season that exacerbated the muddy or flooded condition of roads, aid organizations faced difficulty delivering relief to flood victims, forced to bring supplies by helicopter or boat.
The already impoverished nation of South Sudan is facing greater food shortages and even higher prices on essential commodities, with farmlands destroyed and transportation of food and other resources hindered by non-passable roads.
Please help us send emergency relief supplies to flood victims, including blankets, maize, rice, flour, cooking oil, beans, cooking utensils, gardening tools, mosquito nets treated with insecticide, and dry clothing.
While we enjoy our blessings this holiday season, please remember families who have lost everything, suddenly finding themselves completely dependent on outside help to survive this crisis. Your gift will help families survive today, and have the resources to start over tomorrow.
