The impact on CRESS

The situation in South Sudan and impact on CRESS

Many of you will already be aware of the situation in South Sudan, now one of the most dangerous countries for aid workers.  Daily we hear from our team and pray for them as they risk their own lives to carry out work on our behalf.

As far as we can tell the clinic in Liwolo and the office in Romoggi are closed and all the CRESS equipment has been moved to Arua which is a town in the north west of Uganda on the border with the Congo. Fred is looking for a suitable place to set up our office there, and a clinic if possible. As far as we know all our staff are safe and living in refugee camps in or near Arua.

Joseph is going to spend time trying to find the sponsored children and we are unable to restart the agriculture programme at present as there is no land available in the location.

Below we share with you the messages we have received and ask that you join us in praying for the CRESS team.

From Fred on 23^rd January
The last three days have been difficult for the people of Kajo-Keji. Yesterday morning in the vicinity of Romogi about 7 or more innocent civilians were shot dead, houses and farm produce set ablaze all these horrible acts by the national army in the name of pursuing rebels. Hundreds of people have been moving to the church compound and many more are leaving for the refugees camps in Uganda. I was for the whole day yesterday in Moyo and came back to Arua after 1am. I am readying to reach Romogi either later today or tomorrow morning at the latest. I have asked Joseph to call for a crisis meeting with staff today. Will keep you posted. But believe me there is nothing left to keep people anymore in the country. I am very certain Kajo-Keji will be come a ghost town in the next few days. Please pray for us at this critical moment. I have been crying the whole night.

From Joel on 24^th January

Thank you Carolina for your endangerment in this time of point to my community, and even my life is not save, at know I am not sleeping in the house.

I have take the two michrehope (microscope) and the piriter (printer) to Mijale in Uganda today and looking forward to take the risted (rest) of our medicine too.

From Joel on 24^th January

Thank you so much for prayer for us and more so in assuring us that we are love and care for by our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ from UK. we are so much encourage. thank you so much. The situation are difficult but God will never leave us alone. He is our rock where we hide.

Thanks for loving us.
Joseph 

From Emmanuel Lulu on 24^th January

On a very sad news, as you might have heard from Joseph Aba, the clinic motorbike has been taken by the rebels on the 20th/1/2017 night after killing the Liwolo  payam director and knocking at my door and the one of the clinical officer, we are right now in Wudu Town due to fear. Call for your prayers for our lives

Thanks Yours Nurse Lulu Emmanuel

From Fred on 28th January

The driver we agreed with yesterday to transport our items have failed to turn up since morning. Samson followed up to Wudu but could find neither the driver nor lorry. I am patiently waiting for what God has in his divine plan. Secondly Joel has just informed me that the rebels have stopped the removal of the solar panels claiming these are now theirs. However we have tried to work out how the panels could be removed late evening when they are not around. These two items require prayers for God’s intervention. We need God’s items not anyone’s out safely.

We understand that following the above message, Joel removed the solar panels after dark when the rebels could not see him and risking his life! 

From Fred on 30^th January

KK is no more sadly. I have just returned from Arua where I had taken CRESS office items.

Please join us in prayer

Back here in the UK, we are doing all we can, looking at our finances to see how we can cover the additional expenses of this new situation.  We shall need to pay for staff accommodation, staff will also need feeding and food is now scarce and expensive.  Should the team be able to open the clinic in a new location in the short term … or even long term funds will need to be raised for rent and on-going expenses.

Back in December, we set up a refugee fund, which enabled Fred to bring Christmas cheer to the Rhino Camp in North Uganda.  You can read Fred’s wonderful letter here to learn the difference the fund made.  A fund that we must now further grow to help our own people and that of the wide populace in South Sudan.  If you can help please donate now.

Please join our prayers for the safety of not only the CRESS team but also the people of South Sudan.