The consignment of PPE provided by AID donors has now arrived in Bor, South Sudan. Drs Anil and Shalini Cherian and their colleagues are preparing to use it to treat COVID-19 patients in the isolation ward there.
Before Covid-19 came to South Sudan, it was clear that the lack of PPE would be a problem in Bor. Therefore we are grateful to the Barnabas Fund, the Keswick Enterprises Holdings Charitable Trust, the Anglican Communion Fund and all of our supporters who gave several months ago.
As you know, PPE is in high global demand right now so we praise the Lord especially for His protection of the consignment on its way from China to South Sudan via Kenya. We are also grateful to Mission Aviation Fellowship for delivering the goods to Bor and for their excellent ministry worldwide.
Bor has witnessed severe troubles in recent decades. In 1991, it was the scene of a massacre between rival tribes resulting in over 2,000 deaths. Within three years of South Sudan winning its independence in 2011, Bor was captured and repeatedly retaken in fighting between rival forces in 2014 and 2015, and witnessed further violence in the years leading up to the fragile peace deal struck in early 2020.
During these worst years of violence, the Jonglei Health Sciences Institute was located in Uganda to ensure that South Sudanese medical professionals could continue receiving the vital medical training so crucial to South Sudan’s future prospects. But with the Civil War seemingly drawing to a close and the hope of lasting peace emerging, the Jonglei Health Sciences Institute was relocated to Bor in March 2019. In leading this work – a life-choice they have made in light of their faith in Jesus Christ – Doctors Anil and Shalini have recently had to confront additional challenges.
At the same time that Covid -19 arrived in Bor, there were renewed outbreaks of fighting in the surrounding area. On 27th July, a church compound of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan was attacked resulting in 23 being killed, including the Dean. The next day, the seven kilometre dyke around Bor was breached and extensive parts of the town were flooded by the White Nile. In early August, over 200,000 people were on the move seeking refuge from the floods and fighting. Many of them looked to Bor – a nightmare situation when trying to contain the spread of Covid-19.
It was against this backdrop that the 22 boxes of vital PPE arrived in Bor on 21 August. AID is extremely grateful to all those donors who gave generously to help purchase the supplies that arrived just when they were most needed in Bor. It has been a very encouraging answer to prayer.
‘And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.’
2 Corinthians 9:8
