This group of Christian missionaries is showing to the world exemplary lessons in courage, faithfulness and dedication.
While most foreign aid workers are leaving South Sudan amid the worsening armed conflict in the northeast African country, a group of Catholic missionaries have chosen to stay, the Catholic Herald reports.
"We stayed because we are committed to the ordinary people who are suffering so much," said La Sallian Christian Brother Bill Firman, director of Solidarity with South Sudan, in a telephone interview on Monday from Juba, the capital.
"My colleagues and I believe this is a good place for religious to be," the Australian brother said. "We know our continued presence encourages" local residents and "provides some hope."
What triggered the exodus of foreign aid workers was the incident that happened in mid-July in a Juba hotel when more than 80 South Sudanese soldiers attacked and "raped several foreign women." The attackers "singled out Americans, beat and robbed people and carried out mock executions" for nearly four hours, according to an AP report. One woman was reportedly raped by 15 men.
Despite the repeated pleas for help, U.N. peacekeepers stationed nearby reportedly did nothing.
Following the attack, the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the humanitarian aid and development agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said it has decided to evacuate its "non-essential international staff" from the capital.
CRS is one of the organisations comprising Solidarity with South Sudan, an international Catholic group of missionaries implementing teacher and health training, agriculture, trauma healing and pastoral programmes in many parts of South Sudan, under the auspices of the Sudan Catholic Bishops' Conference. The organisation is helping the victims of the current upsurge of violence by bringing food and water to them and providing them shelter in churches and schools, where many have sought refuge.
"Many people in Juba are very hungry," Brother Firman said.
The situation in South Sudan is worsening, according to Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Joan Mumaw.
"Violence has spread and everybody is armed," she said, adding that "young boys with no education and no formation for life are taken into the military."
Since December 2013 when the civil war began in South Sudan, tens of thousands of lives have been lost and more than 2 million people have fled their homes.
Last July, hundreds of people in Juba were killed in fighting, snuffing out hopes of a transitional government to end the conflict. Since then, sporadic fighting has rocked the north and east of the country.
