From January 13-28, 2018, three Sisters of St. Joseph will be travelling from London to South Sudan with Canadian Aid to South Sudan (CASS), led by Jane Roy and her husband, Glen Pearson. Sisters Joan Atkinson, Joan Driscoll and Teresa Ryan will be with eight other members of CASS, some of whom have been to Africa previously. The youngest of the group is a thirteen-year-old girl who will be accompanied by her mother.
The purpose of the journey is to support the people of the Awell area, letting them know that they have not been forgotten by the world as they struggle with the effects of civil strife, poverty and food shortage following several years of civil strife.
The CASS group will stay in a Catholic mission run by the Camboni Missionaries. From there, they plan to visit schools, health clinics and small enterprise groups along the way. They also hope to interact with their hosts, praying and celebrating together.
South Sudan is a landlocked country in North Eastern Africa which gained its independence from Sudan in 2011. It has a population of 13,000,000, the median age being 17.1 years. Since 2013, South Sudan has experienced civil war caused mainly by tensions between the two main tribes, the Dinka and the Nuer peoples over political and economic power. Despite vast oil reserves, the country is poverty stricken. However, the CASS visitors will not see military conflict but rather will witness the impact of food shortage caused by years of war.
Regarding the effects of war and exploitation on people and their lands, Pope Francis, in “Laudato Si” states, “The human environment and natural environment deteriorate together; we cannot adequately combat environmental degradation unless we attend to causes related to human and social degradation. In fact, the deterioration of the environment and of society affects the most vulnerable people on the planet”. Chapter 5 #48. Witnessing such deterioration and degradation will be evident to the group as they visit the Awell area and reach out to them in their need.
We here at home, stand in prayer and solidarity with our Sisters and their companions of Canadian Aid to South Sudan as they undertake their long journey to be a solace and healing presence with the South Sudanese. May we continue to look for ways to be ambassadors of peace.
Jean Moylan, CSJ