Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Good Stuff In TEC: ERD


Episcopal Relief & Development assists victims of attacks in Sudan

The brutality of the rebel organization, Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), has destroyed villages and caused massive displacement in southern Sudan. The recent LRA attacks have included murder, child abductions and torture. Many survivors of the attacks have been driven from their homes and are now turning to Episcopal churches for shelter. Church leaders have become overwhelmed by the influx of displaced people.

Episcopal Relief & Development is partnering with the Episcopal Church of Sudan and its development arm, the Sudanese Development and Relief Agency (SUDRA), to provide emergency assistance to five of the dioceses most impacted by this ongoing humanitarian crisis.

The Diocese of Ibba, a small and isolated community, has recently taken in 69 families who fled their homes after the LRA destroyed the village of Wowo on January 22nd. The severity of the violence that they witnessed in Wowo has cause panic and people are unwilling or unable to return home. Buck Blanchard, the Missioner for World Mission from the Diocese of Virginia, recently visited Ibba and reported that families are now living behind the church property under trees and makeshift tarps. "They have nothing… Recently, they have been sending the men back to Wowo during the day; while some stand guard, others collect what food they can and then walk the 14 miles back to Ibba," said Blanchard.

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/MUMA-7P656S?OpenDocument

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