One year ago today, on December 15, civil war broke out in South Sudan.  Tens of thousands of people have been killed and almost 2,000,000 people have been displaced from their homes, and are hiding in swampy areas near the Nile River.  400,000 have fled to neighboring countries for safety.  Negotiations are on-going in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, but have produced no lasting ceasefire or any real progress toward peace.   Please continue to keep the people of South Sudan in your prayers.

Last December, women, children and elderly fled the village.  In recent months, security has improved in the Piol area and people are beginning to return.  In April, June, August, and October food was distributed to the people of Piol, South Sudan through the Buckeye Clinic.  The photos of the October delivery are included in this post.  Over 20,000 pounds of food has been delivered to the community, serving an average of 156 families and 781 individuals each time.  Thank you to all who have donated to make this possible.  This food has enabled people to return the village and stay, knowing that food is available.  However, because they were not able to return in time to plant their crops before the rainy season, there will be no food to harvest in 2015.

Below is a link to United Nations World Food Program video and a UNICEF article describing the crisis in South Sudan.  The UN has focused its humanitarian relief efforts in the northern part of South Sudan where fighting continues and people are cut off from food delivery by land.

VIDEO: Saving Lives in South Sudan, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) South Sudan

ARTICLE: A generation of children “stolen” by S. Sudan’s conflict: UNICEF

None of the food described in the video has been delivered to the Piol area. Aid has been provided to the people of Piol only through the effort of the Buckeye Clinic. Another food delivery is planned before Christmas. If funding allows, we will continue to deliver food to the area in 2015. Please help if you can by making a donation by clicking on DONATE NOW or by sending a check to:

Scioto Ridge United Methodist Church/South Sudan Clinic

4343 Dublin Road

Hilliard, OH 43026