The eight-year old girl painfully recounted losing her mother, father, brother, sister, and grandparents. She witnessed her mother’s shooting. She cried when she spoke of a dream where her mother cooked her a meal. Then she put her hands together and prayed to God.
This young girl’s interview recently aired on NBC Nightly News. She now lives in a refugee camp with a great aunt, her only living relative. Nearly one million men, women, and children have fled the violence that broke out on December 15 in Juba, South Sudan’s capital city. Most have ended up in refugee camps in South Sudan and Northern Uganda.
More than 300,000 elementary children ages 9-11 reside in these camps, many of them, like this young girl, have faced unspeakable trauma.
And this is where our urgent prayer request comes in. On March 11 and 12, David C Cook African staff, in partnership with Go Ye Africa in Kenya, and leaders from the Anglican Church of Uganda, are holding a special Life on Life training in Southern Sudan. Life on Life is a whole life discipleship curriculum for children who’ve faced—or are at risk of facing—extreme trauma. It was developed by David C Cook with lay men and women in mind using best teaching practices and the latest in trauma research.
One hundred pastors and leaders from Uganda and Sudan will be trained to train numerous others in using this curriculum. Their goal is to reach every elementary age child in these camps with news of hope and Jesus’ love—and to begin the long process of healing.
The eight-year old featured in the news report sits in one of these camps. Pray for the Lord to draw her forward to receive help, and for her to sense His great love. And may she grow in faith and proclaim to the Him,
You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7 (NIV)
Pray as you feel led, but here are a few requests:
- For the team’s safety, and for the safety of all who attend.
- For all of the logistics surrounding the training.
- For a deep understanding of the material and the child-centered methods needed for effective implementation.
- For the Holy Spirit to use Children-at-Risk to impact the children’s spiritual, emotional and mental wounds.
- For the Lord to feel close to all who are grieving and suffering in this part of Africa.