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Volume 25 No. 2 | Winter 2015
visited more than 20 years ago,” says Fr Francis Joseph.
“Even though South Sudan is considered a Christian
country, and thousands of infants are being baptised year
after year, hardly any instruction is being given to these
children as they grow and become adults. Faith formation
and Catechesis for both the children and adults is going
to be a priority area and we are going to get involved
immediately.”
The three missionaries have reported that economic
insecurity is a major problem for the people they serve,
with South Sudan producing very little of its own and
having to rely on the neighbouring countries of Uganda,
Congo and Kenya for its security and survival. Although
the country has an abundance of fertile land and rains and
plenty of human labour, the presence of the UN’s World
Food Program and other International Non-Government
Organisations throughout the war and even after the
war, has meant South Sudan is yet to find its own feet.
People lost many of their loved ones in the war and family
members have been displaced internally and externally.
The people are still traumatised by all they have seen and
experienced during the long years of war.
Some of this trauma and accompanying violence became
shockingly evident to the three SVD missionaries when
their tukuls were set on fire in the middle of the night while
they were sleeping in them. They escaped without serious
injury, and members of the local community came to their
aid and urged them not to leave, but to stay and help the
people.
Fr Heinz, who has visited the mission in South Sudan, says
such an incident can be really traumatic.
“We had several similar situations in the past years where
the life of our missionaries was threatened,” he says.
“In dialogue with our missionaries, we reflect on the best
options. To pull out can always been an option and yet
to pull out missionaries who have fallen in love with the
people they serve is not that easy, even in very dangerous
situations. So far, decisions have always been made to stay,
but to take preventative measures and precautions.
“What made us stay in South Sudan is the need, and also
the care shown by the people.
“An experience of many of our missionaries has become
true once again: You share your faith with the people and
they will share their faith with you. You care for the people
and they will care for you. You love the people and they will
love you.
“And for South Sudan, we might add: You protect the
people and they will protect you.”
Fr Heinz says the mission in South Sudan fits perfectly into
main priority areas of the SVD, known as Characteristic
Dimensions.
“Years ago, in trying to determine who we are and what
we want to be as SVDs, we agreed on four very basic
characteristics,” he says.
“One of them would be that we want to be close to people
– we call this communication. Another characteristic is that
we want to contribute to transform the world, make it a
better place for the present and future generations – this is
our concern for Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation.
“Yet another characteristic is that we realise that we cannot
do this alone, but only together with people who also want
to take responsibility and who are willing to share their
talents and material resources – this is what we mean by
mission animation.
“And we also want to live a God-centred life – the love
for the word of God as a characteristic of us SVDs and our
partners in mission.
“Concretely, this would mean to learn to live the Biblical
story of the Good Samaritan. That is, not to close our
eyes and pass by when the people and the environment
suffer and need help. All this, we can live together with the
people of South Sudan.”