Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News

South Sudanese priest living in Brisbane praying for flood victims

byMark Bowling
11 December 2020
Reading Time: 3 mins read
AA

South Sudan floods: “Others die because of dire hunger, and the lack of cover at night means they are exposed to a lot of sickness and airborne diseases.” Photo: CNS

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Concerned: Fr Stephen Kumyangi.

SOUTH Sudanese priest serving in Brisbane Fr Stephen Kumyangi is deeply saddened at the desperate plight of millions of people in his homeland.

The worst floods in more than 60 years have swept across South Sudan this year, submerging entire villages and separating larger cities into islands.

For months entire populations have been left vulnerable – another cruel blow in a young nation that has struggled with war and conflict, and a string of disasters.

“People have to fend for themselves,” Fr Kumyangi, who is the chaplain for Brisbane’s St Bakhita Sudanese Catholic community, said.

“Others die because of dire hunger, and the lack of cover at night means they are exposed to a lot of sickness and airborne diseases.”

Floodwaters have destroyed crops and worsened existing food shortages, and have also carried disease and contaminated drinking water.

South Sudan President Salva Kiir Mayardit has declared a state of emergency, however national and state authorities appear overwhelmed by the enormity of the task at hand.

Fr Kumyangi said authorities had failed to mount even the most basic emergency response.

In Bor, the capital of Jonglei State and home to more than 300,000 people, large sections of the city are completely submerged.

“It is flat ground, and in one area of Bor there are no hospitals and no rescue expedition at all,” Fr Kumyangi said.

Related Stories

Centacare called up to help with hardest-hit families in Maryborough floods, Lismore bishop gives hope to his flock

Flood swamps Ash Wednesday plans for Maryborough faithful

Brisbane gets small morning reprieve to inspect damages after 72 hours hard rain

In another flood-hit region Western Equatoria, Fr Kumyangi said the government had “never, never paid any attention”.

Save the Children estimates international aid has so far contributed less than 30 per cent of the US$82 million needed to respond to the crisis.

South Sudan floods: “Others die because of dire hunger, and the lack of cover at night means they are exposed to a lot of sickness and airborne diseases.” Photo: CNS

“Almost the entire area along the river Nile has been affected,” Save the Children’s South Sudan country director Rama Hansraj told SBS.

“Small-scale businesses, on which the most vulnerable people depend, have been decimated, on top of COVID-19 and ongoing conflict.

“It’s important for the entire world to take notice of how dire the situation is in South Sudan.”

Fr Kumyangi said conditions in South Sudan were “getting worse every day”, with little defence against COVID-19 and the economy in crisis.

“People are just left to the mercy of God,” he said.

“The banks have no money. Some people have told me that they are now six months without receiving salaries.

“When I compare it with Australia and people talk of a fortnight (without pay), then you can see the gravity of the problem in which they are in.”

Fr Kumyangi said the only support many Sudanese families received was money regularly sent from relatives abroad, including Australia – and typically about $100 to $200 out of a weekly salary.

In 2015, Fr Kumyangi, a priest for 23 years, was invited to leave his diocese in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State – home to about one million Catholics – to come to Brisbane archdiocese and become chaplain to about 1500 South Sudanese Catholics.

They represent just a sprinkling of the four million displaced South Sudanese who have fled hunger, oppression and war.

Despite hardships that he has personally encountered as a priest in South Sudan, Fr Kumyangi said his plan was to one day return home.

“My hope is if peace really comes to South Sudan that will be an immediate plan to go back,” he said.

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Tamil family who settled in Biloela have spent 1000 days in immigration detention

Next Post

Iraqi Catholic sent to ACU to support Erbil rebuild homes to be home for Pope’s visit

Mark Bowling

Mark is the joint winner of the Australian Variety Club 2000 Heart Award for his radio news reporting in East Timor, and has also won a Walkley award, Australia’s most-respected journalism award. Mark is the author of ‘Running Amok’ that chronicles his time as a foreign correspondent juggling news deadlines and the demands of being a husband and father. Mark is married with four children.

Related Posts

Flood swamps Ash Wednesday plans for Maryborough faithful
QLD

Centacare called up to help with hardest-hit families in Maryborough floods, Lismore bishop gives hope to his flock

4 March 2022
Flood swamps Ash Wednesday plans for Maryborough faithful

Flood swamps Ash Wednesday plans for Maryborough faithful

1 March 2022
Deluge: Flood waters at The Wheel of Brisbane at Southbank Parklands. Photos: Robert Falzon / Facebook
QLD

Brisbane gets small morning reprieve to inspect damages after 72 hours hard rain

28 February 2022
Next Post

Iraqi Catholic sent to ACU to support Erbil rebuild homes to be home for Pope's visit

Coronavirus vaccines are rolling out across the UK

Pandemic increased the need for healing prayer, Charismatic community leader says

Popular News

  • Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Fr Liam receives bravery medal after shark attack rescue

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

News

From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

by Mark Bowling
23 May 2022
0

ANTHONY Albanese, a self-described cultural Catholic, has been sworn in as Australia’s 31st prime minister today, after...

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

20 May 2022
Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

20 May 2022
Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

19 May 2022
Catholic relationship advisers offer five tips to look after your mental health

Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

19 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping