Three Bor parishes collapse amid devastating floods
The Bishop of the Anglican Church of Mading Bor Diocese in Jonglei State, Abraham Duot Kuer, has lamented the worrying floods that he says have clamped down the activities of the diocese.
He said over 7,000 congregations had been displaced from three parishes of the Anglican churches in the Mading Bor diocese since the onset of the floods.
Bishop Abraham said the turnout of the congregations was low as most of them were displaced to Mangalla and some crossed into Uganda.
“The number of people in my diocese has greatly reduced, it has affected the services of God to the people. The Mading Diocese has been reduced to only eight hundred people.”
Bishop Abraham said people are facing difficulties in getting food because all their crops and property have been destroyed by the floods.
“We have about four parishes, but there are no more people. They are facing many difficulties because they lack food. As church leaders, we need to conduct counselling for our people who have been displaced and those who remained at home,” Bishop Abraham told The City Review in a telephone interview yesterday.
“People tried to go back, but they were expecting more floods as the rainy season begins. Their going back will be determined by the rain and those who are still at home there to inform them about the situation,” Abraham stated.
He appealed to the faith-based organisations, the government, and the United Nations agencies, to intervene, saying people who are on dry land lack access to basic needs.
According to the Bishop, he would be returning to Bor in a few weeks to check how he could address the needs of the congregation.
On September 12, 2021, the Archbishop of the South Sudan Anglican Church, Peter Bol Arop, and his counterpart, Joseph Muchai, who is the Archbishop of Nakuru Archdiocese in Kenya, announced the appointment of three bishops in South Sudan.
The changes
Bishop Joseph Alem Arok has been appointed as the new Bishop of Juba Diocese in Central Equatoria State, Bishop Abraham Duot Kuer was assigned to Mading Bor in Jonglei State, and Bishop Michael Jalang Jalueth was assigned to the Alibi Diocese of Lakes State.
The three newly appointed bishops of the South Sudan Anglican Church have vowed to promote unity, love, and reconciliation among the divided communities of the Lakes and Jonglei states.
Bishop-elect, Abraham Duot Kuer of Mading Bor Diocese, said his priority would be peace and reconciliation among the communities in Jonglei State.
He promised to work together with other bishops from different denominations to enhance love and unity among the people in the area.
