Caught Between Two Worlds
Culture is Better than Civilization
2004, by Stephenal Thakiy
This painting from 2004 depicts the South Sudanese struggle between the past and the present. Being pulled in two different directions by two different cultures is the reality for our SSEF community. Working multiple, demanding jobs to support themselves in addition to family members facing extreme hardships in South Sudan is exhausting. The American dream is a fantasy when your income is the only hope of survival for loved ones in Africa with urgent needs.
This month, world religious leaders visited South Sudan and pleaded for an end to the conflict, hoping to shine "a global spotlight on the plight of the country, oil-rich and yet one of the world's poorest, where humanitarian needs are soaring for the 2 million people who have been displaced by continued clashes and years of above-average flooding."
The following articles shed light on an untenable situation:
Pope makes final bid for peace, forgiveness in South Sudan
The Boston Globe, 2/5/23
Covid Vaccines Get Muted Welcome in Land Awash with Bigger Problems
The New York Times, 11/20/2021
"Floods that began three years ago, linked to climate change, now stretch across an area larger than Switzerland, impacting one million people."
The World’s Newest Country Is Broken and Forgotten. Enter Pope Francis
The New York Times, 2/5/23
The needs are great. With your continued support, SSEF connects our community to existing resources and assists them on their journey to self-sufficiency.