“It is dangerous here. Everyone has been evacuated. We are the last ones remaining. If we do not leave now, we might die here.”

That was the message coming over the phone to the BTJ team in Shanghai, China from South Sudan. The Chinese have been working in Sudan for several years. They have been able to plant churches, build relationships, hand out Bibles, provide agricultural aid, start up productive businesses, etc.

That all changed in February 2017, when violence broke out in Southern Sudan in a town where the Chinese have been living.

“The situation has escalated and one of the leaders was shot and killed,” reported the retired Lt. Col Jan Ransom of Flame International in the UK during a phone conversation in early February. “Many of the people have fled into Uganda for safety.” Many of those that have fled are living in single family homes with as many as 60 people piled on one another. It is not a sustainable situation.

According to a UN report released on January 16, 2017, “Information documented and verified by the Human Rights Division suggests that hundreds of people including civilians were killed and many more wounded during the fighting in various areas of Juba.”

Most of the violence that is taking place is perpetrated by the South Sundanese soldiers. Eye witnesses report of soldiers grabbing young girls and gang raping them in broad daylight.

The Chinese have spent several years sharing the love of Christ with the people of South Sudan and helped plant many home fellowships, but because of the violence, have had to leave.

Please continue to pray for the people of South Sudan and the Chinese teams that will be returning soon.