Internally displaced refugees of South Sudan's Civil War. Photo credit: Cross International |
This article was originally published in the Good News of South Florida.
“While we were packing to head to South Sudan
to serve those in need, a 7.8 earthquake struck Ecuador on April 16, 2016,” said Mark Mosely of Pompano
Beach, FL, based Cross International where Mosely is director of Gifts in Kind
(GIK). Mosely also serves as Co-chair for
the Global Relief Alliance. While
he was launching a project to respond to a man-made humanitarian crisis, a
natural catastrophe resulting in human tragedy struck. Mosely juggled the
management of GIK relief responses to two different disasters while in transit
to and on the ground in war-torn South Sudan, the world’s youngest country.
GIK defined
Gifts in Kind (GIK) donations are goods and services given as
charitable donations rather than cash. It is argued that GIK giving provides
market efficiency that cash donations can’t provide. For example, donated drugs
help a charitable organization operate at a much lower cost than it would if it
had to use man-power and cash to acquire medicines needed for relief operations.
The donation of goods already at hand, especially during times of disaster
relief, go much further than using donated cash to purchase the same goods at market
prices. GIK are a significant, strategic component for organizations that have
a long-term development aid approach as Cross International does.
History of War
in Sudan
First civil
war
Sudan is a country with a long history of war in the latter half of
the 20th century, spilling into the twenty-first century. Conflict is
ongoing today in regions of both Sudan and newly formed South Sudan. The first
Sudanese Civil War began in 1955 when the predominantly Christian and animist
southern tribes demanded more representation in the Muslim dominated government
in the north. The south also wanted regional autonomy and shared control of
profits pumped out of the oil-rich southern regions. The conflict ended in 1972
with a peace treaty that proved too weak and one-sided to satisfy the south.
Second civil
war
In 1983, a second civil war started. Many geo-political analysts say
that it is the same civil war separated by an eleven-year cease fire. In the
First Sudanese Civil War that lasted 17 years, a half-million people lost their
lives. In the Second Sudanese Civil War, the ugly consequences of the conflict
were two million deaths blamed on war, disease, or famine, and four million homeless,
displaced souls. The second civil war ended in 2005 in victory for the south
resulting in a comprehensive peace agreement including South Sudanese freedom
to vote for their own independent country in what is known as the 2011
referendum.
In 2012, fresh but brief conflict broke out between Sudan and South
Sudan over management of oil regions.
Ongoing civil
wars in Sudan and South Sudan
Since then, strife has not ceased. Ongoing conflict in Darfur in Sudan’s
western regions continues. The United Nations has accused pro-government Arab
militias of ethnic cleansing campaigns against non-Arabs. Skirmishes have
spilled over the border into neighboring Chad causing instability along that
international boundary as well. On December 15, 2013, a new conflict ignited
over newly drawn international boundaries between North and South. Internally,
in South Sudan, disputes over how oil revenues are shared has enflamed civil struggle
that continues today ranking South Sudan number one on the Fragile States Index
in 2014 and 2015, a list maintained by U.S. based think tank Fund for Peace.
The reality on the ground in South Sudan after decades of war is inadequate
roads and lack of infrastructure. Basic supplies and medicines for relief
efforts are difficult to acquire.
Cross International Outreach to South Sudan
A South Sudanese regional public health
chief inspected the contents of a basic International Emergency Health Kit
(IEHK) and was visibly moved with emotion when he met Mosely and his team at
one of their stops on their tour. The chief hadn’t seen medicine in months.
Several international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) had pulled out of
South Sudan with the onset of civil strife leaving the region without medical
supplies for an extended period of time.
Emotional meetings like these were repeated
on several occasions in the Western Equatoria region of South Sudan as IEHKs
arrived. Mosely and his team delivered the precious IEHKs to ten different
distribution centers on their relief tour through South Sudan. “We’re calling
on all of our friends to pray with us for safety and success in this region of
the world that is continually under pressure from disease, poverty, and famine,
caused by continual armed conflict,” Mark said in communication while on the
ground in South Sudan. “The arrival of this product and distribution will bring
much needed relief.”
Delivery of goods and short-term crisis
relief doesn’t complete the mission for Cross International. “Our primary ministry is working to empower local churches and
church-based ministries over the long-term,” says Cross International President
and Founder Jim Cavnar. “If you just engage for a few years, maybe something
new starts, but will it last? Will it bring about a long term benefit? We’re
equipped to provide resources that are invaluable to respond to disasters, but
where we really shine is in that long-term commitment to the rebuilding process
including housing, water supply, medical clinics, and the rebuilding of
schools.”
Response in Ecuador
In Ecuador, repeated earthquakes have hit
causing massive devastation in remote areas. “The death toll is 660, 31 people are missing, in excess of 27,000 are injured, 350,000
people remain in need, and some 22,400 are sheltered in 39 active shelters and
64 temporary camps,” Mosely
reported to local leaders on a recent conference call. “We’re helping with resources through the health sector, providing
enough medicines and supplies to treat 20,000 people for three months.”
Cross International already has a number of
ministries they’ve been working with for many years in Ecuador, South Sudan,
and several other locations around the world. “The disaster phase will pass
after a while,” Says Cavnar, “but the long-term needs will still be there, and
that’s where our real commitment and strengths lie. We’re still in Haiti. We’re
still in the Philippines. We’re still in the Dominican Republic. We’re still in
Belize. These are all places we have responded to disasters in the past, but
we’re still in those places helping with the long-term growth and development
and recovery.”
Last year Cross International provided about
$100 million in aid in 22 countries. Their goal is to transform the lives of
the poor both spiritually and materially. To learn more about what Cross
International does and how you can connect with their mission, visit them at
crossinternational.org.
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