At the end of March last year, South Sudan implemented various national preventive measures such as suspending big gatherings, religious activities, and closing schools,to prevent the spread of Covid19. The Salesian Sisters reacted immediately by launching a series of pandemic awareness and prevention campaign, however, in the face of hunger and insecurity, fighting Covid19 has become a luxury in this country.

In the face of our unjust world, I could do nothing, except watching the villagers killing each other, waiting for the pandemicto spread, andfamine to come. Justice, seemedas far away as the stars in the sky.

When I was at my worst and felt utterly powerless, I begged God to use us, and then, the Salesian Sisters miraculously received donations from different parts of the world, and being led by the Holy Spirit to launchmultiple campaigns to help the poor and promote peace in the difficult times of Covid19.

One year after Covid19 broke out in South Sudan, the pandemic shows no sign of dying down. While most countries have reopened schools with strict preventive measures and online teaching, most students in South Sudan have no access to online learningleaving schools continue to close indefinitely. The Salesian Sisters are powerless in the face of national school lockdown, yet they submit to God and make good use of theirnewfound time tofurther develop theirwomen promotion programs. Thanks be to God that I have the privilege to assist Sr Lourdes in Gumbo in developing their2 years old Mazzarello Women Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society through: promoting our different agriculture, clothing and foodproducts; carrying out research on production process and market opportunity for new product ideas; preparingproposals for potential projects. May the spirit and vision of Mother Mazzarello continue to move and push us to help more vulnerable women and their families to break through the vicious circle of poverty, and achieve self-sufficiency through our women promotion programs all over South Sudan.

Justice, is only one step away.

When we are the least able to do anything, we are willing to give up relying on ourselves.

When we are the weakest, we are willing to completely rely on God.

When we are being humbled the most, we trust God the most, open to God the most, and experience God’s omnipotence the most.

“Because when I am weak, it is when I am capable.” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Justice, may seem as far away as the stars in the sky, it is just one step away. When we are willing to step out in faith and become an instrument of God’s love and mercy, He will do the rest, “because it is impossible with man, and with God, everything is possible.” (Gu 10:27)

Love conquers distance.

We cannot choose where to be born, but we are all able to love, look at the children in both rich and poor countries. It’s only when we grow up, we also grow apart. We discriminate others based on social status, wealth, race, gender and faith. We separate ourselves from love, and justice. God is love. He loves us equally, not because of our achievement or ability, but because we are His children. The poorest person on earth is not the person who has no money, or ability, or health, but who has no love. Love conquers distance. When we are willing to step out and start spreading the love of God, true justice can be achieved, through Him, with Him, in Him.

(Last modified: 08-12-2021)