Servant's Heart provides extensive physical aid to the people of southern Blue Nile and Eastern Upper Nile of south Sudan. We have provided emergency food relief to those who are unable to provide food for their families due to the direct and indirect consequences of the long-running civil war and drought. Servant's Heart has also provided seed and agricultural tools to hundreds of families for planting crops and building homes to help them get back on their feet. We have provided clothing and blankets to those in need and reunited orphans with extended family members.
Health and public sanitation continue to be major issues in the region. In a hot, muggy climate, numerous tropical diseases flourish and the local water sources are plagued with disease and animal and human runoff. With the recent introduction of soap and latrines, the health in some villages is starting to improve. Teachers are teaching children to use the latrines and wash with soap. Midwives have improved the infant mortality rate tremendously. Servant's Heart intends to expand public education of personal hygiene and sanitation. Funds are needed to support additional public education.
In 2003, Servant's Heart's first water well was hand-dug by locals 33' deep and seven feet in diameter and was capped off with cement to keep the water pure. Our second well is in another village that was in desperate need of water and with the help of drilling equipment, went down 22'. Three additional sites are under construction. Our goal is to provide fresh water for 15 communities over the next few years. Please donate to provide clean water to a community.
Since 1999, Servant's Heart has assisted indigenous schools and in 2003, we started our first school in south Sudan using indigenous teachers. Students up to 20 years old attend first grade since there has never been a school in this area. In 2004, we are working to start two more in Eastern Upper Nile. Contact us at servantsheart@servheart.org to inquire about sponsoring a school for up to 500 children.
In 2004, school clothing and supplies and Bible stories were provided to 800 school children in Eastern Upper Nile in two villages in partnership with Voice of the Martyrs/Canada. A school feeding program is being set up since children walk typically 1-2 hours each way to school.
Most of the Bibles and hymnals of the Christians in southern Blue Nile and Eastern Upper Nile was destroyed during the persecution of Christians in the area. Servant's Heart has produced copies of Bibles in tribal languages and purchased Bibles and hymnals in others. Transportation in and out of this remote jungle continues to be expensive and dangerous.
Servant's Heart provides pastor training, pastoral and congregational support to help build up the Christian church in south Sudan. Congregations have built new church buildings and helped the widows and orphans. Up to 75 churches are known in this region of approximately 200,000 people. Populations are transient as they relocate as a result of Government of Sudan military and militia activity in the region. Many congregations continue to be "underground" as they keep their gatherings clandestine to avoid attracting military attention. Others sing loudly and can be heard for miles, attracting people from the countryside.
Servant's Heart provides clean water, literacy and 'living water' to the remote tribes of southern Blue Nile and Eastern Upper Nile. Your undesignated donation will go to the project where it is most needed.