South Sudan
In the border town of Renk, South Sudan, the Anglican Church sponsors a three-room health clinic that is the only medical care facility for hundreds of miles. The clinic supports the medical needs of a large city, the surrounding areas, and the never-ending stream of people passing through this border town. There are low food supplies and high rates of malaria. Medical care comes in the form of a midwife, a physician’s assistant, and medicine.
There is never enough medicine.
Some years ago, members of St. Barnabas visited Renk, South Sudan and struck up a personal friendship with its Bishop (now Archbishop), Joseph Atem. This has led to a close relationship with the Diocese of Renk. Ando so, for the past two decades, our parish has sponsored a benefit concert to help support the clinic. In 2020, undeterred by COVID, we hosted the concert virtually - and raised $22,000 - triple our fundraising goal.
Upon hearing the news, Archbishop Joseph said, “May mercy, peace, grace and love be multiplied to you.” “Thank you so much,” it is “joyful and a blessing” to receive this good news. He “highly appreciated” the “unlimited support” which the “sisters and brothers of St. Barnabas” have offered “for so many years and especially at this difficult time of COVID-19.” He concluded, “We … in Renk diocese are thankful for your generosity. May God bless you all.”
We expect to host another benefit concert this year as part of our Upstairs / Downstairs concert series. Please watch this site for details. Watch this short video to learn more about South Sudan.