After the consecration of the new Bishop of the Diocese of Yei, in my person, on 15th May 2022, I decided to start my episcopal ministry by visiting all the parishes and communities of the Diocese, within and without the country. The visit was a pastoral assessment drive, to establish the general and current situation of the Diocese; in what conditions of life the people are living, and what is the condition of the institutions of service established by the Diocese in the course of the years.
I visited the Diocese far and wide, and found the people in the following situations:
- Socio-Economic and Political Situation
On a negative note, due to the war of 2016, the economic situation of the people is dire. Majority of those living in urban areas have no access to jobs. They depend on agriculture and other casual businesses. Those who have some jobs with government institutions earn meagre salaries and not always paid irregularly. Very few, who work in humanitarian agencies, earn reasonable salaries, and can afford a dignified living
Citizens in rural areas have no access to education, medical care, clean water, Communication, and market. The existing facilities of service like schools, health units, boreholes, etc., are either destroyed or abandoned due to insecurity. Children of 10 years old have not had the chance to go to school. Health wise, once a person becomes sick he/she treats him/herself with herbs since there are no health facilities that provides modern medicines.
There is poor civil-military relation. Soldiers harass civilians at will, often destroying livelihoods and hindering easy and safe moments of people on the roads. For selfish interests and gains, politicians have succeed to create animosity among local communities.
The bigger population of the Diocese, as mentioned above, is in the refugee camps in Congo and Uganda, and the living conditions there are equally not good. Food ratios continue to be cut down every year, and there in no free access to land for agriculture to produce extra food stuff. The refugees yearn to return to the country, but conditions back home in their locations of origin are not favorable.
On a positive note, though, there are efforts being made by humanitarian agencies and faith-based organizations to reconcile communities in conflicts due to political affiliations. Some few schools within the towns and in the refugee camps are operating, even though with poor quality standards. Children can at least study up to the secondary level, despite the challenge of not continuing with high studies due to limited scholarships from NGOs.
Efforts have been made also by the State government to establish a military Court Martial in Yei to try soldiers accused of crimes against civilians. Some road network are opening up, allowing economic businesses to flow.
- Pastoral-Spiritual Situation
On a negative note, Christians in rural parishes (i.e. those who did not go to the refugee camps) are going without the sacraments for months, if not years, due to the absence of priests. The few priests, residing in the town parish of Christ the King in Yei, cannot access those parishes regularly due to insecurity on the roads. If they try to risk, they are prevented most of the time by the military, supposedly for securities reasons. The Catechists are the only leaders in some of these parishes taking care of the faith of the people, and sometimes they are also harass by the military.
Thus, some parishes of the Diocese, as marked above, are partially operational due to insecurity, which has forced the Christian faithful in the areas to flee into exile or into safe areas in the busies. Some of these parishes were run by missionaries who had also to flee out of the country due to the insecurity caused by the civil war.
On a positive note, however, there is a visible growth of faith in the Christian communities, both within and without the country. Children’s apostolate (the Missionary Childhood Society) is growing. The Catechists, though untrained and getting very little incentive for their up-keep, are committed to their service of instructing the Christians (mainly Children) in the faith. The Christian communities in the camps in Uganda and Congo are receiving constant on-going formation programmes, thanks to the Dioceses of Arua in Uganda and Mahagi in Congo, and Missionary Congregations working among them.
NEEDED INTERVENTION
Given the above situations, there is need for intervention in the areas of education, health, water, decent accommodation and capacity building. This intervention should focus on the enumerated areas below, as per our Diocesan Strategic Plan for 2024-2028, to restore services to the people as fast as possible:
- Rehabilitation of broken or dilapidated schools, health Centers and priests houses.
- Capacity Building and Spiritual Renewal Courses for Pastoral Agents
- Sabbatical or Spiritual Renewal Courses for the Diocesan Clergy
- Training and formation of Catechists
- Skill development courses for Women and Youth
- Bursaries for disadvantaged pupils and students (Orphans)
- Institutional strengthening and development, e.g.:
- Construction of the Diocesan Curial Offices
- Training/Recruitment technical staff in the different departments in the Diocesan Curia
- Supply of office equipment and means of Transport.