South Sudanese Catholic Bishop Calls for Prayers as Ravaging Drought Threatens Masses

Bishop Hiiboro says, “Agriculture is the soul of this region and source number one of our livelihood. All that depends on the rain.”

“Without it (agriculture), we can descend to the unheard of: food emergencies! God forbid, hence let us pray to the Creator,” he adds in his message circulated on the social media platforms.

The 57-year-old Bishop further calls for the protection of the environment to avoid the fluctuations in climate, saying, “As we pray let us moderate our treatment of our environment by reducing the cutting of trees, burning of forest and burning down big trees. Our Ecumenical and interfaith prayers will do much more too for us.”

The Catholic Shepherd invites all Apostolic groups in the country to “get on our knees in prayers to our Maker, God.”

He has shared a prayer which reads in part, “Can the heavens give showers! Are you not He, o Lord our God! Therefore, we will wait for you - expectantly; for you have made all these things. Loving Lord, you are the living God, who gives us, the children of this beautiful land Western Equatoria and South Sudan, richly all things to enjoy.”

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“We know Lord that You are in perfect control and You would definitely hear our cries and open the windows of heaven and rain all over our Land of Western Equatoria and South Sudan,” he prays, and invokes the intercession of St. Joseph, St. Mary, St. Josephine Bakhita and “Titarani (Our Grandpa) Bishop Gasi Abangite.”

Bishop Hiiboro who has been at the helm of Tombura-Yambio Diocese since his episcopal ordination in June 2008 further calls upon the mercy of God on behalf of the people, praying, “Lord have mercy on us and for a moment think about our plight, our struggle for drinking water, crops failing and cattle dying.”

“Because You did speak, and it was done; You did command, and it stood fast! Yes. Father, it is in Your power to send abundant rainfall on the earth and thus bless its inhabitants and also to stop it from raining. For he spoke, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast,” the Bishop prays, and concludes with readings from the book of Jeremiah Chapter 14 verse 22 and Psalm 33:9.