On July 14 and 15, the five weekend masses at Morgan Hill’s St.
Catherine Roman Catholic Church were addressed by a guest speaker.
Silvestro Akara Bakhiet traveled from his home in San Francisco to
explain the plight of residents of Darfur and request assistance in
meeting their needs.
On July 14 and 15, the five weekend masses at Morgan Hill’s St. Catherine Roman Catholic Church were addressed by a guest speaker. Silvestro Akara Bakhiet traveled from his home in San Francisco to explain the plight of residents of Darfur and request assistance in meeting their needs.
A crisis has been developing in Darfur, the arid, impoverished southern region of the African nation of Sudan, since 2003. More than two million people are living in refugee camps after fleeing almost constant fighting in the region.
Sudan’s government and the pro-government Arab militias are accused of committing war atrocities against the region’s black African population. It is estimated that more than 200,000 deaths have occurred through violence, starvation and disease.
In May, a tentative peace was arranged between the warring parties, but the violence continues despite the presence of 7,000 African Union soldiers who are trying to establish peace. The United States has tried to get sanctions declared against Sudan by the United Nations, but so far has been unsuccessful.
Against this backdrop came Akara, president of New Sudan Generation. He brought a message of hope for this troubled region and a request for assistance for its residents. He told the assembled worshipers about his life in Sudan as a member of a family of poor, Christian farmers.
While a college student, Akara moved to Khartoum, the nation’s capital, helped open an English-speaking school and smuggled victims of violence into Uganda. Later he fled from persecution to Egypt, finally arriving in San Francisco as a refugee in 1997.
The organization he founded is dedicated to assisting people in Darfur recover from the effects of the long war. The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Torit (in Southern Sudan) asked him to spread his message to three parishes here in the Diocese of San Jose:
– The refugees who are returning need clean water, health care and education.
– If the signed peace agreement is to become meaningful, changes must be implemented in Sudanese society.
– The U.S. can help by providing resources:Â financial and physical help in the rebuilding of the infrastructure destroyed by fighting.
– Voters should pressure American politicians to stay focused on Darfur and make sure promises are fulfilled.
Besides speaking at the Masses, Akara was guest of honor at a “Dinner for Darfur” benefit sponsored by St. Catherine’s Social Justice Committee. More than 150 people attended, and more than $11,000 was raised to relieve the suffering in that troubled region of Africa.
The event had an interesting beginning. Last year, Morgan Hill resident Kate Lillig, then a sophomore at the University of San Francisco, accompanied her friends, Ann, Deepu and Sneha Kochuparambil (also Morgan Hill residents) in a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge and a rally at Chrissy Field to raise awareness of the Darfur situation. Ann came back to town and made plans to do something more to help. This spring she met with Father Gene O’Donnell (St. Catherine’s Pastor), Joan Locsin (Parish Musician) and Mario Banuelos (Diocesan Liaison), gathered other interested people, and they were able to make this major effort to help the suffering people.
For more information, visit www.newsudangeneration.org or call St. Catherine Church at (408) 779-3959.
