Here are some of our residents (with some local day students welcomed for classes) taking final exams in May—in a war zone. How tragic that any child, anywhere, must live and study amidst such conflict; sadly, this is their norm. I try to imagine being a war orphan and concentrating on exams with such uncertainty about life, death, and the day-to-day. Thank you for helping us help them.
UOCO KIDS ARE GRATEFUL… and understandably a bit nervous:
I am not in steamy South Sudan. That had been my summer plan. However, violence in the country led the school staff to delay. I had hoped to be teaching, singing, and laughing with awesome kids at our Hand of Hope Community School. Instead, I enjoyed teaching, singing, and laughing with awesome 5th graders at Peace Camp[i] in Virginia. I alternated this camp adventure with sitting at the bedside of my dear friend, Scott Spaine,[ii] one of our UOCO Board Members. Scott lived and breathed compassion and joy. He enthusiastically organized our Bike-a-Thons until he became too weak to do so, and he died Aug 2nd. What a curious and challenging juxtaposition of life experiences. The Spirit works in mysterious ways; I am where I am supposed to be.
Our staff in South Sudan have kept our children safe. Yet that war-ravaged country’s own dire situation is compounded by over one million people who have fled south from the country of Sudan. Famine and flooding from climatastrophe exacerbate the horrors of war and are destabilizing the whole area. The conflict is violent, yes, but it also brings exorbitant price increases on common goods. As of June, according to the World Food Program,[iii] over half the population of South Sudan, 57% or 7.7 million people, “face high levels of acute food insecurity.” About half of those in trouble are children and pregnant/breastfeeding women, a dramatic 27% increase from last year. Most of our school goods travel via hand-poled barges along tributaries of the ancient Nile River—a hot, days-long journey north from the capital city of Juba. The whole of the Nile River delta has been terribly impacted by violence, theft, and insecurity, impacting UOCO’s ability to access food.
So many suffer. And I wait. We are hopeful for a relative peace soon. Please pray for peace. I hope to spend the fall there and will carry a full suitcase of washable menstrual products, a T-shirt for each student-resident, and school supplies (none of this bought with UOCO donations). Several of you have already donated airline miles for my trip (since 100% of our donations go directly to the school expenses, I pay the transfer fees personally).
Kindly pray for peace and justice for all kids in crisis, everywhere, and for Scott’s loving soul.
Mary, for the UOCO kids, staff, and all us volunteers on the American and African UOCO Boards
[i] Little Friends for Peace, www.uoco.org teaches non-violent conflict resolution, focusing on children in camps and in schools.
[ii] Scott asked that in lieu of flowers, people consider donations to UOCO. Scott was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes as a little boy, had a mega-stroke at 27, and lived a joyful, compassionate, and adventuresome life, riding most places on his recumbent trike. He served as a UOCO Board Member from the inception of the school until his passing, Aug. 2, 2025. We are sad. A eulogy is attached, for those who are interested.
[iii] https://www.wfp.org/emergencies/south-sudan-emergency 2025/6/16 article, “In photos: 5 hunger hotspots where famine is looming.” Others of course include Gaza, Sudan, Mali, Congo and Haiti.Mary Grace, President and Liaison, UOCO (USA)