CHICAGO, IL (January 9, 2014) — Covenant World Relief (CWR) has established a special giving page to assist South Sudanese driven from their homes by the conflict that has sent people, including members of the Evangelical Covenant Church of South Sudan (ECCSS), fleeing to refugee camps.

More than 1,000 people have been killed and more than 200,000 displaced. South Sudanese attendees of ECCSS congregations in the United States have said their family members are among those killed or forced from their homes. For previous Covenant News Service stories click Relatives Killed and ECCSS Leader Wounded.

“This is a huge humanitarian disaster,” said Dave Husby, CWR director.

Ugandan officials have said they do not have the capacity to provide for the needs of the 2,000 refugees who are arriving in their country each day.

Funds initially will be distributed through Medical Teams International (MTI), which is providing assistance to refugees in Uganda. Covenant World Relief has worked extensively with MTI throughout the world. The nonprofit has sent a team to one of the refugee camps in Uganda.

The violence currently makes it virtually impossible, but when possible funding also will be directed to help people in South Sudan.

Many are going hungry and living in squalid conditions inside South Sudan, including at United Nations compounds. James Tang, a Covenant missionary to his native country, expressed his frustration this morning over his limited ability to help, saying, “I can’t sleep at night.”

Peace talks between the warring factions that began earlier this week have stalled.

Click here to donate to CWR’s emergency response.