Syrian children march in the refugee camp in Jordan.
(Photo © 2013 IMB / IMB file photo)

Central African Republic (MNN) — On a global scale, the struggle for peace is far from over.

According to figures recently released by the UN, 60 million people worldwide have been displaced by conflict.

Over two-thirds of them are Muslim and have been uprooted by one of 15 conflicts that erupted within the last five years.

“After the dramatic events on the beaches and borders of Europe this summer, nobody is now able to ignore a refugee crisis that had been simmering for so long,” said the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, earlier this week in Geneva.

Guterres highlighted the following refugee populations in his speech:

• 15 million from Syria and Iraq
• 1.1 million within and from Yemen
• 500,000 from South Sudan
• 300,000 in Libya
• 190,000 displaced within Burundi
• 94,000 from Myanmar

“Tens of thousands–many of them children–are fleeing horrific gang violence and abuse in Central America,” he continued.

In 2013, the radio station was looted by Seleka rebels.
(Image courtesy Water for Good)

“And there has been little or no improvement in the crises affecting the Central African Republic, Nigeria, Ukraine, or the Democratic Republic of Congo.”

Amid such rampant unrest, Water for Good is urging reconciliation — the counter-intuitive message of Christ — in the CAR.

“Questions come in when we talk about reconciliation,” shares Water for Good’s Jim Hocking.

“‘How can we reconcile with people who are killing our kids and raping our girls? How are we really supposed to forgive them?’ Those are difficult questions to answer.”

Reconciliation instead of revenge

It’s hard not to be angry if you live in the Central African Republic.

(Photo courtesy Water for Good via Facebook)

A recent resurgence of violence took the lives of more than 60 people. Over 30,000 people were displaced yet again.

Upcoming presidential elections–which many hoped would lead to a new start for the CAR–were postponed because of the country’s instability.

And yet, hope remains for the CAR.

Using a radio station started and maintained with the help of Reach Beyond, Water for Good encourages people in the CAR–over half of whom need humanitarian assistance–to be reconciled with those who wish them harm.

“We have been putting reconciliation messages on the radio station,” shares Hocking.

“We’ve had a couple of the men and pastors who have been giving those messages there [at the station] for answering questions.”

Along with orality and Bible storying, the radio ministry is a vital vehicle Water for Good uses to proclaim Christ in the CAR.

(Graphic courtesy Water for Good via Facebook)

However, Water for Good was among the many organizations looted at the end of September. The radio station wasn’t affected, but they’re having to start much of their ministry in Bangui virtually from scratch.

Can you help?

“We’re not leaving,” Hocking vows. “There is still a work to be done.

“There are many villages which still do not have access to clean water, nor access to the Gospel, and we want to give them both.”

(Photo courtesy Water for Good via Facebook)

Central African Republic (MNN) — Continually in and out of crisis, the Central African Republic (CAR) is no stranger to turmoil.

See timeline of CAR conflict here.

“It gets old. People get tired of hearing the same old story,” says Jim Hocking, founder of Water for Good.

In every CAR crisis, Water for Good teams make sure people can access clean water and the Living Water of Christ.

“There are many villages which still do not have access to clean water, nor access to the Gospel, and we want to give them both.”

2015 CAR crisis and impact

An estimated 27,000 people have fled Bangui so far.
(Wikimedia Commons)

Springing from a weekend clash in the capital city, this week’s CAR crisis is reportedly the worst bout of violence in 2015.

Between 35 and 40 people have been killed, and thousands of Banqui residents are taking refuge in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.

“This was nothing short of an attempt to take power by force,” interim President Catherine Samba Panza remarked, after cutting short her visit to the UN General Assembly.

Even though Water for Good is a stable presence in the midst of CAR crisis, that doesn’t mean they’re immune to fall-out.

Water for Good offices were looted, and bandits stole a bunch of important equipment.

“We lost motorcycles; we lost inverters, computers. We have to pretty much start over,” Hocking explains.

See pictures of Water for Good’s looted offices here.

And yet, despite the losses, “We’re not leaving. There’s still a work to be done.”

An in-country representative of Living Water International, Water for Good drills and maintains wells throughout the CAR.

“We’ve drilled over 600 wells in the country,” Hocking says. “We’re taking care of nearly 1,000 wells.”

Water for Good helps at least a half-million people get clean water on a consistent basis, even when fighting flares up.

Approximately 500,000 people enjoy clean water, thanks to Water for Good.
(Image courtesy Water for Good)

“If maintenance isn’t done,” Hocking explains, “[water pumps] actually break apart, and then it takes more work to get it going.”

Hocking is no stranger to CAR crisis. It’s partly why he started Water for Good (then called ICDI) in 2003.

“[We] decided that there’s something we needed to demonstrate to the people of the country, and be able to show them that God really does love them and does care for them,” Hocking recalls.

Starting in 2003 with well maintenance and repair, Water for Good has since expanded to include well-drilling and community development.

“We were on the road to recovery [from the 2013/14 CAR crisis],” says Hocking. “This will probably set them back awhile.”

Please pray for peace, and consider helping Water for Good recover their losses.

“We have a site to ask people to give towards the crisis situation,” Hocking says.

Visit the #CARcrisis Web site here.