Pastor Chirillo Chol joined thousands of others who fled from Abyei, the disputed border town between North and South Sudan that was overrun by northern forces. Pastor Chol is ministering to displaced families who found refuge in Agok, about 32 miles to the south. He tells what happened on that horrible day, and gives his perspective on the conflict.

No one in Abyei imagined this would happen. The troops started to come on May 19 and 20. We thought there would be fighting, but we thought it would be away from the town. Then on the 21st, they took the town.

When the bombings and the artillery began, everyone started to run and they were shooting at us. They attacked from three sides.

I was with my brother. We saw forces that we thought were our own. They were wearing the same uniforms as the SPLA, but they were not and they were shooting people.

The UN did nothing. People were killed and bodies were scattered all around. They burned all the churches and they burned houses all around the UN compound, but the UN soldiers did nothing.

Some people were captured. People who had guns were killed. The soldiers chased people to the bridge and then they bombed it.

The next morning I moved south for three days to Agok.

Some people who ran died because they were lost in the bush. They died because they had no water. Some were attacked by lions and wild hyenas. Children are missing.

What these people did was genocide. They want the oil that we have. They occupied the land so he can take the oil. And no one can go back because now there is no bridge.

If we had the power, we would take back our land. We would die for our land. But nothing will happen unless the international community and the church speak up. The international community must be a voice to tell them to withdraw from Abyei.

We don’t know what will happen on July 9 when we have independence. I think (North Sudan President Omar) Bashir does not want to see the flag of South Sudan raised. He wants to provoke the people of South Sudan so he can invade. He has told SPLA soldiers in the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile to leave. There is a spirit of killing, war, and death.

But our people still have hope and we still have faith.

By the grace of God I escaped. God allowed me to see these things so I can tell people what happened in Abyei. God is still there in Abyei and He is with us now.

Samaritan's Purse , Sudan , Emergency Relief , Escape from Abyei