When children and their families arrive at the border between South Sudan and Uganda, they are bused to processing centers located within one of the many resettlement camps. It’s a ride that could take hours.

Mothers cling to their children as they exit the bus and begin the long registration process. The first visit is always to the medical tent. Malnourished children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers are given yellow wrist bands to identify their status. The healthy receive a blue band.

The registration process can take days. That’s a long time for the hundreds of young children and families living temporarily in the processing center at any given time.

According to officials, nearly 60 percent of one million refugees who have arrived are children. That’s 600,000 young minds whose lives have been interrupted because of a war they don’t even understand.

Perhaps most shockingly, many children arrive without a parent or guardian. These unaccompanied minors are identified with a white wrist band. Currently, about 100 children arrive without their parents or a relative every day.

Samaritan’s Purse is responding to the plight of these refugees—children and adults—by providing them with food, clean water and hygiene training, and agricultural supplies and training.

A New Family

Currently, Samaritan’s Purse is demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ by providing food to more than 107,000 refugees living in Imvepi. Neena Atai, her children, and some family members are among them. They decided to make the journey to Uganda earlier this year. Along the road, like many families, they came across separated and orphaned children.

For Neena, it wasn’t a difficult decision for the family to accept five orphans into their homes.

“I will take care of them,” Neena said. Though having extra mouths to feed is a daily challenge, there was no hesitation in her voice. These children were now hers, and she will take care of them until they can take care of themselves.

Two sisters in her charge are Joy Keji and Saron Monday. Their father was killed by rebels on the way to Uganda. Their father lived near Neena’s village so she decided to take them in.

A First-Time Father

John Ayume, 21, arrived with his mother Ella at Bidibidi Refugee Resettlement in November 2016. In addition to the meager items they possessed, the family also arrive in Uganda with five orphaned children they met on the road.

“There are a lot of separated children,” John said.

Despite the challenges, John and his mother are caring for the young children as if they were their own.

“It has been difficult,” he said. “The children do not have clothing. There is no money to buy medicine when they are sick.”

John didn’t anticipate becoming a father figure to five children, but he has taken on the role as provider and is working with Samaritan’s Purse as a hygiene promoter.

A Close Bond

In July 2016, the fighting in South Sudan became particularly intense.

“Many innocent people have been killed,” Victor Alhaz said. It was after that July outbreak, that Victor and his family made the decision to leave South Sudan.

Alone and unsure of what to do, they decided to travel Bidibidi Refugee Resettlement with Victor and his family. As a result, there is now a strong bond between Rose and the girls.

“I’m excited because I was chosen by Samaritan’s Purse,” Victor said. “I call myself lucky because I know that many people wanted the seeds in the neighborhood.”

The refugees have hope that peace will one day return to South Sudan. When that day comes, there will be many celebrations as families are reunited.

But the children don’t really have to worry. The bonds between lost children and their adopted families is strong. For many of these South Sudanese refugees, it isn’t just the family you have it is the family you make.