gathering of around 60 Catholic travelers are recuperating subsequent to enduring nine days journeying across war-torn South Sudan to see Pope Francis in the capital, Juba.
"My feet are sore, yet I'm not all that drained. At the point when the soul is with you, you don't get drained," NightRose Falea said as she licked her broke, dry lips.
"I could never have missed coming to Juba for anything. We are here to get the Pope's favors. I'm certain that with his gifts things will change for this country," she told the BBC.
Driven with conviction and a feeling of positive energy, the ladies had set off from Rumbek - some 300km (190 miles) north-west of Juba.
Their central goal: to join the Pope in supplication for the world's most youthful country, which has been plagued by struggle since freedom in 2011 - a circumstance has carried untold wretchedness to a huge number of its kin.
"We strolled for several hours every day and afterward we would go through the night in the areas at the focuses where we were. It was tiring however worth the effort," said Confidence Biel.
As they strolled for the last couple of miles, dust and happy tunes consumed the space as a band of individuals sang and stepped their feet.
The scene pulled in hordes of spectators. Some participated as the moving turned out to be more energetic. Others, uncertain, remained at a protected distance to clear a path for the gathering of ladies wearing white and wearing headscarves with a print of Pope Francis' face.
Their besmirched garments, rankled feet and broke lips validated the trial of the nine-day journey, yet they actually moved and leaped to commend their achievement.
Rewards looked for them at Juba's St Theresa's Catholic Church, where an inviting party had likewise begun singing and moving.
One pioneer, who was crying tears as she showed up, indicated the injury the long periods of battling have brought to this country.
"At the point when you have smelled and seen demise and sadness, then you will look for harmony with all the could that you have," said the lady, who would have rather not given her name.
"I have adequately lost, however en route I saw love and we as a whole communicated in one language - that of harmony. I truly ask that even after the Pope leaves, we will in any case be that way," she proceeded.
"He is a prophet and anything that he supplicates in the following couple of days, while on our dirt, will happen. The situation will be unique. We will be one individuals."
church is viewed as an image of expectation for the overwhelming majority in South Sudan. It is where many dislodged by the nation's struggles look for asylum.
It has likewise kept on playing a main job in the social government assistance of individuals and given the vast majority of them a feeling of having a place.
Pope Francis is burning through three days in the nation and will hold a Mass on Sunday.
In a noteworthy first, he went with two other Christian pioneers - Diocese supervisor of Canterbury Justin Welby and Mediator of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland Fire up Iain Greenshields.
In 2019 Pope Francis kissed the feet of South Sudan's harsh political adversaries, President Salva Kiir and his appointee Riek Machar, when they met at the Vatican.
This was a demonstration that stunned many, regardless of whether it promptly end the battling.
Albeit that contention has now died down, numerous nearby debates actually turn dangerous consistently - just before the Pope's appearance, in excess of 20 individuals were killed in a dairy cattle strike.
A huge number of South Sudanese will trust - and supplicating - that the visit of the three strict pioneers will stamp a fresh start for this disturbed country.
