Humanitarian Outreach to Internally Displaced Persons in Ebebda.
Where do Internally Displaced Persons go?
Because somebody cared.
Have you ever wondered where Internally Displaced Persons of the current crisis in Cameroon go to? not everyone is lucky enough to have a relative in the city, some have worked their way to what they call their safe haven usually abandoned buildings, hideouts in bushes, creating a new communities as they work their way to survival, it is the case of Ebebda.
Ebebda is situated in the Lekie Division of the Center Region of Cameroon approximately 1 hour :23 minutes drive from the capital city of Yaounde. Today host to about 400 Internally Displaced persons from the North and South west regions of Cameron. These people have built a new community thanks to the accommodation of the local inhabitants who somewhat enjoy the sudden attraction the new settlers bring.
On their faces you can read great expectation as they gather in wait. Like many other days they have been informed that the Orphans Assistance team will be visiting on May 5th with gifts of love. Hosted by a sister organization( CEFONEV) We make an interesting discovery: a school for Internally Displaced Persons set up to help children who have been out of school for 4 years. Looking very sharp and hopeful in their uniforms they line up to receive the ORAS team. A student steps forward to present a welcome speech. We are impressed.
The mission is to share bread but also the bread of life. Drawing from John 3: 16 we talk to them on two prayerfully picked topics: love and forgiveness. They share their experiences.. it is heart wrenching and at the same time scary to listen to. From running away from the lake Nyos natural disaster to running away from war. Then the conflict around sharing the 5 loaves of bread and two fish we brought begins…father multiply, we pray silently. The food will never be enough but the audacity of our hope and faith in the one who sent us is enough.
We envisage a long term partnership, we dream of a day when these children can transition to the ORAS Academy of Hope (OAH) to acquire skill sets that will help them get jobs or create sustainable opportunities for the themselves . Today they are in Ebebda but their lives hopefully would not end here. At ORAS we are hopeful for them. People who abandoned their houses, lost their families, investments, homes and hope. Someday somehow these dry bones will live again.
