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Besides clothing and wheelchairs etc they asked if we could try to possibly bring some tools and machines for shoe- and key-maker. My oldest brother promptly offered to help us in this matter and contacted the Federal Shoemaker Association and “Mister Minit Germany”. Both want to help us in this matter, and we hope that we can help lots of the most needy here in this way, not just with a “fish”, but teaching them “how to fish” – helping them to help themselves.  

There are unfortunately a lot of handicapped in Cameroon. We were told, it´s about 10% of the population, since until 10 years ago there was a lot of polio and still today they have lots of meningitis in the North, including malnutrition in parts of the country.

When visiting the handicapped association personally in Yaounde we found out that there is also a big need for sewing machines and carpentry tools. We are trying now to also set things in motion in this area, so we can help more people. The handicapped are getting training in these professions, to help them get easier included in society instead of living on the fringes, and so that one day they can support themselves.

This challenge spoke to us, and we hope that on my visit to Germany we can collect sufficient materials for this project besides the usual humanitarian aid and that we can prepare everything for the  container. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all, who contribute to this, financially or materially and through your prayers! Because after everything is collected, sorted and ready to get loaded, we need again a miracle, to get it all through customs! We already made some contacts for this, and we hope and pray that it works, once it´s time, probably in September.

Besides the handicapped we want to also help old-folks-homes and orphanages, which the Minister for Social Affaires, Mme Dr. Fouda, visited with us. Dear Sisters there are taking in old people, which i.e. were found living alone and helpless on the street. In one orphanage was a 14 year old boy who was found in the woods and was so weak that he couldn´t even walk.

Besides the humanitarian aid we also made progress on the spiritual side of life, as there is a great vacuum and need. Many are Christians, but don´t know much about the Bible. They are also very thankful if you show them how to keep themselves free from negative spiritual forces.    

One day passing gospel tracts at the University in Douala we met Eveline. She was very excited about what we were doing and right away asked us to come and teach the youth group in her church, as she explained they don’t have enough teachers. We agreed and the following Friday she led us through the slums next to our house to her parent’s “house”. Jean Pierre and I - both of us white - were stirring quite some attention, as we weren’t the usual side in these quarters. After squeezing through few “streets” we ended up in front of Eveline´s house. Eveline pointed to a little wooden shack with yellow plastic, as a roof explaining that this is the witch doctor’s office. She said it’s only one of the three in her immediate neighborhood and that many people come and seek their “advice”. It made us pray as we went even more.

We entered her parent’s living room, which was a very humble room with posters of Jesus and Bible verses taped to the muddy walls. Next to the wall were couches and wooden benches. The floor consisted of a piled up dirt from the street. Eveline explained to us that last year during the rainy season their whole house got flooded and one day she woke up to water above her ankles. Because of that and lack of finances they had to use the dirt solution to make the ground about 20 cm higher that they wouldn’t get flooded again.

Their youth group was a lively bunch. When we entered they were all up singing and dancing with the music playing the drums and singing from all their hearts. They were only up to about 10 before Eveline´s younger brothers – twins -joined us with more music shakers. After singing and prayer we were introduced and started our Bible class. We started with showing them Bible verses on salvation. After we were sure that everybody understood they were going to Heaven we opened the forum to their questions. We were surprised how much they opened to us in such a short while and shared with us some of the problems they encounter in their Christian life in Cameroon. The girls shared heartbreaking stories of how the women are being abused if they want to pursue a school, get a job or by their bosses once they have a job being from poorer backgrounds etc. Also about the difficulties of being a Christian in a country full of traditional religions, the outcasts they become if they don’t want to bow to their village’s Gods etc. Our hearts really went out to them. They were in so much need of encouragement and fought condemnation for not doing enough for the Lord. We tried to share with them the Love of God and how much He loves them even if they fall at times and how all He wishes for them is to get up and keep going no matter what. We also told them about His personal involvement with each of their lives and how much He cares for and understands them. “He’s touched with our infirmities.”  They definitely seemed encouraged after we finished and begged us to come again.

Eveline herself would like to help us with translation some of the Christian Activated booklets and all of them would very much appreciate a sponsorship of the Activated magazine. We’ll be looking into what more we can do for them.

While the majority of the photos in this letter show the last distribution of maize in Zambia, we wanted to share with you the amazing things the Lord did for us in a place where we didn't know anybody. After only a few weeks, the Lord helped us to find a completely furnished apartment with relatively good security. A real miracle and special blessing, since we only arrived with and live out of our suitcases. In a short time, He has opened so many doors for us, that we can only thank Him and the openness of the people here. Of course we also have to take plenty of precautions in our daily activities like watching out for Malaria, our security, boiling and filtering the drinking water etc. But that's life in this part of the world.

We were also able to make our first important contacts in Yaounde, the Capital. Since we're planning to prepare another big container of humanitarian aid in the summer in Germany, we need to find the right way to import it tax-free. Through another miracle the Lord opened the door to meet the Minister for Social Affairs, Mme Dr. Fouda, and she was inspired about our plans. She wants to be personally involved in getting the container through customs free of charge. It's the first time she's doing something like this in her five years in office!

We've also done extensive research into where our direct help is needed the most. As usual there is a huge gap between the rich upper class and the extremely poor, i.e. in the Southeast, where the people live like thousands of years ago without streets, electricity or clothes in the jungle in the poorest conditions.

It’s exciting to see so many possibilities to help here. Through the humanitarian aid we are trying to raise the livingconditions of the poor, but also plan programs to teach them to help themselves. Somebody has asked us to train the workers in an orphanage and get them more motivated in their work. We'd also like to buy food from poor farmers who can't market their products for lack of infrastructure and then distribute it to those who can't help themselves, like the handicapped, old aged, orphans etc., i.e. in the far North, where they can't grow enough food because of drought. And of course we are distributing God's Word wherever we go, as there is a great vacuum for it here like all over Africa.

Cameroon is surrounded by some of the poorest countries in Africa such as the Chad and Central African Republic. Although our goal is to help first in this country, we would also like to help the needy in the neighbouring countries in the future.

We'll do whatever we can to alleviate the plight of the poor and need your continued support, without which we cannot reach our goal. Thank you for all your help, which makes you an important part of our mission here. May God bless you in your work and your private lives!

The distribution, which we had also planned and prepared in those months, started right away. As was arranged in a last meeting with the UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees), we drove with their truck and jeep to Forekariah, where in three camps about 30.000 refugees from Sierra Leone and Liberia live. At the moment there is security-level 4 because of the recent rebel-attacks. Even the UN-members have to return to Conakry in the evening. All the other organizations have left the city for now. At our own risk we could stay at the UN-quarters.

Together with the Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent we distributed half of the aid to about 2000 of the most vulnerable refugee-families and 1000 displaced Guineans, who lost everything during the rebel-attacks and were moved temporarily to this area.

So much destruction and atrocity happened on both sides, which we don’t want to get into here. In short, the rebels attacked different villages, and looted and destroyed everything. No one really knows who was behind it and what was the motive. There was quite a bit of fighting until the Guinean army drove the rebels back. Then came the counterreaction. Encouraged by the government the public kicked all the S. Leoneans out of their houses. They took what they could and tried to leave the country as quickly as possible. Even two refugee- camps, which are under UN protection, got completely burned down. Shortly thereafter our container arrived. Here is an excerpt of a thank-you-letter by the UNHCR for our project: "…The donated clothing, shoes etc…came at a time when they were most needed…We would therefore like to thank you for your initiative and for physically taking part in the distribution."

Distributing the materials properly was not an easy task. When we arrived, about 1000 people waited eagerly in each camp behind a fenced-in distribution center, where they get their monthly food-supplies for one meal a day. Our music show and speech about God’s love was well received by these precious believers who prayed together with us at the end of the show. Then the organizers had some disunity about the distribution and the situation got tense, which can happen easily in Africa. Finally they called the refugees to another place, where the most needy got a paper for which they could get some clothes etc. From then on everything calmed down again and we had some deep talks with these dear believers, who were so thankful for our time and gifts. Marianne and our friends there will keep visiting them to care for these precious people.

The next day we drove to the displaced Guineans and experienced the same joy and thankfulness, as we did afterwards at the hospital of Forekariah, where we delivered different medical equipment. We started the first distribution in Conakry two days later in the "Cite de Solidarite", where 55 handicapped (blind, cripples etc.) and their families live together. They beg daily on the streets for a living since there is no such thing as welfare. They were so happy and thankful for our visit and gifts.

Marianne wants to remain in Conakry and help with her longtime experience to distribute the other half of our aid to the poorest there.The lists for that were put together for us by ADRA Guinee. I will visit Daniela and the kids to pray about our next steps and to raise more regular funding for our work in Africa, so that we can do more transports and help alleviate the need of as many as possible there while getting out the gospel. Every donation big or small is needed and will be greatly appreciated. Maybe you can even try to find others who want to support our work.