28mars2024

header-actual2

 

Avec nos rapports annuels, nous donnons chaque année, depuis 2000, un aperçu de l'état d'avancement de nos projets. En plus des rapports de synthèse pour le projet actuel, cette catégorie comprend également des projets déjà achevés. Ainsi, la carrière de la „Active Direkt Hilfe“ est tracée en Afrique. Pour notre projet actuel, nous publions régulièrement les derniers développements en détail.

Rapports annuels
Juil 2002

Tools and Machines for the Handicapped

How can we help the blind, deaf, dumb and handicapped to support themselves in this country? This new challenge faced us when a Handicapped Association from Yaounde asked us for help recently.

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.

Galerie photos
At an old-folks-home with the Minister of Social Affaires.bei einem behinderten freund mitte und mit 4 seiner 7 tchter.jpgVisiting a handicapped father (middle) and 4 of his 7 daughters.A teacher for the handicapped (in the wheelchair).Lenka and Eveline with the youthgroup in her house.

Nos Rapports annuels

  ADH essaye de contrer l'urbanisation progressive au Congo!

Notre objectif - contrer l'urbanisation

Circulaire

Si vous souhaitez recevoir des newsletters, veuillez nous envoyer un message.

Souscrire

Prendre contact

Avez-vous une question à nous poser ou des préoccupations ? Contactez-nous directement ! Nous vous remercions de votre message et tenterons de vous répondre le plus rapidement possible.

Prendre contact

Je veux aider

Vous voulez savoir comment vous pouvez nous aider au Congo ? En savoir plus sur la façon de nous aider.

Aider ADH