02/11/08 Dad and Reuben Reunite / Pictures taken by Reuben

After over a week and thousands of miles, my dad - Abel Ndjerareou, finally met up with Reuben in Kousseri, Cameroon today at 1:30 PM Cameroon/Chad time. I spoke with both of them at around 10:00 AM US Central time. They were in good spirits and were driving to the border to cross over into N'djamena Chad. My dad will be able to see the aftermath for the first time since the rebel attack on N'djamena. Thank you very much for your prayers as the Lord protected them both and many others in mighty ways this past week.

It's a boy!
This is pastor Christophe who many of you prayed for and gave to. He is holding a baby who was born on Sunday, February 10, 2008 while his mother was taking refuge at Christophe's church. In a previous post I mentioned that Reuben had called me on his way to take the baby's mother to the hospital. Baby boy does not as of yet have a name but he is blessed.

Proud Reuben posing next to the baby whose mother he, skillfully and without panic, drove to the hospital while she was in full Labor. I will never forget the excitement in Reuben's voice as I was talking with him on the phone while he was driving! I finally hung up because I was starting to panic! Not sure why he called me in the middle of it but after this last week this was mild.



People taking refuge at ESTES which is a seminary close by to where Reuben was staying.

ESTES

Rice being rationed

Bread being distributed

People taking refuge at a Catholic church near Christophe's church

Food being prepared and distrubted at pastor Christophe's church.

Chadian refugees at Pastor Christophe's church

Chadian refugees at Pastor Christophe's church

Many people who took refuge at Pastor Christophe's church have either returned to N'djamena, moved further into Cameroon or have taken refuge at the United Nations refugee camp nearby. Less than 200 remain at pastor Christophe's church and many more are expected to leave in the next few days. Reuben and I want to say thank you for your prayers and gifts. Prayers that were heard by an almighty and sovereign God who took your gifts and multiplied them. What is left over will be given to Christophe and Reuben to take care of any long term needs that should arise.

The situation, at least in N'djamena, is calm and returning normal. A new kind of normal for sure. Continue to pray for the political situation as it is far from being resolved. This morning 12,000 more sudanese refugees spilled over into Chad on the eastern border after airstrikes in Sudan. This adds to the already 240,000 refugees on the Chadian side of the border in Darfur. A European peace keeping force is expected to arrive in Chad this week to be deployed to the eastern part of the country. The situation was already bad before last week's rebel attacks on N'djamena and now more uncertainty and suffering are a reality effecting more and more people.

The conflicts in Chad, Sudan, and the Central African Republic are far from over; however, we trust that God will bring a solution in only a way that he can.