Transformation and the 90 days of blessing of the community in Bafoussam, Cameroon.

The global day of prayer this year in Bafoussam was to be contrinued with many practicals activities connected to the blessing of the community. Many projects were considered, evaluated and seriously debated. With no funding and very few people ready to pay the price of such program, it was rather agreed that we shall first join together, contribute and participate to the blessing of the desenherited children of the city along side with the Samaritan Purse, ?Operation Christmas Child?. So we joined with the Samaritan Purse and had about 600 gifts donnated to the children on 17th June 2006.

The second action was to visit the prisons, hospitals and orphanages in and around Bafoussam. We made initial plans to have two outings: i.e. on Saturdays 29th July and 5th August 2006. Our only preparatory and collection meeting was scheduled to be held on Thursday, 27th July. During that meeting, we realized the gifts were not enough to cover the over 1300 prisoners at the Centre Prison of Bafoussam and yet we still were determined to go to the hospital and at least to an orphanage. We finally decided to have but one outing on 5th August 2006. God helped us and more donations were brought on 5th August and we went out to the central prison Bafoussam, the provincial hospital Bafoussam and the Bandjoun orphanage.

Centre prison Bafoussam

Because of the huge number of inmates in that prison, we thought to ask the authorities to single out the very needy prisoners. They brought out 73 names of extremely needy ones. We packaged for these ones and also organized the donations into 3 main groups: The women, the teenagers and others. Over 30 women and some 70 teenagers got the gifts and the rest to a large number of prisoners. The teenagers welcomed us with songs of confession, praise and consecration to God, who alone can deliver them. Pastors ministered to all groups and prayed for their salvation, their restoration and their freedom. It was with deep concern that we all saw these miserable, bound and ostracized human beings. Every body left with a burden to pray ever more for the prisoners and the prisons. Here, we also learnt of a lady who just put to bed in the prison and now was in the central hospital in a great need.

Central hospital Bafoussam.

In the hospital, we started we the prisoners ward and easily identify the lady who had just put to bed. We made a special package for her and the baby whom we named Grace. All the prisoners in the hospital got a bed sheet, clothing?s, shoes and soap. We proceeded to others wards i.e. tuberculosis, HIV, tropical diseases, general medicine male and female etc. where we left at least a piece of soap, the word of God and prayers for the sick. Here it was also a great concern to see so much pain in the hospital. We need to pray for the sick every day!

Bandjoun orphanage.

After the hospital, the team moved to the nearby Mbô Bandjoun orphanage owned by the Catholics. Although we did not see the director, we were welcomed by the young girls who take care of the over 30 orphans of the centre. They were aged from 4 months to 14 years. Here, we gave a ballot of bed-sheets, clothes, shoes, soap and sweets for the children. We prayed for them and committed them in the hands of the Lord.

This was done in one day for one of the pastors gave out his 11seater car and other went on motor bikes. We had wished to have more outings during the 90 days, but we thank God for how He helped us in an experience of such a magnitude. To Him be the glory, the honour, the majesty, for ever and ever Amen!

Report by Jean Paul Datchiada

Facilitator, Transformation & GDOP, Bafoussam, Cameroon.