These were a group of Christians, and such was their faith. They refused to back down at threats, refused to denounce their faith. They knew what was ahead, and true enough their leaders were arrested and they were on the run with the military on their trail.
Sobbing and without anything to turn to, they arrived at SITE B hopeful that an international NGO will be able to assist, however they were shockingly turned away.
Now the group is living in hiding, starving and fearful of their lives. Should the police turn up at their doors, they will be deported back to their country where an unknown fate awaits. Going back was not an option for them.
As I sat there in a cramped room listening to their stories, my faith was challenged. Their pale faces were the consequences of surviving on 1-2 meals a day, on a diet of plain rice and salt. Both children and adults have been surviving on just that for the last few months. It was a grieving sight.
There were just so many little ones. And my heart just broke.
Not only was the place overcrowded but also filled with sick people. Each family of 6-8 occupied a small area of 3X3, sleeping on the floors with very little ventilation. Their only comfort a small fan that helps to alleviate the effects of the scorching heat.
While it was tormenting to stay indoors, but they were just too afraid of going out, fearful that they will be found out and the police will come to deport their families.
The children stayed indoors, perspiring without access to any form of education waiting idly as each day passed. Staying in a poorly ventilated area with sick people was a bad idea. During our medical mission, a huge percentage turned up. Sick and some very sick. A whole family cluster had a bad case of bacterial infection of the skin with 4 children had rashes all over their heads, some filled with pus, reddish, inflamed and terribly itchy. One died.
The medical situation was so intense that that most of the critical medications in our house call kit was used up. We had to turn away the rest who came later and had to get the people to share medications while we thought of how to get medical assistance to them.
Officially, our reccee trip has ended. We've got all the details we need and we're scheuled to head back tomorrow morning. Enjoying a slow drive back. But I just can't do it, after seeing the needs. It is definitely more convenient just to pack and leave. But I just couldn't.
I contemplated the whole afternoon and this evening I looked at my deputy we both knew we could do more. We can't live with ourselves just to sit idly by. We looked at our reserves and decided that we could afford to buy 250kg of rice for this community and that was what we're going to do. More than that we're going in for a 3rd round of medical clinics.
At the back of my mind, i know that such an operation is risky and helping these people may get us into trouble with some authorities. But without this critical food aid, they will continue to starve. Without medical aid, the little ones may not make it past the next month.
Before I left for this trip, I told Alvin, RADION was birthed doing crazy things for the right causes; for causes that is critical but under reached. As we get bigger, we should never allow our policies to override our passion to serve. So we're going to do what we need to do. He smiled.
So here I am. Tomorrow I'm going out again and please keep us in prayers.
p/s : My car's tires are rubbing against the wheel arch from all the weight of the relief. We need a sturdier car !
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