Update on Rioting and Abele

I have some good news to report. Unfortunately, the rioting in Cameroon continues, but my teammate, Nathan, has been able to safely drive back home to the bush where his family has been waiting for him. He was quite resourceful, and was able to get word that the route he would take out of Yaoundé was relatively safe. He then hired a motorcycle taxi to drive in front of him and alert him of any trouble. Continue to pray, as many of our missionaries are in the larger cities that are affected by the riots and could become targets if the rioters become desperate. Some of these missionaries are also away from home at a biannual educational conference for the kids and will need to travel home soon also.

On his way home, Nathan stopped to see Abele in prison. Here is an excerpt from his email regarding Abele’s condition.

“I found the prison without too much trouble. It’s held in an old structure that the German’s had built many years ago before Cameroon’s independence. …they called Abele and I greeted him, noticing that he seemed a bit slimmer than the last time I saw him. We talked for a bit and I found out that he gets one meal each day, though there’s a place for prisoners to buy food if their families bring them some money. I left him a little, along with some food, soap and a toothbrush. I told him that his family is praying for him and he said that he is also praying for all of us. We prayed together and then, after encouraging him with the fact that one day this will all be over and he can return home, I left.”

Please continue to lift Abele up in prayer. Prison life is very hard. Abele is also very much a minority in prison, as he is a pygmy and looked down upon by most Cameroonians. It is not uncommon for pygmies to be taken advantage of. Pray for his safety, that he does not become a victim of violence, for his health and ability to get enough to eat, but most of all that God would minister to him in a very special way during this time. We do not yet know how long Abele will be in prison.