Bangui Update
Children on FATEB Campus Bangui, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
Deb just returned from 2 months in the Republic of Central Africa, the heart of Central Africa, a landlocked country ranking as one of the poorest in the world. But surprisingly, one of the more stable countries of Africa in the last five years.
Unfortunately, in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), there is no industry, no work, no jobs. And anyone with hope talks of going to Ghana or Cameroon to look for work.
These are friendly, genuine, peace-loving people, who understand the value of education. Unfortunately, the conditions at the schools are deplorable. We visited a public high school with 10,000 students. Overcrowding is the norm. The National University at Bangui is three years behind due to teacher strikes so no one can graduate.
The mean annual income is about $700/year. Mean life span is 45 due to aids, malaria and typhoid.
While there, we were able to take foodstuffs to the Fulani, refugees from Sudan, who are even more destitute than the Central Africans, and to the Pygmies, who have been pushed out of their forests and are also dependent on aide.
Mtelo Ministries is partnering with FATEB, a private university in Bangui, to improve the education system, pre-school through grade 13. We are also partnering with two orphanages and food programs run by Central Africans that also provide medical checkups and preventative care for the 200 children in the programs.
A Mtelo work team of Americans at the end of February was able to repaint and refurbish overcrowded housing bringing some cheer and hope to the gloomy prospects for the future.
We took medical supplies, eyeglasses, soap flour and sugar. But so much more is needed. We talked with folks whose families are in towns to the north and east under siege by the Lord’s Army. They can’t go to them and the family members cannot leave. We heard that there are already 100 US Marines in Central Africa in the area bordering Chad and Sudan. We were advised not to go anywhere near there. In fact, the gates to the city of Bangui are closed at 9:00 pm every night as protection from marauders.
We met a man who had been one of the Invisible Children. He had been abducted at an early age forced to labor for the Lord’s Army. Miraculously, by the grace of God, he escaped. And he was telling his story to all who would listen.
This region needs your help. This country needs your help. Please partner with us.
Mtelo is an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff operating entirely with donated supplies and services. Every dollar you donate to Mtelo will go to providing food, medical or school supplies to those in need in the Central African Republic.
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