Peace
Cannot Be Achieved Alone
Approximately 2.2 million people in the
Central African Republic (CAR), one of the ELCA's companion churches, are in
need of humanitarian assistance due to insecurity and intense violence
occurring in the country. The United Nations estimates that 935,000 of these
people have been forced from their homes due to the severity of fighting in
their area. Some of these people have found refuge in various locations, such
as churches, and some of these people are living in the bush, running from
fighting groups as they attack nearby villages.
For Fredd
and his family, the violence in their area started on a late Friday morning. As
the violence continued that night, he and his family decided to move into the
bush away from the village to spend the night in a friend's field about 10
kilometers away. As they traveled, they came across several other people who
were also fleeing.
"A
Muslim man came and told us that someone had informed the Seleka that all those
who lived on the east side of the village were Christian and those to the west
were Muslim, so the Seleka were planning to move into the east and search for
people even in the bush," Fredd says. "We decided to walk under the
cover of darkness through the bush to the west side of town."
Fredd and
his family continued to walk to the next village since they could hear heavy
gunfire from behind them. Within the group, there were several children,
including three babies all under five months old. "The older children,
including my eight-year-old daughter, all walked, while we carried the smaller
ones," Fredd says.
After
walking through the next day and night, they decided to stop for a half hour to
rest. Fredd's wife then caught a high fever and she couldn't walk. "We wrapped
her in thick cloth, but she was still trembling very hard and complaining of
cold," Fredd says. "We knew she had malaria."
Fredd
started to worry about what would happen to his wife if she died. Would he be
able to bury her, or would he have to leave her body behind and follow the
rest of the group? The group made a small fire and put her feet by it and
prayed. After a couple of hours, Fredd's wife felt better and she could walk
again.
"This
was a miracle for me," Fredd says. "She had been treated with prayer
and a small fire. We walked for 12 days and finally made it to the clinic. Had
it not been for the Muslim man, I believe this story would be different. I
might not be telling this story."
The Seleka
rebel group is a largely Muslim alliance that seized the capital in March 2013.
The group is now referred to as ex-Seleka rebels because the alliance has
officially, but not actively nor effectively, disbanded. A mostly-Christian
alliance, known as the anti-Balaka, formed in response to the Seleka rebel
group and has also played a large role in attacks in the country. While both of
these groups tend to be labeled by their religious affiliation, the fighting in
the Central African Republic is not bound by the lines of religious war. The
conflict in the country is a result of political power and economic grievances.
Fredd's story illustrates the
understanding that peace cannot be achieved alone—an inter-faith response is
needed.
Lutheran Disaster Response – International is working with
Lutheran World Federation and our synod’s companion church, the Evangelical
Lutheran Church of the Central African Republic (EELRCA), to provide food
assistance to the displaced persons in the CAR. The ELCA has added $50,000 in
humanitarian assistance to its relief commitment of $250,000 from August. The
relief includes protection, food, hygiene and sanitation materials. We are also
working with our companion church to play a role in peace-building and
reconciliation between Muslim and Christian communities in the country. "We
have a long-standing history with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the
Central African Republic, and we will continue to walk with our brothers and
sisters on this road toward peace." said Vitaly Vorona, ELCA program
director for Lutheran Disaster Response International.
Your gifts allow us to continue to address the needs of the most
vulnerable and walk with our brothers and sisters toward peace. Thank you!!!
We
cannot be quiet about what we have seen and heard! Acts 4:20
Christine
Donahue
TLGCS ELCA Mission Interpreter Coordinator
