CAMEROON — In the Far North region of Cameroon, Christians are high value targets for Islamist extremists from Boko Haram, leading to significant trauma among the local population. Believers like Ramata* live under the threat of attacks that can snatch away loved ones and uproot families from their homes. Thanks to support from Open Doors, Ramata is now beginning to heal from her trauma.

Ramata:

Every day I worry it is now up to me to raise our children.

In the Far North region of Cameroon Christians are high value targets for Islamist extremists from Boko Haram. Believers like to live under the threat of attacks that can snatch away loved ones and uproot families from their homes.

Ready to enter that night, they arrive dressed in black. My husband was asleep when they entered the house and shot him up. I rushed to try and rescue him, but they elbowed me out of the way. I got up and ran outside screaming. But it has been three months since his body was removed from the house. I have not spent a single night there in the combat.

I moved to my mother in laws. We now live with her in Dallas for some time when I am alone. All kinds of questions come to mind with a go. How could this happen? Why did it happen to me? Everything that happened comes back to my mind. It is hard to live with these feelings. Same goes for all of us.

God never left me and I didn’t leave him. I’m still going to church. When these bad thoughts come to me. We pray. It helps me. It encourages me more. I find strength to continue. Yeah. I will not leave the word of God. The word that Daniel. Yeah. I, Open doors. Local partners in Cameroon gave Remar to emergency aid and helped her to begin to process her trauma.

We were alongside her when, after three months, she returned for the first time to the house where she had lost her husband. We also supported her to start a small business, to provide for her family and return to visit and see how she was from the dollar. At present, my business is selling firewood that I fetch. Though it is not easy to find the wood, I wanted my children to go to school, but I wondered how to pay for their school fees.

God help me. He sent you and you supported me. God bless you. You traveled all the way here to see me. Strong enough these days, I can pay school fees and buy my own food. Some of the painful thoughts are already leaving my mind.

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About Open Doors UK

For over 60 years, Open Doors UK has worked in the world’s most oppressive countries, empowering Christians who are persecuted for their beliefs. Open Doors equips persecuted Christians in more than 60 countries through programs like Bible & Gospel Development, Women & Children Advancement, and Christian Community Restoration.