EKHCDC is working throughout the region of North and South Wollo to serve thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) who have been affected by the conflict in Tigray which began in November 2020. EKHCDC leadership (pictured right) has coordinated emergency food distribution to a variety of IDP camps throughout the region. This coordination is done with, and through, the local church.
On the day of food distribution, I accompanied these leaders to meet and connect with the pastors and church elders in the immediate area who were going to assist in the distribution. They shared stories of continued service even amidst a period of heavy fighting in their own neighbourhoods. It was inspiring to see these local leaders risking their own safety in the service of those fleeing for a different degree of safety.
This mobilization of the local church, by EKHCDC, as part of coordinating this critical aid, was an encouraging backdrop to a day which included many moving parts.
There was an opportunity for IDPs to provide feedback to local government officials and to EKHCDC about their approach. Spokespeople were not shy in sharing the challenges they face: differing degrees of discrimination in the local community and a sense of listlessness without land to cultivate as former farmers. There was an appreciation for the help received so far, as Christians, and yet it served as a crucial reminder of how those who flee do so out of immense sacrifice, and often as a last resort.
Abraham (pictured above, left) shared that members of this camp were quoted as saying ‘EKHCDC was not merely saying they were Christian, but being Christian by offering help to all of us, even as Muslim people.’ This sentiment was reinforced by Dr. Teferea (pictured above, right) as he addressed the camp and offered an open hand of support to them for as long as EKHCDC could. Open communication and transparency numbers are continually offered, so those in these IDP camps have avenues to air their concerns.
Once distribution began, I traveled with Abraham and was able to meet many women who were generous with their stories. Their names remain withheld, out of respect for their privacy. Some come to this camp with their entire family intact—many have four or more children. Others come to the camp with fewer children, because they were lost in the course of the conflict. Some are sharing a sense of hopelessness, as they know they cannot go back to where they used to farm, and fear they will be dependent on aid forever. Each story is unique and equally heartbreaking, with stressors and concerns that do not have easy answers.
The hope is that as this conflict continues, EKHCDC’s emergency food response can be paired with facilitators who are trained in trauma healing. May this be a first step in helping those who carry the psychological tolls of the circumstances in which they were displaced.
While resolution remains far away for many, I was inspired by how EKHCDC continues to remain committed to demonstrating Jesus in the midst of complexity, by listening and responding, with the local church, to the needs of those around them.
May we remember, as we pray for the refugee and the internally displaced, that God knows the unique heartbreak and corresponding resilience in each story. May the contextual demonstration of the local church point to His steadfast nature and love.
