THE YOUNG ADVENTURER

CHAPTER ONE - THE THOUGHT OF THE JOURNEY It began on a cool day as darkness was to take it's proper place in a town called Bonaberi. Princewill, a young Methodist boy, of Cameroonian origin sat under a tree, pondering over his life and family in which he was born. As he thought and thought over his life and the humble family background in which he was born into,any questions were raised in his mind and his eyes streamed with tears. Day after day he questioned why Providence brought him to the family he belongs. Yet around him and within him, no one to give him a proper answer for his questions. He pondered over his family then as a school graduate, no job. "Life must not continue this way,.". He thought to himself "But what must I do to change this course of life?". he asked himself. "My destiny is in my own hand and I must take it, for if I don't, then nothing will change.". He realized.No one in his family or community knows how he has been battling within with these thoughts for months and years.Then Princewill said to himself, "I have stayed here . but things have neither changed for me nor my family." This time, he decided to leave his hometown and country but how does he with no money, no job, no business? It was a decision very difficult to take because it was tantamount to a judge deciding in the life and death of a man or a politician in a grand.point.in politicsA, but he had no option except he does not want to make the change he so desired. So what needs to be done must be done and it must be done on time. "No more delay, for delay is dangerous.". He thought to himself. His elder brother who believes so much in him. gave him some money to keep but he thought " I have to use this money to either secure a visa for my travelling or a flight ticket. However, the challenge still comes "If I secure a visa, how do I raise funds for a flight ticket and vice versa.? because the money was not reasonable enough to take care of the entire travelling and logistics expenses. Since this thought entered his.mimd, Prince began to pray that his elder brother should never think of coming to request for all his.money,.because if this happens, his dream of travelling abroad will be rendered abortive. Each time he sees his brother coming around him, his heart beat will increase because he will be thinking that his brother will request for the money, which sometimes he request part and sometimes he brings more to.deposit.for.more savings. And fortunately for him his brother never requested for the money until the day he took off unexpectedly. Before making his final decision to leave their family house many questions trickled his gentle soul. "Ho do I go from here?" he asked. "I have never travelled out of the country." he muttered "What if anything happens to.me?" fear set in.. Then an idea came to.him. "I will tell George my close friend, maybe he will join me."M George, who seemed to be a talkertive said "it is better for me to die here, where my dead body will be seen and buried than than to die where nobody will see me and fishes, worms and fries will feast on my relic." So George gave him a capital "NO" The response from George quietened him and almost brought discouragement.but he encouraged himself by saying "I have to go If I perish , i.perish.After spending spending"r about two to three extra weeks, he started the journey, he left his family house very early.in the.morning and boarded a bus to Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon.and from there to Garoua, another state capital in the northern part of the country. At Garoua the day was was expiring , and businesses were shutting downf this happens, t is getting dark and businesses were shutting down. Princewill enquired where he could get a lodging facility at the cheapest rate and he was shown one where, he passed the night. The next day was a Sunday, and since he was a religious and churchy person, he had to look for a place of worship close by. He packed his bag from the hotel, knowing fully well that he won't return, to avoid payment for another day. After the church service he met the pastor and told him of accommodation for just a day. The pastor whose name was Paul, considering many things in mind, then talked to a brother, who was a military officer by name Captain Musa and he accepted to take me home. According to captain Musa ". My family have travelled for vacation and I am alone in the house so you can stay with me.". While Princewill saw this opportunity as a sheer of luck but to Pastor Paul and Captain Musa, it was seen as a trap for him, since he was not known and so couldn't be trusted by anyone. "If he puts up any abnormal behaviour, the military officer will know hoe to handle him,". Pastor Paul thought within him. Captain Musa then took him home, provided him something to him and went out, with the intention that Princewill will misbehave since he was not really a trusted fellow.. Princewill, from a primitive and humble background admired the beauty of the house, not taking cognizance of the presence of CCTV cameras. He moved from one corner of the house to another, admiring, the bedrooms, toilets, kitchen and the entire compound. He never stole anything. He proved to them that he was not what they took him for. Like the.biblical Joseph, he was.not focused on the beauty.of the house but he was rather concerned with his entire journey.. However, after spending the night, he got up early in the morning to.move to Kousseri, a border town in the mother.part of Cameroon and with the help of the officer he got a vehicle. On arrival at the pack, without any waste of time and with the eagerness to continue his journey, he paid the fare. He was so excited while waiting for other passengers to join him even though he did not even know how the next phase of his journey was going to look like. For about an hour he waited for other passengers to fill the bus so that they can take off. Hours later the car was full and the journey began. Though he had settled the necessary requirements, yet the immigration officers took advantage of him and requested the what was not necessary because they wanted money. He managed to settle the officers and within thirty minutes he was in another country - Chad. The car finally stopped at the park which is the bus stop for everyone. Here was Princewill, not knowing which direction to go and who to follow home. He had to.look for a resting place there while thinking.of his next movement. "What do I do? Where do I go from here? He questioned himself within. Then, he thought again "I have to look for a church as I did in Maroua. So he proceeded as he was led to the Full Gospel church, the one that could easily be found, and requested to see the pastor. He then introduced himself as a brother of the Full Gospel Church in Cameroon. He was warmly welcome. His mind was somehow settled that at least he has a place to sleep and eat for the time being. While he stayed with Gabriel's family, he was fizzling out how to go about his in this new land. He knew it was not going to be easy since he is not in his home. He then decided to visit the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). He located the office and was given an appointed day for the interview. He prayed that such a day should come fast. On the day of the interview, a three man panel was set up. First panelist - " D'ou viens tu? Jeune homme - Where are you from? Young man" Princewill "Je viens du Cameroun. Monsieur - I am from Cameroon sir." Princewill "Non Monsieur, IL n'y a pas la guerre au Cameroun, Mai's Je suis un.opposant et on me cherche au pays. -No sir, there is no war in Camerooon. I am a member of the opposition party and the government has declared me wanted". He replied. One of the panelist asked "is there any other question for.him? They all answered with a NO. Princewill was then given a refugee status in Chad and was given an appointment for the retrieval of his card. He was happy with the refugee status, and thought the UNHCR in that country will give him all the necessary financial and material support. it however turned out that it was not what he thought, as the UNHCR had nothing to offer him apart from the card which secures his movement in town.