Hello Family and Friends!
I am back from Cameroon! During my trip to Cameroon I worked with some really wonderful missionaries and Cameroonians. I am grateful for the time I spent there. I learned a lot about Africa, Bible translation, overseas missions, and myself. Two “themes” of learning that kept repeating themselves were:
#1 The difference between good, bad, and culture. I could also call it good, bad, and different. Other cultures do things differently, and sometimes is can be really easy to judge and call it bad when it is simply just different. Ummm ouch… (I wrote a blog entry about some funny differences—you can view it here.)
#2 Thankfulness. It is pointed out all through scripture that we are to be thankful in all things—the good and the bad…. and I wasn’t doing a very good job.
One of the families I helped “mobilize” to Cameroon was a Site Volunteer Coordinator (SVC). Bob Lane, his wife and son arrived in Cameroon last week for one to two years. If you are thinking, “I thought that was what Paula was doing there, and going to go back to do for 6 months??” You’re right… Since they have someone that can be there full time, I will not be going back in the spring for 6 months as was previously planned. Having 2 SVCs in Cameroon and none in Dallas (and several other places in the world) did not seem prudent. :)
Please continue to pray for the following teams going to Cameroon in Nov & Dec this year:
1. Ndop Water Team will work with wells, bio-sand filters & follow-up in villages. 11/2-12/19
2. BEGAN Connectivity Team will be connecting notebook laptops with solar power to satellites for internet connectivity in remote areas to accelerate Bible translation. 11/17—11/29
3. GNRO Electrical Team will work on electrical issues at the Great North Regional Office. 12/2—12/23
Also, please pray for Bob and his family as they acclimate to life, work, school in Cameroon.
DALLAS -
I am back in Dallas...and hit the ground running. The volunteers have already started arriving, with many more on the way this fall and winter.
It is hard to believe that this is the start of my 3rd volunteer season. As I have heard our volunteers say time and time again, it is like a big family down here when they are all here. While some of our volunteers come for a week, or two, or a month; most of our volunteers are in Dallas for 3 to 6 months. The volunteers arriving now are mostly our 6 month volunteers. In January the masses arrive and most will stay until around Easter.
They will be doing a variety of jobs all around the campus (International Linguistics Center). Many of the men are “jack of all trade” types, so they will work in the Buildings and Grounds Dept doing remodeling projects, building maintenance and upkeep, woodwork, fix-it jobs, replace flooring, roofing jobs, etc… The list is long. Many of the ladies work in our boutique and sewing room. The ladies usually open an upholstery room for a month or two working on reupholstering furniture or upholstering furniture the wood shop makes. We also have several volunteers that do administrative work from accounting to scanning books so resources are available for Bible translators all over the world. Other areas volunteers work are the warehouse, dining hall, Museum of Cultures, IT, hospitality, and medical clinic. With so many volunteers, service opportunities, and logistics it is no wonder that I stay busy, but I have to admit...I love what I do, the volunteers & personnel I work with…
On another note...I am headed to Kansas City, MO on Saturday, Nov 19 and will be there until Monday, Nov 28th to see family, friends and partners. If you would like to get together while I am home, please call or email me. :~)
