A Few Things I Have Learned in Cameroon, Africa …

You will buy peanuts in old wine and whiskey bottles…even in the grocery store.

Is it perfectly acceptable to drive on whatever side of the road you want because you might lose your entire car in a pothole.

Some bug/spider bites don’t show up for a full 24 hours after you have been bitten….which brings me to that fact that it is really creepy to have as many bites as I have had and only seen ONE of the culprets….only because he stung me on the forehead.  If you are picturing me doing the heeby-jeeby dance….you’ve got it about right. Ok, moving on….

If you don’t pull out in front of someone to turn, you probably won’t get to where you are going…ever.

The bigger vehicle has the right of way – especially big trucks when turning corners, passing on a two lane road (even if traffic is coming on both sides) and in round-abouts.

If you have electric, internet and city water all in the same day….it’s a good day! J

Pedestrians NEVER have the right of way – even on cross walks.

If you ride a moto (motorcycle) in Yaounde you have a death wish….just sayin.

A lot of people from the States & Europe still remember the game “Frogger” because crossing the road (Tropicana) to go to the SIL offices has been described as being like “Frogger.”  …and it is a pretty accurate description…

People pee on the side of the street and even though you know that is what they are doing – human nature still makes you look (only for a second).

When you watch TV in English, it will have French commercials and Arabic subtitles.

Americans/Europeans can’t carry things on their heads like Cameroonians – I’ve tried and my hair texture is too slick and I just don’t have that “Je ne sais quoi,” that helps you carry it…

After a month or two you DO learn to not turn and look every time you hear a car honk worried that you are going to get run over while walking down the road.  You learn to differentiate the honks… :)

 Africa is a VERY big country!

(See picture)

Last, but not least…I have learned that there are some AMAZING people (Missionaries and Cameroonians) that translate the Bible and in some way support Bible Translation.  They are on the front lines and need our support and prayers!

A Prayer Request for Cameroon

Please pray for the nation of Cameroon during the election process. There are 23 presidential candidates. The official campaigning lasts for 15 days and voting is on October 9. The official announcement is scheduled for two weeks later. Pray for integrity and the fear of the Lord for all those involved in the election. Pray that all eligible voters will be able to obtain their voter's card and be able to vote. Pray that peace and calm will continue throughout the process.

I Knew What I Was Getting Into..

I have never heard this song on the radio, but it is a fabulous song!  It is a good reminder that the Lord is in control, He has a plan, and He chose you.  I hope you enjoy!

Click the link below to hear the song...

I Knew What I Was Getting Into

Chicken Head in Chicken Gut - Chicken Butt??

Buying chicken here in Cameroon could be worse and could be better...  It ranges from buying a live chicken on the street for cheap and doing the deadly deed yourself to picking up a boneless/skinless chicken breast in the meat department at the grocery store for a hefty price.  I started somewhere in the middle...

chicken: dead
feathers: off
feet: partially removed (had to finish sawing off)
neck: still there, had to cut off
guts: cut & inside
head: off and in chicken gut/chicken butt

See the picture below - kinda gross - be warned....

August & September Update from Cameroon

Paul Dubois, me, Eric Hagman, Mickey White &
JIm Rotruck attended the dedication to represent WA.

RFIS Director & Cam SIL Director cutting the ribbon

Hello!

Weeks one and two I just didn't have THAT much to say.  The update would have gone something like: "the water heater doesn't work...oh, thanks for fixing that, but now the water is off, and then back on, and off again, and there went the internet, but now its back on, ooopps there went the electricity, oh, but it is now back on”.....repeat, repeat...   It's not that big of a deal most of the time when things go off, but it does make living and working here more interesting.

Weeks 3 through 6 have been a whole       different story.  I have been running circles around myself...  We had a “water team”  arrive yesterday.  They will go to the Northwest tomorrow and work with bio sand    filters and wells .  Another water team is scheduled to come in November, as well.  We have also had other individuals/couples come for various reasons.  We have had teachers,  maintenance/construction workers, and     several people came for the Rain Forest          International School dedication and 25th       anniversary on August 19th.  (see pictures & http://www.rfis.org for more information) 

People here are really great!  One good thing I have found about the "missionaries" is that most of them remember they were new at some point and are such gracious and helpful people...that is a huge blessing!!   I am starting to get to know some of the Cameroonian people here as well, and they are great.  They tend to be pretty formal especially in  business.  They are also the most patient drivers I have ever seen in my life.  Traffic here is the biggest mess I have ever seen, and there is some honking, but.....usually it is a informational honk, more than an “I'm   going to run you over” honk.  :~)

 Bamenda & Mbingo

I had the chance to get away from Yaounde for a couple of days to see the Northwest part of Cameroon.  We stopped at the Bamenda        Regional Office (BRO), and then continued on to Mbingo for a     couple of days.  WA will be starting a construction project in a few month here. They are building the new  Regional Training Center.  Many of the 80+ language projects yet to be started in Cameroon are in the Northwest and Far North.

The next couple of days I spent at the resthouse reading, journaling, walking up (what I call “cardiac mountain”) to a waterfall, and down to Mbingo.  It was a much needed break.

Short Update from Cameroon - Aug 13

Sorry, I was going to send out an update a while ago...  Weeks one and two I just didn't have THAT much to say.  I wasn't very busy, so the update would have gone something like: "the water heater doesn't work...oh, thanks for fixing that but now the water is off, and now back on, and off again, and there went the internet, but now its back on, ooopps there went the electricity, oh, but it is now back on.....repeat, repeat...   It's not that big of a deal most of the time when things go off, but it does make living and working more labor intensive.

Weeks 3 and 4 have been a whole different story.  I have been running circles around myself...  We haven't had any new teams arrive in the last couple of weeks, but several individuals/couples for various reasons.  I have been to the airport more than any other place in Cameroon!  One of the couples moved into the house I am living.  They were the previous volunteer coordinators here in Cameroon and left a year ago pretty quickly, so they are back to go through all of their stuff that has been stored in various places in the house, the latest find (this morning) we found under my bed.  That may sound simple, but the beds here a low to the ground, so first they took off the mattress and all of the slats (about 10-15) then bug bombed it, then took the stuff out, swept up the webs and dirt, then put the bed back together.  Maybe I won't get so many bug and spider bites now.

People here are really great!  One good thing I have found about the "Wycliffe missionaries" is that most of them remember they were new at some point and are such gracious and helpful people...that is a huge blessing!!  I am starting to get to know some of the Cameroonian people here as well, and they are great, as well.  They tend to be pretty formal, and in business, very humble...  They are also the most patient drivers I have ever seen in my life.  Traffic here, is the biggest mess I have ever seen, and there is some honking, but.....usually it is a informational honk, more than an I'm going to run you over honk... :~)  I am not driving this trip, but the next trip they want me to drive, and I am a little worried about my mouth driving in the traffic....I would hate to cuss at the traffic with a van full of missionaries. :~)

Last night I had some people over that are staying in the same area I am staying (CTC Annex).  We had chimichangas (yes, just like in the states - there is a guy here that went to the states and learned to make them and sells them on Fridays) and then watched the Princess Bride.  Tonight I am going to dinner at Mandi and Rachel's place.  They live in a different area.  Several single people live in the area they live in, so they get together a lot.  Sunday's tend to be really busy days.  We go to church (usually the ex-pat church at the Hilton), then the grocery store, then out to eat.  We have been getting home around 3pm.  Then at 5pm the have a SIL bible study where the Admin offices are.  

Next week will be even more busy (please pray for me!!!!).  We have several Wycliffe Associates (WA) people coming in for the Rain Forest International School dedication on Friday. 

I hope you are all doing well!  Thank you for your prayers!

Echo Within

From: Echo Within by Robert Benson p 153-154

"Sometimes what we want is to be allowed to hunker down in the life we are living, or are hoping to live, or are constructing for ourselves. Without any upset, without any change in plans, without any of our ducks being disturbed.

But sometimes when we say yes to some new thing that seems to be calling to us from the echo within, then we may as well be prepared to head for God knows where after that. And to head there with God knows who as well.

Any attempt--no matter how clumsy or cautious, no matter how courageous or clever--to live out what one thinks one hears in the calling voice of God within must be lived out in the face of change.

Our companions will change; our journeys will take us in and out of relationships. Promises will be made, and promises will be broken. And so will our hearts.

The only way to avoid it is to not say yes."