October/November 2011 Update

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.  :~)

Missions at the Airport!!

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.