It slipped right past us without our even noticing.  Last year we had a big celebration.  Lots of food.  Lots of friends.  Many testimonies.  Everyone wanted their picture taken with us.  But this year, it was completely overlooked.

The 26th anniversary of our arrival in Cameroon.  The fax (does anyone remember the fax era??) informing our mission of our arrival plans reached the office out here five days after we did.  Which accounts for nobody being at the airport to pick us up.  Jim finally followed a little map and found the administrative center.  Eventually we linked up with our mission, were fed a meal, and given a place to stay temporarily.  It was a rough beginning.  Took us over two years to adjust to life in Cameroon.  And many more years before we could say that we truly love this place.  But we hung in there when everything reasonable said to GO BACK HOME.  We clung to God's grace and He saw us through.

When we left our former mission and began our own ministry, we often wondered if we were doing anything worthwhile.  I think a lot of missionaries feel that way.  In time we came to understand that while we weren't doing anything that great, if all of us stood shoulder to shoulder and did our part, then something would be accomplished for the Kingdom. Our Father really could use ones like us for His glory.

As we settled in to a profitable and productive ministry, the years began to speed by.  And thus we arrived at our 26th anniversary without hardly noticing.  

Where will we be 26 years from now?  Surely we will be in Glory.  That's what we are longing for.