He asked if he could talk to me as a son to his mother.  He told how his own mother back in Congo had lived with a man and had five sons (of which he is son number two).  The relationship fell apart and she took up with another man.  That relationship lasted 27 years before it also fell apart.  But he himself took up with a girl and lived together for three years.  She had a baby girl but the mother died a month after delivery.  So he was left with this little baby.  Since his mother was still with her second "husband" and since he had a good income, she took in the baby and raised her.  But now she is on her own and barely able to find something to eat.  We shared some food with Sidney the other day and he sent half of it to his daughter.  The man who took it to her reported back that it is not a good living situation.  The little girl has never gone to school.  He urged our friend to do all to bring his daughter here to Cameroon to be with him.  So he has come to me to ask for counsel and advice.  I urged him to check on the price of transportation.  I also suggested that he bring his other daughter here, too.  She is living with his wife's mother at this time.  

In the process of the conversation I discovered that he and his wife are only partially married.  That is to say, he has paid the bride price and had the feast with her family.  But they have never had the civil ceremony or the church blessing.  I encouraged him to learn how much this all costs and report back to me on this, too.

So soon we will have another wedding on our hands.  And we will add two more little girls to our family.