Wednesday, May 30, 2018

He's been our village driver for a long time.  When the team came from America, he was with us each day.  And the last night he gave his heart to the Lord.  At first he started coming to our church.  Was pretty excited about everything.  But before long he started sluffing off.  And then he stopped coming to church at all.  Eventually we stopped using him.  Found someone else to take us to the village.  Don't know what happened, how, when or why, but he's back in church now and real serious.  In fact, he picks Guy and his family up every Sunday morning and drives them to church.  Then he rushes home and gets himself ready.  He's actually at church on time.  Amazing.  He always used to slip in when the service was almost over.  But suddenly he is serious and we are praising God.  So we will be having him take us out to the village again in June.  And again in July for the big Bible conference.  We are delighted to be welcoming him back on the team.

Monday, May 28, 2018

One more day and we will be officially finished.  It's never taken this long to do the annual spring housecleaning.  But we've had lots of large groups come in that bring our work to a grinding halt.  Just the last little things in the library and then we are done.

Then my annual job starts.  I go through the entire library (all 2,000 volumes) and put everything in order and verify that all is present and accounted for.  It will take me two weeks to do it all.  It's a big job.  And then we will know how many books have grown little feet and walked out the gate this year.  That's always the big question.

Sunday, May 27, 2018

This was great!  We should do this more often some said.  Others said it was a special occasion.  Three families who used to work in the same area and had these sing-alongs all the time are in town.  They rarely see each  other as they are in three widely separated corners of the country.  So it was a special time on account of them.  Maybe the rest of us will put our heads together and decide to do this regularly.

We had three guitars and two other stringed instruments. In addition there was a Cameroon drum and several varieties of Cameroon shakers.  And plenty of people young and old to sing along.  We sang old songs and new for two hours.  Then we took a break to enjoy all the snacks people had brought along.  And we finished off with several more sons.  It was very repeatable.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

We have a social secretary.  Husband and wife team.  Without them we would simply be bricked in here at Shiloh.  Never go outside the gate.  But they are there and from time to time they contact us with our next social outing.  We're in charge of arranging transportation.  They do all the rest.  

Last night we went out together.  It was a dinner and drama event.  Held at Rain Forest International School.  Their drama department put on Shakespear's A Mid Summers Night Dream.  It was well executed.  The costumes had a decided Cameroon flavor.  They had constructed some pretty realistic trees as part of their set.  

The 10th grade put on the dinner.  Admittedly the food was not up to Shiloh standards.  Guess we're spoiled. The veggies were more raw than cooked.  And the pasta should have boiled another fifteen minutes.  Pretty chewy.  The chicken was a tough old one.  But the frosting on the cake was that we had to pay extra for dessert and it was served during intermission!  Kind of cheeky if you ask me!  (But whose asking?)  Guess they have to raise funds somehow.  All their fund raising money goes towards their senior trip, so this is serious business.

Shiloh was full last night.  And every single one of our guests, minus one, were at RFIS with us.  Interesting.

Tomorrow night we're going out again.  Getting to be downright habit.  There is going to be a worship event walking distance from our house.  So we're taking flashlights and walking out.  A time of prayer, Bible reading, and singing.  It will be good for us to mingle with other missionaries.

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Our two cooks  spent the day in the kitchen cooking up a storm.  Delicious odors wafting through the house made sure we all understood there were good things to come.  When they left, everything was in readiness.  Everything that is except the last thirty minutes of baking both the mango pie and the pizza.  That was my contribution to the meal.  When the appointed hour arrived I turned on the wall mounted convection oven and popped the pizza and pie back in for that final bake.  Half way through the electricity went out.  Oh no!  Yelling for Papa Jim, he came to the rescue.  Lighting gas ovens is above my pay grade to put it mildly.  It takes forever for the oven to heat up, but we quickly switched things around and hoped for the best.  Ten minutes later the electricity unexpectedly returned.  And so the two items were hauled back to the convection oven with a hope that they would be done on time.  Fortunately our guests graciously suggested we leisurely eat our salads first.  All's well that ends well.  Everyone declared that the pizza was the best ever.  And mango pie is always a hit, no matter what.  Life at Shiloh is never dull.  Never boring.   Calmness in uncertainty and change.  That's our motto.

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

I phoned my friend Dorothy today.  Wanted to check up on how she is doing now.  Learned that her entire village (three of them in fact) has emptied out.  People have fled to safety to get away from the fighting.  The road is blocked to her village.  Only the resistance fighters are there.  She and her elderly mother are living with her brother and his wife in Bamenda.  They are just grateful to have a safe place to live for the time being.  Don't know when this will all calm down and it will be safe to go back home.  

The U.S. Ambassador has talked with the President.  Urged him to call both side together to discuss the problems and work towards solution.  Listed things the government is doing wrong and that the the resistance party is doing wrong, too.  Challenged the President to think of his legacy.  One day his life will end.  How does he want to be remembered?  He needs to be working towards leaving a good legacy.  Sadly, his words fell on deaf ears.

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Did you watch the royal wedding yesterday?  We did.  I admit to being a die-hard royal watcher from way back.  My grandma was a royal watcher long before they were popular, and she molded me into one at an early age.  I remember watching the coronation of Queen Elizabeth with her.  Prince Charles was just a little boy.  We were at the University of North Dakota's SIL when Prince Charles and Princess Diana married.  I rose up early to watch the event on TV.  The only British lady on staff was shamed into watching with me.  She couldn't let an American better her!  We watched Princess Diana's funeral on  TV along with a group of Catholic priests.  We were enjoying a rare get-away at their center.  And when Will and Grace married, we were in attendance.  So of course we could not pass up this wedding.

We drank foloray to celebrate. It's a traditional drink made from red leaves.  It's quite nice actually.  There's a real fancy recipe that calls for lots of sugar and even vanilla.  Bottled coke has kind of taken the place of this drink, but it's still out there and still popular.

Friday, May 18, 2018

Cooking Club day.  A fun time.  Getting together with eight gals.  All good cooks.  And me.  Try to stay out of the limelight.  Maybe the won't notice I don't really belong.  This was a hands on class.  I watched the demonstration of all the things we were going to have to do.  Wisely selected the easy one.  Was the first one to move toward the prep table when it was time to get involved.  We made yummy nachos.  Well, I painted olive oil on both sides of the tortillas and cut them in pieces.  Real hard work!  We sat around the table and talked and enjoyed the fruits of our labors.  Learned of a new store in town.  I pick up useful tidbits like that.  It's helpful.  Learned how to make sour cream today.  Actually had that lesson a few months ago, but a good review.  Easy.  Even I could do it.

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

It's a very common reaction.  Happens all the time.  Once they discover that I've lived out here forever and I'm married, they are confident that my husband is therefore black.  No.  Not so.  He's white like me.  An American.  Surprise, surprise!

Today we were at a meeting with our new director of Social Services for Yaounde IV.  Spent about fifteen minutes talking with another lady from an association that works with the elderly.  Didn't really pay attention to the conversation.  Wasn't interested.  Then it was my turn.  Had to tell about our association and what it is we do.  She proceeded to rip us to shreds.  We weren't doing a thing that benefited anyone in Yaounde IV.  Why do we help people all  over Cameroon??  This isn't right.  And on and on it went.  Kept trying to tell her that we really do do things here in Yaounde IV.  Not just all over the country.  Finally got her to listen long enough to give her a partial list of what we have been doing in Yaounde IV in recent times.  She ended up being quite surprised.  Decided we were very active and productive.  But her big problem is that we don't work in collaboration with her office.  That is to say, when we assist someone, we should do it through her office.  That way she could have her part of what we are doing.  For instance if we were to give 50.000 F to some individual or project, we would come to her office and give her the money.  She would then keep half and give half to the project.  We need to become close working partners.

No thanks.  No way.  No how.  She can take our association away from us.  Kick us out of the country.  We're not going down that path. Not today.  Not ever.  She can take it or leave it.  That's the way it is.  We do our thing our way for the Glory of God.  And she does not get her cut to put in her pocket.  Sorry. 

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Did you ever stop to think of all the things you cannot do without water and electricity?  There's starting the day with a shower.  Then ironing, making a cup of coffee, electric tea kettle to warm water for a cup of tea, making toast, cooking an egg, watching TV, listening to the radio, watching the news, and a movie, doing laundry, moping the floor, turning on lights, using an electric fan, etc.  This is just the abreviated list.  I'm sure there's lots more if I would put my mind to it.  Like charging batteries for instances, or watching a sermon on youtube.  Those are all the things we didn't get to do today.  All day long.  So you get creative and think of other things to do.  Like reading.  And talking.  And eating cereal which does not have to be cooked.  Taking a nap.  The list is short, but they are all good things.  Life goes on even without electricity and water. And we really appreciate such luxuries when they come back on.

Saturday, May 12, 2018

We were sitting in the library watching a  movie.  Relaxing.  Suddenly the wind whipped up and shutters began banging.  We put our movie on pause and headed off to batten down the hatches.  This 5,000 square foot two story house comes with lots of windows and doors.  Five minutes later the first drops of rain began falling, and the door bell rang.  Joseph decided to arrive ten minutes early for work.  Wise decision.  Strong winds always precede rain here in this tropical rain forest where we live.  In fact, that's the only time we have wind.  Forget windmills.  They wouldn't work here.  And kites are a waste of time.  Joseph  joined in the task of closing all shutters, windows, and doors.  Soon we were snug and safe and we returned to our movie.  Fortunately the electricity did not go off, though water has been off all day long.  Rain generally falls late in the afternoon or at night.  We have wonderful thunderstorms and torrential downpours.  But since the wind generally proceeds the rain, we have advance warning and can grab cloths off the line and close the house.

Friday, May 11, 2018

Last week Jim came up with a new way to do eggs.  Sure a good thing that he's a good cook, cuz I sure am not.  He toasts half an English muffin, butters it, covers it with a thin spicy hamburger patty, and tops it with a fried egg.  It can be smothered with guacamole and/or yogurt, your choice.  So I encouraged him to try it out on our next guest.  It was a hit.  I knew it would be.  Today we finally were able to align our schedules with good friends for brunch.  Our treat.  They had done a hand carry back from the U.S. and we needed to say a big "thank you" so this was perfect!  Brunch included granola, a yummy mango/banana drink (another Jim Tucker special), and coffee and tea.  Toss in some good conversation with good friends, and it was a delightful time.

Thursday, May 10, 2018

It had rained unusually hard the night before.  His was an outdoor toilet.  Very common around here.  He went out to use it as usual.  Immediately after he stepped outside the small cement structure, it broke away and went sliding down the hill.  Narrowly avoiding getting killed in the incident, he came away shaken but determined to live his life for Christ more intentionally.  He wants to make his days count for eternity.  If life can end so suddenly like that, he needs to invest in the next life, the one that counts.  Long have I prayed for this dear young man, that he would get serious in his walk with God.  But never did I imagine that it would take an old outhouse tumbling down a hillside to grab his attention!

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Sometimes loneliness crashes onto our souls like an enormous wave. Mostly it’s not that way. Mostly we keep it all in check. After all, we’re missionaries. The life of a missionary is a life of good-byes. Final hugs. Promises to write that may or may not be kept. Stuffing emotions as we hurry on to the next visit with people we only see once every few years. You learn how to cope. How to manage. How to not feel. And then something happens and it overwhelms us.

The better part of thirty years ago a family member asked how many really close friends I had. Said she had learned that if a person has one or two they are truly blessed. Rich in fact. I began counting my friends. There was Fran and Sharon of course. The three of us were inseparable. I thought of Miriam and Jan and Mary and Jane and Pat and Judy and Linda and on and on the names went. She was amazed that I could come up with so many, many close friends. Thought I was cheating as a matter of fact. But I wasn’t. God has blessed us beyond measure with deep relationship in many parts of the world. People whom we can pour out our dreams and fears to. People who have known us for a very long time and love us quite in spite of all our many shortcomings. But each of those friendships come at a price. The price of separation. The final hugs. The good-byes. The promise of a letter. One last wave. And then tucking the feelings away. It hurts too much to dwell on the loneliness.

Until it bursts out in ways we can no longer stuff down inside. And that’s what happened with the pint sized nine year old girl who spent the better part of a month with us. When she first came to us, she barely spoke. Mostly Sango to her house mother. A bit of French. A bit more to Doris and Francis. She mostly sat on a little stool in the kitchen and watched life pass her by. By day three she was warming up to Papa Jim. He poured all his spare time into her life. Did everything in his power to help her transition into her new life in America. Began teaching her English words. Taught her how to cut with scissors. Watched movies with her. Soon she was opening up a bit more. And then Doris brought her three year old daughter to work with her. Honorine was glued to that child. They spent the day playing with our toys and whispering and giggling. At the start of week three she decided to become my friend. She would run down the hall and throw her arms around my legs when I came out of our room. And she trailed me everywhere like a little puppy dog. The giggling intensified. And out and out laughter. She developed a full blown personality. Became a tease. And then her American parents arrived. Day by day she blossomed. She was straining to understand their English. And mimic it. She morphed into an American girlie girl, complete with pink fingernail polish. Though she adored her new parents, she remained very attached to us. And then the over-lap days came to an end. The taxi arrived and took them off to the airport. Final hugs, final good-byes, promise to come back some day. And it was over with.

The gaping hole in our hearts cannot be ignored. It’s impossible to stuff these emotions. We miss this little munchkin more than words can say. And she’s gone from our lives forever. The life of a missionary is a life of good-byes. You learn how to cope. How to manage. How to not feel. And then something happens and it overwhelms us. Something called Honorine.


Tuesday, May 8, 2018

I'm on my monthly get-away right now.  It's pretty great to just run away and hide in this little duplex not too far from Shiloh.  No phones.  No people ringing the bell.  Nobody knocking on our bedroom door.  It's actually a pretty noisy place, but none of the noise has anything to do with me.  I do a lot of sleeping.  Slept eleven hours last night if you can imagine!  Took a nap this morning.  Getting ready to take another one this afternoon.  Read a lot.  Watch movies on youtube.  Relax.  Rest.  Recover.  I'm grateful for this opportunity.  It's what keeps me going.

We have a lady at Shiloh right now.  She's a missionary wife and mom.  Going through a stressful time with their daughter.  Just needed some down time.  Quiet.  Solitude.  Escaping the stresses of life.  We've put her in our nicest room.  Comes with a private bathroom and balcony.  Tucked away from the rest of the house.  Great place to escape to.  I'm glad we can be there for her.  And I'm glad this young couple is there for me.

Monday, May 7, 2018

Theirry got called down to Daoula to participate in a celebration at his church.  A celebration that featured his Dad.  The story goes like this:  His dad took out a loan at a local bank.  A pay back schedule was drawn up and agreed upon.  Everything was signed and official.  And the dad began faithfully making his monthly payments.  Then suddenly everything was turned upside down.  The bank notified him they were calling in the loan.  He had to pay in full at the end of four months, not the twelve months on the contract.  The case went to court.   The judgment was going in favor of the bank.  His home was about to be foreclosed.  There was one last hearing where the final judgment would be handed down.  At that point in the proceedings nothing  is ever reversed.  If the judgment is going against you, it remains against you.  They would be loosing their house.  There was no possible hope.  But God.  The pastor encouraged everyone at church to keep this family in their prayers.  They had special times of prayer for them.  Pray.  Pray. Pray.  There was no other hope.  Last Thursday the dad appeared in court.  And the God of the Impossible did the impossible.  The judgment was reversed.  He was given the rest of the year to pay back his loan.  His house is safe.  The bank cannot take it away from him.  Everybody was shocked.  This has never happened before.  So they had a special time of celebration and Theirry needed to be there with his family.  He caught the first bus out of town on Sunday morning and came back home on the last bus of the night.  Tired, but so very happy.  What an amazing God we serve!

Sunday, May 6, 2018

It was a calm, relaxing day.  Truly a day of rest.  We've been through a lot lately.  Lots of activity.  Many people coming and going.  We've been drained to the last drop of our energy.  And then today the house emptied out and we have been all alone.  Personally I haven't left the room.  No desire to wander out beyond the boundary of our bedroom door.  Tomorrow we're back at it again.  More guests.  Going into town.  Lists of things to get done.  Busy, busy, busy.  Quiet days are not common.  We've enjoyed this one to the max.

Saturday, May 5, 2018

We're doing this dance with our bank right now.  It happens two-three times per year.  Our funds get wired out from our bank in America and they take forever to arrive.  It's all done electronically.  How long does that take??  So we have to wait for three days before we can say anything.  Then we go into our dance.  We phone them.  They come up with excuses and say they will look into it.  Then we send them an email.  And they email back and give more excuses.  It's never their fault of course.  When they get tired of the whole thing, they release our funds and life goes back to normal.  We would change banks if we could.  Except we are with the best bank in all of Cameroon.  They don't call this a "high risk banking country" for nothing.

Friday, May 4, 2018

Final hugs, last picture, giggles, and it's over.  Three and a half delightful weeks with the sweetest little girl around has come to an end.  We took them to visit Guy and his family on this their last day in country.  Saw his new puppy dog and his chickens.  Got a tour of the house.  Ate a yummy meal together.  Talked and talked and talked.  They were quite impressed with him and his walk with our Lord.  Which is why we wanted them to meet.  Then it was back to Shiloh to do some final packing and those final hugs.  The house is empty now.  Actually all but one room are full, but we hear the echos of little girl laughter and it seems quite empty.  The life of a missionary is a life of good-byes.  We say them all the time.  And we never get used to them.  But we put on a brave face and move on to the next event.

Thursday, May 3, 2018

It has been so incredible to watch this little girl open up and blossom and become and shine and shimmer in the warmth of having found parents.  A mom and a dad who love her and whom she can love in return.  Joy and gladness and laughter in giggles (lots of giggles) and awe.  Each day she becomes more and more who she was designed to be.  She's stretching and reaching and learning and dancing and trying out all sorts of new things.  And they are so right for each other.  Clearly God has brought this family together.  It's been a delight to watch it all happen. 

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

I took the little girl with me out to the airport to pick up her new parents.  There were piles and piles of people coming off the plane, but no white lady.  I finally told her they must not be coming.  She will have to continue living with us.  But she said an emphatic NO! and giggled.  She's a great giggler.  Finally, finally, finally they came.  And the laughter rang out.  Hugs were given all around and we slowly made our way to the car.  Instant bonding took place.  In fact, she glued herself to her mother's side and has not been separated since.  It's amazing how quickly she is adapting to them and how quickly they are adapting to her.  It's like they were made for each other.  And her English is picking up.  She knew a few words and phrases, but now she's trying to repeat everything.  They are teaching her little songs.  She's singing the days of the week and all sorts of other things.  There was a call to the U.S. complete with video of her new brothers and sister.  Everyone was so excited.  She just sat and stared and smiled.  They were calling out her name and jumping up and down.  They told her over and over again "I LOVE YOU!"  There is a whole new world waiting for her across the big pond!