It's the 11th of December, 2015 and I am sitting down to start a brand new blog.  It was someone else's idea, but it seemed like a good one.  In fact, maybe this will satisfy my former sister-in-law and current friend.  She's been after me for a long time to write a book about our life.  But we've been too busy living it to take the time to do that.  She has even saved  all my old letters.  Amazing!  So this blog is dedicated to her in the hopes she will be semi-satisfied with my efforts.  Not a book, but close.

Today is an ordinary day.  In fact this blog is about an ordinary missionary serving an extraordinary God.  Our lives are made up of a series of ordinary days.  

We have electricity, water, and internet connection today so we're off to a good start!  In the land of plenty where you probably live, you would consider those things some of the basics of life.  But for us out here on the dark side of the moon, we consider them pure luxuries. Did you know that with electricity you can iron?  But it takes electricity and water to wash cloths.  Well, we could go back to washing by hand, but who wants to do that!  And without internet we cannot communicate with you.  

Solange came this morning.  She wanted to talk with Doris.  I think she's scared of me.  I'm pretty white.  But she told Doris that she is on her treatment (she has AIDS) and is doing much better.  She first came to us when her baby was so sick.  And then the baby died.  We gave her the money to go out to the village and bury her baby.  But her relationship is with Doris.  She wanted help starting a small business, selling lettuce and other small things. She asked for 30.000 F and so we gave it to her.  We have helped countless women start up small business over these last 24 years.  By the way, 30.000 F is about $60.  We will start buying our lettuce from her and wish her the very best.

Shiloh, our spiritual retreat center, is full.  Before one of the groups in the house leaves today, another man will arrive.  So we've asked one person to move out of their room at noon.  He was very agreeable.  Then we will  clean the room and be all ready when the next person comes in.  We also have a couple of seminary professors here in the house.  They are teaching at a seminary that is walking distance.  The seminary is from Bangui, Central Africa Republic.  With the war, they had to relocate here in Yaounde these last few years. The professors have lots of students visiting them so we are opening the gate all the time.

The house is all decorated for Christmas.  It's a pretty time of the year here.  We have a 7.5 foot tree that someone gave to us several years ago.  It adorns the dining room and is lovely.  Then we have a five foot tree that we bought from a missionary family that was returning to Canada.  It is in the library and is decorated with fun decorations from German, given to us by yet another family leaving for good.  In addition we have four nativity sets. My favorite one was made by a Muslim artist.  All the wise men are dressed in traditional Muslim robes.  Even the baby Jesus looks like a scrawny Muslim baby. And of course the cattle are long horns.

Well I have other things to do today so will slip quietly away.