They started trickling in yesterday shortly after 4 p.m.  The last two arrived at 8:30 p.m.  They are here for three days of training at a location not far from Shiloh.  These are all VIPs from various tribes around Cameroon.  We understand sixty were invited to attend, but only the most VIP among all the invitees are staying here at Shiloh.

The first two to arrive were older gentlemen from the same tribe.  They are happily sharing the downstairs bedroom which comes with a private bath.  

An hour and a half late two men arrived.  The first one through the gate was kindly, soft spoken, humble.  But right behind him was "Mr. Big" with a woman trailing behind him.  "Here comes trouble," I thought.  It turns out he is a village chief and quite aware of his great importance. I soon learned the woman was one of his wives. While not part of the training session, it was important for her to inspect the chief's room.  It must be of the highest quality for a man of his stature.  We were neither surprised nor offended when she announced Shiloh was not to her liking.  With a sigh of relief, I let the chief and his lady back out into the night to find a better place.

But the last to arrive were the most interesting.  I was at the gate, greeting each guest as they came inside, shaking hands with everyone in good Cameroonian fashion.  To my surprise, when I extended my hand to an older man with a cane, he just stood there staring at me.  "Good evening, welcome to Shiloh," I said.  He leaned on his cane and kept staring.  Just as things were becoming really awkward, another older man came inside our gate and very quickly announced "We're Fons.  We don't touch people."  WOW!  I had committed a great big NO-NO!!!  I apologized and tried to turn this major social blunder into a joke.  When all else fails, just become the dumb American who doesn't know anything.

The second Fon is the very biggest of all the big VIPs at Shiloh at this moment.  He's a retired general in the Cameroonian Army.  He lived, of all places, in Tucson AZ for ten years.  He was decorated by President Regan for all his achievements during that time.  He then came back to Cameroon and served in the military for another ten years, stationed right here in Yaounde.  Now he is 70 years old and retired back to his village.  His father and his grandfather before him were Fons.  At the death of his father, he became the Fon.

So what is a Fon, you ask?  That's a very important village chief from the Northwest Region of Cameroonian.  The Fons are not appointed.  It is an inherited position.  A Fon can trace his ancestry back many generations before Germany colonized the country.

Though these two men are VIPs of the highest order, they are both very nice.  We are enjoying visiting with them.  They are far more agreeable than the chief who found Shiloh not to his liking.