Though this story took place over three years ago when we were last in the U.S., in good Cameroonian fashion it is only just now being told to us.

Our assistant Guy was in a bush taxi, heading out to Eyene.  Since we were in the U.S. for a few months, he had the Shiloh phone with him.   A Cameroonian pastor who lives in Germany phoned, wanting to reserve a room at Shiloh.  Guy told him that he was actually on his way out to Sa'a on an evangelistic trip, and not at Shiloh.  He would have to phone the man back later.  

"Sa'a!"  exclaimed the pastor, "That's where I'm from.  I'm a Manguisa.  I need to warn you that the Manguisa have hearts of stone.  I'm telling you, their hearts are made of stone."  

He began trying to talk Guy out of his evangelistic efforts. This pastor assumed that Guy had never shared the gospel with the Manguisa.  He wanted to make it very clear that the Manguisa would not accept the gospel.  

"Pastor, you say that you are a Manguisa?  And you know the Lord?  Since God changed your heart of stone, I think He can do the same for other Manguisa," Guy wisely told him.

Then Guy proceeded to explain that this was not his first trip out to the Manguisa tribe.  He had gone out many times with his patrons.  And furthermore, his patrons, who were currently in the U.S., had been making evangelistic trips out to the Manguisa for many, many years.  And yes, they were well aware of the fact that the Manguisa do indeed have hearts of stone.  But our God is in the business of transforming hearts of stone.  And so we move forward, leaning on Him.