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.

I am convinced that I am the last man alive (or in this case, the last woman alive) who still does our own taxes by hand.  No H & R Block here.  No Turbo Tax.  Just print out the 1040 and start filling in the blanks.  It took parts of two days (probably less than an eight hour working day all together).  It's signed and dated, in an envelope, stamped with a U.S. postage stamp, and delivered to someone who will return to the states over the weekend.  So the first of the week it will be mailed.  Whew!  It's always a relief to have this annual ritual over with.  But wait!  You say taxes were due last month?  Well that's for all of you on the other side of the Big Pond.  For us foreign earned exclusion guys (Form 2550) it's another thing.  They give us an extra two months.  And we sure can use it.  We have never yet had all our paperwork here with us in Cameroon on time for the April 15th deadline.  

Time to take a deep breath and relax for a moment before starting the next most pressing project.

Having lost his parents, he is on his own.  A few years ago he came to know the Lord.  He calls Guy his spiritual father.  He's in university and applying to the police academy.  Guy brought him to us for financial help.  We are happy to assist in this practical way.  We have helped many others before him.  That's one of the things we do through our Association.  We promised to pray that this young man will pass the test and be admitted to the academy.

Eight years ago when  our friend got married, I went to the village to assist.  At the time she had no idea how old her new husband was.  And for several years after, too.  But now at the time of his death she knows his age.  She thought he would have been seventy, but it turns out he was eighty.  And she is only fifty. 

During the funeral one of his sons said he didn't know if she was a lady or an angel.  She nursed him faithfully all during his last four years of illness.

He was a school teacher for 26 years.  Then he felt led to go into Christian work so he went to seminary.  In fact he was in the first class of a new school.  By the time he graduated he had linked up with Campus Crusade.  They made him their first Director of Evangelism.   He served them faithfully for 19 years, traveling to every corner of the country with the Jesus Film.  His life was an example to many.

All five of his children are strong Christians.  He has 15 grandchildren who are growing up in the Lord. But now that he is gone, his widow has no idea what will happen.  Will the family put her out?  Will she have a place to live?  Will she have any money to live on?  It is up to them.  We are praying with her that the family will live out their Christianity in a God honoring way. And we are there to assist as we are able.

Just got back from the funeral a half hour ago.  Took a shower and am headed to bed.  

Did you know that we left Mbingo where we stayed at 10 a.m. to arrive at Shiloh at 8 p.m.  And did you also know that it takes a mere 30 minutes by small airplane?  If only we had the 300,000 F for the flight!  That's $600 give or take, depending on the exchange rate.  Not in the budget.  Sorry!

Last night a friend's wife died.  Neither he nor she knew the Lord.  Very sad.  We will make every effort to be at the burial.

This morning little Faithful came home with her mommy.  The new life has begun for the new family.

We leave Shiloh at 5 a.m. tomorrow to drive 8 hours for the funeral of another friend's husband.

Birth...death.  It's all part of life on this earth place.  The point is to be ready to die.  Then and only then, we are ready to live.

She phoned to say that her dear husband had passed on to Glory.  His funeral is Friday in the village.  We immediately made plans to be there.  This friend married a man some 25 years older than her.  His first wife had died.  They had three wonderful years together and then his health failed.  These last five or so years have been difficult ones.  He has been in and out of the hospital.  But she stood with him faithfully, giving him the extra care his health required.  And now he is in Glory.  We will leave Shiloh early Thursday morning.  We're still working out the housing arrangements, but we will not sleep in the village.  Her house is full of his adult children.  The removal of the body and the burial will both take place on Friday.  Then Saturday morning we will head back down the mountain to Yaounde.  We were in the village for their wedding.  We will be back in the village to lay him to rest.  We are going to invite her to come down to Yaounde and spend some time with us when things settle down for her.  We have been good friends for many years.  She is a dear girl and a strong believer.