Nine of us gathered in the living for a handful of hours this morning to put the finishing touches on the plans for the Bible Conference in Eyene.  We developed the theme and came up with sermon topics for each of the seven nights.  And the guys volunteered to take a couple messages apiece.  Then we lined up our movies with each message.  Changed one of the movies in the process.  Went over a whole lot of nitty gritty plans.  All those little details that make up the whole.  Spent time in prayer.  Agreed to begin each day in prayer.  Six to six thirty.  Prayer and a brief devotional.  

Tomorrow we go out to the village for the funeral of Jean Magloir's grandmother.  Five of us will be representing the whole at this occasion.  Trusting God to be shining through us.

 

I returned to Shiloh this afternoon from my monthly retreat to news of the fighting.  The French/English issue continues to heat up.  They arrived in Sabga the other day and started fighting as predicted.  Then Monday and Tuesday they went into Bambili and killed people.  We have friends living in both places.  Seven adult missionaries in Sabga and a family of six in Bambili.  Increasing numbers of French speakers, and even in the President's own administration, want him to step down.  Some are saying that he will not be permitted to serve another term in office.  We wait, wonder, and pray.  God alone knows the future.

The call came around 10 a.m. today.  He asked us to pray for them.  They woke at 5 a.m. to the sound of gun shots.  The Ambazonian Rebels had entered their village in the North West and were fighting the soldiers who were there.  In fact a soldier was killed right on his door step.  It was a frightening time for all.  The Rebels were killing every soldier in sight.  Finally things calmed down and the people in that neighborhood were told to leave their homes.  Word had got out to the military in Yaounde and they were sending a large contingent to their aid.  When they arrive later on today, the fighting will be fierce and they will kill everyone in sight.  Our friend gathered his young family when the road was opened back up and drove part way down the mountain to safety.  He is trying to find a better location further down the mountain to move his family to.

I asked him about Camp Joy which is virtually right next door to his compound.  He said that God was really with them.  All this week they had been having counselor training.  That ended last evening and everyone left the camp.  The first campers were slated to arrive on Monday.  Camp is canceled for now.  So when the fighting broke out, camp was empty.

Next I asked about the village of Sabga.  He said the Rebels were marching directly to Sabga with their captives.  When they arrived in that village fighting would again break out.  We have been in prayer all day for our friends.  There are seven adult missionaries who live and work in Sabga. And we pray for renewed peace in Cameroon.  But mostly that people will come to find the Lord during this time of war.

It was a balmy evening. They had enjoyed a good meal at a restaurant, but it was too early to go back home.  The driver had lived in Cameroon for four years with his family.  He new a great place to go that overlooked the city.  His two passengers, airplane mechanics all, went along with the idea. They drove up a winding road that came out near the top of Mt. Febe.  It was pitch dark.  The city lights were spectacular.  They got out of the car and took pictures.  After awhile they decided it was time to come back to Shiloh.  One climbed into the back seat and dropped the passenger seat in place, effectively locking himself inside the car.  The driver got in and the front seat guy was just coming up to the car when it happened.  A young man came out of the bushes brandishing a machete and yelling at them to give him their money.  The driver slid across to the passenger side and got out of the car.  The back seat passenger remained trapped in the car throughout the incident.  The driver began throwing bills down the road and calling out to the bandit.  He would run after the money and the driver tried to get back into the car.  The front seat passenger got in the car.  Finally the bandit broke two windows and then leaned into the car on the driver's side.  He began hitting the passenger with the machete, cutting him only in one place.  When the back seat guy gave up his phone and money he told the bandit there was nothing else of value.  The bandit swept the car with his flashlight and then melted back into the bushes.  Our friends took off, praising God for his protection.  They went to a clinic where the injured was bandaged and given antibiotics to take.  They arrived back at Shiloh after midnight, shaken but grateful to be in as good a shape as they were.

A light rain was falling as we rode to the Hilton but it did not dampen our spirits.  We were on our way to the largest event of the year for the U.S. Embassy, the annual Independence Day celebration. It's quite an honor to be invited to this event.  Mostly it is the diplomatic community, government ministers and senators, and other dignitaries.  Of all the years we have attended this event, this one was hands down the best.  Good food, good atmosphere, good decorations, good music, good ceremony.  Just an all around great evening.  We feel special to be on the permanent list of invitees.  And we were able to have our picture taken with the Ambassador.

It was seven months ago when her life ended.  She was only twenty-nine.  They had been heading towards missions since they were young.  Had finished their education, applied to a mission board, went through all the training, and now were traveling about raising support.  But she got sick.  The doctor said it was serious.  Sent her back home.  And two years later her young life was over.  But he has moved ahead with their plans.  He's with us for a couple of weeks while working on repairing an airplane.  He's an airplane mechanic.  His dedication humbles us.

We had another planning meeting yesterday for the Bible conference in Eyene.  Worked out the bugs on housing.  Settled on a guys bedroom and a gals bedroom, with all the single guys sleeping outside in the tent.  Dorothy wants to go with us so she's in charge of fixing the evening meal along with Sylvia, Damien's wife.  And speaking of Sylvia, she's decided to come out for the whole week.  We're renting a 15 passenger van and most of us will go out that Sunday afternoon to set things up.  Went over menus and tweaked some things.  And Doris and Damien selected 18 songs which he will start teaching everyone now. One special song was chosen to be sung at the baptismal.  We're getting excited.  The finances are coming in for the expenses.  So far we have three who want to be baptized.  There may be more.  We're having one last planning meeting with all the adults present.  These next three weeks will fly by.