I wish this were a isolated story.  Read it and throw away.  But unfortunately it is all too common.

Last Sunday there was a new pastor at a church next door to Doris.  As his car slowly descended the hill and advanced toward the little church, his army of homemade solders ran behind the car.  When he arrived at the church a red carpet was rolled out for he and his wife to walk on.  They walked through the double line of "solders".  Very impressive.  Lots of show.  Neighbors came out to gawk.  

There is an awful lot done in the name of Christianity around here.  Most of it fake.  People need the Lord.  They are searching everywhere but up.  The Almighty is overlooked and ignored.  We never wonder why we are here.  It's in our face every day.

One thing I've noticed about God in all these years I've been His child, He is always faithful.  This has been a weird month money wise.  A young man is going to Canada to study.  His Canadian benefactors pay for his room and board.  They are always prompt.  It's a good arrangement.  But this time, with a rather large bill, we didn't hear anything from them.  Then the Canadian High Commissioner installed an elderly lady at Shiloh for a short time.  They promised to pay the bill later.  And then there was the group that was here last weekend for their retreat that left owing us money.  We were out for the evening and they told Joseph they had already paid.  We have tried and tried to contact these people.  Finally the Canadian benefactors contacted us and said they had been bringing a herd of horses up to Canada from the U.S.  They were out of contact with the outside world.  But they would send the funds right away.  Finally got hold of the High Commissioner.  Said the funds were coming from Belgium.  Would arrive in about the week.  The group said they would pay their bill.  Today the benefactors send their money.  It was just enough to pay our final bills for the month and have a little left over.  Faithful.  That's our God!

Day two of Spring Housecleaning.

The living room sparkles.

Only one throw pillow cover to put back on.

The front hall is almost finished.

Just have to iron the curtains for the back door.

The back hall is completely finished.

And the dining room is about a third of the way done.

We're moving right along.

Had a couple of cancellations.

While there is a guest in the house, he's practically invisible.

It really helps to have a quiet house.

Last year we had an unusual amount of guests at this time.

It really slowed the cleaning down.  

Took the better part of forever to finish.

But this year, so far, we're clipping right along.

If this keeps up we might get done in record time.

 

I have personally awaited this day since the first of the year.  It's been a long time coming.  But it's finally here and I am of all people, the most ecstatic!  The rains have come back and the annual Spring Housecleaning event has begun.  We have brought in Sidney to help out, since Guy is in seminary.  Is he ever a good worker!  We're knocking down cobwebs, brushing the walls, scrubbing mop boards, washing doilies and dresser scarfs, beating throw pillows, washing curtains, and scrubbing the upholstery on the furniture.  End tables are being polished, pictures taken down and cleaned front and back, and all wood carvings are getting their annual oil bath.  The dried wood soaks up lots of oil and ends with a lovely luster.  One room at a time Shiloh is coming back to life again.  Come see us in a month.  You will be impressed!

He came to our village house shortly after we arrived.  Wanted to have a Bible.  Said Jim had promised him one.  So we took down his name so as to not forget again.  Since he's older, offered him an audio Bible, too.  He was delighted.  Jim invited him to study the Bible with us.  So we set a circle of chairs outside and began.  Many people came by to greet us.  But we perservered.  He was very interested.  Seemed to have a certan level of knowledge.  When we finished, Guy talked to him about persoanlly accepting the Lord as his Savior.  Said he had understood all that Jim had said.  There was much for him to think about.

Did a few small projects at the house.  Then went to Papa Pollycarp's house.  Brought our usual gift of food.  They are so appreciative.  We had another Bible study with them.  Then Mama Clair again shared about her younger brother.  He sends a car each Sunday to take them to his village for church.  He is the pastor.  Each week, no matter the message, it always ends the same.  He makes it abundantly clear that Papa Pollycarp and Mama Clair cannot be Christians because they don't speak in tongues and they have not had the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  We again gave them some stratagies to use.  The best one is to stay home, but this does not seem to be an option.

Mama Ragine, their oldest daughter, had gone out with us.  She prepared a meal for us.  Fish in peanut sauce, boiled plantains, and baton de manioc.  And then they loaded us with manioc and plantains to take back home.  

Francis and Doris had asked for bush meat and mangos.  It's the start of the mango season.  Our three big trees don't have anything ripe yet.  Next month.  But all along the way home we found mangos for sale.  Today we froze nine quarts, plus what we have been eating.  There is enough left over for a mango pie tomorrow night.  We have guests coming from America.  And we also found two animales called porky pig.  Like Elmer Fudd.  So we bought them.  Later we came across a large viper with his last meal still working it's way down his 8 foot long body.  You could see the perfect form of a small animal the size of a rabbit.  Two for the price of one.  We passed!

Next month we take out floor covering and curtain rods.  We have several projects to do as we prepare for the team coming from America in July.  And of course we will take the Bible.  Salvation begins with an interest in the gospel.

Wow!  Five.  Only five.  That's amazing.  Most years the count is 12, more or less.  Today I finished the library inventory and found five missing books.  They have a way of growing feet and walking out the front gate.  The tend to exit the library in the middle of the night. It's an occupational hazard here in this country.  

I used to get upset with books being put back on the shelves in any old order.  Then it dawned on me that this is how I know they are being used.  So now I smile when I see books just about anywhere.  Our library is in continuous use.

We've had enough books appropriated by others to fill an entire library.  But God keeps right on giving us more books.  This time I incorporated two large boxes of books from a missionary who went back home for good.  In addition we have helped launch three other libraries.  So people (on a spiritual retreat mind you) take and God replaces.  It all works out in the end. 

86 years old

Aristrocratic

Cultured

Educated

Canadian

Of Ukrainian immigrants

Lived in Cameroon seven years

Started an association with Cameroonian partner

Partner has been exploiting her

Elderly

Frail

Confused

Gets lost going from dining room to bedroom

Falls frequently

Hospitalized for a week

Partner took her from hospital to Canadian High Commission

High Commission learned of us from the Baptist

Could we take her in 

Enjoyable

Conversant

Chatty

Cries when talks about last three months

Three days with us

Then off to airport

Thinks she will be in hospital for eye surgery for one or two weeks

Then right back home to Cameroon

Canadian High Commission will not permit her to return

Repatriating her back home to Canada

Left all sorts of stuff with us since she is coming back

High Commission phoning Canada to find out how to proceed

Nothing of value

4 pairs of broken reading glasses

Lots of papers

Well, we came to serve

Enjoyed serving this dear lady with the big heart