CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS out of Cameroon

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself...
~Norman Wesley Brooks, "Let Every Day Be Christmas," 1976

Joyeux  Noël - Bonne Année

 Christmas Greetings out of Cameroon

I LOVE THE NIGHT SOUNDS - time to stop and reflect...

     Today is the Fourth Sunday in Advent...

Thank you God - Jesus does come to everyone in the world.

The season is busy - even here in Cameroon. We were in another Marché yesterday, one very close to us at the mission station - it was so crowded - walking was the only passage! Saturday Market day - one week before Christmas.

The vendors come from near and far, where do they get all the clothes they hope to sell? Divided in piles on the ground - have you ever seen a heap of socks for all ages? A new outfit (not necessarily 'new') is the favoured gift for each child in the family, with possibly a small helicopter or a little blond haired dolly.  Tissue / fabrics sold in 6 or 12 metre pieces - what a variety of patterns and bright colours. WOW! I really only came to find small pails with lids for the children's milk powder... I think next week.

Petite Marché Fire

 Mud brick shops burnt also

  Speaking of Markets - Marchés: our favourite since 1999 is the Petite Marché in city centre. Tragedy and devastation hit there two weeks ago...fire broke out early Friday morning - wildly spreading through 75% of the market! Was it an electrical spark - their wiring was in desperate need of updating. It is so dry right now and cool at night - fires to stay warm is common everywhere...

Devastation

Never-the-less, it was very heart breaking to see stall owners weeping amongst the ashes that destroyed their lively hood. Young children could be seen throughout - foraging for whatever thy may find? Prayerfully out of these ashes they may all find a new beginning, bringing us back to the 'season of hope and love'. This week we already see make shift stalls set up with their wares - fortitude. These folk have to work so hard to eke out a living, especially at this time of the year. Let us uplift our prayers for them.



In the dark of night - Nigerian Crusade

(two Cameroonian Pastors + 1 Canadian Pasotr offer prayers) 

The season has brought joy with concerts and choirs. The Collage put on a grande evening of entertainment with poems, stories, sketches (plays/skits), singing with full accompaniment. The school choir of 600 children was amazing - their discipline...down to exact when to 'stand' (each separate group) and when to 'sit'. It was getting cool after four hours of sitting - the walk home warmed us up some.

 William measures out 4.5 kgs of Rice

 We have been very busy this week with bulk shopping for the 'Kids Helping Kids' (KHK) program. We have purchased ten - 100 kg bags of ground nuts/peanuts for us - they were trucked in from Touboro ~ 200 kms from here. Locally purchases were made for three -  100 kg bags of maize/corn, two - 25 kg of whole milk powder and six - 50 kg bags of riz/rice. Jack made many trips with the Prada to transport to the large container within the hospital grounds. This took two days with Jack, William, Fanta and myself - searching and bargaining. The biggest problem we have had is in finding small pails with lids for the 800 grams of milk powder - so far we have 20 of the needed 65. More shopping and searching...

bagging ~3kgs. Ground nuts

This past Friday at 8 AM we started packing with William in the large container. Sixty-five  bags, we purchased stronger bags. We did get the milk packaged in double bags - we bagged up 2½ kgs bags of ground nuts. Jack and I worked on these while William was the rice man with 4½ kg bags of riz. It was almost 1 PM  and the heat was so intense in the container we decided to call it a day - tomorrow at 6:30 AM we will continue with the maize and the rice when it is cool. YES, fini by 8 AM on Saturday - a job well done.

Jacks counts out 800 gram bags of powdered whole milk

Today is Fête du Noël with the children - party time with beignets, popcorn/peanuts/shrimp crackers, Zima juice made from dried red flower blossoms. Fanta prepared this part. I made my usual banana oatmeal raisin cookies - I think they feel I am 'Mama Cookie'.

Before the party at 1:30 - we are going to church at Cross and Crown Lutheran, Jack is preaching today.

The Youth of C&C

 Pastor Jack and Intern Grace Ndah

even the smallest members want to be part of the service...

A Time to Stop and Reflect

Click here if you want to see the entire slideshow...

Our prayers and love are extended to our grand-daughter Justine - our family and friends as they prepare for Christmas.

Stop - listen to the night sounds...

what do you hear?

Jack & Val

Out of the ashes - prayerfully a new beginning with our prayers

"If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another."

December 07, 2011
The weeks are melding into one another... where were we the last posting? Oh, yes - Jack's four day evangelism trip to the border of Poli.

If wealth was the inevitable result of hard work and enterprise -

every woman in Africa would be a millianaire!  -George Monbiot-

I sit at my dining room table working on my needlework each morning - the steady stream of young children, many of them girls - carrying the day's supply of water - already balanced on their heads, always has me in awe! A woman's work is never done - I admire them. Tenacity - women meet the challenge...

What have we been up to since then? Three days of EELC Council meetings that ended with a huge celebratory service on the First Sunday in Advent. 

 Beautiful Cathedral Lutheran at Mission Station

The Installation du Sécretaire Général, M. Djouldé Hamidou was held in the Cathédrale Luthérienne on the Mission Station. The service was attended by all the Lutheran churches in the Ngaoundéré district - a grand 4 1/2 hours of celebration with many choirs adding their praise. The highlight for me was the unexpected baptism of three young Fulani children presented by Philip Nelson. Phil was brought up as a missionary kid here in Cameroon, his parents - Rev. Ron Nelson and Ruth were dedicated to their work mainly with the Fulani people. Phil and his wife June continue with their dedication.

The Baptism of the three Fulani children

On Saturday we were invited by the Program Manager, Bouta Lambert of OS-EELC to be with the newly organized Project of 100 Orphans supported by the Norwegian Mission Society (NMS). They had a short program at about 9 a.m. followed by counselling for the HIV testing of all the children. After receiving their results they were presented with a bag of supplemental food. They will meet every 3 months and the project is for one year.

Val, Lambert Bouta with first children/family
to receive their food supplement

We've had many meetings with Doctors - the two Social Workers  and other Hospital personnel concerning the 'Kids Helping Kids' Program (KHK). Last Sunday we met following church with over 50 of the children, I took a photo of each - they continued working on their cards. Singing and praying to God comes so easy for them - it is a joy. Cookies and a wafer bar to take home ended their time. The Fête du Noël will be on December 18th - a party with their food supplement which will comprise of new foods being added to each bag... 3 kg ground nuts/arachides or peanuts as we know - ~3 kg dry milk - 3 kg rice - 3 kg dry maize (corn) and a block of Miss Afrique savon (soap).

Fanta with daughters Astrid and Ziphora

 Next on our list is an every child family visit accompanied by William and/or Fanta. The children expect us - so starting next week.

 We are thankful for our Cameroonian friends - we had a wonderful evening on Sunday. Next time we'll have the Fou-fou and the stuffed Faro leaves, is that where you add a little of the skin of the head of a cow?  I will try to conjure up Pyrogies Cameroon style and Borscht with Gołąbki (Cabbage Rolls).

There is another evangelism event this week with we think, six Nigerians - there will be several Mission Crusades throughout the city.
I saw the first signs of Christmas yesterday while shopping - a cute but funny lil tree. I am crocheting little angels right now - maybe we'll find a string of lights for the window. NO Santa's are running around Ngaoundéré - I heard my first carol on some one's radio today.
Our week will be capped with our first Christmas concert (outdoor in College courtyard @6PM). We have been invited to a Spécial Concert de Noël by the Collège Protestant du Ng aoundéré. 

Ésaïe 9:6

Car un enfant nous est né, un fils nous est donné, Et la domination reposera

sur son épaule; On l'appellera Admirable, Conseiller, Dieu puissant,

Père  éternel, Prince de la paix.

I must end with my amazing back yard full of huge mango, avocado and flamboyant trees - they are refuge for the continuing surprise of the many species of birds that are attracted to our stone bird bath and stone feeding table, during this - now very dry season (the grass has become brittle straw). Why did I leave my binoculars out - how silly! The Blue Fairy Flycatchers know me now - flitting amongst the low branches as I hang my clothes. My two bird books do not identify all of them - photos, photos, photos.

Beautiful Blue Fairy Flycatcher and
Tropical Boubons love this rock bath

As we enter into the Third Sunday of Advent

may we all keep Christ in CHRISTmas

and not get lost in the hustle and bustle - 

remember the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Click Below for Slideshow
Walking in the Light 

Jack & Val

Eight of the KHK