Our Mission experiences from Canada into Cameroon ...: Bonne Année - Hallelujah

Village and their church

Intern Jeremy receives first gifts...

Francois loading - Etienne, David & Jack are ready

Valerie, Etienne, David, François and myself are in our 4WD Prado about 75 kms east of Ngaoundéré and have just emerged from a cow path onto what I believe is a real road (there are ruts). We are all tired, having just finished visiting the ninth village (one more to go - in two days) of this Saturday, offering church services which included baptisms, confirmation of candidates and communion. Following the church service the folk would then 'greet' us with a procession of presentation of gifts along with joyous singing and dancing.

Run for your life

Evening is swiftly approaching and we have one more village to visit before heading for Tello where we will spend the night and then participate in an evening outdoor movie and three church services on Sunday morning.

The roads and countryside is dusty with
the harmatton winds off the Sahara

This is the dry season and it has not rained since the end of October: the rolling savannah country that we are in looks extremely dry in contrast to the green of the sparse trees that dot the landscape. There are hundreds of longhorn cattle grazing and if I were unaware of my location, I would guess Texas or Alberta. We descend into a valley where more trees are flourishing and the river flowing through provides the tree leaves with a more vivid green. On the river bank is our next village who through the wonders of Africa’s cell phone magic (much, much cheaper here) know that we are arriving. We are greeted as the sun is setting and immediately prepare for the service of baptisms, confirmation and communion. Pastor Etienne Fomgbami (Assistant to the Bishop of the EELC) leads the congregation in Communion and the Confirmation Service and I perform the Baptisms. When we depart from this village we will have baptized at least 50 babies and adults and confirmed 30.

Jack baptisms of babies, children - adults ...
Pr Etienne Fombami confirms

After the service we would like to depart as darkness approaches but the people have prepared a meal for us, as is the case in every village that we visit. Tomorrow, Sunday, we will be fed 5 times between 7am and 2pm. I was worried here as Valerie had disappeared, but she had been led to one of the homes to use the toilet. She returned surrounded by singing children and ladies.

Jack has his Baptism message translated into Fulfulde

Our Evangelism venture began on Friday morning at the EELC Bureau in Ngaoundéré where we loaded up the Prado with a projector, screen, DVD player, speakers and a new 2.3kw generator (a gift from our MNO Synod via the Companion Synod Program). We purchase gazoil for the car, bread for communion, and Val had made a lunch of baguette egg-salad sandwiches for everyone.

Sunday morning after spending the night in the home of church members (be sure to travel with a flash-light and have matches for lighting a lamp) and eating the first of our five meals I had the privilege of preaching the sermon and then proceeding to conduct services in two more churches in Tello.

Val is being head wrapped

Finally we are heading for home. Val is still suffering from a sore neck and the mauvais route is not a recommended cure, but she is consoled by the fact that at every village we have received cadeauxs of chickens. We have eleven in a wicker cage on the roof of the car and a rooster and two hens in the car along with a big bag of avacadoes. Altogether we have visited 14 different churches in 12 villages, and baptized 64 children and adults and confirmed at least 42 candidates, and ate a lot of meals (Cassava/fou fou - rice - rice with macaroni - spagetti sans sauce - chicken in sauce - beef in sauce - bush fowl) thanks to the generosity of people who in most instances offered beyond their means.

Child of God - I baptize you...

Singing their Praise

Children's choir at Tello

We say goodby to Jeremy's children with Pr Etienne & David

We are thankful for the opportunity and privilege of being able to worship and share in fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ - we are ONE in God's family.