Started my day making eggs and toast for breakfast. The rest of my morning consisted of helping Mrs. Chamberlin with some computerissues and getting VBS flyers ready to send out -- oh, and babysitting one of the newest orphans, David, while the "house mom" (the woman who takes care of the orphanage) comforted Nathaniel, David's baby brother (Nathaniel has terrible colic right now.) One of my favorite parts of the morning was getting to talk with some of the orphan girls after we finished making the fliers. We discussed everything from Cameroonian history to how to draw a pig. They even quizzed me in every subject they are taking to see if I was learning the same things they are.
After a lunch prepared by our lovely cook, Mary, four of the orphans and I went canvasing all over Limbe. That was quite an experience! We walked through the streets for 3 hours and still did not finish distributing all of our fliers. As a reward for our work, Cynthia treated us all to a local favorite -- roasted corn!
Last week, I had promised Cynthia that I would teach her to play guitar, so this afternoon, I started fulfilling that promise. With practice, I'm sure she will pick it up quickly.
We had a church prayer meeting tonight. I loved the way it was conducted. Individual prayer requests were given; then the whole congregation prayed out loud individually after each request. I felt such power and focus present in the room.
As soon as the prayer meeting was over, I visited the kids in the orphanage. The boys reminded me promptly that I had told them that I would read them a bedtime story. One of them ran into the tiny room with The Lion King. They huddled together on the floor and looked at me with so much excitement. I only read them half the book (I get to finish it tomorrow!!!), and they hung on every word. What better way to end the day than by getting countless hugs and nuzzles from 30 precious children?
Actually, my day ended with a refreshing (cold) shower after sweating all day and with a good time of Bible study with my dad.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Monday, June 9, 2014
Cameroon: June 8, 2014
I can't even begin to give you all the details of today. Pastor Echo conducted the Sunday school class. He gave an excellent lesson about hearing and doing. Dad and I played a guitar/harmonica duet ("The Solid Rock"), and Dad gave the message. He did such a good job sticking to his points and keeping the people's attention.
As soon as the services ended, I made sloppy joes for lunch while Mrs. Chamberlin prepared a potato salad. After we ate, my dad and I went back to our apartment to prepare lessons for the youth service at 5:00. I had also been asked to sing a song and play guitar. They don't have a Sunday evening service, but the youth meet sometimes, and Mrs. Chamberlin always does a little children's church in her living room. From 3:00-5:00, I spent time with Cynthia. She is 17 years old. She brought me her favorite biscuits (cookies) for me to try, and she brought me a list of pidgin phrases she had handwritten for me. She quizzed me on them. We talked and talked, and she braided my hair.
Five o'clock came quickly. Time for the youth meeting! This was a meeting I will never forget. When the first few youth came, I had everyone get in a circle, and I taught them the song "Bind Us Together, Lord" complete with hand motions! They absolutely loved it! After the song I shared with them a short devotional about laying aside our own problems and putting others' needs before our own. Then, after I sang "All in All" for them, my dad gave them a message about being a son of God. The service ended after a time of questions. We had all sorts of questions but I'll try to install I can remember.
1. How can you balance sports and musical talents with spiritual things?
2. Did you ever struggle with sin when you were a teenager?
3. How did you decide to come to Cameroon?
4. Tell us what you think about how we should dress.
5. What should I do if my friends make fun of me for being different from them in the way I dress?
6. If God has forgiven our sins already, why does He judge us again in heaven?
I asked them to give me any prayer requests they had ate eh end of the meeting, and 2 came up to me, both with peer pressure struggles. I prayed with one of them and wrote her name down, and the other gave me a slip of paper with his name and request.
Cameroon: 6/7/14
"Yes! I got a tan!" was my thought as I inspected my bare feet before my bucket bath this evening. Then, as I scrubbed them, my excitement vanished as I realized that my "tan" was just a layer of mud.
Today has been so much fun. Mostly, I have helped Mrs. Chamberlin in the kitchen and helped her with some computer stuff, but this afternoon, I played some outdoor games with the orphans. One of the games (Slippers) is played by 3 people at a time. All the children remove their shoes and put their left shoe in one pile and their right shoe in another. One child stands in the middle of the other two players and dodges as they throw a ball (ours was a ball of socks). The point of the game is for the middle child to match the shoes with their pairs and place them in a line all while dodging the ball. If the middle person catches the ball, he is allowed to throw it as far as he can away from the other players. I was only able to get one pair of shoes reunited before I was pegged. You have to be really quick on your feet.
P.S. I walked with some of the orphans to a house nearby to fetch a nurse for Mrs. Chamberlin. When we got their, she was cooking fish, and she offered me one. (By offered, I mean she forced it into my hands.) I ate everything but the bones and tail. That's right! Everything -- even the head (eyeballs included). The locals eat the bones. Delicious!
Today has been so much fun. Mostly, I have helped Mrs. Chamberlin in the kitchen and helped her with some computer stuff, but this afternoon, I played some outdoor games with the orphans. One of the games (Slippers) is played by 3 people at a time. All the children remove their shoes and put their left shoe in one pile and their right shoe in another. One child stands in the middle of the other two players and dodges as they throw a ball (ours was a ball of socks). The point of the game is for the middle child to match the shoes with their pairs and place them in a line all while dodging the ball. If the middle person catches the ball, he is allowed to throw it as far as he can away from the other players. I was only able to get one pair of shoes reunited before I was pegged. You have to be really quick on your feet.
P.S. I walked with some of the orphans to a house nearby to fetch a nurse for Mrs. Chamberlin. When we got their, she was cooking fish, and she offered me one. (By offered, I mean she forced it into my hands.) I ate everything but the bones and tail. That's right! Everything -- even the head (eyeballs included). The locals eat the bones. Delicious!
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Cameroon: 6/6/14
Traveled a long, bumpy, volcanic road to the remote village, Kotto II, today. The Chamberlins needed to finalize their land purchase. During the 6 hours we waited for the government officials, we sat and talked with the locals. Several of the ladies are pleading for a school to be started. Dad gave a devotional to the 12 or so men that had gathered out of curiosity. I am so proud of him. For the first time speaking through a translator, he did remarkably well! Just going to list the Chambelins' vision for Kotto: II:
1. Church -- We need a preacher!!!
2. School-- We need teachers and administrators and artists!
3. Clinic -- We need doctors and nurses and people to wash laundry!
4. VBS -- We need people who love children!
5. Rabbit farm -- We need people who love rabbits!
6. Gardening -- We need farmers!
7. Ladies Bible study -- We need people who love the Word of God!
The Chamberlins are such go-getters! Will you pray about joining this ministry?
Mrs. Chamberlin and I have high hopes that a shelter will be built for us within the next 2 weeks so that we can have a VBS when Aunt Paula arrives.
1. Church -- We need a preacher!!!
2. School-- We need teachers and administrators and artists!
3. Clinic -- We need doctors and nurses and people to wash laundry!
4. VBS -- We need people who love children!
5. Rabbit farm -- We need people who love rabbits!
6. Gardening -- We need farmers!
7. Ladies Bible study -- We need people who love the Word of God!
The Chamberlins are such go-getters! Will you pray about joining this ministry?
Mrs. Chamberlin and I have high hopes that a shelter will be built for us within the next 2 weeks so that we can have a VBS when Aunt Paula arrives.
Cameroon: 6/5/14
What do you do when 4 orphans sit in your lap (2 at a time) throughout a 3 hour graduation ceremony? You get hot. You get really hot. Oh, but those precious moments were the highlights of my day -- exchanging tickles, gentle strokes, and lots and lots of kisses. Kids that are starved for love will pull anyone's heartstrings. Bring the heat!
After that ceremony, the administrators inviited us for soda and soye again. My dad has become a quick favorite around here. He could sit and talk to people all day if we didn't drag him away.
Liberman showed us around the mission compound for a longtime, giving us the opportunity for much more interaction with the nationals.
Names I learned today: 1. Aggie -- my little cuddler/kisser
2. Pascal -- my sweet, shy boy who likes to hug
3. Serg -- lay his head in my lap. Occasionally, he looked up at me with the biggest brown eyes and smiled a smile as if to say, "I'm so happy you're here."
4. Stephen -- one of the workers here who is kind of a gopher for the Chamberlins
5. Amelia -- an orphan who is constantly checking in on Mrs. Chamberlin. Mrs. Chamberlin is very ill right now with a chest cold.
6. Caleb -- boy who gives me shy smiles every time he sees me
7. Grace -- a 2nd grade teacher and Liberman's wife
8. Evette -- a 2nd grade teacher
9. Joyce -- Liberman and Grace's daughter named after Joyce Meyer
After that ceremony, the administrators inviited us for soda and soye again. My dad has become a quick favorite around here. He could sit and talk to people all day if we didn't drag him away.
Liberman showed us around the mission compound for a longtime, giving us the opportunity for much more interaction with the nationals.
Names I learned today: 1. Aggie -- my little cuddler/kisser
2. Pascal -- my sweet, shy boy who likes to hug
3. Serg -- lay his head in my lap. Occasionally, he looked up at me with the biggest brown eyes and smiled a smile as if to say, "I'm so happy you're here."
4. Stephen -- one of the workers here who is kind of a gopher for the Chamberlins
5. Amelia -- an orphan who is constantly checking in on Mrs. Chamberlin. Mrs. Chamberlin is very ill right now with a chest cold.
6. Caleb -- boy who gives me shy smiles every time he sees me
7. Grace -- a 2nd grade teacher and Liberman's wife
8. Evette -- a 2nd grade teacher
9. Joyce -- Liberman and Grace's daughter named after Joyce Meyer
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Cameroon 6/4/14
It's hard to forget the sights of Cameroon -- the mountains, the fruit trees swaying in the breeze, the red clay. But I did not realize until I awoke this morning that I had forgotten the sounds. Two stories below me somewhere were children playing, birds chirping, roosters crowing, and palm trees whispering in the wind. I closed my eyes again and smiled. I surely did miss this place.
Since I am tired, I will list everything that has happened today:
1. Bathed from a bucket of cool water (which felt amazing considering we have no air conditioning in this 80-or-so-degree weather.)
2. Ate a Nutri-Grain bar for breakfast.
3. Like a Hobbit, I ate second breakfast: omelet, fresh mango, pineapple, and banana, and bread with homemade tropical fruit jelly.
4. Attended the school's kindergarten graduation from 1:00-3:30.
5. Was invited by the chief to eat soye (beef and onions on a stick with LOTS of pepper spice) and drink soda with him.
6. Heated up some curried beef and rice made by the amazing Mrs. Chamberlin.
7. Took a nap after dinner (jet lag has hit us hard).
8. Got up at 8:00 p.m. and made Dad and me some instant coffee on a gas stove with a kettle. Currently sitting on the couch enjoying each other's company while we sip our coffee and nibble at his Belgian chocolate.
People we have met today and yesterday:
1. Peter: works with the Chamberlins
2. Elme: our CRAZY driver last night who drove us from the airport to Limbe.
3. Laticia: my favorite little orphan girl so far
4. Stephen: works with the Chamberlins; also a prince in a nearby village.
5. Elizabeth: preschool teacher
6. Marcel: the principal of the school
7. Pa Chief: the caretaker of the mission
8. David and Nathan: the two newest orphans (one a baby and the other only 1 and 1/2 years old).
Since I am tired, I will list everything that has happened today:
1. Bathed from a bucket of cool water (which felt amazing considering we have no air conditioning in this 80-or-so-degree weather.)
2. Ate a Nutri-Grain bar for breakfast.
3. Like a Hobbit, I ate second breakfast: omelet, fresh mango, pineapple, and banana, and bread with homemade tropical fruit jelly.
4. Attended the school's kindergarten graduation from 1:00-3:30.
5. Was invited by the chief to eat soye (beef and onions on a stick with LOTS of pepper spice) and drink soda with him.
6. Heated up some curried beef and rice made by the amazing Mrs. Chamberlin.
7. Took a nap after dinner (jet lag has hit us hard).
8. Got up at 8:00 p.m. and made Dad and me some instant coffee on a gas stove with a kettle. Currently sitting on the couch enjoying each other's company while we sip our coffee and nibble at his Belgian chocolate.
People we have met today and yesterday:
1. Peter: works with the Chamberlins
2. Elme: our CRAZY driver last night who drove us from the airport to Limbe.
3. Laticia: my favorite little orphan girl so far
4. Stephen: works with the Chamberlins; also a prince in a nearby village.
5. Elizabeth: preschool teacher
6. Marcel: the principal of the school
7. Pa Chief: the caretaker of the mission
8. David and Nathan: the two newest orphans (one a baby and the other only 1 and 1/2 years old).
Monday, June 2, 2014
Test Message
Hello, one and all! As many of you know, my Dad and I are headed to Africa today! We will be serving in the great country of Cameroon. If you can see this blog post, send us a message letting us know that you are praying for us! Thank you all so much for supporting us! Be on the lookout here for more posts to come!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)