Today, August 15, is Assumption Day! To honor the Virgin Mary, everyone in Cameroon is taking the day off... except for us! We are plowing ahead with schoolwork so we can get this week's work done in time for Sallah this weekend. Katelyn and Lum are going to Sabba Njowra on Friday to help with preparing the food, then Chris, Karen, Nelly, Sarah, and I (give or take a few people; wherever we go, there's always bound to be some friends or neighbors or even strangers tagging along) are heading up Saturday, hopefully returning Sunday. The Fulani always prepare to have Sallah at the end of Ramadan, but they only have it if they can see the moon. So, it will probably be Saturday night, but possibly Sunday, which may throw a wrench into Monday's school day. We shall see, we shall see.
Either way, from what I hear, it's going to be a crazy party. Starting at around 4ish, the feast begins, and from then on into the night we just eat and dance and eat and dance, with some eating and dancing mixed in there. Katelyn and Fadi told us about the dancing, which is traditional, to music that consists mostly of drums. Apparently they beat them so hard and so long that the drums often burst; so for Sallah, they make up to 80 drums for just 20 men to play. Every time one breaks, they just pick up the next one and rejoin the fray. I myself am quite excited, and will be sure to take pictures.
As for work, I've been helping Lum and Katelyn with their school here and there, but so far they haven't needed me all that much. So it looks like I'll actually be joining Sarah in editing the children's curriculum she's been working on. It's a Sunday School curriculum based on the Gospel of Luke that's being translated into several different languages, and I'll be helping Sarah edit the grammar and layout and all sorts of things. I'm actually excited for this, as I've always been partial to English and words and that sort of thing. Hence this blog. Which I hope you are enjoying, because I'm going to keep talking.
Yesterday after school Papa Karissa, Sarah and I visited Titus, a man who makes beautiful quilted purses, aprons, blankets, and computer cases. Sarah and I had paid him to make us computer cases (which I will take pictures of once we get them, they're so lovely), and Chris ordered a few hundred bags and aprons to take back to the States and sell. Last year he did the same thing and sold them to help pay for Karissa's tuition. This time he's buying even more to bring back, so if any of you want one, call me up. They are grand.
Then we went to the market; Katelyn, Nelly, and Simon (a neighbor/friend) went looking for Sallah shoes, and I went with Mama Karissa grocery shopping. We stopped at a few different stores, including a Chinese store, which was most amusing. I saw Asians for the first time here; in fact we were followed around the store by them, since we were the only customers at the time. We also found balloons to bring to the kids at the orphanage when we go again next week. Then we met the girls and Simon at PresCafe, where coincidentally, Chris was with Steve Santos (a missionary who lives in Yaounde) and several other men who were there to oversee a water project in Ndop. We invited them to our house for dinner, then ran home to prepare. I made dessert myself, and it was delicious (quite the feat, since I can't cook). The evening was nice and relaxing as we just ate, talked, and introduced them to the Animal Game. So fun. Anyone who has played this game will agree that it's tricky to explain, but never fails to break the ice for a jolly good time.
So today we're taking it easy, just doing school, and tomorrow all us girls are getting our hair done for Sallah - pictures to follow, of course! So until then, and I wish you a happy Assumption Day!
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