I Can See Clearly Now the Rain Has Gone

"For the Lord God is a sun and a shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." -Psalm 84:11

Good morning, Cameroon! My mother shared this verse with me a bit ago and I hope you are encouraged as much as I was! Tomorrow is the last day of November, which has for me disappeared from right under my nose. Time usually goes fast, but this month especially seems to have galloped away without so much as a by-your-leave. Good grief. I had a dream last night where it was the end of the year and I was packing to leave... and when I woke up I was glad to realize that I still have another 6 months left! While I miss everyone at home, I know that my time here is not finished yet, and there are wonderful things coming my way. (They're coming your way, too - just read that verse again!)

We've had a rather nice week. First of all, I got my contacts - finally! I feel as if everything has come into focus. Africa is beautiful. :) And yesterday we went to the orphanage to have Bible club there, and brought the neighborhood kids along with us. They are always so excited to ride in the car, they sing and shout at the top of their lungs and scream every time we go over an especially big bump. I think they look forward to the 7-minute car ride there more than anything else! Haha. But this week Katelyn, Sarah and I took the horses, and Maimu rode with Katelyn and I back home afterwards. :)

Another reason I'm thankful this morning is that I was finally able to register for my classes for next semester! Scheduling classes and figuring out which ones I need to take are some of my least favorite things to do. Ever. In the world. But it is done, and the only other tricky feat I must accomplish is buying and getting my books here by January! Weh. 

Bambalang

Happy Sunday, everyone! I would wish you happy weekend, like they do here, but Monday is nearly upon us again! Today was quite full, for us anyway - we had church here, like always, then Chris, Karen, Sarah, I, and Elsie, a missionary woman here in Bamenda who's been helping us with the lessons, all went out to Bambalang. There we did a teacher training for our lessons in Luke! Bambalang is where the Groves live and work, and where Chrambo is the mother tongue; today was the first day in the training series, and we'll continue it in two weeks.

We first drove out to the Groves' house, which was quite a ways away, but on a road that went through miles and miles of grassland... lion country! Used to be, anyway. Apparently there also used to be elephants, giraffes, gazelles, and other animals there, a long time ago! It looks just like the Africa you see in pictures and movies. Oh so beautiful. As always, the roads weren't so great... especially the paved ones haha! They were so riddled with potholes that the dirt road we took part of the way was actually much better... though extremely dusty! Dry season has come. 

The training itself was really interesting; Chris and Karen switched off teaching, and Elsie and Annette, another missionary in Bambalang, got up and told stories now and then. We also sang some songs (including "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" in Chrambo!), but the bulk of it was teaching the Sunday school teachers who came (over twenty in all!) to teach the lessons we're writing, and how best to teach children. After finishing up we drove back and had road food for dinner. :D I tried bobolo for the first time tonight - it's a white, sticky paste-like food, encased in long stalks and leaves. Very good, actually! I didn't think I'd like it because of its odd appearance, but it's actually kind of sweet. Sorry I have no pictures (of either the training or the food); both my computer and phone died this morning, and it's Sunday, so no power!  It had come on by the time we returned, though, so here I am! And now I shall go, so have a lovely day, everyone!

Goodbyes

Today was a sad day - we had to say goodbye to Brittany! :( She is leaving for Yaounde early tomorrow morning, then leaving for America a few days after that. Two years it's been for her! I can't imagine what it would be like... what it will be like, come May or June, when it's me saying goodbye and boarding that plane! Eeek. But we are all going to miss Brittany so very much. She's been quite a part of our family for these four months!

Despite it all, it was a lovely Saturday, and so Katelyn and I went out riding! We had a grand time running along back roads in the sunshine, and exploring a bit... we may have gotten lost, and temporarily stuck in a marsh, but I enjoyed it all, and eventually we made our way back. :)

That's our hill! You can't see the house, but it's on the top to the right

Into the bush!

We don't know where we are going!.....

Bon Appetit!

Happy day-after-Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope you aren't in a comatose state from eating too much, or have been trampled to death by shoppers this morning! I don't envy those who were among the black Friday crowds. That's one thing to be thankful for - the whole concept of the "holiday season" is nonexistent here. When a holiday comes, it comes, and when it's over, it is over. So today we are just back to doing school and eating leftovers... leftovers of a dinner that was fantastic!

Turkey is hard to come by, even in Yaounde, so we made 3 chickens instead, and mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole, sparkling apple and grape juice (Sprite and apple/grape juice put together) and yams with marshmallows (real ones! We found them in the American store) and rolls and fake cranberry sauce, consisting of red jello and mashed up dried cranberries! Haha. And then we had pumpkin pie, apple pie, and cheesecake that Brittany brought! SO MUCH FOOOOD. 

Besides the food, it was a great day. We girls watched some Pride & Prejudice (just an installment, since it was the super long version), then Bride & Prejudice, and munched on appetizers unti finally everyone came at around 4 or later. And by 5 we were eating! A whole bunch of people came, including Pa and Nicoline and Delphine and some of their families, our neighbors, and of course Simon and Brittany and Darcie. It was rather tight, but what is Thanksgiving without tight tables and tight pants? Haha. We also sang, and did a bit of square/line/contra dancing that was quite fun and also in cramped quarters as well as a load of fun! After everyone left and we cleaned up, we finished off the night with homemade apple cider and Elf! All in all it was the strangest Thanksgiving ever, but wonderful nonetheless. :) I got to talk to Toby and hopefully I'll be able to talk with my family soon - definitely missing them! Though I'm sure next year I'll be home and reminiscing about our Cameroonian Thanksgiving! 

Today I also had the singular experience of eating a grasshopper! Yes. I actually did. Tis the season for grasshoppers. We've seen people with buckets of them, selling them in the market, and today Sarah and I actually got up the gumption to eat one along with lunch. They were a bit burnt, and very crunchy, and I didn't like them much... not that I was expecting to! But I can now say I've eaten a grasshopper. Yay me.

Climb Every Mountain

 Good day to all of you lovely people! This has been a fabulous weekend in the Jackson Village. Lum's party was a smashing success! After a morning of failed decorations and failed attempts at cake-making, it finally came together and turned out lovely, after all. Her family from Bafut came, as well as a bunch of her friends from around here, and then afterward all the girls stayed overnight and watched the Avengers! (And there was much rejoicing - yaaaay)

Tissue paper flowers we made to decorate!

Lum's cake! All credit goes to Katelyn and Carol

And today, after having church here with Brittany and Laura and the rest of us here, we all went out hiking! Someplace up past Door Market (the turnoff to Sabba Njowra) and then out on a dirt road into the hills. It was wonderful! There are wildflowers all over, yellow and purple and red ones, and we also saw several horses with their foals! So adorable :) On the way back we climbed up and rode on the back of the truck, as always - sure to have a few bruises tomorrow, but you can't enjoy a road like that without a few purple knees afterwards, haha. I had an altogether lovely time!

Maimu! Love her smile :)

"Simbaaaa......You are my son and the one true king...."

Horses <3

Change

"It was November – the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines. Anne roamed through the pineland alleys in the park and, as she said, let that great sweeping wind blow the fogs out of her soul." ~L.M. Montgomery

A friend shared this quote on facebook and I loved it so much I had to share it with all of you! It fits November so perfectly, even here in Africa. There are indeed great sweeping winds that have replaced the rains and are slowly ushering in dry season, but November so far has been rather in-between. The mud is gone, the dust has yet to come, so it's altogether lovely, and perfect for afternoon rides out in the sunshine! The other day Sarah, Katelyn and I rode the horses to the orphanage for Bible club. Riding is one of those small things that make every day so much better – blows all the fog and cobwebs straight out, and clears things up a bit. I hope each and every one of you has something that does that for you, because it's one of the most peaceful, refreshing things in the world!

Thank the Lord for little things, right? Like peanut butter cookies and buying presents for someone else and flowers and making messes! Jolly good stuff, right there. It all made this week grand in spite of its uneventfulness. Plus it was exactly four months ago today that we left for Cameroon! It feels like it's been so much longer than that, yet at the same time a bit like we just arrived. It's been a crazy weird fun four months, that's for sure. I'd like to say that I've changed since leaving America, but I couldn't tell you anything more specific or important than how I now like bananas and cook a lot more than I ever did. I mean, that's something, but as to major soul-searching life decisions and such, you'll have to wait and see for yourselves upon my return. 

Goin' to the Chapel

Greetings from Bamenda this lovely Monday morning! I hope your weekend was marvelous; mine was! After Lum's family birthday dinner Friday night, then came the wedding, pizza and movie night, and a nice restful Sunday. The wedding was beautiful! And quite long. But fun! It was Nelly's sister Victorine who got married, just down the road at Menda Baptist Church (which, by the way, is shaped like a hexagon. I found that pretty cool). The service started at 10, and we got there a little late, which was still early compared to everyone else. Guests were still arriving nearly halfway through the service! TIA. The bridesmaids and groomsmen came down the aisle together, then the bride, and after some songs everyone sat down while the preacher talked for a very long time. And then another song and another preacher! He didn't talk for nearly as long, but when they finally stood up to say their vows and exchange the rings, I think it was after 12. There was some more singing, talking, and praying, and finally they were pronounced man and wife!

My favorite part came after that, when the bride and groom (both in white) stood at the front of the church while music began and everyone got up with their gifts. Then began a huge receiving line/giving of gifts/dance party thing, where everyone came down the aisle and gave their gifts to the couple, whilst singing and dancing. The music was extremely loud, and it went on for over 30 minutes! My ears were ringing by the time it ended, but it was all great fun. What an experience! Everyone crowded outside to take "snapshots" with the bride and groom, and then we headed home at around 2 o'clock to nap and watch Downton Abbey :) and make pizza!

A whole bunch of people came for pizza and movie night; the Dibbets, two German girls we met at the wedding who are here for a year working at the Baptist center, one lady whose name I forget but she comes her every time she's in Bamenda, Janelle from the office, Chris's friend Paul, and of course Simon and Yunusa and Carolin. 'Twas a full house! So it was nice to have a quiet Sunday, having church at home and then napping and eating and all that rot. Chris took the girls out driving, like he usually does on the weekends; slowly but surely they are learning to drive! I don't even want to try it here, what with the craziness of the roads and motor taxis and dreadful roads and having to learn to drive stick shift, to name a few reasons.... haha. But I hear they're doing wonderfully; even Fadi has started learning!

This week we are back at it, with Bible club at the orphanage, French class, Lum's birthday, and getting ready for Thanksgiving! I am so very excited!! Food food food. It's always been one of my favorite holidays. It will definitely be different from any Thanksgiving I've ever experienced, but it will still be grand, I'm sure! And so very delicious.

It's a Jolly Holiday

Wonderful, long day today! It began with me waking up and coming out to a birthday-decorated house for Lum's sixteenth birthday, and is ending now at 2:30 am after watching endless episodes of Downton Abbey and singing to myself whilst doing dishes. We are throwing Lum a real party next weekend, but today was filled with cinnamon rolls, presents, and schwarma, so of course it couldn't help but be special. :) With Carolin and Brittany here, we had a lovely family celebration, complete with the Jackson tradition of hiding the presents for the birthday girl to search for, and a four-verse-long birthday song. Makes me excited for my birthday! I love celebrating things. Sarah, Katelyn, and Lum are the same way, and so these few months we've grabbed at any excuse to throw a party - if only for us. Still so fun. It's less than two weeks till Thanksgiving, and then it will be December and CHRISTMAS! Somewhere in there the shipment from the US is supposed to arrive, so there's a whole slough of jolliness headed our way! Homesickness too, undoubtedly. I can just imagine Sarah and I wandering about the house clutching our things from America and from our families, alternately sobbing and stuffing our faces with delicious unhealthy food (well, that part's mostly just me...) I'm excited for the holidays, but I'm sure it won't be pretty at times. It will most definitely be a bump in the emotional road trip I've been on. But bumps are part of life, and life isn't any less exciting because of them. In a few hours we are going to get up and go to Nelly's sister's wedding! And then probably spend the rest of the weekend sleeping and watching as much Downton Abbey as we possibly can before Monday pops up again. I hope you all have a likewise lovely weekend! Waka fine!

No Shave November

Four days into No Shave November, and I'm considering leaving it to those of the male persuasion and who retain the capacity to grow facial hair, as my legs are much furrier than I had anticipated... Perhaps this trend isn't for me. Thoughts? Questions? Shall we vote on it?

The main reason of this post isn't to inform you of my stunning leg-hair-growing abilities, but of something I forgot to mention all week long. Last Sunday after the naming ceremony for Isatu, Fadi and Maimu's new little sister, they brought back Mariamu, a girl from Sabba Njowra because she had horrible pain in her mouth. Monday Chris took her to the dentist and it turns out she needed something crazy like 7 fillings and four teeth pulled! So both Monday and Thursday she had to go through hours of orthodontry with nothing to numb the pain or anything. Ouch! But with the help of some pills and brushing her teeth, her mouth has been healing quickly, and Maimu has certainly enjoyed having Mariamu around! From when she comes home from school to late in the evening we can hear them talking and laughing from across the house.

Also, the horses are back! They have been camping out at a compound down the road where they can eat all day and night and get fat for dry season, and where Prince's leg can heal from his boil. Which it did, but they came back yesterday, and surprise! Macchiato now has a boil and swelling on his leg.... :( So riding is out of the question yet again. Wie schade. In other news, Carolin had malaria but is now healed; Lum's sixteenth birthday is next Friday and we are planning her birthday party! Yay! And the day after that, Nelly's sister is getting married and we are invited! I'm so excited to go to a Cameroonian wedding. So be warned, you may be reading quite the novel about it the next day.

Happy November!

Halloween

Well, it has been a week of parties and candy galore! Wednesday night Sarah, Katelyn and I decorated the house with paper bats and ghosts made out of sheets and a whole bunch of pumpkins! (they're green instead of orange here.) Lum, Fadi, and Maimu thought it was quite absurd, of course, just one more bizarre thing we crazy white people think is fun! But it was very fun; Brittany came over and we carved our pumpkins and had dinner and lots of candy, then Lum's beautiful apple pie! It was her first one, and of course it looked like it came out of a magazine, and tasted even better! The only downer is that there isn't any vanilla ice cream here to go with it! :(

Then Thursday we did Halloween round 2! A missionary couple, the Lexes, came over for dinner and so did the Newburns and Samuel Dibbet, a missionary kid who lives on the same hill we do. They couldn't do it Wednesday, so we left up the decorations and saved the apples to make caramel apples! Wunderbar! We all dressed up, and the girls even got into it once they saw we enjoyed it so. :) The crowning moment was when Mama and Papa Karissa came out dressed up as each other! Bahaha. Maimu ran away screaming at first, then laughing so hard she fell down.

After so much excitement and fun, it was nice to have a quiet pizza and movie night to ourselves last night. And now the house is full of people again, like it usually is on the weekends, with Carol back, Yunu staying till Sunday, and Simon, Nelly, and Rashi popping in and out. Some of us (me included, I admit) didn't get very much work done this week with all the festivities and such, so I've spent the morning doing school and figuring out which classes I need to take next semester and beyond... oh so fun. But it must be done! And I hope all of you are well and happy and having a beautiful Saturday! Ta ta for now!

Before...

And after!

Cheese!

The Fulani family with 10 children - one daughter is married and couldn't come, but here are the rest of them!

All the colors of the wiiiind!

Kids learning how to use the camera

O Africa <3

Love this one

Babiessss

Sarah and Katelyn and Africa