On the Fourth Day of Christmas

'Tis the fourth day of Christmas and I hope it is going well for all of you! I am currently watching a movie with a cup of chai tea by my side (compliments of the wonderful Medlyn family), a belly full of pizza, and an adventurous weekend ahead of me! Tomorrow Karissa, Sarah, and I (also maybe Katelyn) are going to ride the horses - a four-hour ride! - up to Sabba Njowra! And then spend a few days with Fadi and Maimu's family before coming back for New Year's. And theeeennnnnn we are headed off to the beach! Yay!! Finally!

It's been a nice couple of days, full of food and sleeping in and shopping and playing with the puppies! They're getting so big and fluffy and fat - the biggest one, Bilbo, is even walking around and wagging his tail. Today Katelyn and Carol gave them a bath for the first time, and they were so cute running around the yard drying out in the sun! And tonight we had pizza and movie night for the first time in much too long, with Audrey and a new friend we made, Christy, who works in the Mbingo hospital. So happy almost New Year to you all! Ta ta for now!

Making Memories!

Puppies! 3 weeks old now

Christmas skit!

The Fulani kids opening their stockings!

Yaya sporting his new glasses

And Unusa wearing his

Happy Christmas!

Mowa and Usufu

Maimu! 

Sisters :)

Sabba Njowra - lovely even in dry season!

They are the cutest kids

Hope you got a taste of our Christmas here! It was so very different from any Christmas I have had or will have, and therefore quite unforgettable. This whole year has earned that title! This year's been all over the place, but mostly I have just been blessed over and over. And many of you reading this right now were the blessings! And now we are finishing it off with all the best things - horses, food, outings, and each other. :) This next year, I'm sure, will bring another myriad of adventures, and I am so excited for all of them!

Christmas, Africa Style

Oh goodness, where to start? Since getting back from Yaounde everything has been snowballing with Christmas and busyness and frenetic scrambling around and, of course, an ever-present soundtrack of Michael Buble in the background. :) On Sunday, Lum went to her mother's house in Bafut for the day for a party, so the rest of us (just a small group now, only Chris, Karen, Karissa, Katelyn, Sarah, and I!) went to Calvary Chapel for church, a church not too far away where practically everyone we know goes. It was a really nice morning; half Cameroonian, like the songs and the dancing and the general happy, celebratory, informal atmosphere, and half white/English, like the sermon for example. Mr. Schilinski (I finally found out how they spell it) gave the message, speaking a bit about their furlough as well, and the most interesting part was that he had a French interpreter. Every phrase or sentence he would pause and the Cameroonian man next to him repeated it in French. Everything, even the announcements and prayers, were done this way, and I thought it was pretty cool. We all went for schwarma sandwiches afterward at Imagine Bakery, and then home.

The rest of Sunday we devoted to making and decorating Christmas cookies for our neighbors, and then Katelyn, Sarah, Karissa and I went riding! It was simply glorious. Always. A dinner of road food, a visit from Derick - who had heard Karissa was back and immediately came to see her - watching The Holiday, and then skyping my family finished off a lovely day. Then came Christmas Eve!

The Jacksons have a huge Christmas Eve party every year, with nearly all the local missionaries and half of Sabba Njowra invited. This year we had over 50 people! It was a huge, crazy fun party, with food and singing and presents and laughter galore. We spent the entire day Monday preparing, but it was totally worth it. From 3 to about 8:30, people were here for dinner, fellowship, dancing, putting on a skit, seeing the puppies, a white elephant gift exchange, singing carols, dessert, and all sorts of festivities. I mostly enjoyed just hanging out and watching all the kids, most of whom were simply delirious with excitement! Haha but I completely understand; Christmas is pretty much my favorite time of year. It's definitely been interesting having Christmas here. I miss my family like none other, and didn't really feel like it was even the holidays  until last night, but I know it is one Christmas I will never forget!

Most of the guests went home after we did advent, and then we spent a few hours cleaning up (you wouldn't believe the amount of dishes!), and fell into our beds. This morning I didn't need to remind myself that it's Christmas; all those from Fadi and Maimu's village Sabba Njowra stayed the night, and the kids were so excited! Fadi and Maimu's entire family came (Yaya, Mowa, Yunu, Yusufu, and baby Isatu!), plus an aunt and several girls around Maimu's age and younger. We have stockings with their names on them from last year, and filled them with small things like candy, toothbrushes and toothpaste, balloons, bracelet-making kits, funny glasses, notebooks, crayons, etc. When they opened them it was chaos! The good kind, of course. :D Everyone dumped their stockings upside down on the floor and spent the next hour going through their small gifts with the happiness of someone getting a new car! Giving gifts is the coolest thing; it really is. Especially to those, like these Fulani kids, who got  their first coloring book or ring pop today! And it doesn't even take a lot on our part. Love it.

We'll have our own Christmas later to give gifts to each other, and sometime today or tomorrow go over to orphanage to give them their gifts. Yay Christmas! Happy Christmas to you all from the land of Cameroon, I wish you every joy and happiness on this fine morning! More pictures coming, I promise :)

Balloon Season

While there is a lack of Christmas season in Cameroon, there is actually a "balloon season" here around just this time of year! Yes, balloon season. Many of the people walking around selling buckets or shoes or groundnuts have now switched to balloons, and usually these cool twirly ones, the likes of which I've never seen anywhere else! I must get some just because they're so cool! The only signs of the impending Christmas holiday are people wearing Santa hats and those who walk around carrying fake Christmas trees and the prices going up on everything. But I've gotten everybody's Christmas presents and I can't believe it's just days away!

Also, we're in Yaounde! And we're leaving early tomorrow morning for the sweet, non-humid land of Bamenda, thank goodness. Usually I like trips to Yaounde, and I've enjoyed this one, but it is just so hot and sticky. We spent the past few days here going to the Reading Room and getting books and reading them, doing a bit of shopping, and then tonight we went to the airport and got Karissa! She's here until mid or late January, plenty of time for fun and games and general jolliness. All right well happy almost Christmas! Until next time...

Sunday

Back from Bambalang! The village was lovely, albeit dusty, but one can't really expect to get away from our "African snow" in dry season! Chris, Karen, and I (a somewhat smaller party than last week) drove out to the Ndop plain to do the third teacher training. We're planning another one, but not until after New Years. I took loads of pictures to give you an idea of what the day looked like, so here you are!

On the road out to Bambalang

Chris teaching

There are always kids who come to see what the
white people are doing!

Chris and Karen teaching! They're phenomenal!

The teachers practicing how to use the flipbook - in Chrambo!

The sun setting over the Ndop plain!

Goodbye Bambalang!

A Penny/Five Francs For Your Thoughts

A few things on my mind tonight... I hope you don't mind the nonsensical juxtapose of trivial and meditative... [or all the big words I love too much to forego]

Happy belated anniversary to Tim and Paige! It's been three years and one day since their lovely wedding, almost two years since Ellie was born, and six months since I've seen them (and two-ish months till their new baby comes!). Miss them a lot, they're some of the coolest people I know.

(Imagine Tim in there too)

Watched Footloose for the first time tonight - such great music! Soundtrack is definitely going on my list for someday when I have lots of money, haha. [Also, I can't imagine the new one living up to such a classic... but I could be wrong, who's seen it?]

TOBY I MISS YOU. You've heard it a thousand times, I know, but I always mean it more than I did before. You're exceptional, and life just isn't the same.

Went on another lovely ride today, on one of our new horses! We have them for awhile, anyway. It's so much nicer (and faster) when everyone has their own horse upon which to gallop into the sunset! The new bay I've been riding is so cute and quite speedy :D But he hasn't got a name, so he'll have to be temporarily christened soon! Any suggestions? Brego, Sebastian, Bilius?

Struggling to be content. [Warning, a rare personal musing from a introvert ahead! Be inspired, so I won't regret it later!] I'm forever looking forward and pinning all my hopes on the future - "someday" is undoubtedly one of my favorite and too-often-used words. But life has taught me this is not the solution; soon enough the future will become the present, and I will still be unsatisfied. Plans and dreams are important, and spark the imagination, and give life to everyday drudgery, but sometimes we just have to make our peace with that drudgery. Enjoy it, even. "I have come so that they may have life, and have it more abundantly." [John 10:10] Abundance of life is not just for my future, it's for right now. Which is completely possible, even for all you pessimists out there. [While I highly value looking at the sunny side of life, I confess to defecting to your side once or twice... a day...] 

Oh, and by the way, Chris has been in Yaounde for meetings the past couple of days, but he's coming back tomorrow, and he's bringing all the packages that were in the sea shipment with him! Which means chocolate is headed my way! A very good thing, too, because tonight I ate the last Hersheys bar from my hidden cache of candy, gum, and pringles. Weh. 

Apparently there's also an awesome meteor shower taking place tonight that I shall have to miss, unfortunately being on the wrong side of the globe. 

Books are magic. I've read two in the past five days. Next week we get to go back to the Reading Room at the CTC in Yaounde (when we pick up Karissa) and get moooore! And speaking of magic, music. 

 

Just before leaving the States for Cameroon, life was an emotional rollercoaster. Silly me, I thought the ride would smooth out a bit after nearly five months, BUT NO. Apparently the ups and downs that occur every hour or so make for teachable moments and character building and all that rot. Who knew?

Goodnight, my friends. I hope some of this made sense... forgive the rambling and the long-windedness. A lot of what I do here is sleep, eat, and overthink things. 

Puppy Pictures

Puppies, Mbatu, Dust, Africa.

HELLO. So. It's been such a long weekend! And it went by so very speedily! Goodness. I was planning on updating my blog days ago, but an alternating lack of electricity and internet thwarted my lovely plans. So here I am, with loads of information to bestow upon you all, whether you wish it or not! 

First of all, PUPPIES! Five of them! They were born Thursday night, just after we started to finally decorate for Christmas (all of which was unceremoniously left in disarray as we all went running for the backyard when Maimu came and told us Autumn had already had one puppy), and we even got to see the second one be born! Yuck, but cool. No worse (better, actually) than seeing a horse give birth, I can tell you that. By Friday morning all five of Autumn's babies were born and healthy and noisy, four boys and one girl. I can't wait until they grow old enough to run about and play! 

Then Friday night we went to the Dibbets' for Bible study, partly because we ran out of cheese and couldn't do pizza and movie night, and partly because the Schalinskys are back from furlough and were sharing their adventures. Then Saturday Sarah and I met Darcie in town to get some limes, tomatoes, and pineapple, and then off to Mbatu we went! 

Darcie lives on the edge of her village, and so we spent most of the afternoon and evening at her house, talking and playing with her crazy and adorable cat Boots and making a delicious Mexican dinner! It was a short visit, just yesterday and this morning, but we had a really great time with Darcie and plan to do it again soon! The ride back was an adventure in itself; we were trying to hurry back to the Jackson Village in time to leave for our second teacher training, but being Sunday, it took quite a bit of waiting by the road for an available taxi. These are bush taxies, mind you, and so there are officially four spots in front, including the driver, and four in back. When we finally got one, Sarah squished up front, literally sitting in the driver's seat, and I crammed myself in the back with three other adults (none of them on the small side) and actually got a kink in my neck from my head being shoved against the ceiling. Fun, fun. TIA! Thankfully Mbatu is only four kilometers out of Bamenda, and the drive wasn't long. From there we got a taxi back to Mile 3, and were back with plenty of time to spare. 

Our second teacher training in Bambalang was a success, if I do say so myself. We met the Groves and the other family (can't remember their names, weh) and all of us (including Anna, who stayed with us this weekend, and Christy Watkins who is visiting the Jacksons as well. I met her last yeah while I was here, but she lives in Nigeria now) went to the same small church as last time. Over thirty people came this time! And Delphine even taught a whole lesson in Chrambo as an example. The whole thing lasted all afternoon and we didn't get back till seven, but it was a nice, full, exhausting day. I was quite literally coated in dust from head to foot; dry season has struck again. It also didn't help that Anna and I rode out to Bambalang on top of the truck! The result was unbelievably tangled hair and light brown clothing, but who cares! It was so fun! Alas, I still have no pictures of the beautiful grassland we drive through on the way, but the next training is next week, so never fear. I did get a lovely shot of the sky when we were at the Groves' house, which I leave with all of you, along with my wishes for the happiest of Sundays! 

Day 142

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see." -John Burroughs

Good afternoon! Or rather, good-very-early-morning to all those of you stateside. It's a nice day here in Bamenda - we just got back from doing a bit of Christmas shopping, there's a nice breeze, Queen is playing, and we are looking forward to a busy weekend. A missionary family, the Schalinskys (just a guess on spelling), are back from their furlough and are sharing their experiences at the Bible study tomorrow, so we're going to that, and then Saturday Sarah and I are going to visit Darcie and stay the night in her village, Mbatu. And on Sunday we're doing the teacher training round 2! 

Some Bamenda news: To usher in the dry season, meningitis shots are being given to everyone in the country, I'm pretty sure. Everywhere we go in town, on the side of the road, in main market, there are lines of people lining up to get their shot; Maimu and Fadi got them at their school, and apparently it's one of the more painful ones. Ouch! Also Carol found a house in Bamenda - actually just down the hill a bit - and moved in this week! She isn't planning to live in Bamenda long-term, but it's nice for her to have her own place for awhile. Another bit of exciting news is that Autumn is going to have her puppies soon! We've been waiting for weeks, and it was just last night that she went into labor! Everyone took bets on when Autumn would give birth and how many puppies she'll have, and most people are out of the running, but I guessed it would be around this Sunday or Monday... although we are all hoping they will come long before then! 

Aaaaaand... only fifteen days until Karissa comes, and nineteen till Christmas! Yaaaaay. I can't believe nearly half the year is gone by already. Geesh. Until next time ~

Once Upon A December

Good evening, and happy December! I keep hearing about torrents of rain and major storms in Grass Valley and California in general, and I hope you are all either keeping dry and warm or out dancing in the rain getting wonderfully drenched. :) Here, on the other hand, we have all been taking blankets off our beds, pulling out the fans, and avoiding going out in the middle of the day. Welcome to dry season! The days are muggy, the nights are hot, and worst of all, everyone is getting sick, myself included. :P Bleh. Apparently this is usual for dry season, but that doesn't make it any less unpleasant. I for one, am having trouble believing December has come! It could not feel any less like the holidays. But soon we are going to pull out the Christmas decorations; that, along with the Christmas music pervading the house and Christmas movies every weekend, should improve the festive atmosphere, I should think.

Our pizza and movie night was wonderful; Anne and Birte, the two German girls, came, as well as Nelly, Unu, Emmanuel (a friend of the Jacksons from Mamfe, who stayed with us for a few days two weeks ago and again this week), and Darcie, who spent the night. And Mother, you will be proud to hear that along with Anne and Birte and the occasional helpful tip from Lum, I made six whole delicious pizzas! I know they were delicious because I ate eight or nine pieces, and then a lot of brownies. Yum. Needless to say I didn't feel like eating again until Saturday afternoon, haha!

And then today.... dun dun dun... we went driving! Chris took Katelyn, Simon, Sarah, and I out to a small parking lot (which was actually paved!) where we practiced starting and stopping... my first time ever driving stick shift, and it was great fun! Tricky, but fun. We then went out to the actual highway and practiced switching gears and everything, whilst dodging potholes, people, cows, bikes, and taxis. I never thought I would have the gumption to drive in Cameroon, but it actually wasn't that bad! Quite fun, once you get going. And it was so nice driving again; it's definitely something I've missed these past four and a half months. So take pleasure in the small things, people, and have a marvelous Sunday.

Oh, P.S. - Please pray for Sarah's finances! She needs about $1500 to continue funding her African adventure here with us, and your prayers for that would be greatly appreciated! Thank you all so much!