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 :)
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