PTL Lights

My friend sent me a text that said" PTL lights" (yes I moved to Camerooon and now carry a cell phone and learned how to text).  Not being savvy to the "text talk" I asked her what "PTL" stood for she said "Praise the Lord".  She explained that they had been without electricity for 5 days.  They have a small generator that kept the fridge going, but little else. Fortunately during that time we were without the generator for only half a day - and my biggest complaint was I had no ice cubes that night.  Rough life.

But it got me thinking about some PTL's in my life.

PTL-The Computer teacher has returned to St Josephs so the Principal said I can teach whatever I want.  Math, English and Bible here I come!!!!!!!!

PTL-We got our first care package.  It was like Christmas opening all the goodies. We also only had to pay a small receiving fee.

PTL-I can see the light at the end of the tunnel with the house renovations. The house is a mess, but it will be done someday and look very nice.

PTL-Pete is loving teaching and he has been working a Merryville teaching lay folks which he also loves.  It is nice to see him so fired up.

PTL-After 15 days we finally have internet back.  Not sure what the issue was, but it made me realize what an email addict I am.  I miss hearing from my friends and family.  And was so sad I missed several Skype appointments.

PTL-I am going to start volunteering at the kids school three hours a week. 

PTL-Nester cleans the toilets now and the shower. Am I spoiled or what?

PTL-for movies here.  For $1 we can buy 8 movies.  Red Box can't beat that. (Pirating is not illegal here)

PTL-We are loving our 4 wheel drive.  We were able to go to Kumbo (3 hours away-half on dirt roads) to attend the funeral of the Auxiliary Bishop and to see a fellow LMHer.  Also Pete met with the Cardinal’s mother who is 113 years old!!!!!!J

PTL-We are healthy and happy. We are making friends and learning lots.

PTL-God is good and His love is unconditional and everlasting!!!!!!!!

-Joy

Qualifying the Called

Pete and I watched a beautiful movie called “The Inn of the Sixth Happiness” with Ingrid Bergman.  She plays an English woman who feels called to be a missionary in China.  She is turned down by the missionary agency as being “unqualified.”  She is also told by many wise and learned people that she should not go.  Yet, despite that, she goes at her own expense.  The story is a beautiful love story between a woman and the people of China.

I couldn't help but resonate, as some very wise people urged me not to go to Cameroon, and I am hardly very qualified.  But I have often heard that “God doesn't call the qualified, but qualifies the called.”  Somehow, God called our family to Cameroon and He is equipping us with all that we need (and many extras as well).

I bought a book at the market on teaching ICT (Information Communication and Technologies) and actually had quite a nice morning at the school.  I am beginning to appreciate why the curriculum includes drums, xylophones, etc. and spends so much time covering “traditional” communication methods.  It is a lovely way to honor the traditions here (many still used) while moving forward into the more modern technologies.  We would be wise to remember that newer doesn't always mean better.  After all, the whistles still work well on a football field.  For all the time saving devices we have in the US, we are always in a hurry.  Here, the pace is much slower—there seems to always be time to stop and “greet” one another.

On November 2nd, Pete and I are giving a talk on the Year of Faith to the staff of a facility for severely disabled children.  I am eager to tour the facility and perhaps offer to help there on some regular basis.

Bye for now,

Joy

Mini Miracles in the Mundane

I had just written an email to a friend saying that the honeymoon was over here in Cameroon and we had settled in to the mundane. Within minutes of that email, God began to reveal to me that nothing is mundane to Him.

My kids came racing in and had just played several Cameroonian games with the young sixteen year old “helper” to the nuns next door. They laughed and laughed about the fun they had had and I knew that it had been even more so for sweet Rosecart who works seven days a week and is not able to finish her schooling “just yet.” I know that God is at work through her to us and us to her, though I'm not sure exactly how God is working.

My volunteer teaching at the local Catholic school has not been all I had hoped, but today I was in our car driving to pickup my kids when I drove by St Joseph's and heard “Madame Joy, Madame Joy!” It was one of my students on a motor cycle going home with her father. When I first used to walk or drive by the school, I would hear “WHITE MAN, WHITE MAN.” No longer am I “white man,” but Madame Joy, and Auntie Joy to the younger ones. I may be a mediocre computer teacher, but it is clear to them how much I love them and I can share God's love with them. I am somehow making “white people” into real people to them.

Nestor, our worker, came by to pick up a shirt. He does his laundry too when he does ours. I offered him some leftovers to eat. He had a huge smile and I realized he might not have had dinner otherwise. He is going to school now in the evenings, which he gave up as a child to allow his siblings to go (one will be ordained a priest this year—Pete is teaching him). Were it not for this job, he would not be in school. Who knows the small miracles that are happening because of that.

I taught my HIV group a sweet prayer/song and they sounded like angels. I feel like I do so little there, but sometimes when my eyes meet another woman and we smile, I feel God bridging the distance across the room, across the cultural differences, racial differences, and economic differences. We are both just Beloved Children of God.

I pray that God will never let life become mundane for me here or anywhere, because He is ever present and ever working even when I am oblivious.

-Joy

Samuel (by Josh)

I would like to talk about my friend, Samuel. White, funny, filled with good character, and with lots of video games, he's a great buddy to have. He also likes archery, reading books, and karate. (Although for some reason he's not sure why he likes the last thing. Shrug.) Amazing Samuel has even lived all his life in Cameroon, although he has no accent. Last Friday we had a so-called “play date”.

When I first got to his house, I had a snack/lunch—a yummy sausage sandwich with a little too much mayonnaise. Then we played a game called Guillotine. It was a game where you try to collect as much points as possible by obtaining the cards (nobles) with positive points on them. To get the noble, you have to get it to the front of the line, except for...Well, it's kind of complicated. Anyways, after we finished playing, we went into Samuel's yard and played boomerang, Frisbee, scooter and bike, and archery/spear throwing, until the guests came.

You see, every other Friday, a group of people come to one family's house for a bible study. This week, it was Samuel's family's turn. As the guests gathered into the house, Samuel and I put the bow and arrows away and went in to say “Hello” to the other expat missionary families. There was Mr. Jackson, father of Katelyn (Jessica's best teenage friend). The only reason that Katelyn and Mrs. Jackson didn't show up was because they were in Yaounde, the capital city of Cameroon. Samuel's mom began the bible study with a couple songs, some known by me, some read in the songbook. My little 4-year-old friend named Noah sang along impressively, but still being cute. After we finished singing, Samuel's mom moved on to asking the fellow missionaries to give their testimony on what inspired them to come to Cameroon, while the kids colored. She asked my family first, and after my mom and dad gave their story, I told them about the time when Jesus called me to be a missionary:

“One day, when I was saying my prayer after Holy Communion,

I asked Jesus, 'Tell me anything that I need to know, God'

The response I got was, 'Josh, come with me on this mission trip.'

Usually, when somebody says 'Come' they mean 'Come with me”

So I feel that God is promising us as missionaries that he is,

and will always be with us as we serve him.”

After us, other families told us their stories, and then we took a food break. We had a great dinner of popcorn, chilly-cheese Doritos (!), carrots and ranch, cookies, cake, and ground nuts (peanuts). But unfortunately it was time for us to leave—past our bedtime. Reluctantly, I said my goodbyes, but on the inside I was very tired—I dozed off in the car, smiling at the great day I had with Samuel.

- Josh

Computer Classes

Hello from Bamenda!

We have been off line for 5 days now and have lost electricity and water periodically.  I am realizing that we can make do without these things (short term) but very glad we have pretty regular service at the Bishops house. I was heading to buy cow fillet (with Nester) this morning when the car broke down.  I walked to a friend’s house and after only a few minutes I got a call that the Bishop's tow truck was on the way. Once again, glad we are so well taken care of here.  As I write to you, I can hear the power mower that the Bishop's staff is using to mow the very large and steep hill by the house.  Usually mowing is done by swinging large blades.

The cement floors have been added to our addition and today they seem to be working on the windows. I am excited about having a new room.  Our futon is finished and is a great addition to the living room.  On pizza movie nights we are all nice and cozy and watching movies with the projector is like being in a movie theater. Pete and I watched a movie about Corrie Ten Boom –The Hiding Place. I highly recommend it.  Also saw Amistad - another great flick.

I studied hard to prepare for teaching my computer class and went and gave a 20 to 30 minute lesson to 6 classes.  I didn't get to two of the classes for lack of time. Basically ICT here is just learning the parts of the computer and the uses of various ICT's.  Later, they put me in a room with 3 and 4 year olds. I just sang songs with them. I couldn't imagine teaching them about computers. The pre K was by far my favorite part of the morning.  I may ask if I can come back and just spend more time with them. 

Today I got to see the computer lab.  There were 20 computers - at least 15 years old and I found out that only two of them work.  But there was no electricity to check them out. Also there is no internet connection at the school. I know those of you who know me are chuckling that I am teaching computers.  God works in mysterious ways.

-Joy