Merry Christmas (from Emily, age 6)

Here in Africa it is very nice at Christmas. At the end of this blog, I will show you a picture of our Christmas tree with the three kids beside it. Now let me tell you about Christmas here in Africa. Here in Africa, we do have Christmas tree lights and Christmas tree ornaments. We have three stockings and one extra for the whole family and at the end of this blog I will also show a picture of some snowflakes that we made. Sadly my blog is ending but I have more thing to tell you. One more thing I will show you---a picture of the stockings at the end of my blog. Bye and I wish you a merry Christmas.

News (from Joshua, age 10)

News! News! News from Joshua Newburn right here in Bamenda, Cameroon, Africa! Over about the past month two cool things happened.

First, we went to the Trade Fair, a carnival-type miniature-Disneyland place. There were arcade games, a football (soccer) field, a horse track and a horse, D.J.s with kids dancing, and a ride with fake elephants (like a small Dumbo ride). We went on the horse, rode the tin elephants, and then we went to the D.J.s. 

Kids were dancing—they were picked out from the crowd. I watched for a bit, and I was thinking to myself, Oh, what if that was me? Oooh, I'd be embarrassed! But then he actually did pick me! He asked me my name and if I could dance.  I could decline, or............

“Joshua,” I responded, “and yes, I can dance, but we Americans don't dance like Cameroonians.” Suddenly, the man's face became excited. He said to the crowd very loudly, “We have a guy who wants to dance like an American!!!! From the United States,” –he brought me up to the stage– “Joshua will dance to Mi-chael Jack-son!!!!!” The music started to play, and I danced my heart out, to the crowd's enjoyed entertainment and to me being futurely famous.

And second, just yesterday we came back from a long 9 ½ hour trip to KRIBI BEACH! It was very fun—we swam in the waves, made sandcastles, and enjoyed the sunset, setting over the ocean. We also had a fun bonfire on the beach where we roasted marsh mellows and hot dogs. My dad played his guitar accompanied by a little girl (Emily's new friend Hannah)'s father. Even though I threw up throughout the first day there, Kribi was fabulous. But on the way back here to Bamenda, we had a gasoline leak.

We first had a small problem that the gas was being used up too quickly, and we supposedly got that fixed. But about 15 miles from our house, we saw that the gas was just “pouring” out of the tank. We scrambled into the car and our driver, Nestor, was freaked out. As my mom said, “I don't think Nestor has ever driven into that busy intersection as aggressively before in his life.” By some miracle, and also due to a bunch of praying, the car made it to the house safely. Happy and thankful, my dad told Nestor to turn around the car, but it had died right there at our destination.

Thanks be to God that we made it here, and may God be with us here in Cameroon! 

Roasting Marshmallows on Kribi Beach

Advent In Africa

It's 80 degrees and there are no malls to shop in, but we lit our second advent candle on Sunday, our tree (artificial) is up and the kids are listening to Christmas Carols and wondering if Santa will find them in Bamenda. We are busy with Christmas craft, but not caught up in the Christmas rush.  Feels nice.

I attended a Christmas Party at St Josephs School which had the same chaotic, but adorable flavor of Christmas Programs in the US.  All the songs were in English and most of the ones we sing.  They even sang Santa Claus is coming to town - though they celebrate Father Christmas from the German influence.  I was touched by the hundreds of children that came up to hug me. They are all so dear.

The kids finish school on Friday with a program of their own.  Pete will work all next week, but then have two weeks off.  We hope to travel right after Christmas.

I got my Christmas present early.  The new bedroom is finished and it is so nice to have our own space. We put a large table in there so he has a place to work when the kids are home. We have been very blessed.

This may be my last blog of 2012, so Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  Thanks for your love and support!!!!

-Joy

New Room

Here is picture of the house.  On the far left end of the picture is the Sisters house (only two living there now).  then you see our house. The new room is the one painted cream/white.  The rest of the house is to the right.The big room is the livingroom. You can just see Jessica sitting on the"Vernanda" just big enough to fit two wikerish chairsand.nd then behind Jessica is the diningroom.   The kitchen you can just see a piece of beyond the Veranda.  The two tanks you see are for extra water in case there is no water.  To the left of the water tanks you can see a large stone sink wear we do the laundry and the clothes lines are just out of sight in the picture.  I pre soak clothes with hot water from the shower.

The seagull and cloud tiles covers the whole bathroom to eye high and is gorgeous.  The toilet looks JUST like a US one.  The shower is made by putting up a half wall in the bathroom, but there is a large lip that keeps the water from running out the entrance (like they had in the old days here), Both bathrooms have hot water in the shower and our new bathroom has hot water in the sink, though I really never use hot water.  I may have mentioned the water is VERY hot, so I get a big bucket to carry downstairs to do the dishes.  With hot water it is a breeze.

The room is about 11ft by 15 ft so 165 square feet. We had it painted powder blue.  We had very few choices on the floor tile and ended up with black and white squares (made out of rubber/plastic). We also plan to put in a large table so Pete can use it as an office.  The two huge windows give a lovely breeze and there will be a ceiling fan.  Beautiful views out both windows. Hope to move in shortly after Thanksgiving.

In the picture you can also see the car that has been designated to us. Pretty good trunk space. It's four wheel drive which comes in handy on the many dirt roads.

The building just beyond the car belongs to Rosecart- a sweet 16 year old girl who works for the nuns next door she loves to play with the kids.  Then up the hill is the housing for two male staff and just barely visible is the Bishop's house.

We feel so blessed by the addition and hope that it will be used by many Missionaries after us.

-Joy

 

From Emily - Age 6

(dictated to and typed by her brother, Josh)

1-Africa

I am in Africa. I have a good house. It is pretty here, but it is different. We have what we need. All is well. Africa has lots of trees and flowers.

2-Trees

Here, the trees and the flowers are pretty. Flowers can be any color—red, orange, blue, purple, yellow, and pink, but trees can only be green, except in the fall and winter. Some trees have apples! Some don't. Some have bananas! Some don't.

3-Apples

In Africa apples can be green, red, orange, and yellow. Apples can be growing on trees .

4-Crosses

Sometimes we see crosses here in Africa. The cross reminds me about when Jesus died. These crosses are brown. I like brown, but I like pink better!

5-Feelings

I am very happy here in Africa! When I first got here I was feeling pretty nervous, but now I've been here for a while and I'm getting used to it. When I was still visiting family members I was imagining Africa. I expected it to be really unusual, but when I got here it was excellent!

6-Clothes

I have plenty of clothes here in Africa. I have pretty clothes, and I have regular clothes too. Most of these clothes I got from my old home, but I really want to go shopping to get some African dresses.

7-Ice Cream and Cake

Here in Africa we do have ice cream. There's this guy named Tees-Fotos that can make ice cream! We also have cake here in Africa. My mom bought it at the market. It was lemon cake! We had it on a priest named Father Michal's birthday at dinnertime. It was yummy!!

8-Light

Here in Africa we have electricity! We use electricity for things like light bulbs, our refrigerator, and charging our new computer and two new cell phones.

9-Bedrooms

All of our family has good bedrooms. We all have bug nets around our bed. Me and my sister call them Princess Curtains because they are pretty color green but two days ago my mom gave us Pink ones

10-People

Here in Africa mostly everybody has black skin. Whenever we go somewhere everybody stares at us because we have white skin and blond hair. When we meet someone they are very friendly.

11-Rain and Lighting

Almost every night we have rain and lightning. One day, we had to go to Sunday school and we got stuck in the rain! When my dad was gone, Jessica and my mom were sleeping together. Mom got up to shut the window and a flash of lightning came across the sky. Mom jumped into bed and Jessica and Mom started laughing and snuggling.

12- Food

The food is different here in Africa. Some foods I like. Some foods I don't. I like the rice, soup, chicken, Irish Potatoes (They taste like French Fries!), cow meat, and others that I forgot. But foods that I don't like...I don't want to list them.

13-Goats

There are goats around my house!! The goats are brown and white. One is having a baby. The one that's not having a baby they're going to kill so they can eat the yummy meat.

14-Cleaning

My mom has all she needs for cleaning. She has a broom, a dust pan, and powder for cleaning the house and clothes.

15-Bugs

There are different kinds of bugs here in Africa. I haven't seen many spiders, but there are a lot of mosquitoes outside. When we go out we have to put bug spray on. There are a lot of ants coming into our house, but not a lot of mosquitoes.

16-Homeschooling

My mom is homeschooling (in addition to school) Josh, Jessica, and me. Today in school we learned part of the Centenary Prayer. The part we learned goes like this: Loving Father, You have made us good and beautiful in your own image. We praise and thank you for calling us to be your children. Also, I did 2 pages in a book that teaches me about word sounds.

17-Neighbors

The neighbors are very friendly. I like them. The first day we got here we went to visit our neighbors. They shook our hands and greeted us happily. Today one of our neighbors brought us a food called Chin-Chin that is shaped like a long stick. I love Chin-Chin!

19-Friends and Family

I miss my old friends. Their names are Paige, Claudia, and Megan, Rebeka and Adrianna, Kassie, Kira and Ethan, and Denise. I also miss my old family members. Their names are Lindsey and Michael, Paula and Andres, John, Thomas, Kathrine, and Anna Rose, and April and Cherice and many others.