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