Football In Cameroon

As many of you know, soccer is called football in much of the world.  Here in Cameroon, football is huge.  The Indomitable Lions are the national team and have made it to the World Cup on several occasions.

Yesterday was the final game to determine if Cameroon would qualify as one of just five African countries to go to the World Cup.  Since we don’t have a TV, we took a huge bowl of popcorn and the kids to a local bar.  Yes, food and children are welcome.   

We were five minutes late, but we could hear the cheers all over Bamenda when Cameroon scored the first goal three minutes into the match.  We ordered lots of soda—pineapple, sprite, coke, and Djino, and settled in with the local people.  There was so much commentary from the people in the bar that you could not hear the TV—and did we mention that the whole bar was watching on one 32” screen?

Emily was not interested in the game, so once the popcorn was finished, she collected bottle tops from people and entertained herself with a game.  The rest of us were glued to the TV which became fuzzier and fuzzier.  Finally someone took it down and brought another 32” TV, with a much clearer picture.

Cameroon was playing Tunisia, which is located in northwest Africa.  All the Tunisian players were Arabic.  The Indomitable Lions totally dominated the game except for one impressive goal by Tunisia.  The final score was 4-1.  Cameroon heads to the World Cup next summer in Brazil!  It is nice to have Cameroon in the headlines for good news.

The game ended just in time for us to dash to Sunday evening Mass.  We prayed for the victory of our national team and prayed for the unrest in parts of our country with the extreme Muslims.  Here in Bamenda, we have such good relations with Muslims; I wish it were so worldwide.

Meanwhile, LMH football is in its infancy here on our campus.  Some Christian missionary visitors from Kansas City entrusted us with 25 balls, cones, whistles and a small bit of cash.  Already the Martins, the Newburns, and CATUC (the Catholic university on the grounds where we live) are joining forces to start a football program.  We will keep you posted on this exciting new project.

We often say that the reason we are so happy here in Africa is that rather than focusing on what we don’t have, we are very grateful for what we do have.  Thankful people are happy people!  Happy Thanksgiving to all!

-Pete & Joy

Queen of the Mountain

By Jessica (Age 9)

Sunday afternoon we were going to go to the park to run when we got a message from our best friends the Jacksons. The message was inviting us to go on a hike to see the eclipse from the top of a waterfall. We decided that only the Newburn girls would go on the hike. When we got to the Jacksons, we asked them what kind of eclipse it would be and they said if it was a full solar eclipse it would not happen again in Cameroon for 500 years. So we took 14 people and Sherlock who is a big, rough, puppy. I didn’t really want him to come because he is so rough (and he eats shoes).

We drove for 45 minute to Sabga and we saw the waterfall.  So we parked the car and off we went.   We had to go up and around until we came to a great place to stop and have lunch.  We were not above the waterfall yet.  I had a mystery meat sandwich and for dessert we had yummy sour candies (American candy given to us for Halloween by our friends).  Everyone enjoyed them. Then we went higher up and Sherlock enjoyed chasing the cows and goats. Sherlock went out of control barking wanting to chase the cows. Then we saw two big cows that looked like they were ready to protect their herd.  So Chris, the leader of the group, went to check it out and the cows finally went away. 

 

We continued up the mountain. A short distance away we saw some rushing water that we had to go through to get to the other side. So I took off my shoes and went across like it was easy peasey. So then so people stayed under the shade of some trees or they could go up a big steep hill. I chose to go up, but Emily stayed down. It was very steep and not easy to climb. I had to shoo off some cows to make it to the top. 

At the top and after a while of waiting, we got to watch the eclipse. I was the only girl kid who made it to the top. Then I was talking to Chris and mom and he wanted the American candies.  So jokingly he said why don’t you go down and get them.  I didn’t know he was joking. So I went down and got them and brought them back up.

After a while we all headed down. At one spot I got to play in a part of the waterfall  with Mimu, the rest of the time we were relaxing, enjoying the views, and eating candy. Then, sadly, we had to go back. Through the hills we went, until we got back to the car and headed home. What a great day.

I hope you enjoyed my blog.

We Are Together

So often we feel like outsiders, visitors, guests here in Cameroon.  We are given special privileges and treated as “special”.  We know we will never truly fit in here, but every so often we get a glimpse of being “with” the people.  Here in Cameroon they say “we are together”.  One of the teachers said that to me on teachers day last fall when I arrived at school wearing the same material as all the other teachers.  It warmed my heart.

Last Sunday we went to Mass in Fundong with our friend (Uncle) Fr. Christopher.  He presided in Pidgin and our whole family was able to understand him. Not only did we understand the words, but it sounded so beautiful and the meaning seemed very meaningful. I love the way they talk about God as “papa” and that he has a “ we dey savy fine dat you di get big kind heart”

The opening sound was in English and just set the tone of oneness.

Stand together for what you believe

Work together for what must be done

Love one another in that we do

                                                          ‘Til all my people are one.

Afterward we went to Fr Christopher’s home for a great feast of food to celebrate the Feast Day of their Parish “St Jude”.  St Jude is the Saint of lost causes and I felt so reminded that we are all “lost causes’ without Jesus.  Fr. Christopher said he liked the name of the parish as a reminder that the doors of the Church need to be open to all, especially the poor, mentally ill, and physically sick those that the world often considers lost causes. Four Francophone (French speaking) Sisters joined us for lunch and  I feebly attempted to converse in French. But it was when our kids sang the 6-8 songs that they knew in French that the Sisters chimed in and the smiles began to shine.

So different as we may be from people in Cameroon, In Christ “we are together”

Photo below is of our own Cathedral in Bamenda (our house is just out of view):

 -Joy

Learning About Bugs by Emily (Age 7)

One day, the Shlinsky kids came to our house. We played a lot of fun games. We were all going to play Monopoly but Josh N. said “There are too many people to play Monopoly. Someone is going to have to leave.”  (Because there were five people-one too many.) “If you want someone to leave, then you leave!”  Jessica said.  Joshua N. was silent. Finally he said “Girls, can the boys just have their own time?” So Jessica and I left them alone.  After a long time, I came back, they weren’t very far into the game and they let me be the banker. But not only the banker, they let me be on Josh S’s team. 

A bit later, Joshua S. said he wanted to play outside. We went down to the gate. We found a special type of plant. On the plant, I saw a little blue bug with little blue wings. If you flipped the blue bug over, you could see a little red bottom. The bugs are easy to catch because they are slow. But if you open your hands, it will fly away. Joshua S. knew all about this bug because he has lived here a long time, but it was all new to me. I am always learning new things here in Cameroon.

Visit to the U.S. by Emily (age 7)

I was sad when we had to say good bye, but I liked saying hello to my family and friends. At the airport I got picked up by my uncle Chris. When we got to their house I saw my cousin Catherine. We had a lot of fun. When we got to my cousin Linsy’s, it was like all the fun you could have in a year! We even had yummy ice cream too. We went to a place called Fun Town. It was the best time ever. When we got to my Aunt Sharon’s house we went to a camp. We got to ice skating at camp. My Nana’s house was also very fun. We went to play. Not only were those places fun, but the whole visit was fun. When we were in our own home town, we went to a pool party I loved it. We didn’t ride horses there. It’s not to fun there anyway, because, you just sit on the horse have a person hold the rope and walk around in circles. But in Africa you’re free to run as fast as you want. Do you know why I like Cameroon so much? 

Examples:

1.  Riding horses

2.  Seeing waterfalls every day

3.  Seeing friendly people who greet first thing

4.  Being a missionary

Those are ways that God has blessed us in Cameroon.

What Does Life Look Like Here?

First of all, Pete is here. I always thought he was before.  He left work to be a school awards and soccer matches and left work to come watch the girls do gymnastics.  I was grateful for his presence.  But now we have quality and quantity time.  He is home when the kids get home from school and we have family dinner every night.

Last night was our bi-weekly Missionary night. I was brought to tears when we began the time of worship and looked up and saw that Josh was leading the music on the piano.  Later in the night Jessica recited all the books in the Old Testament accurately and with poise.

It is Saturday morning and Josh has finished making the pizza dough for tonight and the homemade pizza sauce is bubbling on the stove.  The coffee cake is hot out of the oven and Pete and Josh are having a guitar lesson.  Jessica is upstairs playing the piano. Emily is decorating our height chart (Josh is now almost 5’3” and the girls are 4’4”)

I am heading out to Target with a girlfriend to try and get Christmas presents (they bring a semi truck size container full of stuff from Target, Rite Aid so we call it target). It is actually more like going to a garage sale, but paying regular price.

Thursday morning I stayed and saw the kids’ morning assembly. Emily led the school in singing the Cameroonian national anthem in FRENCH.  Then they did several songs and prayers in French.

As I write this Jessica is asking for “special time” with mommy. We miss piano lessons with Jennifer, soccer, and gymnastics, but we don’t miss all the craziness of hunting to find game socks and driving all over town. Josh is asking if we can stay in Cameroon longer than 3 years because he loves it here so much.

Tomorrow is World Mission Sunday and I am so aware of how many Missionaries there are in the world in various ways.  All sacrifice in some ways, but all seem richly blessed to. I feel really honored to be able to be a Missionary.

-Joy