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