Ok, so first, I have to rescind something in my last post. It was NOT Ramadan last week... Just some other Muslim holiday. That's what I get for asking a Christian with a minor language barrier. Oops. I've been fretting about that since Friday morning... The very time I was going to be off grid for several days. Those of you who know me well can imagine my irritation of not being able to fix that!
So when last we saw our heroine, she had wrapped up her first week of classes and was heading to the Northwest region of Cameroon to be reunited with her dear friend Mick and his comrade Pastor Dan. The drive was beautiful and we got to see Mt. Cameroon in it's amazing sunrise splendor. The mountain is over 13,000 feet tall, but starts near sea level. It is an active volcano and apparently takes three days to climb. I have a personal goal that if I get the chance to return to Cameroon someday, I would like to train to make the climb. How cool would that be?
The drive to Mbingo (near Bemenda) was long (mostly due to the fact that a road that would have taken us an hour to get to one point, took us four hours due to the detour that was necessary because of the conditions of the road!) we left around 6 am and arrived at our cabin at about 4:30 pm. We stopped at a reputable butcher shop and bakery on the way, but still. That is a long drive. But BEAUTIFUL. You guys. The farther we went, the more incredible the views became. It was like another world. I'll post pictures on Facebook when I can get them uploaded.
We stayed at a Baptist-run compound that has one of - if not THE - best hospital in Cameroon. They have little guesthouses to accommodate various numbers of guests. But since Mick and I aren't married and there was no one staying there, I got the privilege of staying in the adjoining cottage. And when I say cottage, I mean cottage, curved stone doorways and wooden doors included. Seriously the cutest place I've stayed. Again, I'll post pictures to Facebook later.
Pastor and Karen left Mick and I for a few hours to debrief, have some friend support time, and they got a date out of the deal. I'm not kidding when I say I cried when I hugged Mick after our week apart. I was SO happy to see him. We laughed and cried (well... I did. Mick didn't), relayed stories and tried to start a fire in so many ways I lost count. A narrow fireplace with long logs that were too hard to saw through was a formidable enemy... Lighter fluid, paper kindling, rearranging the logs, an entire magazine's worth of pages from a 2007 issue of "Canadian Living" (Sorry, rest house owners...) All we really succeeded in was filling the house with smoke. But I'll tell you what. That was some funny stuff that night. And sharing those memories with my brother from another mother (how NOT gangsta was that!?) was awesome.
The next morning (Saturday) we all ate breakfast together. We had some difficult conversations and tensions were a bit high, so Mick and I went for a hike to find some waterfalls. We found one, but took a wrong turn and never got to the second (big) waterfall. To be totally honest, a good portion of the hike was me talking and crying. Mick let me cry, kept me breathing, and didn't make fun of me when I picked up a stone and threw it as far as I could out of frustration (actually, we talked about it later and it was a pretty good throw. He was apparently impressed but wisely decided not to say anything!)
Our hike was really good for my soul. After I settled down a bit, Mick was able to help me sort my thoughts and encourage me and find a better perspective. I think that hike bonded us for a lifetime. Mick is amazing.
On our way back, we off-roaded a bit (the trail at that point was sort of ambiguous anyway) and got to see the waterfall we didn't reach. Absolutely beautiful. Tiny in the selfie of the two of us I posted on Facebook, but a good reminder of lessons I learned that day with a dear friend.
As we descended (no joke, we had hiked UP), we ran into four men from the Filani tribe. They are the horsemen of Cameroon and it is speculated they have some Arab blood in their ancestry. The look different than the tribes with whom we have been working. Mick and I ended up sharing a bit of our journey with the Filani men and had some fascinating cultural exchange as we walked and talked together. Another experience to add to my Cameroon memory storage unit!
So, let me back up just a touch for the next part of the story. As most world travelers know, it is highly likely that at some point you will come across a time where you can't avoid contaminated water, even if it's a few drops. My biggest suspect is the glasses that had been served to us with our lunch at one of the churches I've been teaching at were always still wet, but it was rude not to have some juice they were serving us (especially since they noticed). At any rate, I contracted a stomach problem and was frequently on the toilet Saturday morning before our hike. Unfortunately I forgot to bring toilet paper along on our hike and as you can probably imagine, I ended up praying fervently that the leaves I had to use on my rear end were not poisonous. I can't say that I remember ever getting the runs while camping or hiking, so I guess I can check that off the list and not revisit it.
ANYWAY, I ended up sick in bed (except for the getting up every 20 mins to use the bathroom). That was disappointing because that afternoon was my only chance to shop for handmade goods on the trip. But I knew I couldn't make it through the afternoon in my state, so I started antibiotics and stayed home. Pastor and Karen got a second night out and Mick played sick nurse/chef of the most delicious food I couldn't eat but he was so excited to have meat after the previous week, I didn't even feel envious. He enjoyed every single bite. I took it easy, but took several pictures of the view from our cabins with the changing light of the sunset. It was a humbling view of what our great God created for our enjoyment. His love notes to me this weekend were unmistakable. Then Mick and I enjoyed the fire and pretended we were camping (fake lantern lamp and all) and just relaxed. Laughter sprinkled in among snippets from the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt theme song and Flight of the Conchords lyrics. It was a good wrap up to a long day.
Everyday the members of our team do a Bible study together (now done in pairs since we are split up). The readings were selected and prepared by Kingdom Workers. We use what is called the S.O.A.P. method - read the Scripture, make Observations, Apply them to our lives and the mission at hand, and Pray. Those have been good, but my very favorite time is when we discuss our blessings of the day and what senses were triggered - smells, sounds, etc. I feel like it is the Kingdom Worker version of our family ritual "What was your favorite thing today?" game. It is a great way to recount the day and learn more about our teammates. Our drive to the rest house triggered the sense of a smooth road underneath us. The road to Konye has rattled my bones nearly apart, so the blessing of pavement was HUGE.
Sunday was spent driving home. I was SO happy to be able to call my boys. I missed them very badly knowing I couldn't call them for three days - especially when I didn't feel good. The evening with Karen was spent watching the first episode of Downton Abby (I haven't seen any of it before last night) and eating roasted chicken and cheesy hash browns. We were interrupted by a few power outages, but it was nice to have a night that felt sort of "normal". I haven't watched TV or anything (no non-Cameroon related stuff on Facebook) since I left home, so it was comforting.
Today (Monday) I was back to my regular teaching schedule. I felt like both class periods went really well. The children, as usual, were so happy to see me. They really take the edge off missing my boys' hugs. That human contact has been limited and I am craving it. The children are a really awesome part of my day. They are already dreading me leaving. I will miss them too! I smiled when after they hug-attacked me, they went and smothered Mama Karen. It's been heartwarming to watch them extend their affections to encompass her as well. I hope that proves helpful to their long-term ministry here.
Some of today's personal highlights included receiving a ring that my friend Milton made for me. I left my wedding ring with Dan so I didn't need to worry about losing it or anything, but I kept feeling for it and feeling a naked finger! I'd at least stopped having a mini panic attack every time. Anyway, Milton took a 25 franc coin (the equivalent of about a nickel) and made it into a ring. VERY cool souvenir and Milton made a little money too! I also got to visit his wife Juliet at her shop before evening classes. She made me a few skirts out of fabric from the market. I haven't seen them yet but I can't wait! It was a blessing to me to be able to support each of them for their skills and art! I especially enjoyed the walk to her shop - I spend so much time whizzing by in a truck, I miss the details. I liked the feeling it gave me today.
So that's been the last few days. Lots of growth through adversity, humility through grandeur, and blessings through friendship, but I am on the constant lookout for joy, reminding me it is there.
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