This picture makes me smile because I feel like I just toppled out of a tree into the arms of a man who, though strong, is still human! However, in all of his humanness, he is truly a remarkable man of God.
Zachariah Yoder prayed for me, wooed me with gentle, kind words, and has won my heart. I went to Nigeria where Zach works in December 2011 to close this relational door. I came back fairly certain that I would journey the rest of my earthly days with Zach by my side.
“How do you know?” “What changed?”
A conversation with my mother as I told her 2 days before returning to Cameroon in December all that I had seen in Zach. I explained that I felt he was a gift, rare, and to be treasured. She said, “You have delighted yourself in the Lord, and I believe that Zach is the desire of your heart. You just didn’t know it before.”
This resonated in my heart, and I had to admit that I agreed. My heart had been softened by the character, integrity, sincerity, and deep conviction with which Zach lived his life.
Yes, I have jumped…it doesn’t mean that I won’t accure some abrasions, but knowing this, I will continue taking leaps of faith to learn to love and trust and become one with this gift God has given me.
CAMBO 2012
Learning to travel well is a key in all of life. CAMeroon Branch Orientation (CAMBO) is about learning to travel well. From Romans 12 we learned how God expects us to travel, and in orientation we put that into practice through doing homestays, going out on excursions, and staying in the village of Pinyin. For 5 weeks I had the joy of walking with 8 individuals and their families through some very challenging experiences that stretched and helped form us all. One participant told me yesterday, "I got the biggest compliment of my life yesterday! A Cameroonian colleague said, "You belong in Cameroon. You always joke with us, and you help us forget our troubles!"" Today one of the participants last year said, "It's hard to think of Cameroon without you! You helped us cross the bridge into living in Cameroon." Again someone today said, "How long have you been here, Christy? You seem like you understand the culture quite well!" "God has given me extraordinary opportunities here to know people and live alongside Cameroonians." Praise God because he prepares us for His work in His Vinyard!
May God continue to bear fruit through this training the 2011-2012 CAMBO groups received. Please pray for someone to lead CAMBO August 2012 as I will be in Nigeria!
Literacy Specialist? Who, me?
These last 2 months in Bamenda have been very eye opening, as I see how multilingual education and literacy when put into practice don't look as neat as they do on paper. On the other hand, I have experienced the thrill of seeing children read and participate fully in classrooms that are fashioned to meet their linguistic, social, mental, and emotional needs.
Please stay with me as I explore the possibilities of my assignment following this 3 month internship. I am a literacy specialist, which means that I have the beauty of working with nationals to develop the language and build capacity in their communities so the literate population grows, their languages thrive, and God's love and Word are shared in practical ways.
Some days I feel like I was made for what I'm doing and some days I feel so ill-equipped and insufficient, which I am without Christ. I just pray that God uses this body well, for his glory, for as long as he has me here on this earth. May I be used up in loving and bringing joy to others!
ONE Big Baba
May 2, 2012
“I wish I had ONE Baba that I could hear from! I have so many Fathers giving me advice, and I need someone to trump all of those voices!” -Zach (May 1, 2012)
We smiled together as we realized his desire has been answered in the very truth of our “Our Father, who art in heaven…”. Living in a new place, and going through important life transitions is a challenge. Especially when you have many Babas (Fathers) who give much good advice that doesn’t always agree. I am learning to listen to what my ONE BABA in Heaven says about me and to me. How to act as a couple, where to go and not go, how much to bargain, how to pray for the handicapped child begging on the street, how to love Zach, how to arrange my days. Mostly I’m thankful that he is completely trustworthy, and that when I can’t hear his voice, he continues orchestrating his best plans on my behalf.
Gwa
I scanned the classroom I was observing on this bright day in the green, jagged hills of Oku. Surrounded by their mud brick classroom, the class 1 students were repeating after their teacher what was written in their readers. My eyes fell on a child, a beautiful child,...more
Thank you Kain!
For three months I’ve been interning in Bamenda under Kain Godfrey Chuo. He is the director of the KEPP (Kom Experimental Pilot Project) that I have been working with here. My travels have taken me to a total of 22 schools and 25 villages to observe, encourage, and advise teachers. Kain has been a great support to me during this time with his extensive knowledge of the program and his dedication to it’s success, not to mention his built relationships with all of the teachers and administrators that made my visits to their schools very smooth. Thank you, Kain, for all you are doing to ensure that the students of Cameroon have the best education possible, given in their mother tongue.
"I learned so much!"
Heading down the hill from the school where I had been observing that day, the class four teacher was shining. She couldn’t stop smiling! I had just given a lesson in her classroom on how to teach children to read because she is a first year, untrained teacher, and was surprised that none of her students could read. “I’ve learned so much today!” She declared. The other teachers, who I’d observed teaching in the mother tongue said, “You should come more often. You help us see things we don’t even know we’re doing wrong!” I won’t be able to return to this village, as I’m going back to Bamenda next week, but I am very thankful for the small contribution I could make to these dedicated teachers. I keep coming back to the realization that this is God’s work, and anything good that comes out of it, is due to his faithfulness and love for his people.
Crossing Bridges
Today we are asked to cross a bridge, You and I, to step out on a ledge, Today we are asked if we will truly live, If we trust our Daddy, and fully give, Our hearts, our feet, our hands, our all, To be our best, to answer the call. Today when I see the bridge up ahead, I pray I'll remember what my God said, "Do not be afraid our discouraged, for, your God will be with you forevermore." Then step out no matter the cost, With confidence, I cannot be lost, I'm found on that bridge and ledge unseen, Because where I tread, my Leader has already been.
Shining Beauty Not of This World
Surrounded by beautiful hills, rolling far into the distance, you find the Handicapped Center in Santa, the Northwest Region of Cameroon. This is a unique shelter where children with disabilities can find a place where they are embraced. My experience is that, out of ignorance, in many developing countries around the world mentally and physically handicapped children are rejected, abandoned, mistreated, or hidden by their families out of the social stigma that having a child like this creates. As many of you know, my younger sister, Leah, is a major reason for my openness to others and love for differences. She has Down Syndrome. An experience, that brings tears even now, is when a little Downs girl, probably about 10-12 years, walked up to me as I sat outside with the children and squarely planted her feet and looked in to my eyes. Her face was almost expressionless, and yet, full of the adorable expectation that I would love her. How she knew, I don’t know, but I did love her. I started singing “Jesus Loves Me” while clapping her hands, realizing she had natural rhythm, and then with a little tickle, she burst into a smile and I embraced her. As I prayed with Magdalen, the director of the School, who is also disabled, the tears flowed because she has experienced the love of Christ deeply and wants that same life changing grace to flow over these precious children of God…created for fellowship with him as we all are. She is reaching out to “the least of these brothers of mine” in a context that is raw and hard and real. Could this be a place of ministry in my future?
The Gadala Morning
By Aaron--- I am sitting on the cool rocks on the tall mountain above the waking people of Gadala. Gadala is a small village in the north of Cameroon. The...more
Mofu Bible Dedication
The power of God's word was seen in the Mofu dedication on February 16th in the Far North of Cameroon. It was powerful to see a group of people reading the Word of God in their own language for the first time. To see them raising them up and dancing for joy because of this Living Word. It was an honor for me to witness this celebration and to take part in my own small way as I sat with a group of women on stony ground...delighting in the occasion with them, praying that this Word would penetrate their hearts.
JAARS short-term trips
JAARS invites skilled and not-so-skilled laborers to experience the joy of making a "concrete" contribution to the work of Wycliffe Bible Translators. Whether you are clearing an airstrip or building a home or office you’ll be making an important contribution to the Bible translation task. More info
Psalm 96:2,3, NLT "Sing to the LORD; bless his name…Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does." Daily Prayer Request
LIteracy Course
I found myself intrigued with the diverse group of participants in the first Bambalang Primer Course on the Ndop Plain of the Northwest Provence. Two language groups were included in this training as a test run for the facilitators, Melody Grove and Jon and Sandra Blackwell. On our breaks from schoolwork, I found myself wandering into the living room, which served as the classroom for the course, to take in the excitement of if all! Papers were everywhere, as the students collaborated to etch out the first lessons and primers for their languages. They too, are learning and growing in their knowledge of their written language as they write lessons to teach others. It is a rich environment where everyone is comfortable and has something to offer to the team of literacy workers. I listened to their stories during the rest times we shared. Stories of abusive husbands who have come to the Lord, children with heart problems and epilepsy, marriages orchestrated by the Fon (local "king") between them and a much older man, the calling of God while a fisherman on a nearby island, walking away from wealth and worldly prosperity, supportive families, upcoming marriages, and unexpected meetings with missionaries that lead to their passion for literacy and Bible Translation. They were pastors, mothers, and recent graduates from high school. They were dynamic, and I was thankful to be part of their work, of God’s working through them.
