Bonnie's work  
 

Bonnie first came to Cameroon to serve SIL as a 2nd grade teacher at the American School of Yaounde.  After one year, she became the Yaounde-based teacher of the Field Education System (FES), a program designed to meet the educational needs of children in village locations.  Since marrying Mark and having children of her own, she has served in the following capacities:

Arranging meals for new and returning branch members – An important aspect of member care, we arrange for members in Yaounde to provide lunch and dinner for the first few days after a new member arrives or a furloughing member returns.  This relieves the burden on the newly-arrived member to deal with shopping, cooking, filtered water, etc. while they are still trying to overcome jetlag.  A few weeks before the arrival of a member, I email a meal sign-up sheet to the Yaounde-based membership asking for volunteers to provide airport pick-up and meals.  As members fill in the available spaces, I send it out regularly to show which meals are still available.  Once it’s filled up, I print it out and give it to the person who will be meeting the member at the airport.  Organizing the meal sign-up sheets can be quite a juggling act when over a dozen new and returning people arrive at the end of summer.

Serving in the FES library – I do this on occasion when the FES Coordinator requires assistance.

Assisting with the Cameroon Branch Orientation program – I was in charge of special projects for the orientation program in the fall of 2007.

Assisting Mark with his responsibilities in Purchasing and Shipping – When a 20-foot or 40-foot container offloads at the Cameroonian Training Center (CTC) wood shop, I’m there to help Mark cut the bands, pop the lids, and sort through the 20 or more crates filled with hundreds of items ordered by individuals and departments.  As members show up to collect their goods, Mark and I use our distribution lists to find the goods scattered about in various crates and get them into the hands of the member.  He or she signs for them, and it’s on to the next person.  Even though we often completely fill the wood shop with crates, we can usually clear an entire shipment in four hours if everybody comes to retrieve their belongings.  It’s hard work, but it’s lots of fun!

Assisting Mark with his responsibilities in Housing – As noted on Mark’s page, I’m the Container Lady, the person in charge of keeping track of the sheets, towels, curtains, utensils, glasses, plates, water filters, etc. that are needed to stock a fully-furnished apartment.  They are stored in a 20-foot container that makes up one wall of the wood shop (along with four other containers placed side by side).  Two adjacent containers hold the spare bed frames, mattresses, wardrobes, tables, chairs, and cabinets that are needed when empty apartments need furniture.  When a member wishes to exchange something or return something (to decrease their furniture rent), they make an appointment with me at the container.

Performing data entry for the Finance Office – I do this on occasion when the Finance Office is short-staffed.