Crazy Hair Day

We are having a great time in Bamenda for our two week school session with other families in the Sonlight Christian Acadamy program. Last week we had Crazy Hair Day, and all the kids had some really cool doos. Though, I'm partial to our kids...here are some pics.

Nandry got a prize for the most Sci-fi with two flash sticks in her hair.

Boaz got a prize for the tallest hair (which was before the judges noticed it also spelled out his name).

And Asher was our jumper cable man. All the electricity coming out of his body is enough to get your motor going.

Tomorrow is Crazy Hat Day. I think Nandry has already created a hat, I'm not sure what we'll do for the boys.

My Arms Are Stronger

1 foam mattress

1 sleeping bag

1 travel pillow

4 sheets
5 blankets
1 pair of pj's


This was the pile of laundry that I washed and wrung out by hand one morning while we were in Moloundou. These had to be soaked in buckets and scrubbed with a brush on a concrete slab. How did all of this get dirty? It happened in the middle of the night. Boaz was sick and was having belly issues. He threw up during the day and was having the runs. So, that night when we put Boaz to bed in our tent, we made sure a bucket was right next to him. The kids were sleeping so their heads were towards the side of the tent and their feet met in the middle, right next to where I was sleeping. I piled 2 extra blankets in the middle of the tent, by their feet in case anyone got cold in the middle of the night I could easily throw another blanket on top of them. Well, around midnight Nandry was standing over me saying, "I need to throw up!!" In an instant I dove across the tent to the bucket that was near Boaz' head...but didn't make it back in time. Nandry threw up right in the middle of our tent. Right where all of our bedding met, right where I piled those extra blankets, right where Boaz and Asher's feet and legs were.

Nathan took Nandry outside to clean her up and wash her hair out. I sat there in the tent just staring at the mess, making sure the boys didn't roll over and get more of it on themselves (they were both sound asleep, thankfully). As I sat there, I realize that was the most strategic place Nandry could have thrown up, to make sure everything had to be washed. Amazing! I was taking a count of the things that didn't need washed and that included 1 sheet, 1 blanket, 1 small blanket, and thankfully 4 travel pillows and 2 foam mattresses.

After getting it all cleaned up, with the rest of our team asleep, or pretending/wishing they were asleep right next door in their tents, we piled all of the bedding up outside on the porch of the directors house and went in to their guest room which was off the side of their house. One of our teammates let us borrow an extra blanket, and we took our still clean pillows, (1 1/2) blankets and sheet. The guest room had a full size bed with a foam mattress on it, so we put down a sheet and the boys and I slept sideways on it, with my legs hanging over the bed. Nathan and Nandry slept on the borrowed blanket on the tiny space left in the room on the concrete floor (it was a very small room). Fortunately, once the door and window were shut, the room kept cozy warm and we didn't need any covers, and actually had to open the window a few times to let some air in.

Also in the middle of the night, maybe around 2am, the rest of our team was driven out of their tents by an ant invasion...they fled to the Abbott's car but after the horn got beeped in the scramble, they ended up invited to sleep on the living room floor of the director's house.

Then...after all the wash was done, and hung up to dry, guess what happened. It rained, though it was dry season and 3 weeks early for the rains to start. So the picture up above is actually all the bedding that I washed, hung up, then took down and piled on the porch while we waited for the rainstorm to pass.

Did I mention that our 3 kids weren't the only ones sick and throwing up? Add in the Abbott's 2 kids and a couple of us adults and there you have it. Fun trip, though some of it we definitely wouldn't want to repeat.

Want to Hear About Our Trip to Moloundou?

Moloundou, is 2 days away from where we are currently (more about the roads later).

What's in Moloundou? electricity (sometimes), running water (during certian hours of the day), people speaking Baka in the market (where vegetables are scarce), no fuel stations, at least one restaurant, a couple of churches, friendly people and not so friendly people, and a Baka Bible Institute.

Our team traveled down to Moloundou to visit the Bible School, and encourage and be encouraged by the believers there. Few ministries to the Baka are done in their own language. Usually it's done in French, often translated into Baka. We felt privilidged to bring everything we brought, from Bible teaching, lessons on Bible storying, to agriculture and health topics, all in the Baka language!

We camped outside of the director of the school's house, and ate most of our meals with his family. His name is Wanko, Jean-Pierre. He is not Baka and not originally from the area but is excited to encourage the Baka and teach them the Bible. We were excited to hear about how God is working. We were also able to share and compare difficulties of ministry to the Baka as a unique people group.

We had 3 days where the program was turned over to our team. The school consists of 9 Baka men, some of them with families, some of them single. These men are from all over the southern forest region. They have shown a desire to follow Jesus and want further training.

Barry, using a Saber Digital Player loaded with Baka Bible Stories, taught about Oral Bible Storying as a way to take the message of the Bible back to their villages.

Jennifer spent time with the Baka wives and kids, surveying them to find out more information on their medical knowledge and their needs.

Heidi brought some fruit trees from her nursery and gave them to the school. She also spent time gathering information from the students on what the biggest needs are in their communities.

Stay tuned to hear about our truck and tummy troubles, our Sunday service at Mbangoye, camping at Lobeke forest and other interesting adventures of the Baka team!

Agreed?

Any one else see the resemblance?

More Traveling Pics

I always like to travel with the camera handy, you never know when there will be a perfect photo op.
Seems kind of randomly packed. Oh, and I JUST noticed what it says on the bumper (time will tell)!!!

This seriously made me gag. The whole back seat and trunk loaded with slaughtered cow parts. There were 3 or 4 guys in the front seat. I don't know how they could stand the smell!

Visitors!

We had an amazing time hosting Kevin & Lainie McWilliams from Columbia, SC here in Cameroon for 2 weeks. Kevin, one of our CIU professors, came over to speak for our annual CMF conference in Bamenda. It was SO GOOD to catch up with them and share our lives in Africa with them. After the conference we headed out to the beach for a few days to relax before they flew home.

Lainie and Nandry had a tea party out in the ocean, in the waves. Thanks Kevin & Lainie for blessing and encouraging our family with your love!

Joko be a Yesua = Good Jesus party!

Christmas party at Mayos, our village. A bunch of pics...a few words. Go ahead and ask questions.


Games, balloons and a water balloon fight

Family photos

Face painting

Singing and Likano (Baka style story) of Jesus' birth

Sizing for flipflops for all the kids

Giving gifts of rice and groundnuts.

Our hearts were full of joy as we celebrated Christmas with our village. We are praying that this year, in 2011 many will have a full and clear understand of Christ's love for them.

Lala's Deli

I guess this isn't really that exciting, but it was a highlight for us. Whenever we make a trip to the city, we splurge on some things we don't normally have, like sliced ham and cheese. Add it all on a huge loaf of bread (it was originally 3 1/2 feet long), with some mayo, italian seasonings, tomato, lettuce and pickle...and for the gluten free version, try it with rice cakes.

Conrod Christmas Tradition

Nathan chopped up an Inga tree limb and drilled holes in it again this year to use as our Yule log for holding our Advent candles. The kids are having fun going through last year's Advent of Ideas book and remembering some of this things we did and the things we talked about, and doing them again this year. Becky Novak (between Nathan and Asher in the picture) is here with us for 4 more weeks. She's been here since mid October as a tutor for the kids. We are excited to have her as part of our family for Christmas.

Traditionally you light one candle on each Sunday for 4 weeks before Christmas, then light the 5th (middle) on Christmas Day. Our Sundays have gotten pretty busy lately with Nathan, and sometimes the whole family, going up to Mayos in the late afternoon to share the Bible Likano (stories) with the Baka. So, Monday night is our candle lighting night. This past Monday I got out my flute and played along with some of the Christmas songs we sang. It was eerily quiet outside which gave Silent Night a pretty neat feel as we sang it together.

The Tail of 2 Bad Mice...for dinner

Tom Thumb and Hunca Munca had been caught in a trap in the forest...and is that a rat flavored bouillon cube?

Roasting...helps singe the little hairs off.

How about a game of checkers while it stews?

This is what we've been waiting for...really, why do people ask if it tastes like chicken?

Thanks Mom, we had our first bite, you got the picture, what's REALLY for dinner?