I don't want to go home.

I really don't. I want to stay.

Everyone says, "you haven't been here long enough to really see Cameroon!" It's only been six weeks. But I still feel like I've been here forever. Okay, no I don't really. But I feel like I've been here a really long time. I was thinking back on Kumbo and I was like, "that was only a few weeks ago!" Even Tunen feels like an eternity away, but I was there this time last week!

It's completely crazy.

I had my debrief today with some of the workers at CABTAL. That was fun. They all laughed at my pick-pocket story. They think I'm really brave because I came on my own, went out into the villages without any orientation, and now I confronted a pick-pocket. They're going to think I'm crazy brave if I do anything else. Just wait. Next thing you know a spider will fall on me and I'll jump ten feet in the air. That'll fix it. I was told that a couple people called one of the ladies at CABTAL and told her that I really inspired them. They saw this young girl come and give up her holiday to work with the people and here they were retired and not doing anything. That man actually said he was going to start doing something and was going to talk to his kids, too. The lady said she talked to his daughter. I just wish they had come and talked to me....

I feel so torn up inside. On the one hand, I do want to go home. I want to see my family and friends. I want to be able to drive and I want to be able to go out without worrying about being harassed for being a white girl. I really want to go back to school. On the other hand, I want to be more of a help! I want to keep working. there are villages I haven't gone to yet and people who still need recordings. As much as I didn't always enjoy it, I feel like I just barely started the work. Four villages have recordings now. What about the others? I don't want to go home and sleep in a familiar bed if it means there is still more I can do here.

I don't know if this is a calling from God or just my OCD kicking in because I'm leaving something unfinished, but it feels so wrong to leave so soon. I've barely stayed in one place long enough to really make friends. I was only just now able to go shopping. There are so many reasons to stay and so many reasons to go... I'm going to call out my teachers right now. If y'all don't make classes interesting this fall, I may jump on a plane and come back.

Dear Lord, I just want to thank You for this time I've had here. I know I had challenges and struggles the whole time, but I've learned to keep perspective and to trust You. You are the one with the perfect plan to lead and guide me. You are the one who brings me through the challenges and helps me see the light at the end of the it all. you kept me safe during these last weeks. You keep me safe during my whole life. Thank You. Lord, you know my heart and know how I'm feeling right now. Please help me be at peace with going home, but please also bring me back one day. Let me continue helping with this work You've started here to spread Your word. Please let me be a part of helping to spread Your word to all the people. I know there is always work to be done in my own neighborhood, but this is so much more... me. Please Lord, bring me back one day. Amen.

I caught a pick-pocket.

That's right. I caught a pick-pocket trying to steal my phone out of my purse.

Today I went to this really big market with a couple of friends and we were squeezing through the crowds when all of a sudden I look down and see a hand in my purse and it comes out with my phone. So I grabbed the guys arm and said, "Give it back." He feigned innocence of course, so I said, "Give me back my phone." And he gave it back. Praise God.

Afterwards I was thinking, and I was like, oh my word. I just stopped a pick-pocket. I grabbed his arm. What if he'd been more prone to violence? Oh dear. And I thanked God that it was easy to get it back. My companions were shocked that I actually caught him, but I just happened to be looking down when he reached in.

He was pretty sneaky. I won't underestimate pick-pockets again. Not that I usually just walk around without keeping hold of my purse, but I wouldn't have known at all if I hadn't seen him do it. He had my phone squirreled away almost as soon as it was out of my purse.

What's fun is now we both have a pretty great story. I can tell people I caught a pick-pocket (!) and he can tell people that a white girl caught him stealing. Maybe he'll think twice next time. Maybe not, but we can hope and pray for him. I bet he didn't know when he tried to take my phone that he'd have a bunch of people praying for him because of it. But, you know, there's nothing greater I could do for him. Besides sharing the gospel, but then maybe he goes to church. Maybe he'll be in my church tomorrow. That would be crazy. But not likely. So I'll just write him down on my prayer list so I remember him and pray that he comes to know God soon and is able to find a better job.


I'm in Yaounde now. My time here is winding down and it's rather sad. I really hope I can come back. I finally got an African dress today, and I'm pretty excited about that. Of course now I regret not buying another one, but that's just another reason to come back. I haven't done nearly enough shopping.


Or work! I should really get back to that. I keep finding reasons to put it off, like finally getting online, or trying on my dress, or making dinner... Very important stuff considering I have 21 chapters lefts to edit. it doesn't sound as stressful as it really is. Next time I'm doing all the work in the village, no matter how long I have to extend my stay. But for now, back to work! If you see me online, yell at me (I fell like I'm back in school. Someone hold me accountable!)

Goodbye, Bamenda.

When I came to the guest house last night I honestly felt like I was coming home, just a little bit. It was a good feeling. I've stayed here three times during my weeks here, and it's been wonderful. I love this house. I wish I could've stayed more often and gotten to know the city better.

I leave tonight to go to Tounin and after that I'll be going straight to Yaounde because I am leaving soon. I have every intention of coming back one day and spending more time here, but God's plan is not the plan of man, so we'll see. I hope I can come back.

Last night something happened that made everything I've been doing worthwhile. Well, yesterday was a good day on the whole, but last night made me think, I may not really like what I've been doing, but look how many people I've gotten to know and how much I've learned.

We drove into Bamenda around 6 yesterday and I got the keys and went to the guest house, as usual. I had a lot to do because I knew this was my last night in the northwest and I needed to finish some things and see if I could meet up with a few people. So, I called Sandrine to let her know I'd made it safely to Bamenda and ask what was going to happen today (Saturday) because I knew I was supposed to leave, but didn't know how or when.

I ended up having to leave and go to another center because that's where the guy I was leaving with was staying and it would be easier. And then I started freaking out, because I had wanted to get online and e-mail and I knew where the guest house was and could direct the people I needed to see how to get there, but I didn't know this place and if I'd be able to see my people. But I packed all my stuff back into the car and went.

And God has never been more in control. I arrived and it turned out CABTAL was having a teaching conference for some different translation groups and there were people from all the different projects i had worked in, except the Lamnso project. At first I only saw one guy I knew and that made me happy, because I did need to see him and talk to him, but then all of a sudden I was swarmed by all these different people and they were all asking how I was and how it went in Babanki and if their village was better or not. I had needed to also download some chapters from a lady (she had audacity on her computer so she edited her own work, which was a great boon) and she was there. And because I had all my stuff and she had her laptop (I'm telling you, God was at work in every moment) we were able to quickly rerecord some bits and then I could put it all on my computer. But it was so great. I knew probably half the people at the conference because of the work I had done. And it ended up that they were full, so I had to come back to the guest house, which meant I could send my e-mails, too! And I got dinner, which is always a good thing. The hilarious thing was that it was potatoes... I was like, seriously? I've had potatoes every day for the last week. You couldn't have made rice? But there are worse things than potatoes. Like achu.

When I was leaving Babanki yesterday, something else wonderful happened that made me very happy (I told you, God was all over yesterday). The teachers who had been reading for me - my team - all thanked me and gave me a little basket, with avocados, a pineapple (Debbie Cifuentes! You probably won't read this, but I got a PINEAPPLE!!), and honey. It's delicious honey, by the way. It made me so happy. I wanted to hug them all... I should've, actually. But I thanked them and said I wished I could do more. And I really do. I still feel like what I'm doing isn't enough because I can't do it very well....

But I also feel like yesterday was God telling me, "You aren't doing anything you like, no, but you're doing My work and you are helping people. Just do the work and rejoice in the fellowship and friendships you are making." Especially since my mom sent me an e-mail that said basically the same thing.

Now I know why so many short-term missionaries end up staying long-term and why long-term missionaries can stay forever. I've only been here a month and a half and I've been moving around, the longest time I've spent anywhere was Kumbo and that was ten days, but I feel like crying when I think of going home. If I don't come back, it'll be very painful for me. I'll definitely miss the people I've met and reassuring them that yes, we do have potatoes in America (I've actually said this several times over) and the country. It's so beautiful here. Probably prettier than Georgia, and I don't say that lightly. But I haven't seen any elephants, so I have to come back.

Please pray as I travel today. We're taking a bus and it's on the road to Yaounde, so it could be up to a six hour bus ride. Maybe longer, because it was six hours from Yaounde in a car and this is a bus... But I'm guessing we're not going all the way to Yaounde, so hopefully not. It's also in the French district and the Pastor I'm traveling with told me right off he didn't really know English and was praying that we'd be able to understand each other... I was told there were a few English speakers in this project, but... I guess it's time to learn French! Should be fun. I look forward to it. It'll be something to keep my mind off leaving Cameroon. (Because all the editing I have left won't do that...)

Just under two more weeks! Thank you for reading and praying for me as I travel along! Please keep praying.

A prayer request

Well, I'm still in Bamenda. Totally called that one. Hopefully I'll be leaving today, but who knows. I talked to the guy who is taking me to Babanki this morning, and he said we'd probably leave around noon. It's almost 2. But apparently all the chapters and readers are ready and have been rehearsing, so, Lord willing, this will go faster than Awing and Pinyin. Not because I think I'll hate Babanki, but because I'm supposed to go to another village next week and don't want to take time from them

I've been feeling kind of down for a few days now. It's partly missing my family and friends and a washing machine, but I think it mostly has to do with I'm not feeling like the work I'm doing is as much as everyone says it is. Don't get me wrong, I know that having a recording of Luke is great and will do really well in the villages. It's wonderful for all the oral culture that this is. I just don't feel up to the task. I'm no trained sound technician professional person. I'm just a second-year linguist student who has never done anything like this before. Sure, I know how to use audacity and I can edit the recordings and do the work. God has giving me the ability to do that. There's just something not right about it. Let me try to explain.

Every time they pray, they pray and thank God for me. They say I'm such a blessing and have been sent by Him to do marvelous things for the community. And it's all I can do not to run away and start crying. Anyone could do this, if they were trained in Audacity. This isn't difficult work and the native speakers would be better at it, too. There'd be no risk of them cutting out something important because it sounded like a mistake. All I really do is press buttons all day. I do know that God has sent me here and that the work I'm doing is important. I just... I just don't feel like the right person for the task. The only times I ever feel really right is when I'm talking to people and explaining my vision or hanging out with kids. Then is feels like I'm doing something. Like maybe I've helped out a bit with spreading the gospel, like I've made a bit of a difference.

I do feel God is guiding me and giving me discernment while I edit the recordings. I just feel like there are probably countless other people who are better qualified than me. But I can't just stop, you know. I've been given this job and I'm going to see it through, definitely. And I know God is on my side, else wise I'd never have made it to Cameroon.

Now, I'm not looking for your pity. I just figured since I'm still in Bamenda I should write a post while I can, but the way I'm feeling I couldn't write anything happy without feeling fake. Don't get me wrong, fun things have happened, like yesterday I got lost and a guy named Patrick tried to convince me to come to his house, but I declined and told him my name was Sarah because he seemed like the type to ask around about me. He told me he'd write a song about me. But no, I just wanted to let anyone who reads this know that I could really use some prayer. I'm not going to let this job go undone and I'm going to do my best, I just feel, not like I'm giving too much to God, because we have to give everything to God, but that I'm not really the one for this job. I obviously am, because God sent me, not anyone else. There's just a little war raging inside of me, going back and forth about what on Earth I'm supposed to be doing and why.

But it'll be okay! I have you, faithful reader, praying for me, and I have God guiding me, and His Word speaking to me. And I have a sack of potatoes feeding me. (I'm sorry I keep bring that up, I just honestly find it so hilarious.) Whew. I feel better already, having written all that and knowing now people can pray specifically for what's bothering me. I'm going to keep trucking on and living by faith. I have to trust God, always. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, not matter what the circumstances are. Paul was writing about just living and having God strengthen him. "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12-13 It's pretty encouraging. If Paul can go to jail and keep up his ministry, I can do these recordings!

BTW, the Pastor just called. We're living right now. God is good.

I love being online.

I feel like an addict or something. It's only been two weeks since I've been able to get online but it's so refreshing.

I can't remember what I have and haven't said lately... All the e-mails and conversations I have all get mixed up, so I don't know who knows what... But I'm in Bamenda right now. This post is straight from the horse's mouth - it hasn't been pre-written or anything. So, I'll just cover the exciting things that have happened in the last two weeks.

So, what have I been doing the last two weeks? I've been in villages (Pinyin and Awing) recording the Gospel of Luke. It's been work, for sure. Whew. The recording is not difficult at all, but editing is kind of challenging. First of all, I don't speak the language, so it's hard to know when something is a mistake and when it's just two words that sound alike, but I usually have either a native speaker or a copy of Luke in the language, which really helps. But now I'm back in Bamenda and don't have either (ah!) so I'm attempting to edit them alone... I'm trusting the Lord to guide me.

Tomorrow I am supposed to leave for Babanki, but the way the rest of this trip has gone, I wouldn't be surprised if I stayed another night. Currently, I wouldn't be surprised if they've forgotten about me. No one's contacted me all weekend. But I know where the office is and have some phone numbers, so I'm not worried. I'll stop by tomorrow and see what's what.

I was gifted with a sack of potatoes. It'd be fun if I wasn't constantly moving around. I used to be able to carry my bags myself (not that anyone would let me), but now, with these potatoes, I'm just not strong enough. They're heavy. I've also been given some carrots and beans. I've been told I'll have to cook for myself in the next village, so it's actually pretty nice. I'll only have to buy a few things at the market.

I finished the editing for Luke in Awing. It was really exciting. I'm still working on Pinyin. It's going... Not very well, but it's going. I feel really bad because the quality is not very good, especially in Pinyin (I had a cold and the office was right by the road. There are lots of coughs and motorcycles in the background), but they want to publish the recordings so they can share the gospel orally in their mother tongues. I'm really trying to make them good, but I can only do so much. I offered them up to God and asked Him to help me and to fix them... I feel a little silly asking God to fix voice recordings, but they are meant to help spread His word, and He can certainly do it. I wouldn't be able to even edit the without His guidance, so I figured I should put the whole thing in His hands.

I was looking back at my old posts. I feel like I've lost some of my spark. I'm still passionate about what I'm doing and helping people, but I realized I haven't been really sharing my passion with the people here. Whenever I am called upon to speak I get tongue-tied and can't say anything worth-while. It really makes me sad that I can't adequately express myself. I keep thinking, just let me write it down and then you guys can read it later. God has obviously not given me a talent for speaking in front of people. But that's okay. I think I show through my work and through private conversations that I'm passionate. But it is something I need to work on and remember. Whenever it gets tough living here, I should remember what I wrote before, about being an encouragement and how new cultures are exciting. Because they are! Here I am being given potatoes and I can only protest that I can't do anything with them. It's a sack of potatoes! It's absolutely hilarious and a very nice, practical present. I can use them, even if they are kind of cumbersome. I haven't figured out how going to the bathroom outside is a blessing yet... I'm still working on that one.

So, two more villages and then I think I'm going back to Yaounde, which I'm pretty exciting about because I made some friends who are there right now. Hopefully they'll be able to show me around and maybe I can do some shopping. Prayers for keeping me sane editing these recordings would be nice. I'm no sound technician. But, like I said, I give it all to God and am trusting in the training He has provided me with to help me figure out what is a stutter and what is correct.

Lord, please help me to keep my passion. I've had some more difficult days recently and it's been hard to keep up my excitement. Being here in Bamenda has been very good. Thank you for allowing me to be able to contact my family. Please continue guiding me. Help me with these recordings and help me to make them good so people can hear them and hear Your word, not the truck passing by in the background. Please allow them to be a blessing on the people. I thank You for allowing me to learn quickly so that I can edit them on my own and be fairly certain of the accuracy, but I also thank You for giving me native speakers to work with. Please keep me safe and everyone who is traveling safe as we go on our ways tomorrow. Amen.

Oh! I totally forgot! While I was in Pinyin I visited the main market. It was pretty crazy and everyone wanted me to buy things, but I just trailed the young lady I was with and declined everyone. But anyway, while she was buying palm oil, an older man came up to me and asked me to marry him. And then take him back to America. I'm fairly certain he introduced me to his wife, too. I kept saying, "No, no." but he didn't go away. It was creepy, but not really scary. Eventually he was like, "What? Don't you like me? Tell me you don't like me and I'll go away." So of course I said, "I don't like you." And that was that. My experience of being purposed to so that some guy could go to America.

See? I am working.

Here are some more posts from by-gone days. I'd like you to note that I did do work - I lead the memory verse and spoke at a literacy class. I don't spend all my days goofing off and watching the birds. :p

Day 11:

Something very adorable and heart-warming happened today.

Before I tell you, though, I have to tell you about a custom here. Whenever you greet someone, if you are friends with them, or even friendly with them, then you have to shake their hand. It is not enough to just greet them. And if you are really good friends, you’ll shake and slap hands a few times. It can be fun, especially when you shake a baby’s hand. Oh yeah. Babies know this tradition. All the ones who can walk will hold out their hands to shake, and I’ve had a couple instances when a little bitty baby will hold out his or her hand. It is cuter than you can even imagine.

I don’t know if you know how adorable it is to shake a little kid’s hand. You should go do that, right now, and tell me if your heart doesn’t melt a little. Sure, it means more here, but it is still so cute.

So, I was at VBS, sitting in the pews during the lesson and this little boy kept trying to sit next to me. He had been too shy to sit next to me at the beginning, so he just kept sliding closer and closer while we sang and did the memory verse. And he was almost there when these two other little kids came in and just sat down between us. Poor kid was pretty upset. Of course, these are little kids, most of them aren’t more than 4, and they get bored, so they move around a lot. Long story short, the boy eventually ended up sitting next to me, and he put his hand in mine.  And just left it there. I was so honored. And okay, I think some of it was to study me, because it kind of looked like he was comparing our skin, but still. I also had a little girl sitting in my lap, and she had her hand in mine, too. It was touching. When the little girl hopped down and moved somewhere else, the boy sat in my lap and held my hand again. Tomorrow I will learn his name.

I also went to a literacy class today and spoke to them, briefly. I tried to encourage them and tell them what they are doing is amazing (this was a teacher’s class, where primary and secondary school teachers were learning how to better teach their students Lamnso’ because they work at a school where it is actually taught). I tried talking about Spanish and English and how it’s better if the kid learns their mother tongue first and then the other language, but I got a little confused and I’m not sure if I got my point. One lady understood what I was trying to say. She clarified what I said and explained some of what they were doing, so that was good.

The literacy class should have been the most exciting… It’s what I came here for, but the VBS has just spoken to me so much more, with the little kids and the lessons… Don’t get me wrong, I find studying the language to be very interesting and the literacy progress is such a good thing. But when I had to leave VBS early to go to the class, I felt a little twang in my heart.

Day 12:

I lead the verse today! That went well. I think. It was a memory verse, so it’s kind of hard to mess up, anyway. Then I went to literacy class. I learned some stuff about Lamnso’. It was on conjugations.

I have some sad news. Tomorrow I am being moved out of Little House. Someone else is coming in, so they are kicking me out. I have to go to a different room. Tonight is my last night in Little House.

Day 13:

VBS and then literacy class again today. In class I learned names for wild animals, domestic animals, mathematic signs (and I’ll have you know I did all the problems correctly, which was amazing considering it was in a different language and I can’t even do basic math in English.). In VBS the little boy, Andy, was back. He was there yesterday, too, but today he sat with me and every time I moved to quiet down another kid, he followed me. Aw…

I’m in a little bitty room with two beds, now. It’s really not bad. It’s just not Little House. I don’t have a kettle, though or anything to make my tea in, so that’s really sad. They said they could bring some hot water up, if I asked. I feel like I’ve been demoted, though. I went from having my own little cottage to being in a room smaller than my dorm. Oh well. It’s only one more night and I have no reason to expect any different from the other towns I’m going.

I leave tomorrow afternoon to go to Bamenda and then I will either stay the night there and travel to Pinyin in the morning or go straight to Pinyin. I think I’m supposed to decided, but I have no idea. It should be fun!

More old posts!

I just found these on my computer. As you can see by the days, they actually happened before my last post. Sorry! And to keep the post shorter, I'm splitting them up. These are from my days in Kumbo and at Little House. I can't believe it was only 2 weeks ago... It feels like ages!

Day 8:

I went to the super market and the internet café today. I didn’t want to bother with a taxi and I did want to walk, so I walked. It was further than I thought it would be, but that really wasn’t the problem. I wore the completely wrong shoes. I knew I was going to walk, so I really should have worn my sandals or tennis shoes, but no.  My feet regret it. I have more blisters from my forty minute walk than from the four mile walk I took Monday. Ridiculous.

I finally got my tea, though! Yay!

What am I doing intern-wise? Good question. :D I typed up all my findings about Lamnso’. Some I copied directly from a book teaching native speakers how to read and write, some I learned myself, but all of it is helpful. I should make it into a little book. Level 1 Lamnso’. I’d read it.

Next week I have more to do, however. I think I’ll be working at a VBS. That’s exciting. Kids are fun. The other day I saw three tiny little kids, the oldest couldn’t have been more than five, walking a dog. I was hoping I’d see them again, so I could talk to them, but I haven’t yet.

And that was my day. Nothing terribly exciting and I promised I’d try to keep it short, so this is it. I’m just writing this as a go, so e-mail me if you have any questions or want to hear about something specifically. It may take me a while, but I’ll e-mail you back eventually! Sarahkarima@gmail.com

Day 10:

Yesterday I didn’t do much. I went to church and had dinner at Pastor Sam’s house. Everyone was sitting around in the living room and I was at a writing desk eating. It was not what I’m used to.

I also spent an excessive amount of time staring out my window waiting for a little bird to come onto a branch so I could take a picture of him. There are about three of these little sparrows who hang out in the tree outside my window. They’re really cute and I’m going to get a picture! Eventually.

Today I went to the VBS. That was fun. I don’t really have a job, so I’m just watching. There are three women who are working it and maybe 40 kids showed up. It was really crazy, though. I felt like God set up the memory verse just for me. I was really anxious because instead of just being at the translation center most of the day, I was going to be traveling around, working at the VBS and going to literacy classes, and was really scared about what was going to happen and if I was going to do something silly or be completely lost. And then they started teaching the memory verse and I was this close to busting out laughing it was so perfect. The verse was 1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” I have to keep remembering, God brought me here. Not anyone else. He won’t let me totally mess up and He has a plan for me.

Which brings me to the next God-coincidence that happened today. They asked me to teach the verse on Wednesday, and my verse is Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” I’ve been reading Proverbs and, right before I came to Cameroon, read this verse. It really spoke to me then and reminded me God had a plan for me, if I went to Cameroon or not. And now I’m here and I feel like God is to reminding me to lean on Him. Even though I’m here, I’ll still have worries and troubles, so I have to remember to give them all to Him and trust that He will make my paths straight.

Old posts!

These are from a couple weeks ago. Then my computer decided it didn't like Microsoft word and I couldn't write any more. The last two weeks have been pretty busy and I'm finally here with an internet connection, so I'll post about them in a little while. But these are from when I was free to do other things.

Day 16

I’m still in Bamenda. I was supposed to leave Friday or Saturday, but the guy I’m traveling with said that since no one works on the weekend we’d leave Sunday night or Monday morning. It’s Sunday night. We’re not leaving until tomorrow.  It’s fine with me. One less night I have to pay for.

I’m staying with Karl and Frida Grebe. I just feel bad because they initially thought I’d only be here one night. I’m sorry!

The road flooded. That was a time. We left Kumbo (apparently, the proper spelling is Kimbo’) Friday afternoon to come to Bamenda, but once we got here, there was traffic a mile long because one of the bridges flooded. It was really funny, actually. No one was hurt, as far as I know. Cars could just drive over it and people would just hop on the back of trucks or pile in cars. I’m pretty sure one truck was hauling at least twenty people in the back. And everyone was yelling at everyone else, trying to direct it all. So many people were taking pictures and videos, too. It took us an extra hour to arrive at Karl’s house, but we made it safe and sound.

Nothing interesting has happened besides that. Looking back it makes me laugh that my first few entries were so long and now I’m not even writing every day. Such is life when visiting a new country.

Leaving on Friday was really sad, though. I really didn’t want to leave those kids. They were so much fun. Sure, every time I went in front to teach the verse they stared at me like I was a fish with two heads, but still. I really enjoyed it. I loved seeing the older kids really be interested in the Bible stories and hearing the little kids recite 1 Peter 5:7. That was especially adorable, because if they recited all the memory verses of the previous days, they’d get a prize, so all the older kids would tell me their verses and then I’d be surrounded by little kids and they could all say 1 Peter, and when I tried to lead them through the others, they’d say the right book and all, but then just say “Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you.”  Aw…

I just realized, I have typed up a prayer in a while. Of course you’ll read this after, so you may already know the outcome of some things, but that’s okay. We can still pray.

Lord, than You for all these beautiful country you’ve shown me. Thank You for bringing me here and allowing me to work. Thank You for the good time I had in Kumbo and please help me to be as useful and blessed in Pinyin. Please bless the Grebes for putting me up this weekend and give Karl a safe journey back to Kumbo tomorrow. Please also give me safe travel to Pinyin. Lord, please give the translators the strength and good humor to work through these last few bits of editing. They are so close to having the full Bible in Lamnso’. Please let them be encouraged in these last few months when the end is so near. Remain close to the children’s hearts, too. I know a few came to know You as their Savior this last week, and I ask that they remain close to You. And for those who were already with You, please remain with them. Help them all to put their full trust in You and to lean on You always. Keep them from staying too far and allow this Lamnso’ Bible to be a blessing to them.  Please keep them reading and studying Your word.

I know I just left, but Lord, if it is Your will, please allow me to go back. I know I may very well say this of all the places I visit, but it was so good there. I could see You blessing those people and allowing them to become close to You. I was barely able to scratch the surface of their language and was only starting to know the kids when I left. Being there was so good and such an experience. I can only hope I was as much a blessing to them as they were to me.

Lord, please allow my time in Pinyin to be as good.

Amen.

Day 17

I’m still in Bamenda. I’m staying at the SIL guest house. There are two book cases full of books. I’m actually kind of glad I couldn’t get the internet to work. It meant I could read.

Two pretty funny things just happened to me. And all in the last hour or so. But I should explain just a bit first. I’m staying at the guest house with three other guys. It’s a pretty big house with four rooms and three bathrooms. I have a huge room with three beds and my own bathroom all to myself. Okay. So, I came out of my room because I finished a book and wanted another. There’s really nothing I can do right now because I’m waiting to go to Pinyin and I don’t really want to go exploring Bamenda. This is only slightly prompted by the copious amounts of books here. But anyway, there I was, looking at the books, trying to decide which one I wanted to read next, and one of the guys comes out of his bathroom just wrapped in a towel. I kind of looked back when I heard him come into the room, and I almost died. I quickly grabbed book and scurried back into my room, because if I had stayed out there I would have cracked up. I don’t know if he forgot I was staying here or what, but oh man…

The other thing that happened was I was looking for the switch for the water heater. They are usually pretty obvious and near the bathroom, but I can’t find this one. So, I was flipping all the switches in my room and checking to see if the heater went off, when I rang the doorbell. No, no. You read that right. There’s a doorbell in my room. Again, I almost died laughing. I could hear the guys opening the door and wondering what was up (I wasn’t laughing at them, but at the fact that there is a doorbell in my room). I probably should’ve at least poked my head out of my room and said “Sorry! That was me!” but I didn’t. Life goes on and now I know which switch not to press. But seriously. If I were of a trickier disposition – or staying here with friends – I would totally press the switch again. All the time. And laugh and laugh and laugh. Oh man. THERE’S A SWITCH TO THE DOORBELL IN MY ROOM! How often does this happen?

Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be able to go to Pinyin. Also, I need my funds, so hopefully CABTAL will have some of those for me. But now it’s 10:20 – later than I’ve gone to bed in 2 weeks! And I’m tired, so good night!