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.
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.
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