When tragedy strikes what is our response?

We read a LOT in the news these days of tragedy. Often we cry out. Hopefully we pray and look to the Lord.

Below is the account of what one village pastor has done in the face of multiple attacks. We hope you are encouraged by his story! (After the story we describe our family's part in bringing the gospel to this pastor's people.)


From Barry Abbott:   "Today our friend and Baka pastor's house was burned to the ground while he was holding a Bible study in the village. Everything he owned was in the house except the clothes on his body and the Bible in his hand. Once they got the news, the Bible study group went to see, but it was too late. Nestor's response was to continue the Bible study. I keep wondering what I would have done. Prayers are much appreciated for this saint of God. Here he is with his new wife, Teti."


From Nathan Conrod:
"For all who were wondering, the Baka tend to have fires going all the time but it's very rare to hear of a house burning down (only in town were there are often electrical fires) as the fire has its 'spot' and getting a wall to catch fire takes more than a wandering spark - especially during rainy season - and Tuesday was the most rainy day of the year, it seemed. Also, this fire started behind their bedroom, on the other side of the house than the 'kitchen', were they never even have a fire. They were meeting only about 20 yards away. They didn't see anyone suspicious wandering about the house and it went up in flames very quickly! So it is not without reason that I feel this was a satanic attack. But Satan has attacked Nestor on 3 separate occasions in the past, which is how he has become so strong in his faith. First, when some ladies cursed him while he was visiting his home village. He suffered from demonic visions for months, until through prayer and fasting the Lord granted him victory. Second, his late wife, Dali, could not carry a baby to term because of some residual effects of having tuberculosis. They prayed and prayed and when Dali finally put her trust in God and not in traditional 'medicine', He granted their desire and gave them a beautiful baby girl. Yet a year later - [that baby girl] became sick and died. They were crushed, but persevered in their faith. Third, Dali also became sick and finally passed into her Savior's arms on the 1st of this year. Yet even then, Nestor put His trust in the One who holds the whole world in His hands. And so, with all of this behind him, instead of finding him devastated, we hear him say, like Job, "I was born with nothing and I will leave this world with nothing - I put it all, along with my heart, in God's hands"."




Kevin and our colleague, Liz, will be taking our drama evangelism team to Pastor Nesor's area this weekend. I’m not sure I’ve written about it here previously but this is a village they have gone to before. Kaiah was on the team with them last time.

 Please pray for safe travels, unity with the team and good presentations and follow up, and of course protection from Satan’s attacks.

The Baka are pretty fascinating people.
For your interest:
https://www.fatherly.com/health-science/why-aka-pygmy-fathers-breastfeed-their-babies/

Some things that have been keeping us busy

Hey everyone! Just a few snapshots of life recently, beginning with the one that makes me laugh.

When was the last time you had to endure an doctor's exam, even just a simple physical for something? I took Caleb and a couple of his friends for a physical yesterday. I love how the Lord led me to the right place at the right time! I was gonna travel across town at a terrible time of day but instead, God used the simple thought, "hey, I bet the other boys need to get this done too," and directed me to a government clinic much closer to home. The guys want to run in a marathon (or at least half of one) in Douala two weeks from now and they need a certificate of health to enter. What that translated into yesterday was: pay your money, have the girl behind the desk verify that you are alive and walking by looking at you, telling her how old you are so she can fill in all the blanks on this paper, and walking out 20 minutes later.  Oh if all exams were so simple!

And here are a few more glimpses into our lives over the recent weeks:

A very efficient use of space,



     growing corn in the foundations of unfinished buildings








What I'm fighting in my garden






 fungus and snails

                                              

                                                                                                   

Someone coming to visit my hens and waking me up waaayyy to early

Something we never used to find here!
The picture is small but they are chocolate chips selling for around $6 for a tiny package.

Caleb saving a goal during this year's soccer tournament

And lastly, the fruits are guavas from a wild tree behind our wall and the eggs are from my hens of course!

Just to get to a parking place

Something I just love about living here... ya just never know what ya might have to do...

It's like a maze, you have to follow the pics.

                         This is at the dentist's office - a successful trip all in all.

 

first corner

second corner

          

 my truck all the way at the end on the left by the wall

                                                           place to turn around

and the view on the way back up and out

the truck in the center was there on the way in also 

 

So glad my dad taught me to drive with confidence!

Pets With a Purpose

 For All of You Waiting on that Update About our Beloved Animals

Our dear dogs don't get along so well as when we first brought them together. Quite a while ago they fought and Dorea came out on top. Some time after that another attack happened. Dorea wounded Ziva severely that time and we've had them separated ever since. We do have two dogs not only for fun but to help with security. WE know they wouldn't likely attack people but the passersby don't know that and we lock them up when workers or unfamiliar visitors come by. We'd love to have them play and romp together again and have ordered some natural medicine to combat their aggressive tendencies. Please pray for wisdom and patience in this issue. It is hard to live constantly keeping them apart but we don't want to risk another fight.


Introducing our cat, Amaca, who is vicious to little lizards. He's about a year old and we've had him for about six months, after I finally talked Kevin into getting a cat to keep down on the mouse population! For the most part he helps. He doesn't catch them all but...

He does love sauteed zucchini if you'd like to prepare him some supper.





 And, meet one of our eight hens, Beauty.
Of course I got these ladies for the eggs but they're fun to have around as well. Though we've had a steep learning curve with these girls but we do love the eggs.


Now, I can't let Dorea out when I need to care for the hens because she wants to have chicken dinner.

 And I can't let the hens out of their coop to wander the yard searching for goodies cause they destroy my flowers and garden herbs.


And I had to build fences around my garden that are"strong enough to keep zebras out" according to Peter, because Ziva LOVES fresh food. (sorry, no pictures of the strong fences available.)  Yes, the dog attacked my yellow pepper plants and one day when the dogs were still friends, Ziva was left alone inside and had a meal of tomatoes we'd brought from the market for our dinner. Bananas are her all time favorite!



Our little farm in the rain forest has also served as a learning facility for some wonderful missionary children.

I've heard that a goose can be good security too. Do you think I should add that to the farm?

Can I Just Cheat?

 I'm not really writing a blog today. I'm borrowing. 

 Hi everyone, I'm just gonna be real honest and open here. Writing never was my thing. I've taken over the correspondence but Kevin is still the one who loves to write and is my editor! And these days I'm way to tired and way to emotional to actually write about life.

 So, in light of that I just want to share some pictures and encourage you to read another blog I've linked. (Yes, I am learning how to manipulate a computer in spite of my favoritism toward paper.) 

Enjoy these images of the end of our year.

Each year, on the morning of graduation the parents organize a breakfast to enjoy time together with their soon to be graduates and each other. It also helps ensure the kids get to practice on time!

A fun tradition began years and years ago when the school used to be at the old center. The leaving seniors would paint or otherwise decorate a wall of the pavilion. Their images lasted a while and got painted over. Here, at the "new" site, the first graduating class painted a section of the wall surrounding the soccer field. And so the tradition continues but their design will remain as long as the paint doesn't peel away!

banquet: a time to celebrate and begin to say goodbye      

Some
more
awesome
traditions:

senior pranks on the school

senior trip to the beach

words of affirmation spoken to each graduate

Cameroon jersey signed by classmates and teachers, presented to each graduate by a sibling or underclassman (no photo)

prayers by staff for every graduate

good friends make for hard goodbyes

That promised "other blog" is written by a dear friend of Kaiah's. We are friends with this family that serve alongside us in Cameroon in a different mission. It is a great reflection on what this season has meant to us all.

https://africansandinourshoes.com/2017/06/12/april-showers-bring-may-flowers/

The Promenade and How God Preserved It

Inspired by the song Rich Mullins wrote of the same title, Kevin wrote this play 8 years ago. Since this is a play with music and dance and we are not songwriters or choreographers we turned to our friend and colleague, Liz. God worked mightily through her inspiring her with most of the songs needed for that first production.

Bradley and Josiah were in the first show.

This time around, again, we went to Liz but we had added a couple scenes. God used her as before and she wrote new songs, including one for a scene we had previously borrowed music for.


Everything was moving along smoothly: God brought musicians, dancers, actors, stage crew, etc. But then....injuries, illness, technical difficulties, etc. We were still struggling when we got to the week of the show. At that point, if there had been one more illness or injury with the cast the show would have had to have been cancelled.

Caleb learning to be led so he could lead

As it was, Kaiah learned Hannah's part. Hannah learned Kylie's part. Kylie took over for Kaiah on the sound board. Mrs. Carmean took over the piano for Caleb B. but he kept his speaking role. Timote recovered enough to move around stage. David missed school (and two of the final rehearsals) to rest so he could perform. Ruth danced with ankle pain. After two separate injuries, Sam's ankle was miraculously strong enough to dance on. Eric, a musician, was flat on his back between songs. Felicia and Sion, also musicians, managed to play in spite of feeling ill.

But in spite of all these hardships, the show went on. And it was a blessing to many.

.

Fun after the show

Meet Peter

Peter, a farmer by trade, waits patiently for his tomatoes to ripen every season so he can get them to the market to sell. No, these are not his tomato plants; folks here call them "vegetable" and Peter is nursing them in my yard. Peter also helps Kevin and I by cutting the grass during rainy season and moving dirt and tending to other things around the yard. 

Peter has helped me tremendously with my gardening efforts. He's tilled the ground, transplanted vegetables, bought seeds and built a trellis for passion fruit as well as fences to keep out chickens and one fruit loving dog, Ziva. 

Guilty fruit eating dog on the right, chicken attacking dog on the left

Most recently he's been helping to harvest the wild guavas. He's taller than any of us!

It's a bumper crop this season. We are getting plenty even though we lost one branch to the weight of them before we could prop and tie it up.

Please pray for Peter as he has two part time jobs and manages his farm. He is trying to save money to get married.