Greetings from Yaoundé Cameroon!
Monday I flew out from Portland to Washington DC, then to Brussels, and last to Cameroon. Unlike my first trip to Cameroon, this one was uneventful. I was also blessed with two wonderful and chatty seat-mates. The first was a foreign exchange student from Switzerland. We talked a lot about her first time in the US and about Cameroon, Bible Translation and why I decided to go in the first place. The second was a Christian Cameroonian lady who was coming back to Cameroon to visit her family for a few weeks. It was really encouraging talking with her about the need for bible translation and just how awesome God is!
In Brussels, you have to take a bus to a second terminal to fly down to Cameroon. While going through the security and having my passport and visa checked I noticed an older white couple in front of me, and the man was wearing a Cameroonian pattern. I suppose they could have been working with any organization in Cameroon, but I had a sneaking suspicion they were with Wycliffe. So as soon as I was through with security I walked over to where they were sitting, sat down, said hello and asked where they were heading. “Yaoundé, Cameroon.” And what will they be doing there? “Working with Wycliffe Associates (WA).” I was so excited I quickly stuck out my hand and introduced myself as another WA member. I had no idea there were any other members traveling at the same time, but knew it wouldn’t be a problem ‘cause I had flown on that route before and pretty much knew my way. Also, I just kept reminding myself of what Paul said in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through HIM who strengthens me.” So the Lord answered my prayer in an indirect way. Later Bob, Elaine and I met up with two other Wycliffe members, so we had quite the little group when we arrived in Yaoundé.
All the bags, made it. Whew. Thank you Lord. Peggy (WA) and Dan (friend and translator in the Ndop Plain) picked us up from the airport and took us back to the Cameroon Training Center (CTC). Dan, his wife Melody and their two kids Sam and Anna had me over for dinner. Ah, it was soooo good after eating greasy airplane food. It was also nice to catch up with them. It’s been four years since I was last in Cameroon.
For the next week I have my own little room at one of the off-site compound with the rest of the WA members and some of the Wycliffe (SIL) members. I slept like a baby last night. Woke up once ‘cause the power went out and I heard the fan turn off. But the nights are a comfortable 70ish, so I went right back to sleep. One of the things I really enjoyed when getting off the plane was the smell. It’s hard to describe, but it’s a little bit of dirt, tropical plants and people, all mixed with a bit of humid air. I knew I was back in Cameroon. Here in Yaoundé I’ll have my orientation and finish the last bit of paper work for my work visa.
This morning, after eating some homemade granola (Yum!), Peggy and her assistant Eric took me back over to CTC to set up my computer on SIL’s wireless, pull money from my account and enjoy coffee break with the rest of the staff there. More people than I can remember. All from different parts of the world, and many of them are Cameroonians. I did meet two ladies, Helen and Elaine (different) I believe. Helen and her husband work in the far North, and I will actually be taking over Elaine’s job at the BRO in Bamenda. We all had lots to talk about and found we have a mutual friend who also works in the far North.
That brings me to know. I’m driving up to Bamenda with a few other missionaries on Sunday morning, so until then.
Au revoir!
P.S. A cool fact I just realized today when looking over my emails. The date Cam and Val wrote and told me about the position here in Cameroon was 03/29/10. I flew into Yaounde one year to the day, 03/29/11. How cool is that?!