This week the Ndop team is running a Grammar Workshop in the town of Ndop. Six of the language groups were able to come and it has gone extremely well thus far!


Today, to break up the sessions a bit, I taught the class how to play a form of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Except my version is called Lion, Rooster, Mosquito…and it’s interactive. Everyone pairs up, back to back. Then on the count of three each turns to face their opponent and must either: growl like a lion while making a fierce face and putting up their hands as claws; or crows with one hand on their head to mimic the roosters comb; or Zzzzzzzzzzzzz while moving your imaginary mosquito around between your thumb and forefinger. Lion gets the rooster. Rooster gets the mosquito. Mosquito gets the lion. LOL! It was so much fun! I love it when adults don’t mind laughing at themselves.

Praising the Lord!

Two Fridays ago, I met with Cam Hamm (my linguistic supervisor) and Mr. Bibi (my language helper).  It went extremely well!  I spent the whole time watching them work through half of a story in Kenswey Nsey. Translating it word-for-word and then writing a free translation into English. Very cool and very time consuming. We have a lot of work ahead. :) The next month is very busy for all three of us, so Cam and I will work together during the team meeting and then hopefully with Mr. Bibi one more time before Cam and his family leaves on furlough. Pray that the Lord will really make the time we work together productive and that there won’t be any problems getting our schedules together.

We (the Ndop team) recently came back from our meeting/retreat up at Mbingo. There were a few main purposes for our retreat. Rest for those who just finished teaching a two week Translation Course, time to get to know and orient the new members (myself and Jane from England), prepare for our upcoming Grammar Course and miscellaneous meetings regarding translating, linguistics, literacy and Scripture Use. This will be the last meeting with almost the whole team for about a year. Two families are going on furlough next month and two singles in December, one for furlough and one is moving to Nigeria. 

WE HAVE THE BUILDING PERMIT! PRAISE THE LORD! The Bamenda Regional Office, where I am working at, has been in the process of trying to get a building permit for a recently acquired property to expand the office. All of this has occurred over the last few years. This last Monday we acquired the last signature. The Lord’s timing is pretty awesome in all of this.  Wycliffe Associates is helping with the construction and some of the funding for the new buildings and had planned for a couple months now to send a visiting architect to look over the land and the plans...they arrive next Thursday (May 26th). We are bursting at the seems in our current office and VERY excited to see things moving along.

Please Pray…

· That my walk with the Lord will continue to grow each day.

· That I will be able to find two individuals in Bamenda to consistently help me learn Kenswey Nsey.

· Pray that work on the new BRO will be able to start in the next two weeks. Also, that the Lord provides the rest of finances we need to complete the building project for the BRO. Right now we will being working on it in phases.

· For years I have had issues with my left ear. Constant loud noise and certain pitches cause it to crackle and hurt. As far as I can tell there is nothing wrong with my hearing and so I avoid places that will cause this. But as many of you know, African churches are a lot more lively than at home. I love it, but it hurts my ear. Pray that either I learn to deal with it or that the Lord would heal it completely. I want to enjoy and join in on the worship time every week!

· That I will be glorifying to the Lord in my work and ministry.

Thank you for your prayers. Many Blessings!

Janelle

Praising the Lord!

· The SIL Cameroon Branch Retreat was an amazing time of worshiping and fellowshipping with fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord from so many different parts of the world! This is one of the few times a year (for some, the only time) to see friends who work in different parts of the country.  The retreat was proceeded by classes and followed by the branch meeting. As boring as this may sound to many of you, I must admit I completely enjoyed it. It’s fascinating to see how an organization works especially one with so many different cultural groups.

· This coming week I am anticipating to meet with Mr. Bibi and begin learning from him and Cam Hamm how to sort through the data we already have and continue to add to it.

Please Pray…

· That my walk with the Lord will continue to grow each day.

· Please continue to pray for the people that I’ll be working with and myself, in the office and out in the village. Pray for unity and understanding. That we will be unified and effective.

· For quick understanding of the language in Bamessing, for the project I will be working on. Also understanding and remembering Pidgin and French.

· The language cluster that I am a part of is  teaching a Translation Workshop May 2nd - 13th and then a Grammar Workshop is May 30th - June 4th. Pray that both of the courses run smoothly, for those who are teaching and that many would be in attendance. 

· Mid-May is our (Ndop) cluster meeting.

· May is another month to meet many individuals and families, this time in Bamessing.  Mr. Bibi next week, a few members of the language committee during the Translation Course in two weeks and hopefully many others in the village throughout the month.

· That I will be glorifying to the Lord in my work and ministry.

Thank you for your prayers. Many Blessings!

Janelle