Month: January 2018

Bonne Année !

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Bible translation in Cameroon enjoyed a big boost as we began this new year.  SIL-Cameroon, the center where we work in Yaoundé, hosted the first ever National Symposium on Cameroonian Languages.  Shannon was co-coordinating the logistics of this 2-day academic conference with the University of Yaoundé and is thrilled that it was a huge success.  There were over 150 linguists from around the country who raved about how much they learned and were excited to go back to their respective institutions and communities with their insights.  We made it look so easy that it was decided that they’d repeat it annually, rotating to the various major universities around the country.

Today marks 6 months since we arrived in Cameroon! We are amazed at all that we have been a part of in such a short time.  And, we are so grateful for God’s faithfulness to us and to bringing His Word to the world.  Thanks for partnering in the work of Bible translation!

Attendees are welcomed to the first ever Cameroonian linguistics conference.

Shannon, pictured here with our neighbors, worked at the information table throughout the conference.

We can thank God for:

  • sustaining us through a year of huge transitions
  • encouraging results from the first linguistics conference
  • giving us interesting things to work on
  • 6 months of living in Cameroon!!

We appreciate your prayers for:

  • protection and health (for the whole family) as Shannon travels to a remote village for a language workshop
  • encouragement in continued cultural adjustments
  • deeper relationships

The Aroma of Dry Season

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I have always loved the smell of fall in Michigan.  And the scent of spring after a long and cold winter is a gift.  So, I’ve sort of known that seasons have their own smell, but I didn’t realize how distinctive they can be.

Yaoundé has two seasons: dry and rainy, which some might choose to label as the dusty or muddy seasons instead.  At the end of the rainy season someone mentioned that although dry season was coming soon, it wasn’t here yet.  They could tell by the smell.  It didn’t smell like dry season, so it hadn’t yet arrived.   I was surprised that the smell of the season would be so distinct and suddenly change the season, but just a few days later, I understood.

We are now in dry season and there is dust everywhere.  Harmattan is what I kept hearing people refer to, and the haze of dust that fills the air and settles on everything is here with it’s very distinct taste and aroma.  I’m not exactly sure how to describe it other than dry with a bit dustiness.  Those who have experienced this season before think of the smell as familiar, but for me it’s new and distinct.

A plant during dry season

I don’t know which season I prefer yet.  There are nice things about the dry season, like how quickly clothes dry in the sun and the various flora and fauna that appear at this time of year.  As for which season creates more mess from the boys playing outside in it, there is no clear winner here either.  I honestly don’t think it matters; our kids can get exceptionally dirty in any and every season.  And, they can track their mess into the house anytime of year!

Someone washed just one foot so we could compare.

Venturing Out

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We took a brief vacation to the beach between Christmas and New Year’s Day.  It was our first time outside the city limits to explore a bit of this amazing country where we live.

Our view for the 4-hour drive

The rainforest was beautiful and immense.  And, it went right up to the coastline.  God answered our prayers and we had a super smooth trip.  We were surprised by the humidity difference and really appreciate the elevation that we live at in Yaoundé.  Some other surprises included the power of the tide and the warmth of the ocean water, which Eila described as bathwater.  We only lost a few toys (and no glasses!) to the current.

Sea Turtle Returning to the Sea

While we spent most of the time in the water, we also played some games, read books and did a few puzzles.  We did a little touristy excursion as well and visited one of only three fresh water waterfalls in the world to fall directly into the ocean.  It was a gorgeous place and we were able to walk in the falls a little, but it was super slippery and some of us did a little swimming accidentally as well.  Fortunately, no one was swept away.

Josiah at the waterfalls (Les Chutes de la Lobé)

We all enjoyed seeing a wide variety of sea life thanks to the hard-working fishermen.  Thad was very sad to see a crab stuck in a net, but he did not seem to mind too much when we ate lots shrimp and fish for dinner each night.

Petting A Sea Anemone

Thad learning about Fiddler Crabs (les crabes violonistes)

Swimming in December

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One of the activities planned at the boys’ school during the month of December was the gym class going swimming.  Since December through March is the hottest time of the year here (well, it’s hot all year, just extra hot during those months) it’s the perfect time for the classes to have swimming lessons.

The elementary kids were put into classes of varying level and sent to local pools around town with parents helping to teach the strokes and the skills.  It was fun for the boys, even if it made the days tiring.

Here are a few pictures: