From the Old to the New

Much joy has been experienced by us as a couple over the past year. We have been doing what we love to do and we have had the extra-special experience of having done it together. We have spoken much about an ‘approaching harvest’ recently in our contacts with supporters and friends. We are excited about what God is going to do.

As we sit and discuss these Bible stories with our neighbors and develop the most effective way of communicating these truths, we are amazed at how much we are learning and how many of the participants are retaining details of the stories beyond what we could have imagined at the outset.

We have recently finished the presentation of the Old Testament stories with accompanying discussion questions and had the wonderful opportunity to begin with the first New Testament story of the birth of John the Baptist and the foretold birth of the Deliverer, Jesus Christ. This is a crucial time in the telling of these stories as we are now revealing this Promise that we have reported about over and over in the Old Testament stories. Now we are seeing eyes opening to the truth that the promised Savior is Jesus Christ.

When we meet together on Thursday nights, we are aware that this is a sacred time. This is the hour for the Baka people of this small camp that we affectionately call Kol. This is the hour for families to hear of the Truth that will transform their lives. Can you hear our excitement . . . our trepidation . . . our longing? We stand on holy ground as we bring the words of God to a people desperately in need of the promises within for those who believe.

Thank you for walking with us.

Telling God's Story

We wanted to give you a sneak peak into our Thursday night Bible study times, so here are a few photos. My favorite is the one of the Baka man (Inaya Jean) listening intently with his hands to his chin and his face leaning in. We are experiencing this excitement and receptivity from week to week as we share and discuss God's word with the Baka.

The Inter-mission

We are enjoying how the work is progressing with the Baka. In many ways we feel that we have finally begun the work that we came to do. Everything up to this point has been preparation for this time as we begin to tell God’s story. The amazing thing is the timing of it all. So many people are ready, hungry, and responsive to the Old Testament stories we have begun to share.

The last few weeks have proved to be a much needed ‘inter-mission’ as we were able to get away and share some down time with friends all around Cameroon. We are ready to get back to work, but are grateful for God’s provision for us in this time.

We first visited some World Team missionaries that are working amongst the Muslims in a town called Banyo. We loved the beautiful scenery and good fellowship. We also got to attend a prayer service of the local believers. God is faithful. We were blessed to see these people who have risked much to become followers of Christ.

The next week we were able to spend some time with friends we met a few years back before they left for home assignment. Brianna had a good time playing one last time with their daughter and we enjoyed some good conversation. Though it was sad for us and them, we are grateful that we found the time to get together.

Then we spent some vacation time with another World Team family, the Friesens. It was a very relaxed time with them. We enjoyed more adult conversation and the kids enjoyed playing with Joshua. We also had a good time swimming with their daughter Rachel. We enjoyed some yummy food including shrimp and a hamburger/hotdog cookout for the 4th of July.

The best part of it is that I (Barry) got to do all of this with my best friend.

Campin and Playin

Sufayo, Inaya, and Asi

Here are some pictures fresh from the last few days. We went camping a stone’s throw down the road at the same place we are doing our Thursday night Bible stories. It was a fun time to spend an extended time with our neighbors in their front yard. It was also a good chance for Natalie (our intern) to get a feel of what life is like in the camps both day and night. As it goes with these camping trips, it rained and became quite muddy, but we all survived and had an over all good time. We finished the story of Cain and Abel the first night. The next story we will discuss with them is Noah and the flood. Come to think of it, that would have been a good story for this camping trip.

This week we had a fun and games festival for the kids. We played games with them, handed out balloons and candy, then ended with the story of Noah. The kids really enjoyed it and so did we.

BUGS!!

Our New Baby

Recently we became the foster family for an orphaned chimpanzee baby. Its mother was killed by a greedy hunter which left this poor little girl alone. I convinced him to let us take her to a wonderful zoo here in Cameroon (much longer story there).

The whole family has enjoyed having her around and she has really taken to Desma the most. Whenever she walks through the room, the chimp starts to ‘oo, oo, oo” reminding Desma that she sees her. As I write this she is sitting on my lap. We will travel to Douala today and give her to the zookeeper. We’ll be sad to see her go, but are convinced that she will be much happier with the other chimps there. The people at the zoo will let her stay with the name we give her, so we are affectionately naming her ‘Desi’. That way we will know her when we visit. Enjoy the pics.

Yes, she is talking baby talk to 'Desi'.
It takes a village! Mama Lendo and Kosene team up to feed the 'baby'.

Construction Crazy!

Brendan bulldozed his way to three years old on the 21st of May. To celebrate, the kids donned their hardhats and tool belts and went to work having a good time. The kids room was transformed into roadways where they could drive their tractors and toys around.

The cake was a construction site and everyone enjoyed “digging” into that. We are thankful to everyone who helped make the party a success by sending over some good party supplies like construction tape, tootsie rolls, milk duds, and construction cone birthday candles.

I don’t know who had more fun, Desma and I preparing the party, or the kids actually being there. When all was said and done, we had excavated an area on the porch and dug up candy goodies, took a “wrecking ball” to a pyramid of orange construction barrels, and had some good pictures.