The Sounds of Yaoundé

It is never quiet here.  Maybe where you live it is quiet or at least is mostly quiet, but in a big city it is never quiet.

View from my neighbor's balcony

The sounds are different here, though similar to other places I've lived.

When it rains the water beats down on the metal roofs creating a cacophony of noise.  You can not have a conversation or listen to a movie or hear the radio.  It is too loud.  You can hear the rain coming across the small valley between the hills.  You know it's coming, a warning before your clothes are wet again. Deafening, and life-giving.


There are churches all over and because there are no sealed buildings - just open windows and sometimes open walls - the sounds pour and trickle out. The music - African call and response syle songs; imported European or western harmony with familiar tunes; drums, whistles, clapping; loudspeakers carrying the repetitive phrases chanting the messages of God; the congregants walking to and from talking, laughing, crying.  Sometimes the sounds are so loud in our apartment, I wonder how the people in the buildings can stand it.

Just before the Bible dedication in Abong-Mbang

Street noise. We live on a small street off the main road.  On our street we hear the thump, thump, crunch of cars and trucks trying to navigate the bumps and potholes, trash and concrete blocks on the way.  The gate squeaks and swings open.  The man at the corner honks repeatedly every evening between 6 and 9 for the guard to open his gate.  The trash truck announces it's presence in the neighborhood at each stop with a special series of honks.  The shoe repairman bangs his box in rhythm as he walks to let you know he is there. The guard and the vegetable lady talk all day long.  Cars in the parking lot behind us start, motor humming or roaring. Sometimes as they load up you hear a thump and a drag, but I only hear that on rare occasion early in the morning. They they talk in the parking lot about their day.  Children come and go, laughing, fighting, screaming. Chickens, dogs, and the occasional duck or goat add their own sounds.  Further away, on the main road, sirens announce the police, or an important visitor to the road. Trucks barrel up the hill changing gears and honking a low loud rumbling. Taxis honking to announce their presence, or to tell you they'll pick you up or see if you want a ride, or warn you they are passing.

This is the view from the main road looking up the road we live on.

Bars blaring music afternoon, evenings and nights.
Weddings beginning early afternoon and going until 6 a.m.
Small businesses with loudspeakers blasting music or advertisements.

A local hair dresser (weaves and braids) with music!
She looked at the first picture I took and then posed for this one.

Lawn mowers and chain saws. Most people use machetes to cut their lawn and hand saws to trim trees, but that is changing and the afternoon noises of small motors running are slowly entering the mix.

Each bird has its own call. My favorite is the call and response echoing back and forth lowering the pitch each time.


Fans blowing making me thankful for electricity.
Generators humming making me wish the power was back on.

The shouts of the whole neighborhood when the power comes back on or the water or Cameroon scores a goal in an important soccer match.

At first it was really loud here. But now, now mostly it fades to a dull background that you only hear if you really think about it.  But it.


Thanks for reading - and for praying for our family and ministry here in Cameroon.

Pray for Noah and Kristin's exams this week, Noah with a fever of 103 today, for Chris's work, for furlough plans including what to do for school.

Loving life where we are -

It's October 18th: the day before my oldest turns 14.  We have lived in Cameroon for over a year and we are (and will be I am sure) asked, 'Is it home for you?'
Cameroon, my home.  Yes, Cameroon is home. This year is profoundly different than last year.  No one is distraught by the power outages. We are prepared.  I can have friends and acquaintances over at the drop of a hat and it's no big deal. Last year I didn't know how to find food for just us.  Birthday parties are relaxed.  It rains, and whether it's hot or cool, it's good.
The best part of this year is that Chris is really doing what he came here to do.  He's leading Scripture Songwriting Workshops.  He's working with a local church teaching western music theory that they wanted, but also teaching the principles of using Scripture in their worship, like he does in his workshops.  He is beginning lessons on the talking drum with a musician in the southwest.  He is helping the literacy department with recordings.  He is working on the idea of radio programs in local languages.  He is busy and working a lot and that is good!

And for the picture update:

For September-

Laura Mayo captured Noah teaching the under 7 set~

Jam session at the Huntley's house

Picture of the elementary school (Ben is 3rd kid from the left end, top row)

The CAMBO I helped with in September (Cameroon Branch Orientation)

Art class

Dinner with friends!

Nico

May he rest in peace

 We miss the guinea pig!

Mushrooms from the market!

Love those girls!

Ben's class projects

Happy Birthday Kristin!

Makaa New Testament Bible Dedication

He received his first Bible in Makaa ever!

Makaa women looking at the new Bible
The woman on the far left is Chris's Makaa language helper.

Nice lunch at the dedication

With pangolin? Not bad actually~

Shipment came!

Yum!

And More:

Water woes

Walks with friends

Cool trees

Little John with a cool moth

Sweet brothers

Leaving the Bible dedication

80s murder mystery

Fun costumes and makeup

Definitely 80s

The diamond salesman

Noah's rabbit

Praying for Joy before she moved

searching for a pool for elementary lessons in December

Bats

Market shopping

Cool fabric

Heidi's birthday

Recording studio i.e. Kristin's room makeover

Recording engineer

The coke for a friend finally made it to Africa

Coming home from the pool

Noah teaching the lesson at the Backyard Bible club

Kristin held a newborn

Kids at club

Another birthday party for Jason

Noah's birthday dinner (early) with friends

Happy 14th!

We are home now. And Cameroon is  home - for now.  But we look forward to our real home. The home for eternity: heaven.  Until then we are just making where we are home, where ever God leads us!

Please continue to pray for Chris's work. That the gospel is proclaimed and Cameroonians are able to worship in their heart language and their heart sounds.
Pray for the family to stay healthy and be content with life here. That the water works well and the power and internet.
Pray for our plans for furlough starting next June.
Pray for the kids - all kids need prayer!

Thanks!

Noah's friend made this for him for his birthday- He said it's a model of our house (not quite, but REALLY cool)
He lives in our neighborhood - really nice Cameroonian kid!

View on my walk tonight

Kristin and I on our walk!

Sunset today-