People often ask if Christmas is celebrated in Cameroon. Well, it is. Life is a little different in December and the first part of January. But it's not like the US or Europe. There are some decorations - some city decorations too. There are no traditional Christmas songs. The songs are imported from France or the US or other countries where Christianity has been around for a lot longer. There are some Cameroonian songs for Christmas. But not many. It just is not done.
Most churches don't have advent wreaths or special decorations and neither do homes.
Most people here get a big chicken for Christmas. Everyone eats meat and that is special. Many people travel to their home village - much like Mary and Joseph did for the census so long ago. Traffic near the bus station, which is close to where we live, is horrible. This is the time of year to avoid the intersection of Santa Lucia (grocery store) and find another way, or it may take you 45 minutes to go the (just under a) mile from where we live past it.
The expats try to stock up on things to avoid going downtown at all, but sometimes we go anyway. Our little community brings to Christmas our own histories and traditions from around the world. One group celebrates being Dutch and anyone who is the least bit Dutch gets to participate in gift giving, poetry writing, and the uniqueness of the culture. Another does a 'yankee swap' or white elephant. There is a hymn sing of Christmas carols. We decorate with trees and ornaments shipped overseas at some cost. We hang stockings, read the Christmas story in Luke and the Night before Christmas poem. We all try to make this season of celebration of the birth the Savior of the world a special time. We give gifts. We call home or Skype and talk to longed for and missed loved ones. Many of us travel to get away from the city and the pull of everyday life and work. We celebrate and give thanks for the great gifts the Lord has yet again given us.
SO many around us have so very little and yet I was still surprised at the number of strangers who rang my bell and asked for food or soap or something because they have so little. Life is hard for so many here. We are so blessed. Yes, we gave up some things to come and serve here. But really we have so much in abundance, so much more than we really need. The only thing I feel we gave up was spending time with our family and friends and our neighbors, and the gift of a church where truth is preached each Sunday in our native tongue and the community that goes with it. Life is different here. But not so different.
I pray the Lord of Christmas allows you to be blessed this year with a bigger view of the world He created, loves, cares for, and died for. Thanks for praying for our family, and the people, and work here in Cameroon.
Here's some pictures of Christmas time in Cameroon.
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This Santa has been up for at least a year- |
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In town you often have people selling things as you wait for a light to turn green.
This is the dry season (hot, dusty, but drier air) and you can buy fans! |
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Our neighbor and head of CABTAL, Effie, killed this spitting cobra at the site of his new home
- not far from RFIS |
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Making cookies |
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Our traditional Anise cookies- |
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Everyone but Chris loves them so we make a LOT! |
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Noah with his friend Evan and his brother who came over on Christmas to wish us a Merry Christmas
Evan gave Noah a machete for Christmas. |
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Kristin got new balloons for Christmas- she made this parrot! |
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Decorations at the Hilton downtown
International Christian Church or Yaounde meets here |
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The boy and girl rabbit out together |
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We live in the upstairs apartment... |
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Heidi showing me the African 'Christmas Tree' |
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Swimming lessons- this is group 1b |
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Yep. Malaria. |
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Poor Noah. He is well now, appetite back.
And 2 inches taller. |
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This is the guard for the missionary compound, Joe, and Lucy the vegetable lady.
It's just outside my gate.
And they are LOUD sometimes! |
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This young man learned to float and swim! SO happy for him! |
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Friends in from the village playing apples to apples |
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Ben's birthday party. Great to have extra kids in town for the holidays. |
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Yankee Swap. This year peanut butter and a metal suitcase were traded a lot! |
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Decorations at the circle Tropicana close to where we live |
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The Christmas play
Dress rehearsal |
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Ben got to wear the crown while the kids sang- a tradition at the Greenhouse School he attends |
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Surprise! Star Wars 7 is playing!
It opened on Ben's birthday - played only 3 days but we got to see it! Cool!
Worth a trip downtown on Dec. 19th! |
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Ben sat on the front row with his friends! |
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Busses leaving Santa Lucia area |
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Opening birthday presents |
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Children's day at church -
the kids are acting out the story of Daniel in this picture |
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The performance. Ben had lines and a duet! |
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Even in Africa, sometimes your friend has the same clothes! |
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Swimming on the 23rd |
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The ornaments that didn't fit on the tree.... |
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Christmas Eve party |
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Chris's birthday |
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Fun stuff! |
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Christmas morning breakfast with the neighbors |
Heading to the beach....
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Limbe -Tsaben Beach |
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Lots of hermit crabs |
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And other cool sea creatures |
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Big trees at the botanical garden |
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Thanks for the family picture Heidi! |
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Limbe |
The pool was included with the hotel. Well, it was close to the hotel and only $2/person....
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Yep, that baby pool is now a raft |
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Noah made a friend. Peter said he is a teacher at a local school |
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Cool plants |
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The kids coming back to the hotel from swimming. Anna was just making faces. :) |
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Drip Castles. Cool volcanic sand. Made me want chocolate! |
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Girls table for dinner at the primate park |
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Typical city decorations for Christmas. |
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We ran into our neighbors at the primate park! |
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Primate park. Nope, not a gorilla, just a sweet girl. |
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Waiting for dinner. See the little tree in the back? It's Christmas time for sure. |
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Kingfisher |
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Dinner. YUM. |
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The tree at our hotel at the beach |
When we got home from the beach, there were surprises!
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Home and 2nd Christmas. Thank you Redeemer PCA and Mercy PCA.
And thank you for the luggage space Ken and Sherry Van Duyne! |
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Now, that's cool Lego! |
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Mythbusters! |
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She got a purple hoodie! |
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Goodbye Christmas season from Cameroon! |
Thanks for praying~
Chris will be traveling a bit this month. Pray for his recording trip to a coastal language group. Pray that the trip and the music is glorifying to God. Pray for the trip to the East for work on the traditional drum that is part of his research that allows him to work here. Pray that the work and the drum is used to God's glory and purposes.
Pray for the kids as they begin their second semester - grades 9, 7, and 5. Pray as we make plans for school for them for next year when we are on furlough in the States and they transition once again.
Pray for my work with newcomers to Cameroon with the branch orientation. I've never been in charge of a 2 week training before.... Pray that the newbies are well orientated for a successful transition and good longevity in their service here. Pray that it is all for God's glory.
Pray for the people of Cameroon. That artists and musicians would use their gifts for God. Pray that new compositions would be written for worship in the heart language and style of the people. Pray that they would feel God's pleasure in worship. I pray that songs of praise for Christmas, Easter, Pentecost and other holy days as well as for the regular worship times will be composed to draw the people into a deeper relationship with Christ.
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