Yaounde Friends - Church & Overnight Visits

Kay,  Ceci, and Carolyn 

One part of our five-week CAMBO orientation to Cameroon culture was a church visit with and overnight stay in home of Cameroon friends. Each CAMBO participant family or two singles were assigned to a Cameroon family. It was the privilege of new itinerant teacher Carolyn Partridge and I to attend church with, spend the day and evening in the home of a remarkable lady, Miss Cecilia (Ceci) Engoro, who works in the I.T. department of Rain Forest International School.
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Ceci, Kay, Dylan

Ceci, her cousin Lillian, Kay

Kay, Ceci's niece and nephew,
Princess, 2 and Dylan, 12

CHURCH: We walked awhile, took a taxi, then up steep rocky dirt trail. There was much singing and dancing (more than an hour). I appreciated the message and some other things being translated from French to English.

An awesome children’s praise team also led congregation in worship – three children approx.. ages 8-9, two older girls (one 14, pastor’s daughter). The children took turns with microphone; they sang boldly and with conviction, esp. the young boy, and did simple choreography. I could not understand what they were singing, but they sure did; I knew they were singing to His glory.

For communion – there were pieces of broken bread loaf; small glasses of folere juice (purple, from pineapple juice and hibiscus flowers). Folks were asked to pray with those sitting near us, ask God’s blessings on them…a beautiful experience.

After service, there was a newcomers fellowship with the pastor & wife in a different room; cold folere juice (yum!) & cookies were served.

There was a very heavy rain during the service and that steep dirt trail turned into a steep slippery mud path. Ceci held onto my arm going down that mud hill, and her nephew Dylan held onto my arm going up muddy road back to their home.OK, there was just a tad of sliding. I was the ‘senior’ member of the group and the family looked after me well! (I have a deep tread pair of heavy duty sandals for mud, thanks to my sisters, but it’s not the rainy season yet.)

MEALS: Dinner: Fried fish, cassava, peanut sauce. I have eaten each of these before, but it was good to see how dishes were prepared and ask questions. Ceci explained cleaning fish, cutting eyes out, gutting…uh, I was not quite ready to offer to help with that project. This peanut sauce was delicious and far better than my first attempt last week…so glad  peanuts and peanut butter are easily available here.

Supper: rice, fresh carrots and green beans, little bits of a different kind of fish, onions, garlic, pressure cooker.  I really like one-pot meals and look forward to duplicating this one (with cleaned fish from grocery).

Breakfast: roll and hot Ovaltine (now on my grocery list)

Evening PRAYER: Ceci asked how she could pray for Carolyn and I; I asked how we could pray for her nephew Dylan who lives with her. We went around the room, shared prayer concerns, prayed for person on our left. My heart was touched by this 12-year-old boy’s request that he do well on his school exams and that he understand the Bible when he reads it; I was moved by his beautiful prayer for his aunt. 

It was meaningful for Carolyn, Ceci, and I to share family photos and life stories and also great to fellowship with several members of her extended family during the day.  It was fascinating to hear how God has blessed her career journey, her starting a family fruit juice business (I’ll be a regular customer after my village stay), her buying a farm, and her dreams/prayers to expand the farm's productivity.

I praise God that Ceci hosts a weekly children’s neighborhood Bible Club in court area outside her apartment...that happens to be Carolyn's and my neighborhood. I heard about and saw photos of this outreach ministry before coming to Cameroon, and would like to assist some with the Bible Club.

Carolyn and I both plan to have Ceci visit in our apartments. I cherish becoming acquainted with this dear sister in the Lord.