Bibleless People Group of the Week - Bantoanon of the Philippines

The Bibleless People Group of the Week for June 28–July 4 is the Bantoanon of the Philippines.

Many Bantoanon people believe in God but remain nominal Christians. These people want to know they are “right with God” and “will go to heaven when they die.” Some local churches are well taught regarding the Bible, but others only know the basics of Christianity. There is still a lot of syncretism, and the people fall back on their trust in magic charms when people get sick or have deaths in the family. 

Visit wycliffe.org/prayer/articles/are-we-right-with-god to learn more and pray.

Announcing: Official Invitation to Serve in Philippines

As I recognized the wisdom of leaving Cameroon because it was not senior-friendly and I was not able to get adequate treatment for my eye conditions...I thought that was the end of my overseas missions service. But Isaiah 55:9 tells us - “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." 

In exploring some possible Wycliffe assignments, one clearly jumped to the forefront - a critical opening for a librarian at Faith International Academy (http://www.fia.edu.ph/) in Davao City, Philippines. Seventy percent of the students are children of missionaries.This K-12 school of approximately 150 students is strategic for supporting multiple missions. I will have the privilege of not only supporting Bible translators and linguists but also families who serve in medical ministries (including Tebow CURE Hospital), orphanages, pastoral training, church planting, street kids' ministry, basketball ministries, and more. FIA has more than 15 nationalities represented in the student body.

Davao is known to be far more senior-friendly than Cameroon and medical care is comparable to the U.S. I’ve already been able to talk personally with a retina specialist located in the same city. 

Purpose: Faith International Academy exists primarily to support families in Christian ministry by providing a quality, international, Christian education.

On June 20, I received an official invitation to join the staff of FIA:

"Dear Kay,

It is with grateful hearts that Faith International Academy has accepted your application to serve as a Librarian at Faith International Academy of Davao City. FIA serves families in ministry and other international families in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. 

I want to invite you to come and welcome you officially in joining the Faith International Academy staff family. For over thirty years, God has provided for our school. We thankfully express God’s goodness to us. Part of His goodness has been the provision to have you join our team..." 

More photos and information will be forthcoming. (You are invited to subscribe in the box on the right to my WattsLine newsletters.) Lord willing, I plan to depart after my cataract surgeries / possible vitrectomy and necessary funds are pledged. I pray this will be possible by or in September.

YOU are invited to join my team of prayer and financial partners in as I support what God is doing in Davao City, Philippines.  

To PRAY or GIVE: http://www.wycliffe.org/Partnership.aspx?mid=388993

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May and Early June 2016 in Cameroon

The Greenhouse A Learning Center for Missionary Children
 on last day of 2015-16 School Year

PROCESSING  LIBRARY RESOURCES into Computer Catalogs

Educational Resource Center, elementary library of the Field Education System. Working to get rid of those old-fashioned library cards and to get materials barcoded. I am very thankful for great teamwork with others working on our collection. Before returning to Cameroon to wrap up my work at the ERC, I asked my supervisor how I could best contribute to the library. Her top priority for me was processing books into the computer, so this was my primary focus during these four months, except for reference reviews and literature enrichment sessions during the April Joint Learning Session.

SIL Cameroon Academic Library. I see us serving as “John the Baptist” – preparing the way for the new academic librarian after the passing of Kilian, former head librarian. Current focus is cataloging books for the iDelta translators’ workshop this fall and other resources. THANK YOU computer services staff for help in learning the Koha software. Ron (left) has spent countless hours on Koha, including a recent two-hour conference call with a SIL librarian in the Philippines. Emannuel (right) remains after the summer and will assist the incoming librarian. TEAMWORK!

Larry Seguin (far right), Cameroon SIL Branch Director Language Services, hosted a “Thank You” luncheon on June 6 for the Academic Library transition team. This team has contributed in various ways to the ongoing functioning of the library since the passing of head librarian Kilian Bongkiyung...re-barcoding the 18,000+ volume collection for the new Koha software, processing new acquisitions, and preparations for the soon to be appointed new librarian. Special thanks to Philippine SIL Librarian Manny Tamayao for long-distance Koha coaching.

Tropicana Neighborhood Bible Club

Jairus kneels before Jesus, begging Him to come heal his dying daughter.

Jesus goes to the daughter with Jairus, his wife, Peter, James and John.

Jairus daughter was given food after being raised from  the dead. (She liked the play food.)

Grace Baptist Church, Yaounde

Children squawked with Polly Parrot to help her lay an egg that contained the verse  Psalm 119:105  - "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." Suzy Sunflower discusses how she keeps her eyes on  the sun in the sky and how Hebrews 12:2 teaches humans to keep their eyes on the Son of God - "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."

On May 29 when Grace Baptist Church's Children's Ministry had an outing at my compound, I showed the youngsters a trunk of puppets collected over decades. I related the puppets to various Bible stories and scriptures.

On May 20th it was my privilege to be on the agenda of Children's Ministry Workers Training Day at Eglise evangelique libre de Yaounde (Free Evangelical Church of Yaounde), which gave a detailed introduction to the Awana program.

 From a favorite book, Children's Ministry Resource Bible developed in conjunction with Child Evangelism Fellowship, I shared the qualities of an effective teacher via the acrostic T-E-A-C-H-E-R...Teachable, Enthusiastic, Approachable, Consecrated, Honest, Enduring, Ready, Sensitive. I highlighted "Methods of the Master Teacher" and provided another handout with "The Growth Hand, A Handy Way to Teach a Saved Child to Grow," plus "The Prayer Hand, A Handy Reminder Reminder of Whom to Pray For."  

I praise God for the number of young people being trained to be part of the Children's Ministry and for the teen who translated for me, and pray blessings on all the teachers and helpers as they help God's precious young ones grow in His ways. 

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On May 29, I took a bag of books to the developing library at our Tropicana neighborhood Mission Evangelical Church of Cameroon (Mission des Eglises Evangélique du Cameroun - MEEC). Books are simply scarce here in Cameroon. I praise God for the foresight of this church to provide Christian teaching and other wholesome reading materials to church members and neighbors. I am a bookaholic and had a number of books gathered over the years sea freighted to Cameroon. It is a pleasure share the blessings of printed pages from my book abundance and from materials no longer on shelves at the Educational Resource Center (we get so many donations).

I’m in the final phase here of PRUNING and PACKING to leave Cameroon. Some of my books and puppets here are going in many directions and, of course, I am planning to keep some.  God strongly put it on my heart to pass on two copies of the Children’s Ministry Resource Bible (had to track one down to be obedient) and two other Bibles to particular groups or individuals.  HAPPY READINGS!

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The local Yaounde ministry dearest to my heart which I have supported in various ways is Hope Social Action Association, through Odza Baptist Church. The group works with street children, orphans, widows, jails, and others living in vulnerable conditions. I am happy to pass on some of my African clothing, etc. to be shared with persons in vulnerable situations.


On May 29, there was a progress report meeting of the Hope Social Action Association supporters followed by a dinner.

     It has been inspiring to work with Hugue Nzeuga, leader of Hope Social Action Association, and minister at Odza Baptist who depends on supporters as do expat missionaries. It’s also been a pleasure knowing his parents… here is Hugue and is his mom.

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Finally, on May 2...I got to ride in the SIL Cameroon smaller Cessna from the Banso hanger to Yaounde. This is the plane for which I brought parts in my suitcase from the U.S. to Cameroon in February. (Long story, but it ended well.)