Children’s Church at Église évangélique libre de Yaoundé

My Cameroonian friend and English conversation partner, Dr. Joelle Sobngwi, invited me to bring puppets to her church, Église évangélique libre de Yaoundé (Free Evangelical Church of Yaounde) January 25 and assist her with the children’s ministry. 

The lesson for the day was “Jesus Chooses His Disciples” with the memory verse: Matthew 4:19, “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men. ”

I was delighted that the children already knew the song I grew up on:

“Fishers of Men”

I will make you fishers of men, fishers of men, fishers of men.

I will make you fishers of men, If you follow me.

Chorus: If you follow me! If you follow me!

I will make you fishers of men If you follow me!

Paper cutting stories captivate children in churches,    schools, and libraries. I was to glad to find our Bible story in a book I brought, Clip & Tell Bible Stories by Lois Keffler. Only need a plain sheet of paper and scissors.	I folded the computer paper twice vertically and cut in from both sides as I told the story, aided by the children’s ministry assistant who translated. What is it going to be?	My translator helped me stretch the paper out…to be a fishing net. Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John left their fishing net to follow Jesus and become “fishers of men.”
Jesus wants us to also follow Him, and be fishers of people. I asked the children if that meant we are to carry around nets to catch people…as I demonstrated with Joelle’s son Mathis. In unison the children shouted “No!”	Of course not! We are to catch people by demonstrating God’s love for them. I folded a 9x12 piece of red construction paper into quarters, then in half to cut out a ring of 8 hearts.	What a joy to discover that children on the other side of the world could join “David” and I singing “Fishers of Men” that I learned well  over half a century ago. The children are becoming bi-lingual.
Youngsters were invited to help Polly Parrot squawk –to help laying an egg easier.	Yah! There’s the egg. Inside was the memory verse written on paper.	Suzy Sunflower, with Joelle’s help, encouraged children keep their face turned to the Son of God, as sunflowers follow the sun in the sky.

    

The 100th DAY OF SCHOOL

Take a peek  at the 100th Day of School activities at "The Greenhouse, A Learning Center for Missionary Children." On Friday, January 23, 2015 we celebrated school-wide with special activities in each class. Several teachers and many students came to school trying to look100 years old. 

  

It was a perfect day to bring Grandma Gracie to school! Grandma encouraged students, parents, and teachers to check the display shelf and pick up the list of their librarian's Top 100 Favorite Books in the ERC. 

The day was fun with opportunities for teamwork and math,  +  a break from the routines of school.

Christmas Season 2014 in Cameroon

In and around the home front...

My most treasured Christmas decoration: hand carved Cameroonian Nativity set in my apartment.
13” tabletop Christmas  tree   (missionary yard sale bargain) . Christmas decorations are minimal here for most folks compared to U.S.	Blast from the Past – figured out a way to hang (stapled to a basket tray, wide tape didn’t hold) this cheerful smiley face quilt I made for 40 years ago for my mother’s hospital room during the last  two months of her cancer battle. It reminds me of the beautiful smile in her last photo, her delightful sense of humor, her enjoyment of life, and her reminders to me to stop and smell the roses.
Christmas Cookie Exchange was hosted by Sun Young for the ladies of our larger missionary community. What a special time with new friends and we all got to bring home delicious homemade cookies to enjoy over the Christmas season...or over the next few days. My favorite was the Buckeye candy balls...nothing better IMHO than peanut butter and chocolate together. I took my favorite quick  Peanut Honey Oat Balls.
Christmas Brunch Bunch @ the Kingues		Christmas Dinner @ Wycliffe Associates Commons hosted by Carole Ellis…part of the group.

At the Educational Resource Center...

Dec. 2014 Joint Learning Session The Greenhouse A Learning Center for Missionary Children, home-schooled children, and village-based missionary children joined together for two weeks.

During the December 2014 JLS,  I did  Christmas literature enrichment sessions with Kdg-Gr. 6, a  preschool storytime with craft, processed books, daily checked in stacks of books and assisted village families with resources. After a literature enrichment session of Christmas stories, Kdg-Gr. 2 students welcome Grandma Gracie and check if her glasses are real.

At Christmas Eve Service

“Joy Is A Choice” Testimony  Shared Christmas Eve I had been looking forward to attending the annual Christmas Eve missionary singles party. However, I felt God strongly nudging me to share a shortened version of my “Joy Is A Choice” testimony (http://kaywattsafrica.blogspot.com/p/joy-is-choice.html) during the Christmas Eve service at Grace Baptist Church.                This service was a blessing to me where Cameroonian friends celebrated the birth of our Lord by dancing and singing praises to Him in their mother tongue and the children made several presentations.

Tropicana Neighborhood Bible Club...

My African Grandma Gracie leads children in repeating their Bible memory verse

Children enjoy singing “STOP and let me  tell you what the Lord has  done for me” with stop sign Child Evangelism Fellowship visuals…one of their favorite Bible Club songs.  The Christmas story was dramatized using headdresses and my baby puppet for baby Jesus (in basket on right).

New Year’s Eve Service

I appreciate being invited by a Cameroonian friend (with whom I do English conversation regularly to help her strengthen her English) to the New Year’s Eve service at the Église Évangélique Libre de Yaoundé (Free Evangelical Church of Yaounde). I enjoyed meeting her husband, mother, a sister and a brother – a pastor there. I confess I am not accustomed to a 4-hour hour service, especially one that is done mostly in French. There was lively worship through congregational singing and dancing, a season of thanksgiving / testimonies, and many small group or individual presentations. The women’s ministry shared two lengthy skits with ministry life messages; one lady quoted the entire book of Ephesians (awesome!) and a man quoted a shorter passage. My favorite segment by far was the liturgical dance performed by my friend’s children: 11 year old twin girls and 13 year daughter. The song was in English, the words projected on the wall, the gals did a nice choreographed interpretation…but what put it over the top IMHO was their four-year-old brother up there trying to keep up…absolutely precious! They had asked if anyone else had something to share…my contribution was having the congregation stand – divided into two groups and sing “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it” several times and encouraged all to say this often in the new year.  The lady sitting beside me and translating said “Thank you” as soon as I returned to my seat. Refreshments and fellowship followed.