ICC: Intercultural Communications Course & French Church

Knowing how to build and sustain healthy relationships is paramount to success in any multi-cultural global team organization. To help prepare for serving as a missionary in Cameroon, I am taking an interactive Intercultural Communications Course July 26-August 24 in Waxhaw, North Carolina. It is a growing, stretching experience, much evening & weekend homework/assignments, but an awesome course.

The course includes:  Authority Issues; Crisis Management, Security Issues and Contingency Planning; Interpersonal Skills; Language and Culture Acquisition; TCK (Third Culture Kid) Identity and Transitional Issues; Working in Multi-Cultural Teams; Worldview, Spiritual Vitality, and more. Required reading was Cross-Cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility by Duane Elmer...I highly recommend it.

One highlight of the course is attending an ethnic church the four Sundays during the course, participating in church activities, looking for opportunities to serve the church. It is my privilege to attend the Nazaréene Francophone Church of Holiness (French Congolese) in Charlotte NC along with Paul and Christy Dubois and their children Jessica and Casey, also headed to Cameroon. With their regular children’s church worker out with a new baby, I found my opportunity to serve quickly. 

  Here we are singing "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" along with book beautifully illustrated by Kadir Nelson. I asked children to suggest motion for various verses - here "He's got the oceans and the seas in His hands." Youngsters helped with the story of "Jonah and the Whale" from both rebus and rhyming pop-up books; they shared their own scenarios for "Running Away" scripture application game where they stepped forward if child in their situation listened and obey, stepped back if child ran away from God. We did action songs "Hallelujah praised ye the Lord" and "Father Abraham" that I had experienced children in West Africa singing and had fish crackers for snack. 

To give added support to the children's ministry here AND other children's ministry workers stateside and abroad (including me), I developed a Children's Ministry Resources page attached to this blog  with mostly free online materials. Click that tab above. I welcome suggestions of additional helpful children's ministry web sites to link (email me @ wkw353@yahoo.com).

Rev. Paul-Jean Olangi, pastor;  Paul and Christy Dubois , KW; Christine Olangi. 

Those were a precious four weeks of worshiping with and learning from our French Congolese brothers and sisters in the Lord. I was extremely relieved to find parts of the services translated into English. Even during the French parts when I didn't understand the words, I sensed God's presence in the blessed intensity of prayer, singing, teaching and preaching. Our hearts were in one accord in worship. Paul, Christy, their children and I so appreciate the warm friendly welcome we received. I leave part of my heart there and hope my schedule allows return visits in the future.

Meeting Future Cameroon Neighbors

Today it was a pleasure to meet my future neighbors and fellow members of the Cameroon Bible translation support team at the Wycliffe Discovery Center, Orlando while these families are on furlough.

On the left are DeAnna and David Anderson with sons Joshua and Jonah. David is an Assoc. Director, serving as a computer specialist to help in the acceleration of Bible translation in Cameroon. Deanna is an Elementary School Teacher, this past year served as Educational Resource Center Manager. DeAnna has been a great support to me in sharing specific information about my role and photos of the school where I'll serve as librarian. See her article on page one of my June WattsLine.  

On the right are Kevin and Jann Bradford with son Caleb. Kevin is a Linguistic Software and Consultant/Trainer; Jann a Linguistics Technician who wears many hats supporting translation. 

After lunch, it was helpful to me to ask many questions to Deanna and Barbara White who served there for eight years.

Why have we answered the call to support Bible translation in Cameroon?


Africa is one of the three areas of the world with the greatest need for Bible translation. Today, almost 40% of the languages spoken in Africa are still without access to Scripture - represented by the empty shadow boxes.


Much teamwork is necessary to complete each Bible translation - on the field and around the world.  Would YOU join my team of financial and prayer partners to enable me to be part of the Childhood Education support team for Bible translation? Click "PRAY or GIVE."


Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"  Isaiah 6:8                  

June - July 2012 WattsLine Newsletter Posted

NOTE: My June - July 2012 WattsLine has been posted under Newsletters.

In a day and age where public school districts across the United States struggle to keep their budgets balanced, a trend is that librarians are being replaced by clerks who check out and shelve books. 

Why then is a school librarian so needed in Cameroon?

This is explained by Educational Resource Center Manager  on page 1, with even more details @ "School Librarian Role Supporting Bible Translation." 

Special THANKS to ERC Manager DeAnna Anderson for this information and for photos on page 2.