Prayers for Shalom

It's my hour to be in prayer for shalom in the world. This Lenten prayer vigil is sponsored by the Desert Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church. Somewhere in this conference, 24 hours a day, for the duration of Lent, someone is praying for shalom. This word is being used rather than "peace" because the latter is so narrowly understood in the English language, or at least in the U.S. Shalom, on the other hand, has the potential for communicating so much more. It is about being in right relationship with all of creation -- the earth itself and all living things and the Creator of it all.

I turned off the TV and entered into the silence. Then my Indian ringneck parrot, Papagayo, did what he always does when things get quiet. He started chattering, running through the Spanish vocabulary we have taught him in his three short years of life.

Alo! (Hello)
Papagayo!
Que tal, Diana? (How are you, Diana? -- the cockatiel in the cage next to him.)
Buenos Dios (Hello! Good Day!)
Te amo, Carolita (I love you, Carol)
Quiero comida, Carolita (I want food, Carol)
Quiero comida, por favor, Carolita, pronto! (I want food please, Carol, right now!)
Pajaro bueno (good bird)

For Papagayo, you see, it's all about him. Now, I don't know how much of this chatter he really understands. He does say "Alo" whenever I come into the room, sometimes before I get a chance to. So that seems to be appropriately understood and used. And sometimes he says, "Quiero comida, pronto," before breakfast, as though asking for me to get on task. But then, here, like tonight, he says it even after he has just eaten.

Sam and I started a week or so ago beginning to teach him, "La paz del Senor." (The peace of the Lord.) Too bad it's not a part of his repertoire yet, in time for this prayer vigil. No, he just wants his own needs met. And so his innocent chatter, using his limited vocabulary, makes me think of how much focusing on our own needs is the opposite of wishing shalom for another.

As a clergy person, I'm amazed how wide the range of people I see really is. Some only speak of themselves and their ailments and issues. They can relay every ache and pain and sadness of their lives with little or no prompting. Others are truly saints of God whose lives are about ministering to others. They know themselves and what's going within their own hearts, souls and minds, but choose to turn their focus outward. They truly care whether another person is in right relationship with his or her self, family, community, the earth, and most of all with God. And they know how to bring healing and reconciliation. These are the shalom makers of the world. Jesus said they are very blessed. I think so too.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

There are so many things left unsaid in this blog, so many stories left untold. I think they will come out in my sermons. Today the Gospel is about Jesus going from village to village healing the sick. I can see the anxious crowds pressing in on him, smell their perspiration and feel their desperation. I'll use Jesus's healing of Peter's mother-in-law as our call to "pick people up."

My letter to the Board of the Friends of WEH

I just sent the following note to the Board of the Friends of WEH. It expresses some things I haven't said before.

To the Board of Friends of WEH,

Whew, Barb and Joe Stone and I got back from Cameroon on Tuesday night and are trying to get our hearts and souls caught up with our bodies. A piece of us will always be in Cameroon. It is so difficult to try to describe my experience. I'm still pondering what to say to my church tomorrow. It will take a long time to tell all the stories. Have you kept up with my blog? (http://mycameroontrip.blogspot.com) I'm so thankful to my sibs who gave me a little netbook (miniature laptop) to take with me. It came in so handy. Even the student nurses appreciated it as they checked their email at every opportunity. On my blog you will see links to Barb's blog (which she regrets she was not able to keep up very well) and to the nursing students' photo site. You'll see most of Joe's and my photos there.

Bottom line is that my commitment to WEH is stronger than ever. I wish you could see the high level of activity of the WEH workers, and the scope of what they do. They work long and hard hours for the sake of the orphans assigned to WEH and the population in general in the villages where they work. They are committed to improving village life by improving the lives and status of the women. We found the Cameroonians to be an open, gracious, appreciative people. Also, in the villages, a desperate people. When you can't afford a mosquito net for your baby, or to take the baby to the doctor, desperation is palpable. Behind the story of the abandoned baby is the story of some anonymous girl or woman who was desperate, having no hope for that infant. And we saw first hand the benefit of anti-virals for people with HIV. Theoretically the meds are free, thanks to worldwide support of the program, but identifying those who are eligible for the drugs and teaching them how to use the drugs is another story. And though the meds are free, the periodic blood tests required are not free. That's an ongoing problem. And we saw the virtually total absence of dental and vision care in the villages.

I also wish you could have seen the commitment and hard work of the Linfield nursing students. For some this was a first exposure to "the world out there." Others had considerable travel experience. Either way, they expressed how life-changing this experience was for them and the path of their careers.

Speaking of the students, the Friends of WEH board members on the ground in Cameroon (Carol, Barbara, Sherry, David, Ruth) chose a new member for our board from this Cameroon Team 2009. (Jennifer is our board member from Cameroon Team 2007.) She is Katie White. I'll post her photo on the Friends website. (http://wehfriends.pbwiki.com). Katie will help us stay connected with Cameroon Team 2009. Welcome, Katie.

WEH still doesn't have its hands on the pickup. After all our hope that as a non-profit shipping to an NGO, we wouldn't have to pay high fees and taxes, the bottom line is that WEH needs $4100 to get the truck off the dock. Darn. I bank-transferred what we had -- $3100 -- and a donor (anonymous until I have her permission to name her) came up with the other $1000. Still, it will take a week for the bank transfer to go through. This has been a major headache for the folks in Douala. Sometimes I question whether it would have been more economical to buy in Cameroon, but when you see the insane traffic there, and realize that there is no requirement for openness on the accident history of used cars, I'm sure the truck we've sent will guarantee a truly good vehicle for WEH. We saw first hand the need for 4-wheel drive, and for a vehicle that is consistently available to the WEH staff.

So our account is down to about $100. It's (almost) time for us to celebrate the achieving of the first goal and to set new goals for the future. Certainly the first is to develop a consistent revenue stream to fulfill our promise to pay for the insurance and gas on the truck. A couple of board members give to the fund on a regular basis. WOULD YOU CONSIDER DOING SO TOO? I do not yet have a budget estimate on the monthly cost of the car. I will let you know when I know.

As to the future. A life skills center is the next big goal for WEH. But this note is long enough. Would you each respond to let me know you are out there and that my email dress is current for you? We can talk about the center after that.

Have a good year!!! Carol

Saturday, February 6, 2009

Oh my. WEH still doesn't have its hands on the pickup whichthe Friends of WEH shipped to them. After all our hope that as a non-profit shipping to an NGO, we wouldn't have to pay high fees and taxes, the bottom line is that WEH needs $4100 to get the truck off the dock. Darn. We bank-transferred what we had -- $3100 -- and a donor came up with the other $1000. Still, it will take a week for the bank transfer to go through. This has been a major headache for the folks in Douala.

Tuesday, February 3

We got to Brussels without incident, made the transfer to our flight to Newark, where I now am. We have a five-hour layover before flying to Phoenix.

I just talked to Sam. His voice sounds so good! He'll be at the airport. I can't wait to see him.

It was so hard leaving Ruth. What a miracle it is to have such a friend. The years that we've been apart instantly vanished. All the trust and enjoyment of one another was still there. And Raphael is totally delightful. We had lots of good laughs together and “in” jokes developed quickly and were often alluded to for additional laughs. They hope to be able to come to Arizona in the spring, if they are able to get their visas renewed without a wrinkl

Monday, February 2

There were some last day things to do today in the village. We needed to deliver left over medical supplies to the hospital in Mbanga and to the village clinic where we had left the microscope last week. While we were at the latter, a family carried in an older child whom we could hear crying out in the “ER” room. We had to leave before finding out what was going on with her and whether she was OK. At the former we got to see a baby which had been brought in as an abandoned newborn three weeks ago. Some of the Linfield students had been there at the time. I understand that this sweet babe had been found in a toilet, covered with feces. This is something that happens all over the world. It always makes me ill, especially when the circumstances are so disgusting – a baby left in a toilet like a bowel movement. The baby is on a regimen of antibiotics but doing fine. The hospital staff is taking care of him there at the hospital until he is transferred to Yaounde for processing for adoption. Ruth and I both noted that he had a grownup sort of face, more distinctively formed than in the case with most babies. The staff named him Emmanuel. Ruth also referred to him as Moses, though the mother of the first Moses abandoned him in a much more careful way than this guy was. When I was holding him I silently blessed him.

When we got home we finished our packing. Just before dinner we gave Ruth's house staff a gift and thank you card. Plantains and the local fish for a closing dinner. Then it was time to go to the airport. Check-in was pretty easy and we then waited for the flight to leave Cameroon. Good byes were difficult.

Sunday, February 1

This was my last Sunday to worship with Ruth on this trip. And it was communion Sunday. Once again, I loved the music the most. I recorded the several choirs and congregational singing on my little SANSA recorder, but wouldn't you know that now I can't get it from that device on to my computer. I really want to use it as partial soundtrack on the video I shall make of the trip. The computer is not recognizing it as another drive or USB devise. Hmmmm. Ruth's sister Doris and her children, Prisca and Joel, were there again. Once again, Prisca chose to wear the Congolese dress I had made with Ruth so many years ago. It looks good on her, though she is a bit smaller than I even was then, and I'm so proud that she is so proud of it. They came back to the house for lunch so I had a chance to give Joel the calculator watch Sam had found for me for this trip – in case I needed a calculator for money exchange or whatever. He seemed truly pleased to receive it.

Ruth said that after lunch we would need to go back out to Mangamba, Raphael's home village. It's something that they do every Sunday afternoon, to check on their house there and whatever matters need attended to by this villager who made it big in the outside world but who still wants to stay connected to this small, humble piece of his life story. Another of our purposes was to take a box of meds and such items (left over from the Linfield students' visit) to the health clinic there. And Raphael said he hoped to be able to visit with an elder about the possibility of there being property available in the village for the WEH vocational center. Because Joe's health had not fully returned, Barb and Ruth stayed behind for the rest of the day.

We succeeded on all fronts. Most important was the visit with the village elder. We spent a good two hours with him. He came to Ruth and Raphael's house, and then we all piled back in the car to go look at some possibilities. We saw a couple of possible sites. And in the process Ruth and Raphael got their fill of village stories and gossip. Ruth translated some of it for me later. Sometimes they spoke in Abo, Raphael's native language, and sometimes in French. It was a delight to hear even if I didn't understand most of what was said.

Once again, we didn't get home until after 9 p.m.

Saturday, January 31

Today is a day for winding things up. Barb and Joe and I prepared our thank you gifts for the WEH staff and the Titi's house staff. Then Ruth and I figured out why we haven't been able to video conference on SKYPE. I think we're set to go now. Then I helped Ruth set up a blogspot site so she can keep news of WEH very current.

Our schedule is quite full for Sunday and Monday, and we fly out at about midnight on Monday night. I can't believe six weeks has passed so quickly. I want to post photos for these last few entries but am not sure I'll have the time before I get home.

Friday, January 30

Ruth and Barb and Joe and I were all going to go to Yaounde today but this morning Ruth woke up sicker, coughing a lot, and Joe didn't feel well either. So Ruth put Barbara and me on a bus to go. I had made an appointment to meet the head of Methodist missions in Cameroon there. Don't worry, it wasn't the general populace bus which people pile onto with their chickens and all sorts of other produce. We have been warned about the danger of these buses to “strangers” in the country, especially one's vulnerability to expert pick-pocketers. This was more like a Greyhound bus in the U.S. We were told it was a three hour trip but it was really over four. On the way, as on so many occasions during our visit, we were stopped by the police. Everyone had to get off the bus and show their I.D.s, then walk forward on the highway several yards and wait for the bus there. It was explained to us that this is so the police can make sure that they did, indeed, see everyone's I.D., and that no I.D.s were shared amongst people. In order to walk that short distance we had to run the gauntlet of vendors who gather there because they know they will have access to travelers. Having accomplished that task, the bus pulled forward and we all boarded again.

When we arrived at Yaounde, two gentlemen were there to meet us, the assigned missionary from the Methodist Board of Global Missions and his assistant. We were delighted to make their acquaintance. They took us through Yaounde to the home of the former where we met his wife and one of the women who work there. Both were very dynamic women and a joy to chat with. The missionary and his wife are Congolese, who recently completed 10 years of service in Senegal. It was interesting to learn that in six short years Methodist personnel has created an extensive presence for the Methodist Church in Cameroon. They have over 20 congregations and an active ministry in AIDS and malaria prevention. They are hoping that 10 of their lay pastors will be ready to be ordained by the end of this year. They also hope that I can return to the Southwest Conference of the Methodist Church in the U.S. and build interest in a work party coming to Cameroon sometime to help build a church. At this point all the congregations meet in rented facilities.

The bus ride home seemed longer than the one to Yaounde though it is, the same distance both ways! We got home at about 9 p.m.

Thursday, January 29

In the morning Ruth and Barb and I visited a bilingual elementary school in Douala. Ruth had arranged for us to take letters from students at Show Low Elementary School in Arizona to children at this school. The director, an amazing woman who started this private school many years ago, took us on a tour. We were impressed with the “extras” she had there over the public schools we have seen. The facilities and equipment were much better. In each classroom we were introduced, and in each one the children sang us a song in English including several songs that we knew. I asked the older children if they knew who the president of the United States is. They always did. In several cases a child would stand beside his or her desk and say very precisely, “His Excellency Barak Obama.”

After lunch Joe joined us and we took a road trip. First we went to the village of Kotto-Up and distributed food bags. Once again we saw that in the villages the powers that be need to know who you are and what you are doing there. Joe and Barb and I sat in the shade on the front porch of a home and watched Ruth and the WEH staff work so effectively with the people. When we gave children our “Yes we Can” pencils, Ruth made sure that they remembered to say, “Thank you.” Many spoke English as in this village there tend to be newcomers from the northern Anglophone areas of Cameroon. Then we drove to the northern most reach of WEH's region of responsibility to Penja. While there we visited a hospital which hosts an AIDS community in a portion of its facilities. These are people who, for whatever reason, frequently ostracism, can no longer live in their villages. We left food bags for WEH's orphans there. I talked to several lovely teenage girls. Knowing that they are receiving retrovirals, I encouraged them to have hope for the future and to study hard. I talked about Obama saying, “Yes we can.” Once again we came home long after night had fallen.

Wednesday, January 28

Things were mighty quiet around here without the Linfield Team. In the afternoon we went with Ruth to the artisan market. The vendor who decided to call me “Mama” saw me and greeted me warmly. I called, “Mon fils!” We laughed and laughed and I moved on. I've spent enough money in his shop. I really wanted to see the whole honeycomb of shops, so we made our way through aggressive hawkers just to see whatever there was to see. I learned that when hawkers step in my path and say, “Madame,” all I have to do is deliberately and resolutely keep walking and they will step aside. I would do a lot more browsing if the hawkers would just leave me alone! I bought a gift for my parish which, of course, I will not describe here to the whole world before I have even presented it. Barb was smart and did some tough dealing to buy 20 small ebony elephants to take home as gifts. (Oh my, maybe I just gave away a surprise to a reader or two!) Barb and Ruth sorted out left over medical supplies to distribute in the villages. Joe started feeling poorly and Ruth has a dreadful cough.

Tuesday, January 27

Today the students finished their report. The faculty polished it off, including a report regarding the mosquito net distribution. We all piled on the bus to visit the branch office here in Douala of the American Embassy in Yaounde. The head of the office, an American recently posted here, was very informative about the mission of foreign embassies. He started by asking, “Who is our boss?” I popped off with “Hillary Clinton.” So I won a little pin of American and Cameroonian flags crossed. One of the students took this picture of Barb and Joe and myself standing in front of the branch embassy. I'm wearing a "ready-to-wear" dress I bought at the market.

There was a lot of coming and going to the market and the students went swimming at a motel. In a gathering of all of us, Ruth thanked the students eloquently for all they did. The students expressed something of their learnings and how much the experience has meant to them. Several of them said they hoped to return here or to another developing country to provide nursing care. After dinner they all loaded up and left for the airport. I hope they have a good time in Paris for a couple of days, in spite of the 36-hour transportation strike there.

The tailor came back with our dresses. This is the second I have had made, one of a violet color, with a top and flared skirt. I ordered another dress with my last piece of fabric. It will be done before we leave next week.

Monday, January 26

We got to slow down today. The students worked on their report. It will include a data base of the sorts of health problems they addressed and how they responded, and will also include a narrative of the work they did. This report is extremely critical. Copies will be distributed locally and used for future planning.

Sunday, January 25

We went to church in the morning. Again, the music was the high point in an all French service. In the late afternoon, Ruth had several WEH board members over and we – our Arizona bunch and the Linfield students and faculty -- had a time of reflection about the last three weeks. Ruth was spectacular! She knows just what to say and how to say it. She thanked the students with eloquent words. Several ideas came up for future student nurse trips, and ideas were shared about what might come to pass in the future. Dental care was identified, for example, as a critical need. Can we add a dental clinic to the project and get volunteer dentists out here? Whew, wouldn't that be something. It occurred to me that I could have been conducting tooth brushing demos with the kids. That would be a fun project next time: toothbrushes and toothpaste for them all and toothbrushing practice together. Whew! What a scene that would be.

I'm going to have to start thinking about how I can possibly communicate all this back home. And how to help the vision for a life skill center come true. In this recession I'm just not sure where the money will come from, especially for construction. I checked out the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation guidelines. I don't see construction there. But we'll eat the elephant one bite at a time. This recession can't last forever.

Saturday, January 24

Today the students continued their data entry work. They did take some time off to do some more shopping, so Barb and I also returned to the artisan market. We went back to the same shop. They had said they would find some CDs for us. They had and I bought one. I asked for the most traditional. I hope it is. Then Barb negotiated long and hard for us to buy several of a traditional game here for our families. It's played with seed pods in an ornately carved wood box. She was very tough on the shop keepers and got us a good price. Then, while waiting for the others to be ready to go, we escaped the “honeycomb” of shops to have a beer. I would have loved to browse more, but the shop keepers are such aggressive hawkers that we just wanted out.

We joined Dave and the man he had arranged to meet there. We had an interesting discussion about this man's project to create small self-insured co-ops for medical insurance. Earlier Ruth had explained to me that she is part of a circle of women who together save money to meet the needs of the women as they arise. It's a traditional Cameroonian practice. They each give a certain amount of money each month. One month of the year, each has the right to receive a lump sum for a particular need. If there is competition in a particular month, the option is auctioned, with the proceeds fed back into the collective account. She said that no one dares to fail to pay her share in this system. It's a system of mutual honor and respect, administered by the women themselves. It sounds like this insurance system would work in a similar way. As the number of members in a group increases, the medical conditions it would cover can expand. It sounds like an excellent system.

Friday, January 23

Today the students all gathered at Ruth's house to begin work on their final report. The first step was to design a spreadsheet for entering the data they recorded in over 500 health assessments. That completed, they divided into small groups and began the work. They used Joe's and my computers. It's a slow process. I hope they can complete them all in a reasonable length of time.

Thursday, January 22

I took the day off again from going to villages with the students. I've really wearied of that routine, having little to do while there, and it being so hot. Ruth arranged for a colleague to come by to talk with me about the dream of a life skills center. His name is Yav. He had done some quick calculations for the project based on the ideas that Ruth had shared with him. The cost was estimated at $300,000. We talked about the importance of designing the project in phases, and having clear projections about what the cost of maintaining each phase would be, and what the revenue stream would be for each phase. In subsequent thinking the dream has fully expanded so that the whole project will be far more expensive than that – and the whole world in a recession. Hmmm.

The Linfield staff visited Kake, another village, to deliver nets. It's not far from Souza. They were extremely impressed with this neat and trim little village and its leadership.

Wednesday, January 21

The highlight of my day today was the delivery of a microscope to the maternity clinic in Souza. It was donated by the clinic in my hometown of Kearny, Arizona. Here is a picture of me with the mayor and the microscope. Ruth is on the left. And here are some pictures of the clinic!

The mayor was there so I got to make a formal presentation of the microscope. The Linfield Team presented many boxes of gloves, and nets enough for every bed in the clinic, and the Friends of WEH, through Barbara, presented some medications.
Sherry, the Linfield nursing professor, had told us about this clinic. Because of insufficient funding, it lacks basic equipment and supplies. The pharmacy is clearly under-supplied. They don't generally use gloves, even in deliveries, because they don't have them. The microscope we saw there was borrowed from another clinic. They gave us a tour. Like most buildings we have seen in the villages, it was “open air.” Because it is never cold here, there is no need for glass in the windows. Louvers are the norm. In one room, with about four beds, there was a man hooked up to an IV, suspended from the wall. We were told that he and the other two in the room had been in an accident, so clearly they accept others besides maternity patients. The surgery room, used for suturing and other minor things, bore no resemblance to our surgeries. There was a single table, something like we might see in a doctor's exam room, and a single table with a few instruments on it.

In the maternity ward one woman had not yet delivered. There were two women with their new babies. One was being assisted by an older woman, perhaps her mother. The other had the father of her baby there with her. Like new moms everywhere, they were so proud!

The lab was a room like the others – no sparkling white walls and sterile ambience. There was a refrigerator and a sink. The borrowed microscope was on the counter.

We were very pleased to help this clinic out. The nursing students had brought dozens of boxes of gloves which delighted the local nurses. And mosquito nets to go over every bed in the clinic. The mayor spoke. It surprised me when he firmly promised – as translated by Ruth -- that these things would not be sold, but would be used right here. Apparently it's a real problem, that staff sell such things for personal gain.

As usual, we were warmly received and warmly bade farewell.

Tuesday, January 20

Inauguration Day! In the morning we went shopping, an expedition that extended into the afternoon. First we went to the fabric store again. I was looking for some beautiful white material I would like to use to make an alb. Didn't find it. Then we went to the artisans mall. We didn't begin to explore the extent of its shops before I had spent all of my money! I purchased gifts for my family and bought myself a couple of African dresses.

Then we returned to the house to watch the inauguration with Ruth and Raphael, their staff, and several Cameroonian friends. Raphael and Ruth had rented a large screen TV, so we all gathered in the large living room. Everyone was so excited. Obama's speech was amazing. We observed that it was clearly addressed to the whole world, not just the United States. He challenged everyone in the world to live the change.

Ruth and I gripped each other's hands as Obama spoke. It is astonishing to me that we are together on this day. We cried together on the day MLK was killed, and we were together today. Words cannot express the meaning. Afterwards I shared this with the Linfield students. They confirmed Ruth's and my sense that this is, indeed, a very special and amazing day for the two of us.

Monday, January 19

I took the day off. Well, really half the day because the Linfield crew didn't get on the way until mid-day. I finished my novel and took a nap! It is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, an amazingly appropriate day preceding the inauguration tomorrow.

The Linfield students mostly distributed nets to villages we visited when we didn't have any.

Sunday, January 18

What fun Ruth and I had in the middle of the night in our hotel room! At about 2 a.m. I woke up to discover she, too, was awake. She said the air conditioner had gone off and it was hot. After we got that sorted out and the air conditioner back on, we turned out the light and talked in the dark for over an hour! It was like old roommate time. We filled in lots of the gaps in the years that our communication was scarce. We finally got back to sleep.

There was no way we could get to church this morning so we had a very leisurely breakfast on the patio of the restaurant, overlooking the bay. There was Ruth and Barb and Joe and me, and the three Linfield faculty/administration members. We got to brainstorming the long-term vision of WEH and the role of Linfield and the Friends of WEH. It was very exciting. The hope is to develop a master plan for the vocational center and related buildings, and then develop a strategy for the bite-by-bite eating of the elephant! All along the way, Linfield and the Friends of WEH want simply to support and promote WEH. There will be major fund-raising, grant-writing, and opportunities for volunteers to come.

After checking out of the hotel, we took the long way around coming home. We got to see a huge tea plantation. Unfortunately, there was no retail outlet there to buy some Cameroonian tea.

As the day ends I'm feeling very excited about the possibilities for future development of WEH and its programs.

Saturday, January 17

We roused ourselves, ate breakfast, and headed for Limbe with car and driver. We got to see Buea, an early German capital, and then Limbe. On the way we crossed the river that marks the boundary between the former French and English sections of the country.

Limbe is a beautiful sea-side town, actually at the base of a pretty bay. Though tourism is not well-developed here it is clear that this town realizes that it is a good tourist destination. Ruth showed us the port from which slaves were shipped. She related the story of a friend who stood here and cried, “Oh, the hundreds of our people that this sea swallowed.” It was a sad and moving place to stand.

There was a monument that Ruth wanted to show us about a pioneer missionary of the Evangelical church. We hopped out of the car and I went straight to the monument. A man who had been sitting there spoke to me in French, so at first I couldn't get his meaning. Then I realized that he was saying I should have asked his permission to approach this monument! So I asked permission. He granted it. When I got out my camera he again became angry. He wanted money for the photo. We left. Ruth said the man does not own the monument or have any authority to do that. He was just looking for a buck.

We met up with the Linfield students at the hotel just in time for lunch. It was an excellent buffet. Then we got on our swimsuits and the bus took us to a wonderful beach. The water was amazingly warm. I practiced drawing for awhile and then we “older” women, five of us, all went into the surf together. We had great fun bobbing on the swells and splashing in the surf. Dinner was again delicious.

Friday, January 16

This was a fun and relaxing day. The Linfield students came over for breakfast and then we prepared to go to the fabric store. It has been interesting to learn that Ruth has most of her dresses made. “Pret a porter" (ready to wear) is available, but not universally common like in the U.S. So Ruth had her seamstress come over and we described the sort of dress we wanted and she measured us – that is Barb and me and the Linfield faculty. The students had chosen to go with a different seamstress – the wife of the bus driver.

Then we all piled in the bus and went to the fabric store. We were most disappointed to see that the large one Ruth recommended was closed for a couple of hours until 2 p.m. Fortunately, there was a smaller one close by. It had a huge assortment of precut yard goods. Rather than buying off the bolt, you buy a chunk precut. The seamstress had told us that one chunk would be plenty for what we wanted made. There were so many gorgeous fabrics! It didn't take me long to land on a blue and gray fabric for the dress, another chunk of pinks and purples I liked, and a red chunk for a table cloth at home. It looks very southwestern, with petroglyph-style drawings. It will go great in our house.

Then we all came back to Ruth's house for lunch. After that the students got on the bus to go to Limbe. Our plan is to follow them tomorrow. So we had a quiet and relaxing afternoon. I even took a nap. In the evening Ruth and Raphael went out to a dress-up engagement (Women dress up all the time here. Just more so at night. Even in the day we feel shabby next to the color and style of the women's clothes. I can't wait for my new dress!) Joe and Barb and I continued to enjoy the quiet of the day.

Thursday, January 15

For the last couple of days we've been sitting on the edge of our seats wondering about the arrival of the pickup. The estimated time of arrival was Monday but we haven't heard a word. The shipping company emailed me and said they had sent the original title and bill of lading by TNT to Ruth's address. Well, Ruth's address is a PO Box. It hasn't come there. She's never heard of TNT, so now she's calling the customs broker to try to figure out where this thing is. The tracking process shows it is in Douala and waiting for us to pick it up, but there's nothing on the site about where we are supposed to go to get it, since it's not at the post office. Aaargh.

LATER
The broker knew where the TNT office was, so we started a morning of errands. We got the title from the TNT place and took it to the customs broker. He said he'd try to find out if the truck was on some ship in the harbor. We went to the doctor's office and talked about the drugs we needed, and he called a pharmacy wholesaler. So then we went to the wholesaler. It took quite a while there. When errands were down, we again met up with the students. This time we went to ______. (Shucks, I can't remember the names of these villages.) This one was unique. While most of what we have seen are houses paralleling the road on either side, this one had a real town center with a “green” and a community gathering place. The students did assessments in what I believe was the town hall. Everyone was so tired. It's been a very long week, and out at the hotel they had the typical problems with shower water disappearing and the electricity going off frequently. And they got mighty tired of the cooking in the little dining hall there.

Ruth and I continue to marvel that I am actually here. And the time is going so fast.

Wednesday, January 14

I hear the student with malaria is better. She is staying in the motel and returning to the hospital several times a day for IV treatments.

Once again we got a late start because Ruth couldn't get a driver. (Sane people don't drive here. The traffic is too crazy!) At least we weren't as late. We went to two places today. At the first one I started reading “The Cat in the Hat” in French to some of the children. Their teacher joined us, so I turned the book over to him. After each page he talked with them about it. He was great and they all enjoyed the book very much.

At the second village I occupied the children who were waiting by asking them to sing songs for me. We had a great time. For nearly an hour they each remembered different songs, and the others would join in – a good old-fashioned songfest for sure. At this location Barbara even was able to do some gynecological sessions with some women.

When we got back to Douala, by then after dark, Ruth and I had to stop by a pharmacy to order a bunch of drugs Barbara wanted. Ruth's pharmacist friend wasn't there, but Ruth found out she'd be there tomorrow morning. As we were leaving, there was her doctor coming to the pharmacy. He said he could get the drugs cheaper for us! What amazing timing. Thank-you, God.

Tuesday, January 13

My, what a frustrating day. We had thought that we could be back out in Mangamba working by mid-morning, but it was not to be. Ruth's driver arrived late and when we were well on our way, she remembered the bags of food that we needed to have with us for the WEH orphans. So we had to come back into Douala to get the bags. By the time we joined the Linfield bus they had been waiting for a long time. We got the assessments going and managed to get a great deal done. With a couple of the Linfield students, I helped lead some games for the children, to keep them occupied. But it was very hot, playing in the sun. The heat was really getting to me. I don't know how much more I can sweat! Later I got to give each of the children one of our “Yes we can” pencils. I had them all say together, “Oui Nous Pouvons.” The nurses assessed many and gave out lot of malaria nets. But as always, at the end of the day there were many disappointed people. As the days come to a close and people realize that not everyone will be seen, anxiety goes up and people try to crowd in. At least today we had adequate mosquito nets to pass out.

One of the nursing students has come down with malaria. All of us know that it can happen, in spite of the anti=malarials we take. She was hospitalized for IVs and quinine and whatever else they do.

Monday, January 12

We started the week with a team meeting. We were delayed getting out of town and didn't get to Mangamba until nearly 4 p.m. But the students set up shop and accomplished a number of assessments of WEH kids before we had to go. Ruth and I came home to Douala while the rest stayed out at the hotel where they stayed last week. After a dinner in front of the TV, I'm going to bed.

I wish I could adequately describe our drive today. We went from the bustling streets of Douala – some modern, most cramped – to the hub bub of the road-side stands and the horrendous pot-holed filled road that goes through that part of the city, to the long, winding, narrow, dirt roads through the countryside. We drove through a number of villages, each with a variety of homes from very nice to the poorest of mud homes, now losing the mud chinking that should hold out the elements. Everywhere there are people carrying things on their heads; everywhere there are children playing – and watching our bus go by. We passed through areas of thick vegetation on either side of the road, rubber tree plantations, and palm oil plantations. It is all so interesting.

Sunday, January 11

We went to Ruth and Raphael's church again today.

In the afternoon we again packaged rice and salt and soap and oil for food distribution.

The Linfield group returned from their holiday weekend and we heard some of their stories about the great time they had at Kribe.

Saturday, January 10

We had fun today continuing the project of creating 430 sacks of groceries. Today we bagged 10 kilos of rice for every sack we had begun last night. Help came from some WEH volunteers and staff members of the Titi household. In the afternoon some of the staffers began measuring and bagging 2 kilos of salt for each bag, and we added a jar of cooking oil. Then they were carried off to storage by staff members and the watchmen of the house. Ruth's niece and nephew also came and pitched in. The watchmen will continue working in the night.

Sometime last night or in the early morning the staff showed their loyalty to the Titi family. Rain came down in torrents and it was the staff who covered all this produce on the veranda to protect it. They are truly amazing.

Friday, January 9

Today is my eldest sister's birthday. Happy Birthday, Lois.

The Linfield nursing students went to the hospital today here in Douala, so Joe and Barb and I all stayed here. The morning was nice and relaxing. As usual, Ruth had many errands to run. She is astonishingly full of energy. The government has given WEH its quarterly check to buy food to deliver to the orphans it has been given oversight of, so Ruth had much to do. She had to calculate how much beans and rice to get and order that, and salt and bars of soap and cooking oil. Later a truck arrived with humongous bags of beans and rice and stacked them all on the veranda. By evening we all began the long task of preparing 430 sacks of groceries which we will deliver to orphans' caregivers next week. We weighed out 2 kilos of beans and bagged them, and wrapped 2 large bars of soap in newspaper for each sack. We hardly made a dent in the task!

Thursday, January 8

Today is my second son's birthday. Happy birthday, Seth.

Today we were supposed to get out to Souza in time to meet up with the Linfield team for a meeting, but the car and driver didn't arrive until almost noon. When we got there the students had already set up in the city hall of Mbanga which we had visited on Monday, doing assessments. By mid-afternoon they split up into groups and set up assessment clinics in three different locations. (Later, two of the groups went to two additional sites.) I accompanied the group to the chief's house and three assessment sites were set up there. I had the great pleasure of holding one of a set of twins, helping the grandmother (I assume) care for them. The baby slept for a long time. When she awoke she was very tranquil and I continued to enjoy caring for her.

Things got very hectic at the end of the day when it became apparent that not everyone could be seen. Again, difficult decisions had to be made. Who would get mosquito nets the Linfield students had raised money for and who not? They were given to the youngest babies.

Wednesday, January 7

Today I accompanied the Linfield nurses as they were doing nursing assessments at the Catholic school in Souza. In pairs they set up a table and chairs in several of the school classrooms. The students desks and chairs had been moved outside as a place for waiting. The nursing students assessed persons one by one and made referrals as necessary. Many People gathered in the courtyard of the school and people continued to come all day.

I occupied myself some of the time by simply praying for whomever I observed. Once I gathered the children in the courtyard and played a yard game with them. My goodness. Children came out of the woodwork! Whenever fun things are happening all the children gather. I couldn't communicate the rules of the game so I tried to demonstrate. I failed to teach them the exact rules but what we did was very fun, running and laughing. Barbara and Joe and I had brought pencils for the WEH children which said, “Oui, Nous Pouvons” on them. Everywhere we go, people say, “Obama.”

Late in the day people became more anxious about whether there would be time enough. Then I occupied some children with finger games. Whatever silly thing I did with my fingers, they would copy. I was sitting at a student's desk, so then I began playing rhythm games on the desk. The children would repeat whatever I did. I asked them to sing, too, and then we really had fun. One teen was a very good drummer and beat out a wonderful riff. Then they asked me to sing. I couldn't think of anything so they suggested, “My bonnie lies over the ocean.” I forgot the words, but they remembered! We had a wonderful time. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of them all gathered around.

We were very hot. I dripped all day. I've learned to take a towel with me.

I haven't had a chance to listen to many of the students' stories. But one student saw a six month old child that didn't look over 2 months old. She couldn't hold her head up. And her mom is HIV positive. This baby has been brought to the hospital in Douala. I hope she makes it!

Once again, at the end of the day, the Linfield team and Barb and Joe stayed in the hotel in Souza. The Cameroonian staff, Ruth and I came back to Douala.

Tuesday, January 6

Today we made numerous visits, seeking permissions in the villages to conduct health assessments. Here's a photo of our visit to the priest at Souza. I'll post more details when I verify them.

Monday, January 5, 2009

The students arrived for breakfast at about 9:00. Now, with 18 additional diners, it's quite a production. They set up another table in the dining room and the meal is served family style. Some of us spill over into the family room – generally Raphael and me and others from time to time. It's more peaceful!

Several of our company including Barbara and Ruth and the Linfield staff people went to the Department of Health to introduce themselves and familiarize the department with our plans. They reported back that it was a good visit. Then, after lunch, the students and faculty went to buy mosquito nets to give away; they had had numerous fund raisers to earn money for the nets and to help in other ways. I got to take a nap! The work really starts tomorrow.

Sunday, January 4, 2008

Sunday, January 4

We had another new and wonderful experience at church today. We went to a huge church, the “mother church” of the one we attended last week. Again, there were several choirs and magnificent singing. Of most interest to me was that it was communion Sunday. Not being acquainted with this denomination, I was curious to see where on the scale of Catholic to Evangelical the worship would be. I guess I would say that it was very much in the middle. The prayers were said in a way I imagine to be similar to Presbyterian and the elements were handled in the manner of those churches who understand communion to be a remembrance only. What really interested me was that real wine was used and it was distributed by sipping from a chalice. Real wine vs. grape juice is such an important debate within the Methodist Church back home that this rather surprised me. I expected grape juice. Again, it was a very uplifting service, though I preferred the small church the week before even more, with its friendly informality and the full participation of everyone. From what I could understand and what Ruth translated to me, the pastor handled very well the matter of “Do not worry what you shall eat or drink. . . He made it clear that Jesus did NOT say “Do not do anything about what you shall eat or what you shall drink.”

Here is a photo of a precious child at church last week. I post it especially for my 3-year old granddaughter who would surely agree that this is a magnificent dress!

When we got back from church, the students were at the house. We had lunch and there was much discussion throughout the rest of the day regarding plans for the coming week. It's hard, when resources are insufficient to provide services to all the people in all the towns, to decide how to “triage” the need. Since there are insufficient funds to buy mosquito nets to entirely meet the needs, and insufficient funds to do HIV/AIDS testing in all the villages, decisions needed to be made about how best to use the limited resources. It was decided that nets would be generously distributed in one or two villages where the area is more marshy, and the testing will be done in three or four villages. Health assessments can be done in as many villages as time allows.

In the evening, the students opened all the suitcases of supplies and sorted them.

January 4 in summary

We didn't go to Edea. The hotel owner who would host us had had to leave town. We had a very relaxing day while Ruth handled many errands. In the afternoon, Joe and Barb and I decided to take a walk around the area. We had not done this yet. About five blocks from here we found a ready-to-wear dress shop. Inside, it became evident that we wouldn't buy anything.There were western clothes which didn't appeal to us. There were also some attractive blouses that interested me but I felt the price was more than I wanted to pay. The exchange rate is not very good just now. I started up a conversation with the young clerk. She knew a little English, but my French was better so we did fairly well. I told her what we were doing here, emphasizing that we are not tourists. She said, “I am a Christian. I would like to do that someday.” It was so good to hear such a clear declaration of her motive. It was as natural in her conversation as saying, “It's raining.” And she would like to come to the U.S. Someday. I told her not to give up the dream. She was a good salesperson. She showed me a black blouse and I said, “The sleeves are too puffy,” partly with gesturing. “Oh no, she said. “This is you. I can see what you are wearing and so I know this is you.” Delightful. I wish I had favored something enough to buy it from her!

Later some of WEH's colleagues came and so there was much discussion with them.

Now we have been here a full week. In the evening the Linfield students arrived. Only one of their 30-odd suitcases could not be found. They reported it missing. Otherwise, their trip was relatively uneventful.

Half of their luggage is full of medical supplies which the Friends of WEH paid for. We purchased them from an American missionary organization that collects and sells meds at very low prices. Then we had them mailed to Linfield so all the students could bring a second suitcase full.

January 4, 2009 -- Generous donors to WEH

There are several people here who provide incredible support for the work of WEH. Ruth's husband, Raphael, has been paying the rent for the office since WEH was started a decade ago, and transportation. Leopold Ekwa Ngalle is regular in his giving of cash and sometimes provides transportation. He also donated a grinding mill for cassava and corn. Mme. Viollette Pency Soppo Priso provides cash to pay for children's schooling and school supplies and food. Jean Francois Cartier, the restaurant and hotel owner in Edea, provides used sheets, towels, curtains and food and soap bars and notebooks. Mme. Laurent Esso has donated fabric for the women. (On March 8 of every year Women's Day is celebrated with a lot of pomp and circumstance. Each year a fabric is made for the celebration and many women acquire it to make themselves dresses. Special fabrics for dresses here are the rough equivalent of specially printed t-shirts in the U.S. Ruth has shown me a dress that was made from specially imprinted fabric for her church women's group.)

A French football player donated 96 pairs of shoes for the children!

In America there are some amazing donors, too, who give to the Friends of WEH. Both the Church of Our Saviour in Lakeside and the Church of the Good Shepherd in Kearny made significant gifts for the truck. When Sherry Archer, a nursing professor with the Linfield students, and a member of the board of the Friends of WEH, married Bob a couple of years ago, they asked that in lieu of wedding presents they be given donations to WEH. And Sherry's Jewish humanitarian community in Portland made a significant contribution for orphans' schooling and sent clothes and other items as well for the children. Other significant supporters include Kenneth and Deborah Wood in Minnesota, David Groff of Linfield College, and Allan and Margaret Anderson of Washington state. Allan is the President of the Friends of WEH. All the board members of the Friends of WEH solicited donations from their family and friends for the truck. My large family gave gifts to the Friends of WEH rather than exchanging gifts, and then my cousins joined in the fun. On the website of the Friends of WEH there is a long list of donors all of which donated for the truck.

Joseph and Barbara Stone (and I) paid our own way to come here, nothing to be sneezed at. Barbara has invested a huge amount of time getting up to snuff on tropical diseases and HIV/AIDS.

January 3, 2009 -- Linfield students come today

Today is my older brother and sister's birthday -- Happy Birthday, Judy and Rich.

We didn't go to Edea. The hotel owner who would host us had had to leave town. We had a very relaxing day while Ruth handled many errands. In the afternoon, Joe and Barb and I decided to take a walk around the area. We had not done this yet. About five blocks from here we found a ready-to-wear dress shop. Inside, it became evident that we wouldn't buy anything.There were western clothes which didn't appeal to us. There were also some attractive bloused that interested me but I felt the price was more than I wanted to pay. The exchange rate is not very good just now 12. I started up a conversation with the young clerk. She knew a little English, but my French was better so we did fairly well. I told her what we were doing here, emphasizing that we are not tourists. She said, “I am a Christian. I would like to do that someday.” It was so good to hear such a clear declaration of her motive. It was as natural in her conversation as saying, “It's raining.” And she would like to come to the U.S. Someday. I told her not to give up the dream. She was a good salesperson. She showed me a black blouse and I said, “The sleeves are too puffy,” partly with gesturing. “Oh no, she said. “This is you. I can see what you are wearing and so I know this is you.” Delightful. I wish I had favored something enough to buy it from her!

Later some of WEH's colleagues came and so there was much discussion with them.

Now we have been here a full week. In the evening the Linfield students arrived. Only one of their 30-odd suitcases could not be found. They reported it missing. Otherwise, their trip was relatively uneventful.

Half of their luggage is full of medical supplies which the Friends of WEH paid for. We purchased them from an American missionary organization that collects and sells meds at very low prices. Then we had them mailed to Linfield so all the students could bring a second suitcase full.

Today is the birthday of my older brother and his twin sister. Happy birthday, Judy and Rich!

January 2, 2009

Another amazing day. I didn't wake up until nearly 10 a.m. We all sat around over breakfast, chatting for awhile, then two of Ruth's colleagues came to conference with us about HIV testing. One was a social worker from the government and the other was a social worker who works with Ruth. We discussed many issues relating to HIV testing including how to raise people's interest in being tested, how to follow up with a second test if the first is positive, etc., etc. We also brainstormed ideas about the future educational and vocational center for WEH.

Then we had the great privilege of going to lunch to the home of the doctor and his wife. You will not believe how royally we were treated. The lunch included fish, duck, frog, and a kind of anteater! They were all delicious. But I happened to serve myself one of the frog's feet! This I could not eat – but I did take a picture of it. There was also cous cous and white yam. Ah yes, the first course was soup, and dessert was the sweet in-season pineapple and papaya. We always squeeze a slice of lime on the papaya. Very delicious. The meal was a huge compliment to us because, as Ruth explained to us, these are menu items for royalty! It's been a long time since Ruth and Raphael have eaten such exotic things. We were deeply flattered. The family is in the process of building their house around them (which made me feel better because that's sort of what Sam and I are doing in Arizona--- not building, but perpetually remodeling.)

Earlier we had all decided that Joe and Barb and I would go to Edea tonight to take advantage of the offer of Jean Francois Cartier to stay at his hotel. But by the time we got to the lunch, and then enjoyed these people for a long time, it was decided that it was too late to go to Edea. So we came home to Douala. When we arrived here, the two colleagues had returned. During the day they had worked hard to create a budget for HIV testing in 10 villages. We have to hire a mobile unit and three staff people for each of the 10 days, and the gasoline for the unit, and publicity including banners in seven villages announcing that we are coming, radio advertising on two stations, each in three languages, and tipping some traditional messengers (employees of local government). All of this totaled about $7000. The Linfield nursing students who are coming raised a lot of money to bring with them, but probably not that much. We will have to see after they arrive tomorrow. There is still some money in the account of the Friends of WEH but we may need that for customs when the truck arrives, or even for “a little gift” to get the truck released at the port. And there will be the valid fee for the work of the customs broker. So we can't budget any of that for anything until we have the truck – which potentially might not be complete before we leave.

We are not eating dinner tonight. We don't need any more!

I think that tomorrow Joe and Barb and I will go to Edea and simply enjoy the day there. Next week we will REALLY roll up our sleeves and get to work.

At church on Sunday a large group of children sang.

Evening of January 1

'Well, what a feast we had today! -- a multiple course French meal with Barb's turkey. First we had foie gras (a very special sort of chicken liver pate), cheese, salmon and tripe! When I tried the foie gras and the tripe I was amazed at how delicious they both were. Then there was the turkey. We ate and ate. For dessert we had a yule log cake and an apple tart. And there was a bordeaux vin magnifique.

The company included the pastor and his wife, their son, and two daughters. One of the daughters had several children. I got out my jax and played with the two girls, ages 8 and 5. The younger was named Ashley, and the older Carol!!!!!! Then there was also Ruth's sister Doris and her son and daughter.

The conversation at the adults' table was very lively. The amazing thing was that when the pastor said the grace in French I understood nearly the whole thing, while during the conversation, translation was always necessary. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that one expects certain phrases in a prayer; perhaps it was that he spoke quite slowly, perhaps because God was in the mix. Ruth and Raphael and the pastor and I, with comments of others, engaged several questions like creationism vs. evolution, and the conflict between the two creation stories in Genesis. I was simply amazed. We were in accord on practically everything. And he was a Baptist.! Ruth and I marveled at how, through the years, our theology has moved in a similar direction – and so has the theology of the Baptists here, or at least of this man. It seems that the Baptist church here has moved away from the conservatism that remains in the U.S.

Before I forget, I must remember to tell the story of my Congolese dress. In college Ruth and I made matching Congolese dresses. There was a simple wrap-around skirt and a tight fitting bodice – no sleeves. They had a pleated ruffle sort of decoration from the waist, five or six inches long. At home I have a picture of us together in these dresses. I wish I had brought the photo. But I did bring the dress. When I saw Prisca, Doris's daughter, I knew it was for her. She is a petite young woman. I was afraid it might be too large for her, but it was OK. I can't believe I was ever that small. She said with delight, “It is Congolese?” She was so pleased and that pleased me very much.

Well, now we've all taken a nap and we're sitting around watching TV. The situation in Gaza is very fragile, very grave.

New Year's Day, 2009

Bonne Annee!! Ruth awakened me at about 9:30. She had company downstairs she wanted me to meet. One was the wife of Raphael's cousin, and another older woman, and a young boy. The second woman hugged me extremely warmly when we were introduced. I asked Ruth why. She said that it is the custom here to treat a friend's friend just as you would the first friend. Being Ruth's friend here is an amazing portal.

We had breakfast (coffee, papaya, and croissant) and now preparations for lots of company this afternoon are underway. Barbara got up early and was given the honor of entering Robert's kitchen so she could dress a turkey. (Robert is an amazingly gifted chef; the kitchen is his domain.)

So I'll write about yesterday. We had a relaxing morning again. Ruth said it was a day of preparing to go to a party this evening. We would go the party at about 8 pm, then go to the church to ring in the New Year. Then they would bring the three of us home and they would return to the party which would include dinner and celebration into the wee hours. They have come to understand that we are not used to these late night hours!

So in the midday Sarah, Ruth's manicurist/pedicurist/masseuse arrived. The family room was turned into a beauty parlor. Ruth had her hair set on curlers and a complete facial and then a manicure and pedicure. I asked if I could also have the manicure. I explained that I had never had a professional manicure, nor a pedicure. So I got the whole treatment of my nails. Sarah knows little English so I worked hard at speaking in French and she was very patient with me. After doing my nails -- hands and feet – she did Barbara's. In the “women's room” yesterday we became very fond of her. When it came time to pay her, the charge for Barbara and me was about $24 each, but we each paid her $30. She wanted to give us change but we said, “Bonne Annee” and hugged her. As she left, she told Ruth that she was so excited because now she could go to the market and buy food for a real celebration at home. We felt deeply gifted by her even as she felt deeply gifted by us. That was so cool.

In the afternoon we continued to primp. What a fun day.

Things don't always play out as you had planned. Rather, we went to the church first (not the same church as on Sunday.) From about 8:00 until midnight there was scripture reading in both French and Douala, and several choirs sang in multiple languages including Lingala, Ruth's Congolese native tongue. One of the songs was “We are marching in the light of God,” sung over and over again in several languages including English. There was also a sermon. (Again, the pulpit was very high, like a reformation pulpit.) The church building was very large with people filling the nave and the pews at both ends of the crossing. Most everyone wore white. (Ruth wished we had known that. We were in our party clothes.) The worship lacked the intimacy of the Sunday service we went to, but was very interesting in spite of the fact that I don't understand French speakers!

As midnight approached, a prayer for the new year was said and then they began to sing another song over and over again. Ruth said it was about God's blessings for the new year. As the hands on the clock moved on, the pace got faster and faster, and the volume increased. Then everyone rang in the new year by breaking into cheers with all hands in the air. I took a video clip of this which I hope to post when I figure out how.

As we came out of the church, fireworks were exploding in the air. Ruth and Raphael's friends greeted them and there was kissing all around. The parking lot was, of course, very crowded. I couldn't help myself. I had to open the car window and wave and holler “Bonne Annee.” People hollered back, “Bonne Annee!” Ruth and Raphael and Barbara and Joe all laughed. Ruth said, “Oh, Carol. Always enthusiastic."

We came home then and Ruth and Raphael went to the party. So that was the day we spent primping for a party we didn't attend. But we didn't mind. It was a full and rich New Year's celebration and we didn't want to get stuck at a late night party only to see ourselves fade away!

Once home, they broke open a bottle of wine for the three of us before they left. We had our own toast-for-three, overwhelmed by the warmth of everyone and the hospitality of Ruth and Raphael, and the people who assist them. We have become very fond of all of them. (Ruth feels very fortunate to have several staff members. People need work and they have the means to provide jobs.)

So it was a blessed day and now, today, we will again be blessed by God with the warmth of our ever-expanding circle of friends. Ruth frequently expresses how baffling it is to be so largely blessed, a feeling I share. And she continually reminds us that receiving great blessing requires great giving. Back in the U.S we sometimes take our great blessing for granted, and hence forget the part about great giving.

All of you who read this, have a New Year full of both receiving and giving blessing.