Wedding!

Here are Rob and Bintou, and the Best Man (Rob's brother) and the Maid of Honor (Bintou's sister, although Etie really should have been it. She was singing in the choir, so I got the great honor!)

Life Continues!

After returning from Ogoja, life just rushed right on! The office opened the next day, and Zach resumed his responsibilities as survey coordinator.

Christy is gearing up for a literacy workshop where she'll be teaching about a primer writing program that she herself has never used! Of course, by the time the course starts in February she should know how the thing works...in theory. Should be interesting! Below Christy enjoys the refreshment of flowing water in Obudu Cattle Ranch while she can! Jos right now is quite dry and harmattan dust covers the ground, trees, cars, bushes, counter tops, and clothes hanging in the closet!

Ogoja for New Years

We headed out from Jos on December 27th just as planned, three hours after our stated departure time. A good friend loaned us her car for the 8 hour journey, and Mike (our co-worker) drove. We arrived in Ogoja to see our dear friend Linus long after dark because everything takes more time than anticipated. The following are a list of our activities while in this hot, sticky, friendly region of Nigeria. • 28th Delivered survey reports to the Tivoid language cluster. People were surprised to see Linus, Mike, and Zach again a year after they came with their survey team. They greeted them by name, and rejoiced in the fruit of their labour! Christy enjoyed this taste of Zach’s work he pours his heart into. Then we visited Obodu Ranch, which is high on a hill/mountain that borders Cameroon! Christy and Mike swam in the stainless steel pool while Zach and Linus took pictures. We returned very tired. • 29th We ate pancakes! We celebrated our 6 monthaversary by eating pizza Christy made, and our friends gave a word of thanks to the Lord before we toasted in the second half of our first year! • 30th We slept, read, and talked while Linus went and preached at a wedding. In the evening we played games, and ate peanut sauce. • 31st Christy made pecan cinnamon rolls. We danced, played Frisbee and Ticket to Ride, ate sweet potato soup, Christy scrapbooked, Zach wrote thank you cards, and played Uno. We toasted in the new year with prayers, hymns, and rejoicing. • January 1, 1013, we loaded up and returned to Jos.

A competitive gave of Uno!

"Yes Reverend!"

Delivering the Tivoid Report. Right: The Chief is in the red shirt. Linus is presenting him with the report. Below: Delivery of the report to another community just over the mountain from Cameroon!

Threatening Linus with a quick dunk!

Our First Christmas

“Expect lots of visitors on Christmas!” we were told. So, we made lots of chicken and rice to share, only to find that any adults who wanted to visit either thought we wouldn’t be expecting them or were busy hosting their own guests! However, we did have a houseful of neighborhood children who received chicken in the afternoon and evening, something they probably have never experienced before! ☺ We played the animal game, watched “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”, took out Christy’s braids, danced, ate Christmas cookies, played charades, and talked like old friends. It really was delightful. On Boxing Day, the 26th, we anticipated a quiet day at home having our own little Christmas celebration, but this is when our guests decided to visit, so we had a full house off and on from 10am to 7pm! (We managed to watch White Christmas in-between visits) The only planning one can do here, is plan for the unexpected and be ready for it spiritually and emotionally! Praise God, Christmas (and Boxing Day) were a time of great joy and celebration of Christ and his miraculous coming.

The girls take out my braids! I think they were a bit faster than Zach would have been!

"Let's make a band!" - Vicky (Zach's "junior sister")

The Lion and The Worm

We wandered through our neighborhood to the homes of children who visit our house regularly. We were inviting them to join Christy and the children of the Lutheran church to participate in a Christmas program. The parents were happy to have their children join us for the 3 practices and performance on Christmas Eve. Christy wrote a short skit about a boy who doesn’t understand why Christmas is so important, and a girl tells him a story about a Lion who becomes a worm just to tell the worms how much their ruler loves them. The children memorized all of their lines, and sang the incorporated songs with gusto! The sheep “baad loudly” the soloists sang their verses off key very confidently, and the lion wore his wig mane with pride. Christy was so proud of them, and the pastor liked it so much he invited them to come on Christmas morning and do it again! Praise God, Jesus became nothing for us, and praise God for children who proclaimed His goodness so enthusiastically.

Christy in Cameroon

When I, Christy, found myself back home in Cameroon, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that my home has shifted from a place to a person! I missed my husband so much, I returned 4 days earlier than anticipated! My time in Cameroon, however, was a rich time of reconnecting with “family” that are part of how God molded me during my time in Cameroon. I saw my Gado family who I lived with, and witnessed as the maid of honor, the marriage of my sister Bintou to Rob Peterson. I held and laughed with sweet MK’s that I hold so close to my heart everywhere I go. I visited with and ensured mission “mothers” that I was happily married and that my husband was taking good care of me. I cried, shared deeply, and rejoiced with single (and married) lady friends. Most of all, I remembered and treasured the memories of my past with these dear people, and built something to go into the future with. What a blessing. I returned by road, crossing the Nigeria/Cameroon border quite easily only to find my husband being detained by immigration while his passport was brought from a town 2 hours away. What a mixed reunion it was, but it was certainly a “coming home” and for that I am so very thankful.

Above: My sisters: Etie and Bintou To the right: The Groves!

My Sweet friend Lillian who hosted me the Friday I arrived in Bamenda! Even more to talk about now that we're BOTH married.

Two of these three girls were part of my first class of students at the Jackson's back in July 2007. They have become beautiful young women.

Below: Wow, the boys are growing up! I had these guys when they were in 2nd grade! Now they're in 5th!

Postponed traveling to the NorthWest for a day, and had the joy of seeing Pastor Erve randomly (or not so much), and a good friend, Jean Paul! Thank you God!