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!

A prayer meeting and an MOU

I (Zach) knew that we needed to be praying with our partners more often.  So far, since returning to Nigeria, I had only been to the Nigeria Bible Translation Trust (NBTT) Wednesday prayer meeting once, and I hadn't even made it to the Calvary Ministries (CAPRO) Tuesday prayer meeting even once.  We had pinned "Start praying with CAPRO" on our teams "to do" bulletin board for nearly two months, but for one reason or another we hadn't been able to go.

Finally, we all were praying at the same tables.  Grace Ajaegbu, a surveyor, and I had entered a small three wheeled public transport vehicle (known as a keke-NAPEP) for the forty-minute trip skirting around town and now we were in the same circle as the CAPRO research team. These men and women are Nigerians who have joyfully given up successful careers to follow a calling to reach the unreached. Trusting God to supply all their needs, they pour themselves out, researching where the Gospel is most needed, evaluating ongoing mission, and training new missionaries how to do the same.

We sang, we thanked God for specific answers to prayer, and we began to lift up the needs of the CAPRO research team.  For about three years we have been trying to work and pray with CAPRO's research team, so that we both can help each other do our work better.  It was encouraging to lift these brothers and sisters and their work up to God, knowing with confidence that he will bring it to completion.  I was also surprised to hear about basic things in their ministry I hadn't know about, and their vision to work in an area where we had done a survey.  We should pray together more often?

"Why don't we make plans for how we can work together right now?"  Robert Simon, the CAPRO research team leader was about to take a new role, and he wanted to ensure that he left a sure footing for the transition in leadership. Grace and I had planned a meeting about three hours after the prayers started, but I knew this discussion would be important.  I phoned back to reschedule the meeting, and we stayed on.

Over the next hour we discussed how we might work together and Robert Simon drafted a memorandum of understanding that included how we might pray together, share information, and help in each other's training events.   Join us in praying that these plans become reality!

You can read about CAPRO at their website: CAPRO and CAPRO Nigeria.

A Good Hair Day

I (Christy) bought 3 packages of hair, and enjoyed the ambiance of the Mary’s “saloon” where the number of chattering laughing women fluctuated over the 2-day work of art. Mary is almost 4 feet tall, and has a big smile that anyone would be caught off guard by. The best part of the day were the cultural lessons I received about men’s attitudes according to women, the situation downtown on Fridays (The Muslim holy day), opinions on Muslim activities from a certain Christian perspective, their thoughts on white people, the banter between single women and married men, the assurance of salvation, sexual relationships outside of marriage, forgiveness, and gossip on a host of people I don’t know from their community. It was the “Barbershop” talk Nigerian style, and I was invigorated by it, though my bum was quite tired after sitting for 8 hours. However, the hair is done, and it has brought me many sweet compliments from Nigerians and expatriates alike…it also saves me a lot of time toting water, heating it, and then washing my hair! Yeah!

I’ve never been to a thanksgiving like this one! Trees were arranged in the front of the sanctuary “bearing fruit” that had been bought at the market and was sold at the proper time. Pastor William gave a sermon on the Christian life being one of thankfulness, and then we danced up with our groups. Zach: Men, Missionary, Plateau people, and Adamawa people. Christy: Women, missionary, Plateau people. When the missionaries danced up, there were only 3 of us, so Christy lead in “We are Walking In the Light of God” since our mother tongue is English. However, she did the traditional “Bee Booty” dance, as she calls the dance originated in the South, that she’s only seen here in Nigeria and makes her laugh. It brought hoots and hollers from those from that region. What fun to celebrate this thanksgiving with our brothers and sisters in Christ, dressed in their traditional dressings, singing in their mother tongues, and thanking God for the greatness of his love and blessings as they danced up the aisle with a goat or chicken, a wheelbarrow of rice, a crate of eggs, cassava on their heads, oil in their hands, or any other gift they were giving to God to say “Thank you”. We have so much to thank God for this year! Marriage, Christy moving to Nigeria and how God is sustaining her, the many joys that comes with marriage, and the struggles too. God is so abundantly good!

We attended our first wedding since we've been married! Zach was asked to be the "Reception Chairman," a position which was discovered along the way. He opened the reception with a Hausa greeting and welcome, was stated an "international observer" for the cutting of the cake, and asked to open the gift giving portion of the event. We danced with the traditional dancers, sat in honored seats under the shade, and participated when asked to dance with the bride and groom. What fun to build memories and experienced together! Prayerfully we will have many such opportunities to share in the joy of others in our new life together.