Showers of Blessings...

Encouragement comes in many ways. It's always a blessing when it happens. This week a number of encouraging things have happened:

These tomatoes, bananas, and plantains were given to us by the Maumu Church of Christ located in one of Buea's surrounding villages. We were encouraged when these people who have so little brought us food from their farms to show their gratitude for all the teaching and preaching Jeremiah has done for the past month.

We have been having Bible studies with a Catholic family for several months now and they have also shown their gratitude by bringing us water from their homes knowing that we are on day 17 with no water. A lot of times as missionaries we are often the ones giving so it is refreshing to see the gratitude and thoughtfulness of those we have been sharing the Word of God with.

We are also very grateful for the encouragement we get from our friends, family, and fellow saints world-wide. We continue to thank you for all the prayers, e-mails, get-well cards, birthday cards, letters, care packages, monthly support, special contributions, etc. YOU are a BIG part of this ministry and God is using you to help the work here keep moving forward. THANK YOU! "Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing."                  I Thess. 5:11.

 

 

Most of all we want to thank God for His loving-kindness and faithfulness. "It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your loving-kindness in the morning and your faithfulness by night." Psalm 92:1-2

 

Love and Appreciation from the Happy Hostetters!

Water, water, everywhere, but not a drop in the sink.

"Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."" John 4:13-14

Buea is one of the wettest places on earth and yet we have severe water shortages through the pipe lines. The shortages are due to old rusted pipes, the old water tank that was originally built by the Germans to sustain a much smaller population, and bad management of a corrupt government. Having had no water through the pipe lines for over a week we have found other ways to collect water. :)

Hannah was able to fill up over 5 bottles by using this rain gutter during the drizzling we had all day.

I was so excited that it was drizzling enough to cause water to come out through the rain gutters so we can have water to wash dishes, bathe, flush toilets...

...then I saw that someone put their bucket on top of mine. haha! I was a little annoyed but then quickly remembered that they need more than this water, they need living water. "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."" John 7:37-38

This is the beautiful spring on Mount Cameroon in which Buea gets her water. 

Pray for us as we are sharing with those about the living water that is given through Jesus Christ and that we will not let tropical sicknesses, water shortages, corruption, etc distract us from our goal.  A fun song I've been singing all day is: "I've got the river of life flowing out of me, that helps the lame to walk and the blind to see. It opens prison doors and sets the captives free. I've got the river of life flowing out of me. Oh spring up -o- well..." :-D Hope it gets stuck in your head all day as well. God bless.

Mom and Dad Hostetter's Cameroon Visit! 2012

What a busy half-year we've had here in Cameroon so far! God has been incredibly good to open up door after door. We were privileged to be able to host our first international visitors, none other than Jeff and Sherrie Hostetter, Jeremiah's parents, visiting from Ghana! They came in on the 21st of May for a two week visit- and what a visit it was! At first, there was a little bit of tension, as the Cameroonian immigration authorities had made a mistake (sound familiar) with Mom Hostetter's visa! Thank God, it was worked out quickly, and a wonderful two weeks of sweet time together was ensured.

This picture is taken in Bamenda, in the Northwest Region. We drove up there to get papers for our vehicle. We also used this opportunity to show Mom and Dad H some of the country. Bamenda is about 6 hours from Buea. We were very thankful to have the Senior Hostetter's visit us to encourage us and give us words of wisdom/advice as they have been on the mission field for over 30 years.       

We were hoping that the Hostetters would get some rest but God knows best and gave the H's several opportunities to serve and share the Word. Here Mr. H is preaching to a group of 185 people at the Buea Church of Christ.

The Hostetters with the Omams a family from the Buea congregation. Mrs. Omam has been to Ghana before to teach at a ladies seminar, which is where her husband got his Ghanaian outfit.

Jeremiah got to teach in the village of Maumu, and then his dad preached. Way to tag team guys!

The Hostetters with the Maumu congregation.

The saints of Maumu had a fellowship meal for us consisting of their local food. Mrs. H is enjoying boiled plantains with ndole (bitter leaves) while Mr. H is enjoying rice and stew.

The Hostetters helped to lead a parenting class. All the parents were very thankful for the advice taken from the Bible and experiences of raising Godly children of their own (physical and adopted).

Jeremiah has been part of the Ntenako (a village about 7 hours from Buea) "Youths" association to show care and concern for Frederick and his family with whom we have been having Bible studies. The members of the Ntenako association came to our house to be led in a short devotion by Mr. H about being your brother's keeper. A different day Mr. H also led Frederick and his family in Bible studies about getting rid of negative things in African culture and keeping the good by ultimately living by the Bible.

The youths gave the Hostetters traditional material out of their gratitude for them coming to Cameroon to visit and sending their son and his family to minister in Cameroon.

Grandpa and the kids singing fun songs! The kids had a blast!

Jonathan imitating his beloved Grandpa. A few minutes prior Grandpa was laying just like this reading his Bible. I am so thankful that Jonathan has great men in his life to look up to. Just as the Corinthians could imitate Paul, Jonathan can imitate Grandpa. "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." 1Cor.11:1

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!" Romans 10:15b It was wonderful to have Mom H here to be part of the ministry in a big way.

 Here Mrs. H is teaching the ladies about raising children diligently. "You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up." Deuteronomy 6:7. How many hours in a day does it take to diligently train your child up in the way of the Lord? It was a humbling and challenging lesson for me!

Hannah quoted some of her memory work in James. The ladies were very encouraged by this. "Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against you." Psalm 119:11 What memory work are you treasuring in your heart? Another humbling/challenging thought for me!

Grandma helping the grand-kids in Sunday school class.

More quality time with Grandma!

A Proverbs 31 woman indeed!

All in all, not only did we have a wonderful time with Mom and Dad, but they also truly enjoyed time with us, seeing the country, teaching and preaching, and spending time with their kids and grandkids. Maybe you will be our next visitor? God bless you all, and keep shining. Jeremiah and Brittney