December to February Update

Hey All! It is hard to believe that it has been 3 months since we last updated our blog! Things have been quite hectic these last few months and there is a lot we want to share with you all. For one thing, this blog post is coming to you from the US of A! (More on that in the next post, which will hopefully come out next week.) But let's take a moment and review some of the stuff that happened since the last time we posted in December.

We were so happy to see our staff member, good friend and faithful disciple, Elizabeth, graduate from the University of Buea. I was honored to be asked to speak at the reception in her home. We thank God for some of the wonderful people with whom He has brought us into contact. 

Thanks for those who helped send money for our school kids' Christmas gifts. I think you could say they enjoyed them! 

We had another competition with our gym guys as the year drew to an end. The turnout was great and the guys really enjoyed it. Michael was our winner for the 3rd time in a row, squatting over 500 pounds and deadlifting 550. William, in the blue beside me is one of the faithful saints in Cameroon, and is a tremendous encouragement to me. 

We were greatly blessed to have my parents out for Christmas and the New Year. The kids really enjoyed having grandma and grandpa around and we appreciated them coming in spite of the tense situation in Cameroon. 

We had a fun barbecue/cookout for a large group of missionary kids from Rainforest International School who had come to climb Mount Cameroon in January. We really enjoy hosting people and encouraging through hospitality. 

Brittney, Alima, and Hannah had a chance to travel to the West province of Cameroon to take part in a women's retreat in January. 

Brittney got to teach and as always did a great job. Many were greatly encouraged by her presence there and also by Hannah, who was there for her 11th Birthday! 

We received messages that schools were being threatened in early February. People were rushing to take their kids home, as we were told rebels were in the area. We brought the school kids down to our house, closed up school and had parents come and bring a change of clothes so the students could return safely home. Thankfully the threats never materialized and school could resume that week. 

In February, we had a great opportunity for some of our staff to get trained in the ACE system that we use for our school.Elizabeth, Rosette, Lucy, Sophia and Mary all did a great job at the program.

Monday-Friday, our staff worked hard from 8 AM to 5 PM in an intensive Supervisor Training Program. It was such a blessing that this opportunity was available. 

Our staff got to experience the life of their students, raising their flags, working on PACEs, taking tests, using a goal card, scoring and more.  

A gentleman from Nigeria came and did an excellent job conducting the training. We are so grateful that God helped work this out, and for those of you who helped sponsor the training. 

We also had a wonderful chance in February at the end of the 2nd quarter, to take the school kids to the zoo, and it happened on Jonathan's birthday too! We hired a bus and went town to Limbe. 

The kids (and staff also) were fascinated by the animals at the zoo. God surely made some amazing creatures both great and small. 

I may be biased but I think we have some of the cutest school kids around. 

The Limbe Wildlife Center takes in animals that are illegally kept as pets and tries to rehabilitate them. Cameroon's wildlife is actually quite endangered as illegal hunting means we hardly ever see a wild animal. In fact, aside from birds, a few squirrels, lizards and snakes, I don't think I have seen any other wild animals in Cameroon in the past 6 years. 

After the zoo, we went down to the beach at Limbe and had a yummy meal of roasted fish. It was pretty delicious. Many of our students had never left Buea, and few had been to Limbe, which is only about 20 miles from Buea. 

We thank God for the chance to spend some fun time with our kids and enjoy the wonders of God's creation. So much happened in the last 3 months, we are humbled and grateful to our God who makes all these things possible. We also thank you all who help sponsor our students and school. You are making a difference!