Welcome to Kribi

We have arrived in Kribi.  It's not your 'typical' coastal resort town.  It's on the coast, there is a beach, the water is nice for swimming, there are restaraunts, there are hotels, but we are in Africa.  The restaraunts and businesses are typical of everything we've seen so far, and the hotels we've seen seem to vary from sketchy to nice, but are located amongst all of the other residences or businesses.  Not complaining, just saying...  The trip here was uneventful, another four hours with 32 passengers in a bus built for 20.  That horse is dead, so I won't kick it anymore, either.
We are staying in the home of a pastor or apostle of the church, not sure yet about the relationship.  It's a large family of more than one generation. Beth and I are staying in a room which we think is designated for visitors.  Two bunkbeds, it's own shower; which means a space with a drain and buckets of water from the well.  We come and go as we please, and interaction with the family has been minimal, and it seems to be working okay.  The beds are the most comfortable we've slept in since arriving in Cameroon, too.
Except for the lizards, birds, rats, and mice, we have seen little wildlife.  From my limited vantage points within the vans we've travelled in, there is some very lush forest, and beautiful scenery.  I'd love to see more, and we're hoping to after the training is over, as we have over a week before our flight home.  We have seen a few hunters selling 'bush meat', small animals from the forests, as we've travelled, so I know there is much more to see.  We may have an opportunity to go to a remote place in the jungle from here, but it will require some details to be worked out, including travel money.  There was one exception to the wildlife sightings on our last morning in Yaounde, though:  Sampson and I were getting water from the well (a deep one), and on one of the retrievals the bucket came up with a snake in it.  It was bright green, about two feet long, and didn't stick around long enough to give it's name.  But as I reached for it I quickly learned how Sampson feels about snakes; not too good.
We haven't yet established a routine for our time here.  A big part of our focus is to promote a conference for the radio project which will happen our last week here.  The Frenchman who is donating the programming is flying in to conduct a conference for local churches, as well as a seminar for people interested in working in radio.  To get the station up and running requires a lot of legwork which Jonas has been doing for the last month.  None of it can be accomplished by phone or internet, so he has had to do a lot of travelling, including another trip to Yaounde tomorrow.  There is still need for money to complete the project as well...
When Jonas returns at the end of the week Rebecca will be with him.  Things have gotten uncomfortable in Garoua, and she's decided not to keep the kids there any longer.  The kids will stay with their grandmother while she comes here.  It's their plan for she and Jonas to find a place to live while they're here.  Our group will return to Garoua in mid June to finish the school, but it hasn't been decided if Paulo and Claire will go back again.  Flexibility and adapting, it's part of YWAM and Africa.

Beth and some local children learning each other's language while waiting for class to start.  (During 'Africa time'.)

In Yaounde where water flowed from a pipe providing fresh water for a large area.  Most have wells close to their homes, but this is where they were getting their drinking water, and some were bathing and doing laundry, as well.

The fishing operation is interesting to watch:  Row the boat out about 500 yards, throw out the net, bring the ends back, then start pulling it to shore.  Gather and sort the fish.  Repeat.

Stephan (on my left) can swim, the others were gathering their courage.