Yaounde

We didn't really finish Ambam on a high note, but nothing serious.  The water went out sometime Thursday night, so by Saturday morning things were getting unsettled.  We had run out of buckets, and the bathroom situation was not pleasant.  Everyone seemed content to wait for it to return, but I guilted them into going with me to the well which was about 1/4 mile away to carry water back in 20 litre jugs.  The African way...  That allowed us to wash dishes, flush, and me to wash some clothes.  By three pm there still was no water, so I made another trip to get more so that Beth and I could 'shower'.  After I had done mine, and Beth was doing hers, the water came back on.   Good things come to those who wait right.  My biggest challenge in Africa will always be patience, and adjusting to 'Africa time'.  That night we were supposed to show another film, but since power was out we had to use a generator.  After much delay in getting fuel (I finally bought it from a street vendor), the generator wouldn't start and became flooded.  It took a long time and much fiddling before someone came to pull the plug, then get it started.  By that time it was well past dark, and many waited patiently, then the speakers wouldn't work.  After over an hour of messing with the amp and connections, many phone calls, people supposedly in the know coming and going, we decided to cancel.  Turns out the amp was connected to the 110v outlet vs the 220v outlet as required...
I have been told several times now I am an African.  It's a compliment, and it's because of my attempts to adapt and try to do things their way.  But until I can climb on one of the vans with 18 others and go to sleep, I won't consider myself to be African.  It was another four hour ride here to Yaounde; very uncomfortable for everyone, but seemingly taken in stride by the citizens.  Even the heated discussions about seats and luggage seem to quickly dissipate, and once moving many quickly fall asleep.  Including the grandmother (or mother, maybe) next to me.  The baby was getting tired and fussy as we were leaving, so as she does so often Beth took the child.  The woman immediately fell asleep, the baby quickly did as well, and both stayed that way to their destination nearly two hours later.  The vans are Toyotas, made for 10, licensed for 14 in Uganda, and adapted for 19 here.  Visualize sitting on one four back seats of a midsize, extended cab pickup.  Hard, narrow, horizontal bench, and nearly vertical back with no headrests.  Your knees are fighting the framework of the seat in front of you, and it is physically impossible to sit shoulder to shoulder between the side windows, so you stagger your bodies to fill the space.  Of course luggage is piled high on top.  So as I ride along I do a lot of thinking, empathizing, and figuring.  One question I haven't figured the answer to:  Are you more likely to roll over in an overloaded, top heavy vehicle whose shocks are already bottomed out, or one that still has some shock travel remaining?
We will spend this week in Yaounde, the capital, then on to Kribi.  This week we'll have another lecture topic instead of outreach ministry.  We arrived Sunday evening, and yesterday and today are national holidays.  All government offices and many businesses are closed, and it's difficult to travel through town due to road closures for the (lengthy) parade.  We did go yesterday to hit the ATM and then visit one of Jonas' friends, but it was after the festivities.  This morning we accompanied the pastor who's home we're staying in to a river baptism.  Two young ladies, one of whom had dreamed of being baptized in a nearby river 'and there were white people there.'  It was one of the many acts of faith we've seen which powerfully and emotionally move me.  The home we're staying in is very comfortable physically and socially.  We even got to christen the new toilet yesterday after completing the enclosure.  The old one was full, and a new one had recently been dug, and the cement top is dry.  It was a matter of transferring a few boards and corrugated metal from the old to the new, and walla (a commonly used term here).
Please be praying for the safety and stability of the region and country.  We were told yesterday it's no longer safe to return north by the highway (our intended route), as it runs along the Central African Republic and there have been some bus hijackings recently.  Also, yesterday Boko Haram, the muslim terrorist group kidnapped three children from a school in Garoua.  It was from the muslim school next to the one Paulo and Claire attend, and the government is trying to prevent details from becoming public.  Obviously, Jonas and Rebecca are very concerned as are many others.  I still don't fear for our safety, we serve the Mighty God, but we will use wisdom.

the child who slept on our laps for over an hour and a half

One of the many furniture makers shops of Ambam, specializing in beds for both short and long term use.  He made them just behind and below the showroom.

a sample of some of the wood being used

Beth's birthday celebration; bread, real butter, a doughnut, and a coke.