So, the Christmas season is now upon us. Well, it’s been upon me for a while, but others are just now catching up with me. Today is the last day of November (I don’t know where this month went). This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. I am not sure what the churches do here to celebrate, but I am focusing on the advent season this year and anticipating Christ’s birth. With it being so warm, it doesn’t feel like Christmas is coming, so I make sure I include it in each day.
I had my first soccer practice yesterday. It went well, especially with the help of 2 senior girls coaching the kids in skills. I know I still have a lot to learn, but my camp experience is coming in handy. I need one of those books on “Coaching Soccer for Dummies”. I wonder if they make those. I am really enjoying building relationships with more students though. God knows what I need to be encouraged and to keep going. I am seeking to follow him and he is blessing me.
I feel like Christmas came early. It’s amazing the way the little things that are so easy to get in the US become such a luxury here. My roommate, Liz, got a large shipment from her church yesterday of a mixture of things, but primarily a large amount of decaf. Coffee, hot cocoa, nuts, dried fruit and Mexican spices. Now I get excited easily, but this was very exciting to smell really good coffee again and drink quality hot chocolate. Now we don’t have to drink coffee sparsely but can enjoy it when we want. Not that life is all about enjoying luxuries, but it makes it easier to face the challenges when you have something to look forward to after you make it through.
I am beginning to see life here as what it is: my life, struggles and joys included, in Africa. It is no longer some foreign world in which I live out a game of life. This is my life right now. I have challenges, joys, loneliness, fellowship, tears, laughter, sickness, health—but above it all I have my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is in control and each moment and day.
That is who I am celebrating this season. It is his coming and birth I am remembering and his final return I am anticipating. I am far from home, but not alone, I may be knocked down, but never destroyed. I am a daughter of the living God. What a privilege to serve him here in Cameroon.
Be Blessed,
Amy
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving!
So I know it is not Friday, but I wanted to post today and wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. My day is going well so far. It is 3pm my time and I am currently waiting for my pumpkin pie to finish baking (as I listen to Christmas music) then I will clean up and head over to a fellow Covenant Missionaries house for our 5pm supper. There will be about 15 of us there, including a few small kids which will make it seem like a true holiday. My first blessing today was my neighbor delivering fresh (boxed) blueberry muffins to Liz and I. What a treat. Liz is sick today and struggling through the day. You can lift her up in prayer and me as well, that I won’t get what she has. My pumpkin pie was from canned pumpkin brought over from the US. That was my assignment to bring today as well as fresh veggies and dip. I made the dip from yogurt, mayonnaise, milk and spices (garlic, dill, basil, salt, pepper, oregano). We will see how it is. It seems kind of tangy, but oh well—we will dip our veggies and we will enjoy it! The pie is done, at least I think it is done.
I don’t think I shared this last week. But tomorrow I get to go to some of my students house for the weekend! There parents are leaving Friday and returning Monday so they wanted someone to stay with the kids. There are all 9-11 grade and there are 5 of them (3 of the kids are just living there and have parents who live several hours away). I am very excited about the time I will get to spend with these kids outside of class! I spent a night there last weekend to get the flow of things and it just felt so natural to be working with the kids like that. I was way more comfortable there than I am teaching. Although I will say that teaching is becoming easier for me every week. Well, I was going to leave this short, plus I don’t know how many of you will actually read this today.
But I wanted to let you know I am thinking about you. One of the key things I am learning while being here is the value of good family and friends. I am truly thankful for each one of you. I am so blessed for I have great friends, a very supportive family (in all I do), a healthy body (oh, I just agreed today to be the junior girls soccer coach! No, I’ve never played before), and more things around me then I could need. But I find myself even more blessed because I have a God who goes before me to guide me, is always watching over me, is my strength and full support, is my joy and life, gives me second chances day after day with his immense grace, protects me with his might and loves me with his intimate, all consuming love. Yes, I am truly blessed.
I pray you can say the same.
Enjoy this holiday and time with family. Enjoy the feast set before you today. Have fun watching the games and playing your own. But most of all take the time to be thankful for all you have and you will find how truly blessed you are.
In the tender hands of God,
AMY
Abby Kati and myself (2 of the girls I will stay with this weekend)
So I know it is not Friday, but I wanted to post today and wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. My day is going well so far. It is 3pm my time and I am currently waiting for my pumpkin pie to finish baking (as I listen to Christmas music) then I will clean up and head over to a fellow Covenant Missionaries house for our 5pm supper. There will be about 15 of us there, including a few small kids which will make it seem like a true holiday. My first blessing today was my neighbor delivering fresh (boxed) blueberry muffins to Liz and I. What a treat. Liz is sick today and struggling through the day. You can lift her up in prayer and me as well, that I won’t get what she has. My pumpkin pie was from canned pumpkin brought over from the US. That was my assignment to bring today as well as fresh veggies and dip. I made the dip from yogurt, mayonnaise, milk and spices (garlic, dill, basil, salt, pepper, oregano). We will see how it is. It seems kind of tangy, but oh well—we will dip our veggies and we will enjoy it! The pie is done, at least I think it is done.
I don’t think I shared this last week. But tomorrow I get to go to some of my students house for the weekend! There parents are leaving Friday and returning Monday so they wanted someone to stay with the kids. There are all 9-11 grade and there are 5 of them (3 of the kids are just living there and have parents who live several hours away). I am very excited about the time I will get to spend with these kids outside of class! I spent a night there last weekend to get the flow of things and it just felt so natural to be working with the kids like that. I was way more comfortable there than I am teaching. Although I will say that teaching is becoming easier for me every week. Well, I was going to leave this short, plus I don’t know how many of you will actually read this today.
But I wanted to let you know I am thinking about you. One of the key things I am learning while being here is the value of good family and friends. I am truly thankful for each one of you. I am so blessed for I have great friends, a very supportive family (in all I do), a healthy body (oh, I just agreed today to be the junior girls soccer coach! No, I’ve never played before), and more things around me then I could need. But I find myself even more blessed because I have a God who goes before me to guide me, is always watching over me, is my strength and full support, is my joy and life, gives me second chances day after day with his immense grace, protects me with his might and loves me with his intimate, all consuming love. Yes, I am truly blessed.
I pray you can say the same.
Enjoy this holiday and time with family. Enjoy the feast set before you today. Have fun watching the games and playing your own. But most of all take the time to be thankful for all you have and you will find how truly blessed you are.
In the tender hands of God,
AMY
Abby Kati and myself (2 of the girls I will stay with this weekend)
Friday, November 16, 2007
An entire country without internet.......
Life in Cameroon is still and adventure each day. I haven’t posted the last 2 weeks because the Internet has been down. Not just here for us, but for ALL of Cameroon. Apparently there is a big Internet cable chord that runs around the western coast of Africa and brings us Internet. Well from what I understand, the chord got severed in the ocean somehow. A ship from South Africa had to come up to fix it. If you are indeed reading this, as I hope, it means it is fixed! Imagine your life without email or going online for 2 weeks. It was odd, but very good. It caused me to slow down as well as go to God with problems/stories/questions instead of friends and family back home. So I can honestly say I am thankful it went down. But I am also very thankful it is back up because I miss you all very much.
Thanksgiving is coming up! It seems odd to be away from the familiar for Thanksgiving, but I still have many, many things to be thankful for. One of those being that I get to spend the holiday with the Covenant Missionaries here. There are several families in the Covenant, both with kids and without, that will be gathering together Thursday afternoon for Dinner, games and fellowship. I will be blessed to be among them. I am even bringing the pumpkin pie. I have never made one on my own before but someone has a can of pumpkin here that I will use. Mmmmmm. I hope all of you have someplace to go and people to be with on Thanksgiving. One thing I am learning here is the true value of family and friends. I pray the lesson will never leave me.
I can’t think of much else to update you on. Life goes on here. Teaching is coming along. I feel more settled without having to teach geometry. There is less stress in my life because of it. After today I have 3.5 days of teaching next week then get a long weekend. Not much time off for the holiday, but enough to enjoy it.
You can pray for health for me. Nothing major has happened, but have been having headaches and some stomach problems this last week. I got tested for malaria and it was negative. It seems to be improving but prayers will always help.
As cold comes in for you, heat comes in for me. It is growing to be the start of the dry season. Which, I understand, is very dusty and hot. Just another adventure to experience here in Cameroon.
I know it is slightly pre-mature, but Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for each one of you!
Blessings and Peace,
AMY
P.s. I just learned from my mom that it is snowing in Pittsburgh right now. And today is the opening day of ski season at Keystone resort in CO. I miss the snow. I just went running in hot sun and at least 80 degree heat. Want to trade?
Thanksgiving is coming up! It seems odd to be away from the familiar for Thanksgiving, but I still have many, many things to be thankful for. One of those being that I get to spend the holiday with the Covenant Missionaries here. There are several families in the Covenant, both with kids and without, that will be gathering together Thursday afternoon for Dinner, games and fellowship. I will be blessed to be among them. I am even bringing the pumpkin pie. I have never made one on my own before but someone has a can of pumpkin here that I will use. Mmmmmm. I hope all of you have someplace to go and people to be with on Thanksgiving. One thing I am learning here is the true value of family and friends. I pray the lesson will never leave me.
I can’t think of much else to update you on. Life goes on here. Teaching is coming along. I feel more settled without having to teach geometry. There is less stress in my life because of it. After today I have 3.5 days of teaching next week then get a long weekend. Not much time off for the holiday, but enough to enjoy it.
You can pray for health for me. Nothing major has happened, but have been having headaches and some stomach problems this last week. I got tested for malaria and it was negative. It seems to be improving but prayers will always help.
As cold comes in for you, heat comes in for me. It is growing to be the start of the dry season. Which, I understand, is very dusty and hot. Just another adventure to experience here in Cameroon.
I know it is slightly pre-mature, but Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for each one of you!
Blessings and Peace,
AMY
P.s. I just learned from my mom that it is snowing in Pittsburgh right now. And today is the opening day of ski season at Keystone resort in CO. I miss the snow. I just went running in hot sun and at least 80 degree heat. Want to trade?
An entire country without internet.......
Life in Cameroon is still and adventure each day. I haven’t posted the last 2 weeks because the Internet has been down. Not just here for us, but for ALL of Cameroon. Apparently there is a big Internet cable chord that runs around the western coast of Africa and brings us Internet. Well from what I understand, the chord got severed in the ocean somehow. A ship from South Africa had to come up to fix it. If you are indeed reading this, as I hope, it means it is fixed! Imagine your life without email or going online for 2 weeks. It was odd, but very good. It caused me to slow down as well as go to God with problems/stories/questions instead of friends and family back home. So I can honestly say I am thankful it went down. But I am also very thankful it is back up because I miss you all very much.
Thanksgiving is coming up! It seems odd to be away from the familiar for Thanksgiving, but I still have many, many things to be thankful for. One of those being that I get to spend the holiday with the Covenant Missionaries here. There are several families in the Covenant, both with kids and without, that will be gathering together Thursday afternoon for Dinner, games and fellowship. I will be blessed to be among them. I am even bringing the pumpkin pie. I have never made one on my own before but someone has a can of pumpkin here that I will use. Mmmmmm. I hope all of you have someplace to go and people to be with on Thanksgiving. One thing I am learning here is the true value of family and friends. I pray the lesson will never leave me.
I can’t think of much else to update you on. Life goes on here. Teaching is coming along. I feel more settled without having to teach geometry. There is less stress in my life because of it. After today I have 3.5 days of teaching next week then get a long weekend. Not much time off for the holiday, but enough to enjoy it.
You can pray for health for me. Nothing major has happened, but have been having headaches and some stomach problems this last week. I got tested for malaria and it was negative. It seems to be improving but prayers will always help.
As cold comes in for you, heat comes in for me. It is growing to be the start of the dry season. Which, I understand, is very dusty and hot. Just another adventure to experience here in Cameroon.
I know it is slightly pre-mature, but Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for each one of you!
Blessings and Peace,
AMY
Thanksgiving is coming up! It seems odd to be away from the familiar for Thanksgiving, but I still have many, many things to be thankful for. One of those being that I get to spend the holiday with the Covenant Missionaries here. There are several families in the Covenant, both with kids and without, that will be gathering together Thursday afternoon for Dinner, games and fellowship. I will be blessed to be among them. I am even bringing the pumpkin pie. I have never made one on my own before but someone has a can of pumpkin here that I will use. Mmmmmm. I hope all of you have someplace to go and people to be with on Thanksgiving. One thing I am learning here is the true value of family and friends. I pray the lesson will never leave me.
I can’t think of much else to update you on. Life goes on here. Teaching is coming along. I feel more settled without having to teach geometry. There is less stress in my life because of it. After today I have 3.5 days of teaching next week then get a long weekend. Not much time off for the holiday, but enough to enjoy it.
You can pray for health for me. Nothing major has happened, but have been having headaches and some stomach problems this last week. I got tested for malaria and it was negative. It seems to be improving but prayers will always help.
As cold comes in for you, heat comes in for me. It is growing to be the start of the dry season. Which, I understand, is very dusty and hot. Just another adventure to experience here in Cameroon.
I know it is slightly pre-mature, but Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for each one of you!
Blessings and Peace,
AMY
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