He is Risen! What a glorious day this Easter has been. It started with a ‘Sonrise’ Service on the school grounds with a bunch of missionary families, including many of my students. Then I got to rest for about an hour and headed out again to a baptism. In Cameroon it is very traditional to celebrate the resurrection of Christ with the baptism of new believers. Then it is a celebration of new life all around. The baptism I went to today was that of my friend Fiacre. He started out as a ballroom dance teacher to Liz and I, but is now a dear friend. He has recently been growing in his faith and decided the next step for him was baptism. It was a very loud and vibrant celebration. That is the way Cameroonians celebrate! A Cameroonian church service and a lunch to celebrate followed the baptism.

Good Friday I went up Mt. Nkolbesan with a group of 12 students as one of two chaperons. It was lots of fun. You hike up, sleep on a rock face over looking the city and then watch the sunrise and hike down the following morning. It is about an hour-long hike up and 45 min. down. It was a great time from great Easter discussion and quality conversations as well as a lot of laughter.




This Tuesday, the 25th, I leave to go to Kribi (the beach) for the Covenant meetings and fellowship. There are Covenant missionaries from all parts of Africa coming as well as some folks coming from the States. We stay there a whole week. I am looking forward to it and hoping to have lots of free time on the beach to read and swim.


Well I wish a Happy Easter to all of you and prayer to you may truly celebrate the resurrection of Our Lord and Savior and all it has brought into our lives.
Much love,
AMY

Drama, drama, drama...

So the rainy season is definitely here! Late yesterday afternoon it rained so hard I could scream and barely hear myself over the rain on the metal roofs. The humidity is back in full force as well. This is a very busy and exciting time here. Our break starts next Friday and our grades our due for this quarter on Tuesday morning. So I am finishing up tests and grading. It is also the weekend for our school play. They are performing a play called Reunions, written by Kevin Chilton one of our English teachers here. The kids have worked hard and done a great job. I have been involved in the beginning and end. I helped cast students at the beginning and this last week I have been helping give notes on acting and character development. Opening night was last night and I helped with hair and makeup. It all takes me back to high school and my high involvement in theatre then. I am really enjoying it. On top of that the 10th grade class I advise is doing a fundraiser at the show. They are selling dessert and drinks at intermission and after each show. This means I have to help set up and supervise and clean up and sell coffee (my specialty) all at the same time. I am exhausted and dreamed of coffee and hot chocolate last night. But I just need to make it through next Thursday, then I get to go to the beach the for a week the following Tuesday!
I was just talking with a co-worker today about how fast this year is going. I can’t believe I am almost ¾ done with teaching here. It is amazing and sad all at the same time. I remember when I didn’t know if I would make it through the first quarter! I year goes by so fast, yet so much can happen in a year. I think I have grown more these last two years of my life then the 4 before that combined. I have been challenged, stretched, broken and God has built me up, saved me, used me and taught me so much. What a blessing these struggles have been. I don’t know what will come next year. But I know that God will walk me through it and amaze me in the midst of it and on the other side of it as He has done for me again and again.
Things are still calm here. The President will speak Saturday, which will hopefully be a good thing for the people and not stir up any problems.
You can pray for energy for me these next few days as well as a restful break with lots of relationship building with both God and others.
I hope this finds you all well and looking forward to spring. Thank you for your words of encouragement and support. As always, I love to hear from you. Please feel free to post a note or send me an email (amyoxendale@gmail.com)
I pray you may see and experience God’s goodness around you in both the peace and the pain.
Sending you love from Africa,
AMY

Peace

Greetings my Friends. Sorry for the delay in a post. Last Wednesday, the 27th was the start of an adventure for all of us living here. We were sent home early from school as a result of riots going on in the main cities of the country, including this city, Yaoundé. The riots started with a huge rise of gas prices along with many other rising prices. Those riots turned into some political problems and got worse. School was cancelled both Thursday and Friday and we were not supposed to leave our neighborhood at all. I never saw or heard any danger, it was further away. Our city was one of the calmest and as far as I know, none were killed here. The last total I heard was 20 killed throughout the country. This country has been very peaceful for years and years. Many Cameroonians were terrified at what was going on. However it is also a very corrupt country. Many who are well educated cannot get jobs. Those who have good jobs have them because of connections and not skill or education level. People who are supposed to be paid by the govt. often don’t get paid. It is sad to see. I don’t want riots or war, but it would be nice to see the corruption gone. It just runs very deep. Paul Biya, the president of Cameroon has been in office since ’82 and is seeking to amend the constitution to allow him to be in office for life. This would not be good. The decision and vote for that is happening next week. So I am leaving my evacuation bag packed until that is over with.
All that said, the city does feel safe again. The main damage was done on gas stations and vehicles. You can pray with all of us for peace and resolution in Cameroon.
Today I am tired, but this week has been good. I have only 2 weeks until our semester break. I get to spend a whole week on the beach with the Covenant World Mission Africa staff. I am looking forward to that rest. Until then I strive to keep working hard and serving God.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak in chapel. I could not have asked for things to go any better. I performed a monologue I had written of the adulterous woman in John 8 and then spoke on how we can each find our story in the Bible. I have heard so many positive and encouraging things about it. God is so faithful and really came through and used me. I am humbled and blessed.
I will finish on that positive note. Tomorrow I have a volleyball tournament with our senior girls team. Should be almost all day, but lots of fun. I hope each of you has a blessed weekend.
In His Hands,
AMY