December 28, 2008 -
We attended church with Ruth and Raphael, and were blessed to be witnesses to a baptism in a new neighborhood branch of the large church where Ruth and Raphael usually go. The several choirs each outdid each other with their richly beautiful voices. Some of the music was familiar but the lyrics were all in French! one choir sang in Abo. Everyone danced forward with their offerings while a choir sang - gifts given with joy and love. We sat near the front where we could easily see and had the additional pleasure of being near the children's section, and we loved their skit. We visitors were introduced to the congregation, and when Carol was identified as a pastor from America she was invited to speak. She took the opportunity to practice her newly-acquired French skills, and talked about what the trip meant to her and the wonders related to being at this service. She noted that as a young new church community, they did not yet have a baptismal font and told them that she/we will give a font that matches the other altar furniture - it is to be made as a our gift. Immediately after the service there was a reception and African finger foods were served, some of which I recognized: cassava paste steamed in banana leaves, pieces of fried plantain, fresh shelled roasted peanuts, bites of grilled fish, and some other things that I could not identify, all served with bottles of cold pop and beer. We munched and milled with the crowd, overwhelmed with hearing and not understanding anything in the French immersion and delighted when someone spoke to us in English.
Our first morning in Cameroon. We attended church with Ruth and Raphael, and were blessed to witness to a baptism in a new branch of the church where Ruth and Raphael attend.
The several choirs each outdid each other with their richly beautiful voices singing hymns in French and Abo and a Congolese dialect. The offering is treated like a celebration and everyone danced forward to place their gifts in the basket while a choir sang - gifts that were clearly given with joy and love.
Pastor blessed the new lectern and other altar furniture given by a member of the congregation. We sat near the front where we could easily see and had the additional pleasure of being near the children's section, and we loved their skit. We American visitors were introduced to the congregation, and when Carol was identified as a pastor ,she was invited to speak. She took the opportunity to practice her newly-acquired French skills, and talked about what the trip meant to her and the wonders related to being at this service. She noted that as a young new church community, they did not yet have a baptismal font, and promised that as a gift to this new church she/we will have a font made that matches the other altar furniture.
Immediately after the service there was a reception and African finger foods were served, some of which I recognized: cassava paste steamed in banana leaves, pieces of fried plantain, fresh shelled roasted peanuts, bites of grilled fish, and some other things that I could not identify, all served with bottles of cold pop and beer. We munched and milled with the crowd, overwhelmed with hearing and not understanding anything in this French immersion experience, and delighted when someone spoke to us in English.
December 31, 2008. At the large Evangelical Church of Cameroon, Ruth and Raphael's home church, we were awed with the beauty of the New Year's Eve service.
Everyone is so friendly - hugs and kisses, sincere friendly greetings, its so nice to be remembered by name from week to week.
Carol with Priska - Priska is Wearing a Dress that Carol Made While she and Ruth | were Roommates at Linfield |