Fred? George? Robert?

Sorry for the lengthy silence here lately. Final exams are this week, and we’re busy making exams, administering them, and finishing up marking assignments, before moving on to mark exams. Last night, I had a study session in the classroom with about ten of my Greek students. They look fairly enthused in the picture, but come 9:30, after reviewing Greek verbs, nouns, and adjectives for two and a half hours, their interest began to lag. We’re going to have another review session tonight. With some of the ministry money you’ve entrusted to me, I’m planning to buy some Greek New Testaments for the students with the highest marks. Another missionary here has some that he’s willing to sell. I love the idea of some of my students gaining a foundational grasp of the language this year and being able to use it in years to come. Greek is difficult for many of the students, partially because many of them don’t have a strong knowledge of English grammar, but also because many of them have trouble finding time each day to review and memorize Greek paradigms and vocabulary.

The other picture shows us with our two friends, Edith and Glory, along with Glory’s older sister, Delphine, and Delphine’s daughter, Victory. (Delphine is on the left, Glory is in the middle, and Edith is on the right.) Victory is wearing a bandanna because hair had been tied into small clumps t hat were not long enough yet to be presentable in public. Glory and Edith came over to say hello and to introduce us to Delphine. On Sunday, we had a possible record-setting twenty-one visitors. Visiting is a fundamental aspect of this culture, a sign of friendship and affection. Proper etiquette dictates that the visitor initiates the conclusion of his leaving. Given all this, it can be awfully difficult at times to be kind and respectful to visiting friends, yet at the same time to preserve time for grading and class preparation (and for personal time). When we saw Glory later than night, she told us that her sister had said that when you visit a white man, he stands at the door and asks how he can help you or what he can do for you (implying that he doesn’t invite you in and sit with you for extended periods, despite possible long periods of silence). We feel a tension at times between integrating as members of the community here and performing well as professors (while maintaining time for ourselves as well).

Thank you for your prayers, support, and encouragement for us. To use a Cameroonian expression, “we are together!”

--Tommy

PS. In church last Sunday, I greeted a student behind me who was holding a baby. I asked for the baby’s name, and he asked me the same. He wanted me to name his baby, which I quickly refused. Maybe it would have been a kind act, but I couldn’t bring myself to it. It’s hard enough naming my blog posts.