Why are they called s'mores? Because you have s'more on your face. (Wipe it off, Tommy. Please.)

Our friend from the Peace Corps, Ally, gave us some marshmallows and chocolate a month ago, and finally, last weekend, she returned from traveling to make smores with us. I can proudly say that we did not eat any of these scrumptious Western delicacies until she returned, though at times Charlie's and my self-control waned at times (Wesley's sweet tooth is not nearly as strong as Charlie's and mine). The marshmallows were accompanied by Hershey's Symphony chocolate and some cookie-wafers from town. After all
was ate and done, Charlie and I felt a bit sick-but the good sort of sick.

First day

Well, we’ve just about wrapped up the first day of classes of our second semester here at CBTS. As I type this, it’s 3:00 PM, Tommy is asleep in his room (I think)---it’s that new early morning schedule we’re on again now (breakfast at 6:45 AM; chapel at 7:30; first class of the day at 8:15)---and Charlie is teaching Hebrew. A faculty and staff meeting starts in half an hour (and will probably last four or five hours, if last semester’s track record is any indication).

All in all, the day has gone well. The campus is alive again. After a deathly quiet Christmas break, students are now bustling here and there, ringing our doorbell constantly to greet us after the long hiatus, and there’s a fresh energy to campus now that classes and student clubs, etc., are meeting again.

Last night we had a vespers service in the campus chapel that included a foot washing ceremony. The faculty washed the feet of maybe a dozen students who volunteered to come to the front of the chapel. I remember doing something similar in college, and, while sometimes things like that can feel a bit forced, this service was meaningful and very moving for me. I think that washing the feet of Cameroonians, many of whom wear sandals and flip-flops in the dry season here, is much closer to what it would have been like to wash feet in Palestine in Jesus’ time, than is washing the feet of Americans who shower every day and don’t have to trek through dirt and clouds of powdery red dust every day. At any rate, it was a good reminder of why we’re here---to serve students and to commend to them a model of “servant leadership” that is miles away from the heavy-handed “big man” leadership style that prevails in many quarters of the Cameroon Baptist Convention (not to mention the evangelical church in the U.S.!!!). I had to fight back tears as I helped an African friend who eagerly and lovingly volunteered to wash Tommy’s feet.

God, this semester make us humble followers of Jesus who took up the towel and water basin for his disciples!

--Wesley

P.S. Some readers might like to know that the three of us, and our friend Ally, will actually get to watch the Super Bowl (instead of just downloading real-time text updates). We’re planning to travel over three hours to the village of Mbingo, where some other missionary friends of ours who have satellite TV. They’re going to record the game in the middle of the night on Sunday, and then we’re all going to make a pact that we won’t check email, internet, or answer any phone calls so we won’t know the outcome of the game, and then we’ll watch the recording of it on Monday night. There will be other people there, and we’ll have snacks, stay overnight at these missionaries’ house, and then head back to Ndu on Tuesday morning. As you might imagine, Tommy is very happy about this arrangement. Just don’t expect to hear from him until Tuesday.

What a night...

It's 5:30 in the morning here. The Colts finally defeated their mythic nemesis, the Patriots. After Belichick and Brady gave their all, Peyton finally will be able to go home the victor.



Charlie and Wesley were my Aaron and Hur, upholding me throughout the game at my left and right hands. Unfortunately, though, the sun did not stand still. I just went to investigate because I thought I heard voices outside our house, and I realized it was a bird chirping hello to the sunrise. It's off to bed-classes don't start until Wednesday, so I should have plenty of time to recoup.



I can't believe the Colts are heading to the Super Bowl. We're this season's Steelers. We have to be.



(This wonderful night in Cameroon would not have been possible without the hard work of those at CBS Sportsline Game Update. Thank you.)

The second semester

I would say the winter/spring semester is upon us, but it doesn’t feel like either one around here. It’s only the middle of January, but already we’re anticipating the beginning of rainy season in March when the dust will go away!

Some of you have asked what courses the three of us will be teaching next semester, so here’s the rundown.

Charlie will be continuing two year-long courses that he started last semester: Church History (for the third-year Bachelor of Theology students) and Hebrew (for the second-year Bachelors degree students); and he’ll be picking up two new classes: Old Testament Introduction (for the first-year Diploma of Theology students), and the book of Jonah (for the second-year Certificate of Theology students).

Tommy will also be continuing two year-long courses: Old Testament Introduction (for first-year Bachelors students) and Greek 2 (for first-year Bachelors students too); and he’ll also be picking up two classes: Evangelism and Discipleship (for first-year Bachelors students) and a New Testament Introduction class (for first-year Certificate students).

And, finally, I’ll be continuing three year-long courses that I started last semester: Introduction to Missions (for second-year Bachelors students), New Testament Introduction (a combined course for two groups of students---second-year Bachelors students and first-year Diploma students), and Systematic Theology (for second-year Diploma students); and I’m picking up a course on Acts and 1 & 2 Corinthians (for second-year Diploma students).

In addition to teaching, each of us has also been asked to preach four times in chapel this semester.

We’re excited for what’s in store, and, as always, we’d appreciate your prayers!

Grace and peace,

Wesley, for the team

Gardening with Edith

Here are a couple of pictures of Tommy and Charlie harvesting potatoes from our garden, directly behind our house, with our friend Edith. Unfortunately, most of our cabbage and carrots were eaten by marauding goats who wander freely through the seminary’s campus. Reverend Peter Nyumnloh, a professor here at CBTS, has called on all students to “arrest” as many of these destructive animals as they can. :)

CMF Photo

Here's a picture from the CMF conference two weeks ago, which includes the team that was here from Bethlehem Baptist Church.

(Note to Mom--I know I look like a bum in the picture, wearing bright green athletic shorts. No need to bring it up. I went for a run that morning, went to breakfast...yes, looking like a bum, I know...but I hadn't been informed yet that the group picture was immediately after breakfast. It wasn't my fault!)

--tg

Another perspective on life in Cameroon – What I have learned in 2 weeks

-If you make a trip from Ndu to the aiport in Douala, you must really want to greet the people that are coming.
-The dry season is just that; dry! There is dust everywhere and one just gets used to dirty feet, dirty clothes, dirty feet, dirty windows, dirty feet, etc. It just doesn’t matter anymore – you’re just happy to be together.
-People in Cameroon are very friendly and gracious – they always seem to have a smile and a greeting for you.
-Diet coke is a precious commodity – not readily available after heated ping-pong matches
-The missionaries called to work in Cameroon are fortunate people – they appear to love their work and the people that work with them.
-Fires in the fireplace are wonderful – especially early in the morning and later in the evening – it is very chilly in Ndu despite being close to the equator.
-Pa is a fabulous cook, indeed, and a gentle-spirited man who works very hard without complaining.
-Taxi rides are a great adventure, especially with 5 people, 3 suitcases and a guitar. (Let’s not forget the 4 backpacks.)
-The Cameroonian kids are lovely – and boy, can they sing!
-Ah, the stars at night – nothing can compare!
-Even if the power goes out, games can still be played. (Candles are great!)
-Everyone should experience church in a foreign country – the worship brought tears to my eyes. Those people love the Lord and you can see it on their faces.
-You might think you’re coming to “bless missionaries” BUT chances are better that they will “bless” you! It happened; we were blessed!
-Tommy, Charlie and Wes are gracious hosts – we are very thankful for them! We will miss being with them.
-I would happily come back again, if the Lord wills!

Liz Holst, “Official”guest blogger

Christmas pictures

Here are the pictures that go with the last post.

We've spent most of this week in Bamenda for the annual Cameroon Missionary Fellowship conference. There are over 100 people in attendance from three different mission sending agencies---the Baptist General Conference, the North American Baptists, and World Team---and, best of all for us, the conference is being led by a team of short-termers who are all great friends of ours from Minneapolis and Bethlehem Baptist Church. Dan Holst has been leading us in singing, and Tom Steller has been teaching. Tomorrow morning the conference wraps up, and we'll all---the team included---head back to Ndu, and Alex Kirk and Dave Sowers (pastor of Morningside Baptist Church in Sioux City, Iowa, which is one of our supporting churches) will lead J-term modular courses on Biblical Theology and Pastoral Theology. We're really looking forward to having this team see our "stomping grounds"; I said to Dan Holst a couple of days ago that it feels a little bit like bringing a new friend back to your hometown and showing them all your favorite places where you made many memories.

It's been a whirlwind week, so that's why there hasn't been much on the blog. We'll try to write more of an update about the conference and the team's time here soon.

Until then, blessings,

Wes