Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Here are a few pictures of the day's activities for us in Africa...

 playing at the Wright's house...

 We slept at Ellen's house...Elias getting into a bit of extra sunscreen

 getting ready to leave for the Mossman's for the big day...

 Chloe all smiles...

 ready to eat at the Mossman's

 Elena and Faith Ann

the evening praise service...

Fun in Sabga

Since I have been flying so much, we have been staying in Sabga for a few weeks.  Here are a few shots at the Needham's house...

Chloe has found her thumb!

 Chloe with one of the Fulani family staying at the Needham's bungalow. 

 Riding a horse is always one of their favorite things to do

 Elena gave this flower in a tub to Abby.  Elena told Abby that it means she loves her. 

 Elena "reading" to Chloe.  Chloe will sit and listen for as long as Elena will read. 

 Fun on the swings! 

Yes, its quite chilly up here in the evenings. 

Abby and I on a picnic in the mountains behind Sabga.

November Flights

November was a busy month flying out of Sabga with many missions to Akwaya.  Lately, I have been flying a number of government officials in addition to the usual medical flights and ministry friends. 

Government official leaving Sabga for Akwaya

Government official leaving Akwaya for Sabga

Civil engineer working for the government on a telecommunication project in Akwaya.  Hopefully, in a few months Akwaya will have some form of phone service. 

bro. Godfred returning from Akwaya's monthly men's spiritual retreat

Returning to Foumban with Ellen and her friend from Akwaya.  They went out for about 3 days to encourage and support Felix and Evette in the ministry. 

Rarely, I fly alone full of cargo for the people in Akwaya.  The cloud cover and rains have extended well into the normal dry season. 

The airfield in Sabga on a picture perfect day! 

Elias and I on the dirtbike at the end of the same day...thunderstorm in the distance. 

Journey to the Palace (Fonfuka Trip 1)

Our Journey to the palace of the Paramount Fon of Bum began at 6:30 Thursday morning in Sabga and ended at about 5:30 pm that night.  Here are a few pictures of the way there...

View of Fonfuka from about 10 minutes away.  We first went to Fonfuka in February and returned now at the request of the Fon to visit his palace. 

 The RAV 4 was great on the trip, but will need to see a mechanic for a check-up!  It took about 7 hours to Fonfuka over terrible roads...mostly stones and ruts. 

 It took us 15 minutes to negotiate motorcycles to bring us half-way to the palace from Fonfuka then about 25 minutes of bush riding.  Took a bug and some grass to the eye and it is still bothering me...never thought to bring my riding glasses with me.  Lots of home-made bridges along the way including this big one. 

 Unloading our bikes to begin our 1 hour ascent to the palace compound. 

 We knew we were on the right trail.

We were all heavily loaded with our backpacks and the guys added to their heads our bag of salt, box of soap, and box of Bibles as gifts for the Fon. 

Son of Bum (Fonfuka Trip 2)

We spent the night in the palace, and the next morning talked with the Fon, visited the palace church, preached to the palace residents, had a ceremony for me to become a "son of Bum," and then took a historical tour with the Fon around the compound...

 The Fon on his throne.  He is the paramount Fon over many other sub-Fons and villages of the Bum people.

 Getting a palace robe...

 and cap...

and "blessing" of the fon

The Fon and his new son of Bum.  He gave me a name that means "messenger of the palace."  

 Group shot of some of the palace family and visitors

 

 The Fon is very big into the history of his people.  The Union Jack flag was given to his father when his father was in England fighting for Cameroon independence in 1958.  I also saw an original photograph of Queen Elisabeth II in 1958 with another Fon. 

 Inside this house are buried three former Fons: the father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. 

 Meeting the oldest lady at the palace compound

 Eating foo-foo corn, okra sauce, and beef before our long trek back...and of course, I cleaned my plate.

Walking our gift back to Fonfuka...a goat from the Fon

 Trekking back 2 1/2 hours to Fonfuka...this time we got to go down most of the way! 

The guys found one rare cell-phone network spot where we called home for the first time. 

 Loading our goat as we left town

 Men digging the grave of their "brother."  He was buried in the front yard of the house where he was born 40 years ago.  Pastor Julius was able to briefly preach as the men worked, but we had to leave before the burial.  They a ways to go before they were done, and we had a long ways to drive. 

Our friend Roger on the left whose brother died.  This is his father, a sub-chief to the Paramount Fon of the Bum people.  Pray for the people of Bum...close to ten villages. 

Ring Road (Fonfuka Trip 3)

I have wanted to survey/drive the entire Ring Road for a few years now, and we finally got the chance to complete the route on the way back from Fonfuka.  There are no commercial buses/taxis that drive northwestern corner, and we found out why.  The route doesn't deserve the name road has basically been abandoned by the government in certain stretches.  We almost didn't make it a few times, and with a smaller car would not have gotten through.  Our bodies took a beating over the constant ruts, boulders, and gullies, but we had a great time seeing the bush and sites along the way.  The entire circuit from Sabga all the way around is about 215 miles.  Click on the map above to follow the Ring Road. 

 

A Fulani boy by one of of the few road markers.  We discovered that the Fulani up there don't really know Pidgin well at all.  It would be a great place to move to learn Fulfulde...very tempting actually if we can build a house and airstrip for the family.

 The bush in the Kimbi game reserve.  Though this section was all right, most of the game reserve's two hour drive was the worst of the trip.  This place used to be a nice spot for tourism, but now tourists couldn't get there unless they really made a valiant effort. 

 The signboard pointing to Lake Nyos that we visited a month ago. 

 This stretch of road after Nyos gave us a few fits including this gravel pit pile up with ruts all around.  Not too far after was a huge descent with the right side of the road caved in off the side of the mountain.  Too our left about two miles, you could see a huge landslide that took off part of the face of the mountain.  For the last two hours of the trip, there were about 20 landslides that came right up to the road. 

 We had to swim through mud after sitting there and contemplating our route for about 2 minutes.  We did hit bottom and almost bogged down.  Thankfully, the car had just enough clearance to barely keep grabbing as we inched our way through. 

 Praise the Lord for no breakdowns or bog downs in the mud!  It truly was an answer to prayer! 

We capped the trip with another visit to a very beautiful Menchum Falls near Wum.  Thank you for praying for our trip around the Ring Road to Fonfuka!  It is great to be back home with my family!