Christmas in February

One of the blessings of someone sending a late Christmas box is that it extends your Christmas by a few months.  We opened some suitcases in January that my mom brought over and now this one in February! Thank you to the Anthony's in Iowa for the box that we opened last night!

Abby and I didn't get a picture, but we also enjoyed our things!

A church in Indiana also sent us two boxes of God's Simple Plan of Salvation tracts free of charge.  It is very expensive to ship a box to us, so we are grateful for all you who make the sacrifice to do so! 

Still Flying...and driving

We had a great trip to Yaounde on Friday and Saturday.  The kids stayed with the Needhams, while Abby, Chloe and I drove 8 hours to Yaounde with Mom and Emily.  As you may have heard, they arrived safely back in Illinois. 

 Chloe in Yaounde ready for the long trip to head back to Ndop!  She is a great traveler...takes after her mommy :) 

I flew with Tom today in his plane to two airstrips in Akwaya that I will be getting checked out in soon.  The kids saw my camera and came running over to get their picture taken!  They are real characters when it comes to cameras!

I was able to preach in Pidgin to about 75 people today at the Amanavil, Akwaya airstrip.  Many raised their hands that they wanted to be saved, so bro. Tom dealt with them separately to make sure they clearly understood the gospel.  You can seem him following up with about 15 students under the plane's wing.  This village is in need of a resident preacher/missionary to really make a difference...pray to this end! 

After our flights into the two Akwaya airstrips, we returned to Sabga and changed the vacuum pump on my own plane.  It has been giving me fits for the last few months, so hopefully, this change out will make a difference.  On my test flight, I flew over Ndop West which includes 5 neighboring villages in need of the gospel.  Tomorrow, I am driving to Ndop East where myself and 3 Cameroonian brothers will be projecting the Jesus Film in Pidgin.  Pray that many in the village will come out and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. 

Glastar News!

Last week on the 11th of February, Cameroon was celebrating its National Youth Day.  We, however, were celebrating some of our own good news.  I had email from an assistant pastor waiting for me when I got back from our getaway telling us that their church had paid off our airplane.  After a month of seeking the Lord, the church voted to pay the balance of just under $22,000!  We are now enjoying a completely paid for bush plane that is busy supporting gospel preachers in remote regions of Cameroon!  Praise the Lord and continue to pray for safety and the spread of the gospel with this airplane! 

Tom Needham getting me checked out on a new airfield yesterday.

My first flight in my paid-for-plane!!  I hope to use this airfield in Lassin as a base for our outreach into Fonfuka, Bum.  It will still take a few hours by motorcycle taxi to reach Fonfuka from this field, but that is better than 9 hours hard drive from my house! 

On today's flight (above and below) I flew two men into Akwaya to sign documents to get a telecommunications center built in Akwaya.  That is a necessary thing that many of us take for granted.  Right now, there is no phone service in Akwaya unless you climb a mountain or have a satellite phone. 

Thank you for praying for and supporting the aviation ministry in Cameroon!

Our last week with Mom and Emily

Time has sure flown by and having my mom and sister here has been awesome!  Here are some of the pictures from this last week:

A breakfast picnic at the Mbingo rest house.  We had a great getaway day there last week.

Mom and Emily were able to get some good pictures of the kids to take home.

 Mom teaching Sunday School

Emily and Abby playing preludes and offertory.

Kids singing a special

 Abby and I on our Valentine's Day motorcycle date!

Happy Valentine's Day!  Abby and (not sure who) made a cake!  I even found a card and flowers in town!

At Camp Joy visiting with Eugene and Marabel.  Mom bought some of his artwork to take back to America.

 Camp Joy

 At a stream/small waterfall down in the valley at Camp Joy

Mom and Emily's visit

Here are a few pictures of the last few weeks.  Mom and Emily have one more week with us in Cameroon...it has been great to have them!!!

Enjoying some family vacation time on our way to pick up Mom and Emily...swimming in Yaounde

Swinging in Yaounde...

Playing games back home in Ndop...I can win this one "Ten Days in Africa", but I am still due for my first win ever in Settlers of Catan

Mom with me and bro. Sunday on a trip to Babungo.  Emily went with me on our Friday outreach, and you can see pictures of our interesting day at her blog.

Walking to Sunday's house

Mom and Emily's first njama-njama and foo-foo meal.  Its a local staple of boiled corn meal and huckleberry greens with tomatoes, onion, and palm oil.  Some serve it with either beef, chicken, or fish.  We love it! 

 Opening a suitcase full of great stuff from America!

 Pizza party!

 Opening a Christmas package from Jessica and Andy.  It was sitting lost in our local post office for two months!!

A blast from the past...Arch books, yes!!

 Hot wheels!

 Evidence from a rain shower...

Abby and I taking an off-road date and making a visit to a family from a village 40 minutes away. 

Tom and I flew a few missions on the same day into Meyerim, Akwaya.  On two trips, I was able to fly in three people including Pastor Felix's wife.  Tom had flown her out due to the war a few weeks ago.  Things are quieting down there now, but continue to pray.  I flew my own assistant pastor, Chrysanthus out of Akwaya from his successful preaching trip with Felix.  They trekked a full day to Matene and had their first baptisms, 9 new believers! 

On a short hike near the Mbingo rest house where we are taking a day off!!