Manko Men's Retreat

Akwaya has 99 villages and is the largest sub-division in Cameroon.  The airstrip that I fly to every week is in the village of Meyerim about a 30 minute trek from Akwaya Town the headquarters of the sub-division.  From Akwaya Town we trekked almost 4 hours to reach Manko where Felix is planting a church.  The Men's retreat is designed to bring Christian men from various Akwaya villages to hear Bible teaching, be involved in soulwinning to strengthen the church plant, and invite the village to hear preaching in the evenings.  Here are some pictures to help explain the 3 days.

 I flew Sunday out on Monday, and on Tuesday I flew Pastor Moses out to Akwaya. 

 Our flight was a beauty! 

 The Meyerim airstrip is that little green strip slightly above the middle of the picture. 

 Landed and parked getting ready to tie the plane down for three days. 

Trekking with Moses and Sunday.  Bro. Michael stopped us at his house for our first orange break less than five minutes from the airstrip!  We didn't mind...those oranges are so awesome! 

 Felix leading the way to Manko across the big river by his house in Akwaya Town. 

You might call this big sky country, or blue sky country, or beautiful sky country.  The fellowship during the trekking was great.  Bro. Paul has joined our group on the way to Manko. 

 Following a river to Manko. 

 Crossing one of many tree bridges. 

 Arriving in the first quarter of Manko. 

My first meal...casava fu-fu with mushroom and bush beef soup.  They said the meat was deer, but I've never seen a deer yet in Cameroon.  They said there are many in the bush about 8 miles away near the farms. 

 Matthew, Felix, Moses, and Daniel. 

The big sack is full of groundnuts (peanuts). 

 Another orange break.

Students of the government primary school. 

 Manko Men's Retreat! 

 My favorite meal, boiled plantains and groundnut soup. 

 Preparing cocoa. 

Sunday, Felix, Moses, and Michael back at the Meyerim strip just before I flew out with Sunday and Moses on Saturday.  I haven't been able to return for the rest of our cargo and a sick patient that is waiting for me.  I was sick the day after I got back and the weather was bad on Monday.  Pray for good weather and good health so I can get this sick boy to the hospital soon.  Thanks for praying for the trip and for my family while I was gone! 

Manko Airstrip Survey

During the Men's Retreat in Manko, Akwaya, we were able to survey and inspect the progress of the airstrip that the village has been cutting for us to use.  Here are a few shots of that. 

 I took this aerial shot of Manko on my way to land at Meyerim just over the next mountain beyond Manko.  The brown area in the upper right is where we slept.  The area just above the tire is the government school and soccer field.   Hopefully, you can see the big green strip is the airfield.  Notice also the river that separates the village from the airstrip. 

 This is looking at the probable approach end of the airstrip. 

 Felix preaching to the village men who have been working on the airstrip. 

One of the small negatives about the location of the airstrip is that you have to cross this river to get to and from the village. 

Growing up...

Elena excited to see all their names spelled out.  She knows all of her letters, but can't read yet. 

Elena and Elias love skyping with family, so feel free any time to try.  It doesn't always work, but it is fun when it does.  You can see David and Philip's picture here. 

Wum and Nyos 1

Can you say, "bridge out"?...

...of course not!  The semi-trucks and tankers use the river bed below.  The plank above is for those wheel-bases that are a little too wide and if you are willing to pay a little bit for the locals to allow you to use it. 

Menchum Falls, one of the most powerful waterfalls in Cameroon. 

A screensaver picture? 

The border bridge between Wum and Weh. 

To the right is a drop-off, to the left is a rut larger than my wheel...so the guys are filling the rut with stones so I can cross to the good side of this very steep climb on the road to Lake Nyos. 

The view from the top of that climb. 

Entering the village at Nyos. 

Wum and Nyos (2)

Lake Nyos, site of the 1986 disaster that killed 1,700 Cameroonians.  Read about it at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Nyos
and http://www.geo.arizona.edu/geo5xx/geos577/projects/kayzar/html/lake_nyos_disaster.html

Pastors Julius, Chrysanthus, Ernest, and me at the base of the lake.  We slept in army barracks at the top of the lake.  The soldiers are there guarding the environment.  We were eating around the fire at night while one of soldiers was telling us about the 12 to 16 meter pythons that live nearby.  He new everything about that snake and enjoys hunting them.  I requested to sleep in his room and it was granted to me!!!  We declined a python hunting expedition.  I learned things about pythons that I wish I never knew! 

Sunk into a mud pit on the way home...

30 minutes and 10-15 guys later! 

Pray for this site near the town of Wum where we are praying to put in an airstrip to reach Wum and villages inside and outside of the Ring Road. 

Akwaya, Wum, and Weh

I have been averaging about 3 flights per week in support of Pastor Felix and the Akwaya ministry.  Bush flying is starting to be a little more fun...but never the same and never boring.  Today a lady was on the end of the runway while I was on short final, and she seemed to be stopping instead of continuing off the field.  It looked like she was turning around to see why and what her friends were shouting at her for.  Maybe she heard me revving my engine, or maybe she got the drift from her friends, because she finally started running!!!  I flew bro. George and his wife from Sabga, so they could minister with Felix and Yvette for half a week.  Pray for an unstable situation between Nigeria and the Akwaya region of Cameroon right now. 

Tomorrow (Thursday AM), I am leaving on what we plan to be a drive around the short circuit of the Ring Road.  Going with me will be Pastor Chrysanthus, Pastor Julius, and Pastor Ernest, and we plan to stay away one night in one of the towns.  We are planning to see Menchum Falls, evangelize in Wum and Weh, contact traditional leaders about the stalled airstrip development for Wum, and see about other possible locations for an airfield.  This will be a true test of the capabilities of our new RAV 4 on the difficult roads.  Pray for Abby and the kids while I am gone.  They will be staying in Sabga, so they will surely be having a blast! 

Family Times

Here are a few pictures of the last few weeks in Cameroon.  The kids are growing in many ways, and we are enjoying our time together…