Grandma's Report, Part 1

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Note: I thought it would be interesting to hear about the trip from another perspective -- that of a first time visitor to Cameroon, my mother.

Cameroon Trip Report

December 12, 2005 to January 1, 2006

Nancy Miller

Arriving in Douala, Cameroon after a 20 hour journey was quite a shock. The heat was oppressive with high humidity and a crush of humanity. Much confusion regarding the entry process and a mobbing effect trying to obtain luggage reigned. Yet the Cameroons seemed boisterous and happy with only occasional angry outbursts. What a relief to see George Tangye’s familiar face waiting for us, along with a number of other Samaritans who came to greet us. George was able to usher us through customs with a minimum of searching of bags. We all piled into a rented van/bus and 1 ½ hours later arrived at George’s compound. His house is surrounded by a wall and gates which are kept locked at all times. George has added rooms onto his home to accommodate all the relatives who have lived with his family for periods of time when they needed help through schooling or financial crisis. We discovered that this taking in of relatives was quite common in Cameroon and was the positive benefit of their extended family system.

Consequently George and Patricia were able to accommodate Don and I in one bedroom, Joe and Denny in another and Dan, Ruth and Paul in with their 3 children. We learned that Abraham lived in one of three outbuildings constructed for boarding relatives, along with the traditional outdoor kitchen.

We were awakened by singing in the morning (6 am) as the family gathered for devotions. I believe all Cameroons are musical! Each of the three children either play
the keyboard, drums, casenets; or sing or do all! Their music is upbeat, rythmic and
worshipful, plus simple and easy to learn. Mediation times (morning and evenings) were spontaneous, as George would speak or ask one of us to share a word on the spot!

Breakfast consisted of wonderful fresh pineapple, papaya, french toast with vegetable seasoning, fried plantain, and something akin to an omelet rolled up. Very filling.

We soon learned that Cameroonian homes are open to neighbors, friends and especially relatives at all times. People drop in without notice. Sometimes they just sit and little is said, other times there is much conversation, laughing and interacting. This was true both at Georges’ home (Joe’s brother-in-law) and at Phillip’s home (Joe’s brother).

George works for an American Oil company, offshore Douala, and Phillip is a doctor who supervises the public health facilities: clinics and hospitals in the Mamfe area. Both men being professionals with good jobs are looked to by extended family members as a source of financial help.

Meeting with the Good Samaritans in Limbe was a highlight of our trip, as Don and I shared the Trinity Model for Relationships with them. George founded the GSM work
three years ago after his visit in to GSM Beaverton with the International Directors conference. He has built an amazingly strong team in such a short time. The leadership is shared by Sylvester, a busnessman, Peter, an itinerant evangelist and George. There are approxiamately 40 members who are in some stage of being helped, or in training. A number have completed Level one training, and are beginning Level Two. My understanding is that Level One focusses on dealing with their own inner healing and issues. Many members testified to the healing they received as they focussed on forgiveness and other issues in their sessions. In the two 5 hour sessions on God’s Plan for relationships and Satan’s distortions in the Drama triangle that Don and I ledthe Samaritans were very attentive and responsive. It was amazing to us how self revealing they were and eager to learn and grow. We were told by others that Cameroonians were not open to see their own problems but rather looked at outside causes for their trouble. This was not true among the Samaritans in Limbe!

Several of the Samaritans hosted us for lunch or dinner in their homes, and others brought food to George and Patricia to help in feeding us, including a live chicken!

We took a two day excursion to the beach at Kribi where the whole family enjoyed
Riding the waves in beautiful warm water and sandy beaches which were totally deserted! For Dan, Ruth and Paul this was a highlight of the trip and was truly relaxing for all of us. Patricia, Joe’s sister had never swum in the ocean, but we coaxed her in and she had a blast. One big disappointment especially for the kids was not going to the wildlife preserve because of distance and cost. But we did see monkeys, chimpanzes and crocodiles at the zoo in Limbe.

Our next adventure was a trip to Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon where we overnighted in the Catholic retreat center. Here again Don and I did a repeat session on the Trinity Model, which was received enthusiastically. Rev. Sands hosted the meeting at his home. He has had Samaritan training in Nigeria with Dr. Faraday the National Director, but had not started a center yet. Hopefully the resposiveness of the group present for the training will be the impetus to start Samaritan work in Yaounde. Joe and the family met with more relatives in Yaounde.

On December the 24th we set out for Mamfe to spend Christmas with Phillip, Joe’s brother and his wife, Carolyn and their family. The road from Kumba where we stopped To have lunch with Joe’s cousin, Richard, to Mamfe was something we have never experienced! Orange dirt dried into huge ruts from the rainy season went on for miles.

Each time we thought we had seen the worst holes possible we came to a even worst one!

Lazarus, the driver, had never driven on these roads and I am sure he would not have agreed to take us in his Uncle’s van had he known how bad they were! But he did an excellent job of riding the ridges and keeping the jolts to a minimum for our sakes!

The dust swirled through the van, covering all of us with fine orange dust. We should have purchased masks! The first thing we wanted upon arrival was a shower!

Christmas in Mamfe with Phillip, Carolyn and their 4 children was an interesting experience. We were housed in a motel attached to a bar which really came to life
about 10 pm on Christmas eve, so we discovered how the rest of the world celebrates!

Christmas morning the all of us attended the Presbyterian Church which was quite festive. The music was lively with drums, casenets and rythmitic dancing. Mostly Cameroonian songs with a few hymns. The message was a challenge to live God’s way: dynamic and interesting. The service concluded with baptism of babies and adults and reaffirmation of baptism through confirmation of youth who had been baptized as infants.

A total of about 100 were involved. A strong sense of community was evident in this
congregation. The rest of the day was spent welcoming friends, and neighbors into the home. Again many came and just sat while others engaged in conversation. Nancy brought out flip-flops and embelished with crochet which fascinated the women who all tried their hand as we make a pair for Carolyn. Food seemed pretty much the same as that served on other days. Gifts seemed to be new clothes with little fussing.

Most homes we visited had an artifical tree decorated sparsely.

The following day we went to Bamenda for shopping in preparation for the visit to
the village of Awing, home place to Joe, Phillip and Patricia. We learned that to go back to the village meant to come loaded with food, staples such as rice, plantains, meat, fixing for the traditional foods, and any other necessities of life such as toliet paper, paper plates, cups, etc. The trip to Awing took approxiamately 6 hours again over rutted, dusty orange roads, but this time with the addition of mountainous terrain. What a roller coaster experience! We arrived after dark to the realization of the lack of electricity at the compound! And beds and arrangements needed to be worked out in the dark! Fortunately we had a few flashlights! Our family plus 4 young men stayed in the 3 room remodeled house of Joe’s mother. Had it not been remodeled we would have stayed in a mud brick house with a dirt floor, and no screens or windows on the openings! The majority of village homes we saw were of this sort; many having open fires for cooking in the large open room with no dividers for bedrooms. We were grateful for the simple accomodations we had.

The extended family system in Cameroon was probably the thing most different that we experienced there. Many children are raised by Uncles, aunts or other relatives, being sent away at school age to a home where there is a better opportunity for education. Joe and Phillip both experienced this leaving home at an early age and rarely seeing their parents again. So most homes that we visited had anywhere from one to six additional relatives living with them in addition to the nuclear family. And often if the family is able to afford it their own children are sent to boarding school for their secondary education.

This system puts a lot of pressure on family members with good jobs to support and educate the less fortunate. Although this is basically a wonderful way of caring for the needs of all, unfortunately it gives rise to abuses and a spirit of ntitlement. “You owe it to me” was the spirit evidenced by numbers of people. This was seen also in the expectation of gifts. “What did you bring me?” “I need a camera.” “Take me to America where I can get a job.” This issue was quite troubling to responsible members of the family, especially when some whose tution had been paid never attended or graduated from classes, but continued to abuse the system. Actually at this meeting in the village the problem was addressed openly for the first time with some limits and expectations verbalized for all to hear. Hopefully those who needed to hear it most were listening!

Ruth became violently ill during the night in Awing with the typical digestive reaction to food poisoning. Phillip had arranged for us to have an audience with the Fon, the Chief of the Village of Awing. So Don, Nancy, Joe, Dan and Paul along with Phillip and Carolyn went to the Fon’s Palace. A fascinating experience of stepping back in time
at least 100 years. The “Palace” is mostly mud brick construction and not very impressive, but the throne room was like walking into a museum. The Fon’s attendents, two old men poorly dressed ushered us into the room. We waited for the Fon for 10 minutes or so. He arrived in a typical long dress and cap the men frenquently wear.

We could not speak directly to him but all conversation went through Phillip who interpreted. Actually the Fon was educated abroad and spoke perfect English, but at
first he spoke in the local dialect.

Part 2 soon to come...

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Photos

Awing House
This is grandma and grandpa standing in front of Joe's mother's house in Awing. This is the house we stayed in. Her original house was mud brick and when it fell down, her children rebuilt this nicer version. She is buried by the entrance to the front porch.

GSM Building
This is the building that GSM Cameroon rents as its national headquarters in Limbe. Rent costs $100 per month -- a real stretch and step of faith on the part of the ministry.

GSM Welcome
While in Limbe, we participated in a collection of gifts to be given to local widows and orphans, the training sessions, and a Welcome event. The two women pictured wrote a song that they sang to grandma and grandpa.

Comments

[K. Rollag]

What an experience!
Love reading your travelogue. A totally different experience than I have ever had. Thanks for sharing!