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Giving Thanks
Amongst the many privileges of living and serving in Cameroon is that we get to celebrate Thanksgiving for an extended time each year. With half of us being Canadian (Calvin & ½ of each of the girls), we celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving on October 12th. With the other half being American (Susie & the other girls’ half), we’re looking forward to celebrating American Thanksgiving on November 26th. But, in between these two dates, the church here in Cameroon celebrates a month-long, or more, of Harvest Thanksgiving.
Traditionally, and still in many rural villages, the Thanksgiving offerings people give is actual produce from their farms: corn, yams, potatoes, beans, peanuts, bananas, pineapples, etc., and even live chickens and goats sometimes. These offerings are all danced to the front of the church with much celebration and choreography. In the cities, where many people do not have farms, they bring Thanksgiving offerings from their livelihood: a portion of their salary, a chair or metal trunk they’ve crafted, etc. At the end of each service, all non-cash offerings are converted into cash by open auction. Even this is an act of thanksgiving and gratefulness as people willingly pay more than the market price for items.
November 2nd, our local church, Mt. Carmel, celebrated it’s last Thanksgiving service of the year. That Sunday, the offerings that people came prepared to give were testimonies of thanksgiving – 
testimonies of the goodness of God in their lives. Some testified of physical healing after prolonged illness, and others of being spared from death in road accidents while others around them died. Some gave thanks for passing exams and graduating, while others gave thanks for not passing exams, knowing that God has other plans for them. Some solemnly gave thanks for being rescued from a secret society (cult) which they had been initiated into.
Pictured at right are just a few of the people we thank God for, who daily bless our lives.
What else area we as a family are thankful for?
Elianna: Books, awesome parents, abundance of food;
Ysabelle: Books, sleep, best friends;
Susanne: Safety, Kelowna’s e-library so the girls can have access to so many books! and the three workers who faithfully help me around the house;
Calvin: My three ladies, opportunities to link people and resources to meet real needs, three years of life extension since my triple by-pass in November 2012.
Tangible Opportunities to Express your Thankful Heart
While we have much to be grateful for, we are daily hit with the reality of many individuals around us who don’t have as much. Life’s circumstances have been less favourable to them, leaving them impoverished, impaired, orphaned, or unable to pay for schooling or medical treatment expenses. The amazing thing is that many of these people still carry big and cheerful spirits as they go through life. Cameroonians are a resilient people.
One of the ministry roles we serve here in Cameroon is to mobilize people like you to support projects that assist the less advantaged, and other needs that the national church requests assistance with.
As we are in the midst of the holiday season encompassing Thanksgiving and Advent – when we give thanks for the greatest Gift ever given, Jesus Christ – will you consider blessing others by giving to one of the below opportunities? A one-time gift would be greatly appreciated. A monthly, quarterly or annual gift will assist even more.
We thank God for you and your part in His Kingdom’s work,
Calvin, Susanne, Ysabelle & Elianna