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Dear Family and Friends,
Runaway lanes, sand bays, tragedy and sorrow.
At the foot of an escarpment sits a sand runaway lane. It is directly in front of our house. As vehicles descend the steep hill, breaks begin to overheat and sometimes fail. After several vehicles careened around the curve and crashed into the compound wall this sand bay was created. This is a much safer option for both people and property but it must be used to benefit from it. A sign was posted to let people know it was available free of charge after rumors circulated that there would be an exorbitant charge for using the sand bay.
Here in Cameroon, there are many vehicle collisions. Overloaded vehicles and poorly maintained vehicles contribute to the frequency in which crashes occur. On October 21, a passenger train derailed killing more than 70 people and injuring 300. That same day, 60 people lost their lives when two buses collided on the road between Yaoundé and Douala. A national day of morning was observed on October 22 for all the victims.
As we considered these tragedies and the sorrow that had entered so many homes I heard the song, “Trading my Sorrows.” It struck me in a new way. In order to trade, something must be exchanged. I need to “lay down” the sorrow, the frustration, the situation, the “whatever it is that is consuming me” or I cannot pick up anything else! It doesn’t matter if I know that God can give me joy in my circumstances if I am not willing to give that situation to him. It is like the driver who knows there is a landing bay at the bottom of the hill but in spite of his obvious need he does not enter into it. God provides a sand bay for us. We can enter anytime. There is no fee.
These past few months we have experienced joy and frustration. We have met and continue to meet challenges as we seek to understand the cultural context for decision making in both our areas of service. We seek solutions and collaborate with others to resolve problems. Sometimes the situations seem hopeless and overwhelming. However, the landing bay is our reminder of God’s presence. He gives us strength for each task He calls us to.
This past week Craig was in a lot of pain when something happened to his back. Medications and rest were not making any headway and he was actually getting worse. For Maureen, this was particularly frustrating because as a nurse she wanted to “fix things.” She felt helpless and discouraged. This was another opportunity to “lay it down” before God. Thankfully, this week, Craig is almost back to 100%.
At the end of August we traveled to the graduation ceremonies of the Baptist Training School for Health Personnel (BTSHP). There were over 200 graduates in the nursing, physiotherapy, dentistry, and pharmacology programs. It was a huge gathering at Kumbo Baptist Church with all the family, friends and dignitaries in attendance. We stayed overnight at a friend’s house and were happy to relax there and meet Paco the donkey. Everything was great until Paco decided to eat Maureen’s skirt!
Since arriving in Bamenda, Maureen has traveled to 5 of the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) Hospitals and 2 Health Centres to gather data on nursing care, continuing education, and new staff orientation. She has compiled all her findings and submitted them and is waiting to see what the next steps will be.
A few weeks ago we bumped down a dirt road to attend the retirement and service medal celebration for Jonah. There are no street signs in the neighborhood and we ended up having to phone Jonah to help us find his house. Jonah walked out to the main road and then directed us to the house. Imagine our embarassment when we arrived at his home and found more than 50 people waiting for the guest of honor who had left to help us! Craig felt privileged to be there representing the 28 different missionaries Jonah had served with in his 30 plus years in the Central Accounting Office of the Cameroon Baptist Convention. Craig worked with Jonah in Kumba from 1989 to 1991. It is special for us to see old friends like this and to celebrate milestones with them.
We want to thank all of you for your faithful support. We pray God will grant you effectiveness in the work He has called you to in your corner of the world.
Happy Thanksgiving to all our American friends and we hope Thanksgiving was great for all our Canadian friends!
Serving Him and trying to be mindful of His “sand bays”!
Craig and Maureen Moody