Post Birthday & Thanksgiving news

Dear family (that's all of you),

Carol's birthday and our Thanksgiving were really special, thanks to each of you! Here are some highlights...

Carol's birthday: the SMS parade was the most wonderful gift you could have sent her! She just lit up with each one! We read them as they came over the phone, and then she read them again in the evening! Thanks to each of you! You wouldn't believe your collective impact on us both. Yes, Carol is loved! (It is Sabbath evening now 11/28/09. Last night we read another 20 SMS notes! This morning I put the phone in the kitchen window to check for any more notes; there were 10. We read them before walking to church.
Please don't apologize for being late; you simply extend Carol's joy.
Really, you should see her as we 'open' each note; she just beams.) You filled our 'inbox' full twice; about 50 messages! Birthday goodies. (What do you eat for your birthday in this part of Africa?) Breakfast: the last of her 'home made' granola from our kitchen in California, raisins, almonds, powdered soy milk (with Vanilla flavor) (this much was all 'from home'), bananas and sweet pineapple. Lunch: (at the school PTA meeting) corn 'foo foo'(balls of finely ground, boiled corn. These folks have made this food an 'art form') and 'jama jama' (tasty green leaves steamed in a palm oil
sauce)- these are the PASSION of this region! Dinner: (quickly eaten before prayer meeting) a packet of dried nuts, seeds and fruit vacuum packed 'from home', more banana, the rest of the pineapple, some 'oranges', and a lemon (that she tried to pass off as an orange- I fell for it then went ahead & ate half of the sour thing.) In short: you eat the most wonderful food 'from home' and local food that you have time to eat. We did not have candles on the pineapple because you cannot buy birthday candles here.

After a great 'day', we met at the church for singing and a 'health'
discussion about the immune system and the impact of enough water (sounds like Steve!), and effects of sugar. Our assistant teacher Naphtali joined us, then our 'land lady' whose husband is a retired teacher at the Catholic university in Kumbo, then our neighbor Benjamin who has been a Baptist minister. We were asked if we would show a program from the It Is Written, 'New Beginnings' series. They each loved it. I can hardly believe how God is bringing people to us; little by little. But, oh how important each one is. This is the reward of weeks of visiting from the street, the living room, and finally the Bible study. This is pretty exciting for this boy who was so afraid of even offering a bible study and never actually gave one before coming here.

Steps to Jesus: "Where's my copy?! Give me my copy!!" The second police officer seated on the wooden bench in front of the small highway check point shack on the way to Kumbo was ordering me to give him a 'Steps To Jesus'!
Ever since the first time I passed through that check point during Christmas of '08, I have wanted to give these officers some reading material about Jesus. My first encounter began with a stout officer ordering me to produce my Passport. When he read 'California', he exclaimed, "I love your governor! I love his movies!" He smiled enthusiastically and handed my passport back. What a relief! I could proceed with my trip. But as I thought of that man sitting for hours a day watching and stopping traffic, I thought that he may enjoy some reading material (folks here generally love the gift of a book). Today, I did it. I had gotten up my courage to stop and address the men whom no driver wished to be stopped by, much less visit with. I handed a 'Steps to Jesus' and half a dozen 'GLOW' to the man whose outfit most closely resembled a uniform. He sat first on the bench. There were at least eight of them there that morning. I suggested sharing. That was when the order came to produce another book. "Will you read it?" I asked. "Yes!" was the firm reply. A colporteurs' dream, the guy wants your book, and he wants it NOW! Later, on the return trip, this man greeted me, 'You're back!', dropped the rope that blocked the road, and waved me on.
Pray for these guys! That's an order!

Isa (Arabic for 'Jesus') came to our school PTA meeting on Carol's birthday.
He is a significant influence in our Muslim community and he supports our school with his heart. He announced that he plans to send one or two of his children to our school.
Met Abduli today, he invited us to the celebration of the 'Ram' this Friday at 10AM near the airport. I plan to attend. He is the deputy Emom of the mosque. He was excited about his roll of leading out at the 3:00 PM prayer service at the Mosque today.

Final note: Have you ever done something that you knew was REALLY stupid; just WRONG?! It was Friday morning and 'Divine', the man who runs the daily household supply shop and tavern across the street, had gathered 12 sturdy boys and men to help us move the two septic tank lids about 20 feet to the pit. Each lid must have weighed 1000 pounds; concrete 140cm x 180cm, and
3 - 4 inches thick; a 'rebar' mesh inside each. 'We' (they) had tilted one lid up and placed four eucalyptus 'sticks' (10 foot rough cut 3x3's) underneath to create 8 handles (besides the edges of the lid itself). I took one of the handles, then 'knowing something about lifting' decided to instruct these incredible men in 'the art' of lifting. 'Face forward while lifting', I said. 'It will align your lumbar spine to decrease the risk of a disk bulge'. (this was translated into Noni by Divine) There, that should help. Sure enough, some of them faced forward. However, I never dreamed of what came next. This group, used to hours of stooping over while using short handle 'hoes' on the farm, lifted the lid only a foot off the ground as we walked along. This placed incredible forces on my (really
wimpy) low back. I knew that this position was WRONG, but I lifted with 'all I had'. Sure enough, before the lid was in place my back suddenly confirmed my really stupid decision. Now I understand how it feels to be healing from a 'low back strain'. It's a lot better already; so glad it was not a ruptured disk. Next time, I choose a position where I can walk forwards and not carry so much weight.

Friday night worship service at the church- Naphtali came and the 3 of us began singing all the Christmas hymns in the hymnal. Then they began coming. Children. More children. Soon, the 3 pew church was full. After singing, Naphtali and I began telling stories: Zacchaeus and the sycamore tree, David & Goliath, and the 'wise' and 'foolish' house builders. After each story we sang the song (about 3 or 4 times each, with hand motions) by guitar and the light of two kerosene lamps. 8:30PM came really soon.
(Note: we normally end by 7, but Naphtali had walked 6 km just to attend- he arrived at 7. We couldn't just walk out on him. Besides, we were having too much fun.)

While proof reading this e-mail aloud to Carol, she let out a series of screams and began stamping her feet. Turns out she was performing the 'la cucaracha'. She said its body was more than 2 inches long, and the antennae were 3 inches long. I think she was just upset; she hates those things.
She did not want it walking on her raisin, cinnamon rolls that she will be baking in our Coleman oven / Coleman stove combo. About once a month she pulls off one of these 'most amazing culinary stunts' from scratch.

Thanks again for your notes! You folks are great!

Love, Carol & Steve