Africa Journal Day 33 to 35

Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Day 33
Amboseli National Park, Kenya

Tonight we are at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro surrounded by elephants, lions, giraffes, wildebeest, and gazelles. We are on a safari and very much enjoyed our first day. Besides sighting most of the animals here, the plains in front of Mt. Kilimanjaro are very scenic, and the sky and sunset were very dramatic. Toward evening the clouds lifted enough for us to see the snow-capped summit.

Our flight into Kenya yesterday was without a hitch and our safari driver met us at the Nairobi airport. We spent last night in the Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi, a hotel with a long history and lots of class. Our driver picked us up after breakfast, and we spent the morning driving from Nairobi to Amboseli. The last stretch of road to the part of wash board and very rough.

We are staying in the same lodge where Cathy and I stayed in 1982. The architecture is to resemble a Masaii village. All kinds of memories are being stirred here. Wish she were with us to enjoy it again.

Tomorrow morning we will go for an early morning game drive. I hope we will get to see some lions on the prowl, maybe even a fresh kill. And I hope we get up real close to some elephants; we saw lots today, but all fairly far away.


Thursday, May 26, 2005
Day 34
Amboseli National Park, Kenya

We had a great day enjoying the sights and sounds of the African wilderness. Our early morning game drive began with a pride of six young lions that had obviously just finished devouring an early morning kill. Their tummies were full and they were slowly making their way to a watering hole to drink. They were in no rush, and they just ignored the gazelles and wildebeest around them; obviously they were no longer hungry.

This evening, with the sun setting, we stopped to watch a large herd of elephants. One group, a family of four with a very young baby (our driver estimated a few weeks old only), stayed close together, and went for a drink together. I think I have some neat pictures and video footage to demonstrate this family’s cohesion and closeness—a lesson for us. The older offspring in this family was probably about six years old, and elephants apparently often nurse that long.

Other sightings today included hyenas, hippos (in and out of the water), warthogs, jackals, waterbuck, and of course, lots of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles.

This has been a great way to end our time in Africa. Tomorrow evening we fly for home after driving back to Nairobi and some last minute souvenir shopping. And a last meal at the Carnivore, a famous restaurant with all the meat you can eat. Cathy and I have fond memories there as well, so I’ll be sure to take some pictures.


Friday, May 27, 2005
Day 35
Nairobi Airport, Kenya

We are stuffed after our all-the-meat-you-can-eat at the Carnivore—beef, chicken, pork, ostrich, camel, crocodile, and some more. It was as I had remembered it—hot cast iron plates on which they slice slabs of meat from huge skewers of barbecued meat. A huge open grill in the centre of the restaurant keeps the meet grilling and a little flag at your table to take down when you have had enough. It was busy tonight, reservations only. Some live entertainment and the atmosphere was quite festive.

Our drive from Amboseli this morning was uneventful; we had a wonderful driver/guide on our safari. In the afternoon we did some souvenir shopping, followed by a visit to the Nairobi Museum and adjacent snake park. We actually got to see the Black Mamba the kids were trying to catch at ABC in Malawi. It is Africa’s most feared snake, maybe unfounded, as it is not really that aggressive with humans.

Kenya is very tourist friendly and I was struck by the helpfulness of the airline and airport staff, as well as our safari company, Vintage African. Nairobi is a very modern city of three million with many high-rises, although they are struggling with the heavy traffic; they will need a public transit system to keep cars out of the downtown area. Our driver said they are considering a subway.

Five weeks has passed rather quickly and I have a lot of food for thought. We met a lot of interesting people, renewed acquaintances for old friends, and had time to read and reflect as well. I have seen a direct correlation between social cohesion and psychosocial health; urbanization and modernization are likely to cause social decay with subsequent rise dis-ease and dis-stress. African leaders will need to anticipate these trends in order to lead Africa into the future.

Africa Jurnal Day 32, Tuesday May 24

Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Day 32
Kamuzu International Airport, Linlongwe, Malawi

Our time in Malawi is drawing to a close as we await our flight to Nairobi, Kenya. Yesterday morning I spoke in African Bible College morning chapel service, followed by my Worthy of Your Calling seminar for the Children of the Nations (COTN) staff. Both were well received, and I trust helpful. Andrew and I spent the afternoon at the pool and the evening getting ready for our departure today.

In some ways Malawi is quite different from West Africa, yet in other ways very typical of it. It is not as densely populated as Nigeria, and even Linlongwe, the capital, is much more spread out than Yaounde in Cameroon. It is poorer, with very little natural resources for export. Most rural villagers survive on the bare minimum, as evidenced by their reliance on bicycles for transportation, rather than the ubiquitous motorcycles and taxis in Nigeria and Cameroon. Yet Linlongwe has the most advanced infrastructure of any other city that we visited. It appears that the British had installed water and phone systems before independence. And after independence, Malawi appeared to thrive under the former leader, Kamazu Banda. There is more of a European and Asian presence here, many of the shops being owned by those of foreign descent making their home here.

Health wise, the biggest issue on people’s minds is the HIV/AIDS epidemic. There are many, many AIDS orphans, with many organizations and ministries working to help them. Depression is as rare as it is in West Africa, the people I asked knew of no one in their circle of acquaintances who had committed suicide. It will be interesting to see if the generation that is being orphaned will have a higher incidence of depression as adults.

Christianity is the main religion of Malawi, with up to 80% claiming adherence on census data. There is an Islamic presence with a mosque in Lilongwe and a major Muslim presence in the Selima area. As in West Africa, Malawians are very spiritual.

I am thankful for the opportunity to experience Malawi. Overall, the people are friendly, and probably gentler than West Africans. My heart goes out to the children, especially the AIDS orphans. Also, there is the anticipation of a food shortage this year as the crops were sub optimal due to drought. I look forward to keeping in touch with the new friends we met.

Africa Journal Day 30, May 22

Sunday, May 22, 2005
Day 30
Lilongwe, Malawi

Andrew and I went to one of the largest international churches in Linlongwe, Capital City Baptist Church. Their main service is in English, and it truly was a multiethnic crowd, full with standing room only. The pastor and worship leaders are both Afro-American missionaries. The service wasn’t real long for African standards, about an hour and a half. I enjoyed it, especially the worship, which of course was quite lively.

The weather has been quite cool here lately, and surprisingly cloudy. We went for lunch to a Korean restaurant, and after that it was warm enough to go to the pool at one of the local hotels (same one we went to last Sunday). The kids swam, but the adults still found it too cold to swim.
Sunday evening there was the last evening service at the Chapel for the ABC school year. And this of course was followed by the traditional “waffle night,” this time pancakes and waffles. We had a good time of fellowship.

Africa Journal Day 29, May 21

Saturday, May 21, 2005
Day 29
Lilongwe, Malawi

Today Dave and Joy took us for an outing to Dedza, about an hour and a half drive south of Lilongwe, close to the Mozambique border. The town is in a range of highlands, similar to the plateau in Jos, Nigeria. The main attraction there is a pottery, well known for its creative work, and their lovely grounds and restaurant. We had a good time browsing their work, choosing some gifts for home, and sharing a lunch together. It was rather cool though, but we were warned and dressed accordingly.

Back at ABC in the late afternoon, there was a soccer game between the kids of the Children of the Nations (COTN) ministry that Dave and Joy work with, and another village. Some pretty good soccer players, and the other kids were cheerleaders. I was really impressed by one of the COTN workers, known as an "intern," who has been here since August. She is a psychology major, but with an obvious gift for language. She has become fully fluent in the local language and has developed a great rapport with the kids; seeing her work with them was incredibly inspiring.

Later in the evening, we watched a movie together with another missionary family on the ABC campus. After that it was time to turn in.

Africa Journal Day 28, May 20

Friday, May 20, 2005
Day 28
Linlongwe, Malawi

I spent the morning with Dr. Perry Jansen, an America doctor who spent four years with the ABC Community Clinic, but is now starting a project and ministry called Hope Medical Center (www.partnersinhope.info). It is a very large Christian project targeting HIV/AIDS and they have purchased a large facility that is being converted into a medical clinic. They will teach prevention, offer voluntary testing for HIV infection, and treat AIDS patients with the state of the art antiretroviral (ARV) medications. I was impressed by Dr. Jansen’s passion, the sense of God’s calling on his life, and the enormity of the vision and dream in the project. I wish him and his staff God’s blessing and strength.

In the afternoon, I met with Grace Banda, a former schoolteacher who has felt God’s leading to change careers to do HIV/AIDS counselling and teaching. She works with Dr. Jansen and will be a tremendous asset to his staff. I was impressed with the quality of the staff Dr. Jansen is pulling together.

Friday evening is traditional potluck for all the ABC expat staff—lots of good food and lots of fellowship. Apparently this has also been a longstanding tradition here. These events are all held in the home of the founder, Dr. Jack and Mrs. Nel Chinchen.

Africa Journal Day 27, May 19

Thursday, May 19, 2005
Day 27
Lilongwe, Malawi

We spent most of today on the ABC Campus. I did some writing in the morning, followed by a personal consultation with one of the ABC staff. I trust I was able to be an encouragement to him.

In the afternoon, Dave, Joy and I went to Four Seasons, a plant nursery with several attached gift shops and a café. I enjoyed Malawian tea. It was a lovely little oasis with fountains and lovely lawns and shrubbery. Again, hardly what one thinks of in Africa. There certainly are more of these little getaways here than in West Africa.

In the evening, Andrew and I had supper with a neighbouring missionary family. We enjoyed our visit with them very much. They have been here just less than a year, and had shipped what sounds like all their household items in a container from the U.S. A large black mamba snake, said to be eight feet long, has been spotted in their yard, and their son set a trap with a live chicken to try to catch it. I will need to find out tomorrow if they were successful. Black mambas are deadly neurotoxic snakes; not something you want in your back yard. Apparently, there is also a three-foot monitor lizard making its home in a culvert. It only bothers the dogs by whacking them with its tail.

Africa Journal Day 26, May 18

Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Day 26
Lilongwe, Malawi

I began my day with a brisk early morning walk around the Africa Bible College campus. The grounds here are beautifully kept, the air was cool and fresh, the sun was just rising over the horizon—so a very enjoyable walk. I understand that most of the funding for this campus was raised in America. It reminds me somewhat of a paradise setting.

Later in the morning, Andrew and I played a set of tennis before it got too hot. The tennis court on campus is in fairly good shape, but a couple of cracks in the concrete occasional caused an unpredictable bounce.

In the afternoon, I joined Dave for some shopping. We visited one store, apparently owned by South Africans, which made me think of a grocery store at home. They even had the bar code scanners at the checkouts, so very state of the art. Many of the products here are imported from South Africa. There are also people of European descent settled here who were forced to flee Zimbabwe, so more of a Caucasian presence than in West Africa.

In the evening, I was asked to do a presentation for the Africa Bible College staff. Part of my day was spent preparing for that. It went well and was well received.

Africa Journal Day 25 Tuesday May 17

Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Day 25
Lilongwe, Malawi

I spent most of today with Dr. Chris Brooks at his clinic about an hour and a half from here on Lake Malawi. He is the founder of Lifeline Malawi (www.lifelinemalawi.com), a medical outreach ministry for the under serviced areas of Malawi. He calls it "frontier medicine." Although he is expanding his clinic, he has been without lab or x-ray investigations. He has started HIV testing, and of the ones we tested yesterday, five out of eight were positive. One was a child, an orphan, brought in by her surviving grandmother. The grandmother’s five children and their spouses, a whole generation, are dead, probably from AIDS. She brought in two sick grandchildren, one with AIDS, contracted as an infant from her mother. The mother to child transmission rate is about 30%.

There are good treatments available now for AIDS. In Malawi, the Anti-Retro-Viral drugs (ARVs) are being offered to AIDS sufferers at government expense, as is the testing. Dr. Brooks has seen people at the brink of death with AIDS make remarkable recoveries. No one knows the long-term prognosis yet, but it is very encouraging. Without treatment, some fear a whole generation of labourers and parents will succumb. And in order to spare the next generation, a great deal of education and prevention needs to occur, right to the most remote communities and villages. Many traditional cultural practises surrounding puberty and sexuality need to be addressed. The Church has a major role, and opportunity, here.

Dr. Brooks has not seen depression in the patients he treats. Nor does he believe that fibromyalgia is a clinical entity here. People with chronic fatigue generally test positive for HIV infection.

I very much appreciated the time Dr. Brooks took to take me to his clinic, as well as sharing with me his passion for this work. He finds it so fulfilling, after a practise in Canada, to serve these needy people. Rather than retiring to a comfortable life at home, he is here, serving with enthusiasm and zeal—certainly a challenge to colleagues and other early retirees.

Africa Journal Day 24, Monday May 16

Monday, May 16, 2005
Day 24
Linlongwe, Malawi

After breakfast prepared by Jackson, Dave and Joy’s cook, I joined Dave for some errands in town. The “new town” part of Linlongwe is definitely more spacious and modern than either Jos in Nigeria or Yaounde in Cameroon. We stopped in a couple of shops for supplies that reminded me of stores at home. You could even pay by cheque.

The biggest part of my morning was spent with Sue Harrell, a counsellor who works with the children in the Children of the Nations (www.cotni.org) sponsored orphanages, which Dave and Joy also work with. We shared some of the latest research on neurodevelopment and she concurred with my observation that secure early childhood attachments do “immunize” children and adults somewhat against the negative psychosocial effects of trauma and hardship later. She also noted the resilience of Africans from the attitude that says, “You just have to accept that life is hard.” While the children and adolescents she works with here do show the signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), depression is still surprisingly rare. And the kids do very well in the homes where they are re-parented by house parents, who feel this work as a calling, rather than a job. I look forward to visiting some of these homes over the next few days.

In the afternoon, Dr. Mark Boersma gave me a tour of ABC Community Clinic, a medical facility on the Africa Bible College (ABC) campus. It was funded by money raised in the US, and largely equipped with donated equipment. I was impressed with the quality of the facility, and I suspect the quality of the care.

Later, Dave took Andrew and I on a tour of areas that he has been working at since his arrival here in July, 2004. We saw the Chitipi Children’s Home where 32 children are cared for by Esther and Patterson Lungu, Malawian houseparents, along with two aunties, who are younger single women. There is a farming operation at this facility, with an ingenious irrigation system that very much impressed me. This is a model that could easily be reproduced around the region, helping alleviate the food shortage when the rains fail. There were hogs, three dairy cows, 42 goats, turkeys, chickens, rabbits and pigeons. Some of the pigs are sold, the profit being reinvested into the farming operation.

Dave has been supervising a building program for a new children’s home in Njewa, a village nearby. That project is temporarily on hold due to the government’s request to have the land rezoned, even though it is out in the country. They hope to resume building within the next month. A large portion is already built, all red brick.

Africa Journal Day 23, Sunday May 15

Sunday, May 15, 2005
Day 23
Linlongwe, Malawi

We arrived safely in Malawi thanks to the impressive service on Kenya Airlines. With a slogan, "The Pride of Africa," they seem to be one of the African Airlines doing well with a reputation for reliability and service. The in-flight magazine was well done, the staff were friendly and helpful, and the Boeing 777 was new. We arrived in Linlongwe on time and we were so happy to see Dave and Joy’s familiar faces. We cleared customs without any hassles and there were no porters swarming us this time.

Malawi is quite a contrast from West Africa this time of year. Being south of the equator, the dry season has started, so the air is dry and cool, mid 20’s Celcius in the day, quite cool at night. The rainy season apparently didn’t bring the rains needed for an adequate crop, so Dave and Joy anticipate drought and hunger. Infrastructure wise, Lilongwe has running water, fairly reliable electricity, and Dave and Joy have dial-up Internet access on their landline. The new part of town is spaciously and quite attractively laid out, thanks to a former benevolent dictator, Kamuzu Banda, who was apparently an excellent leader and brought considerable prosperity and stability to Malawi. The present democracy is riddled with corruption, similar to most African nations.

Dave and Joy live in a very attractive home on the campus of Africa Bible College, founded by Dr. and Mrs. Jack Chinchen. The grounds are immaculately kept with mowed grass, beautiful trees and shrubbery, and brick walkways. Most of the buildings are of red brick, quite a change from the bland stucco typical of West Africa.

After our arrival, Dave and Joy took us to a local hotel pool for a swim and lunch. In the evening there was an English service in the chapel for students and staff, followed by the longstanding tradition of "waffle night" for the expatriate staff in the home of the Chinchen’s, but tonight it was French toast instead. I very much enjoyed meeting the Chinchen’s, who have spent thirty years in Africa, initially in Liberia until civil war there drove them out, now in Malawi. In discussing my interest in chronic pain and depression, they noted how in a recent visit to Liberia, where conditions as the result of civil war are far worse than Nigeria and Cameroon, the people were happy and resilient, and they suspect that we won’t find depression here either.

Africa Journal Day 22, Saturday May 14

Saturday, May 14, 2005
Day 22
Yaounde Airport, Cameroon

Our time in Cameroon is almost over as we await our Kenya Airways flight to Nairobi, Kenya, and then on to Lilongwe, Malawi. Bert, Wilma and Mary-Jean saw us off at the airport; we so enjoyed our time with them.

Although Cameroon is officially bilingual (French and English), Yaounde is primarily Francophone. This affected our interaction with Cameroonians, so most of our time here was spent with the expatriate community and family. Our most significant contribution was the Everything that Hinders seminar, followed by individual consultations with SIL staff. We had originally hoped to see some of the local medical facilities, but without direct contacts, and the trip to the coast, that didn’t work out.

Overall, urban Cameroon has improved infrastructure compared to Nigeria. The electricity was more reliable with only brief outages, water was consistent and chlorinated, and the cellular network was never unavailable due to overuse. We did see more evidence of cigarette and alcohol use, with massive billboard advertising campaigns by tobacco, brewery, and cellular companies. There appears to be more western influence here, particularly when comparing female dress with Nigeria (far more slacks here). I was unable to get a handle on the overall psychosocial health of the Cameroonian population, although there was a lot of hollering in the family next to Bert and Wilma’s. Wilma has heard them beating their kids. I suspect that traditional values of family and tribal cohesiveness become strained with urbanization and westernization. The HIV/AIDS incidence is estimated at 10%, less than many other African countries.

As in Nigeria, Cameroonians are open spiritually, and the Church is thriving and growing. A front-page story in the English Sunday newspaper from Douala highlighted a story of a woman injured in a traffic accident who was miraculously healed of her multiple fractures. I met a Cameroonian pastor at our seminar whose depth of insight and spiritual maturity was very evident. I very much appreciated the work of SIL Cameroon in Bible translation and literacy. As in most African countries, there are many local languages that have never been written. I have the highest respect for those who live in a local village, learn the language, write it, and then commence translation work and literacy. More and more the goal of SIL is to involve Cameroonians in this work.

Africa Journal Day 21

Friday, May 13, 2005
Day 21
Yaounde, Cameroon

We are back safe and sound to Bert and Wilma’s house in Yaounde. We had a good trip to Mt. Cameroon and the Atlantic Coast. I was up early this morning for a walk on the beach, followed by a swim with the others, breakfast, and the five-hour drive back to Yaounde. We are thankful for safe travel and a good time. The time for reading and reflection was good for me.

The rest of today will be spent getting ready to for the next leg of our journey tomorrow. We will leave Yanounde, fly to Nairobi, and then onto Linlongwe, Malawi. We look forward to seeing the Schellenberg’s there.

We so much have appreciated Bert and Wilma’s hospitality during our stay here. They will be travelling to Canada themselves, for a short leave as they help Mary-Jean get settled for university in the Fall.

Africa Journal Day 18 - 20 Trip to Mt Cameroon

Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Day 18
Mt. Cameroon

We are presently at the base of Mt. Cameroon. The drive from Yaounde took almost five hours, through Douala on the coast, and on to Buea. The climb is steeper than I had anticipated, so I decided it would be too hard on my knees. Mary-Jean and Andrew registered for the climb. There will be five of them, two porters to carry their supplies, and a guide.
Mt Cameroon is actually a volcano, which last erupted in May 2000. Lava from that eruption flowed 16 km to the coast. The summit is 4095m (13,300 ft). It is not snow capped like Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, but cool enough for hats and gloves. They will take two days and overnight on the mountain.

Last night it rained hard in Yaounde. Earlier a thunderstorm came through, knocking out the power in part of town. One of the SIL missionaries slipped outside while trying to light his gas lantern, stubbing his toe and dislocating it. So Wilma and I made a house call, and I was easily able to reduce his toe. I saw him up and about earlier today, so I was glad to be able to help.


Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Day 19
Seme New Beach Hotel, Limbe, Cameroon

We woke to a beautiful clear day today, just a few upper level clouds hiding the summit of the mountain. We spent the night in a local hotel and had an omelette (with spaghetti) in it, with quite a bit of pepper. The kids were either too nervous, or excited, to eat much. After breakfast, they met their porters and guide, a send-off picture, and they were off. They will aim for Hut Two, where they sleep until 3 or 4 am, then with flashlights until daybreak, head for the summit. After their descent tomorrow they will be ready for a swim in the ocean.

After dropping the kids off, Bert, Wilma and I drove to the coast. On the way we had to detour where the lava from the 2000 eruption just crossed the road before coming to a halt.

We are at a lovely beach hotel. It's good to hear the Atlantic Ocean waves crashing on the breach. Reminds of the time in the early 80’s when Cathy and I, with another family, drove to Cameroon from Nigeria and spent 10 days camped on the beach. The time here will be lovely swimming, a vigorous walk down the beach, and some time to read.


Thursday, May 12, 2005
Day 20
Seme New Beach Hotel, Limbe, Cameroon

It rained overnight, and I thought of Mary-Jean and Andrew on the mountain. I checked the time—it was around midnight so they should be dry in Hut Two. It was sunny first thing this the morning and they were able to finish their climb and return before the weather again changed to cloud and rain. It poured as we drove to pick them up; they just got back just moments before the downpour.

We all went back to the hotel for the rest of the day. We had a swim in the rain, followed by a delicious three-course meal at the hotel restaurant. We're turning in early to get up for a swim before leaving back to Yaounde in the morning. Mary-Jean has to be back to get ready for her High School graduation banquet tomorrow night.

Africa Journal Day 17

Monday, May 9, 2005
Day 17
Bert & Wilma Visser’s Guestroom, Yaounde, Cameroon

For my birthday today, Wilma cooked a nice supper of chicken, potato scallop and vegetables, followed by a delicious carrot cake. After supper we worked at planning and packing for our trip to Mt. Cameroon.
Most of my day was spent seeing some of the missionaries who had attended the Everything that Hinders Seminar. I believe these consultations were productive, and I hope that people were helped by them.
Yesterday was an enjoyable day. Sunday morning worship was with Bert and Wilma in a small francophone church they attend; Bert was preaching, in English, translated into French. He had a good message on marriage, an area that needs significant work here, just as at home. He quoted some stats from a BBC interview he had heard about the divorce rate in Sweden—60%. Peter Dzawua in Nigeria, an evangelist and pastor, also had shared with me the high priority he places on teaching principles of biblical marriage and family relationships.
After a lunch of potato salad, we were off to the French Club, a private sports club. Here we played tennis (it was too hot for my liking), followed by a refreshing dip in the pool. We relaxed and read some, and by 5:30 pm, we were actually starting to feel cold; Wilma was wrapping herself in her beach towel.
There was an evening service for all the SIL staff, which was quite a large crowd. The highlight for me was the time when new people were welcomed, others preparing for furlough (missionary leave) were prayed for, and all the needs of the mission family were shared, and in turn prayed for. It was heart-warming to experience the caring; Cathy and I well remember how the mission family becomes your “surrogate family” when abroad.

Africa Journal Day 16

Sunday, May 8, 2005
Day 16
Bert & Wilma Visser’s Guestroom, Yaounde, Cameroon

Last night was definitely my poorest night from a sleep perspective, except the overnight flights. There must be a local group playing at the bar just a half block away, and they are still whooping it up at 6:15 am. The drum has a penetrating quality with an irregular beat, spurred on I suppose by a night of drinking, that goes on and on. I don’t blame Bert and Wilma hunting for a new house when them come back after their summer leave.
The Everything that Hinders Workshop went very well, at least from my perspective, and from the feedback on the evaluation forms. Responsive chords were struck in the area of living our values, boundaries, and maintaining what we call margin, a reserve of time, energy and finances to prevent a crisis and undue stress. Some of the missionaries, a few pastors, and all the pastor’s wives, recognized that they have been placing ministry before family. One MK (missionary kid) who is now back on the field as an adult, shared from her perspective. Many realized how much healing they already experienced. The group really opened up, shared their struggles, and we had a wonderful time together. I pray that the time invested will yield Kingdom dividends.
Some of the participants have booked for individual consultations with me, for Monday and Tuesday morning. From there, the plan is to head for Mt. Cameroon.
The best part of yesterday was hearing Cathy’s voice. She called on Wilma’s cell phone, and that really made my day. Overall, the infrastructure here is further than Nigeria (no power failure yet, cellular network is crystal clear, garbage pickup, and a city water system with a steady water supply).
I look forward to a more relaxing day today—Bert is preaching in church (in English), so it won’t be a struggle to hear. And we have plans for a swim in the pool at he French Club, and maybe some tennis.
Today is Mother’s Day in North America, and Andrew and I, wish Cathy, my mom, and all mom’s a happy Mother’s Day.

Africa Journal Day 15

Saturday, May 7, 2005
Day 15
Bert & Wilma Visser’s Guestroom, Yaounde, Cameroon

Today is the start of week three. The length of the time away from home, and the rest of my family, is becoming harder. That is especially so, now that we are staying with family, Bert and Wilma.
Most of yesterday, and most of today, will be spent on the Everything that Hinders seminar. We had a good start last night, with about 40 attending, mostly SIL staff. We will resume today at 8:30 am, and wrap it up by 5:00 pm. I hope the material will be helpful and allow them to raise the bar in their personal, family and professional lives.
Mary Jean and Andrew has been busy planning for our outing to Mt. Cameroon. It takes two days to climb the mountain, the third highest in Africa. So they need to plan for food and so on. There are “huts” for overnight accommodation. I have decided to let wisdom prevail as to whether I should attempt the climb to the summit.

Africa Journal Day 14

Friday, May 6, 2005
Day 14
Bert & Wilma Visser’s Guestroom, Yaounde, Cameroon

From what we have seen of Cameroon so far, there are less people, there is more wilderness, and there is more infrastructure. We have been here 24 hrs and no power failure yet! And there is garbage collection in Yaounde.
We started out our drive yesterday from the Baptist guesthouse, after a swim in the pool, by stopping for breakfast at a beautiful Café where they had delicious French style pastries. This is one of the treats of Cameroon I remembered from before. From there, the three-hour drive from Douala to Yaounde. Most of this was through tropical rainforest, although Bert said none of what we could see was virgin, untouched rainforest. We kept meeting trucks loaded with huge hardwood logs; logging is a major industry and these big ones come from the heart of the tropical rainforest, another side of deforestation so common in developing countries. Bert said that when they first came to Cameroon, some of the logs were so huge, only one would fit on a trailer.
Bert and Wilma live partly into Yaounde, very close to their work with SIL (stands for Summer Institute for Linguistics, and is the field name for Wycliffe Bible Translators). It is a comfortable home but they find it a noisy part of town, with a bar across the road, neighbours with noisy children, and an untreated young schizophrenic. Wilma had him quite manageable with medication, but he didn’t like the side effects, so he quit them.
I spent much of yesterday afternoon preparing for the Everything that Hinders Seminar that I am offering today and tomorrow. It was a public holiday here yesterday (Ascension Day), so Bert had the day off; he and Andrew planned for tennis, but the courts were wet, so they shot hoops instead. We saw Wilma’s office where we also checked out emails and posted my journal. They have a network connection to the SIL network, which in turn has Internet connectivity
We had a wonderful evening chatting with Bert, Wilma and Mary Jean. Mary Jean graduates from high school, and is planning to attend Dalhousie University in the fall.

Africa Journal Day 13

Thursday, May 5, 2005
Day 13
Baptist Guesthouse, Douala, Cameroon

Air conditioning! A pool! We’re in another world this morning after spending most of yesterday sweltering in Lagos Airport. We are thankful to be here and for safe travel with local airlines.
The flight from Jos to Lagos was excellent. John and Esther helped us check in and had made arrangements with a taxi driver they knew in Lagos to take us from the Lagos domestic terminal to the international terminal. That all went well.
We had about a six-hour layover in Lagos, and as usual NEPA was off, and so was the AC in the Lagos Airport. Lagos is on the ocean, so full-blown tropics with high temperatures and humidity. It was too hot for me to read, or even think. The check-in for the flight to Douala was complicated by the lack of power, so they handwrote our boarding pass.
The Lagos Douala flight was then delayed an hour, I think because the main door was stuck shut. In any case, we ended up boarding through the aft door. It was an aging 737 with many of the trays broken, and the overhead bins kept popping own—likely just overuse from the years. In any case, we arrived safely and my nephew Bert met us at the airport. It was good to be met by a familiar face.
Rather than drive all the way to Yaounde, where Bert and Wilma live, he booked a room at this wonderful facility. I think Cathy and I stayed here years ago. It is beautiful; two stories, lovely well-kept grounds, and a pool that we will enjoy before the trip to Yaounde. I had a wonderful sleep in the air-conditioned room.

Africa Journal Day 12

Wednesday, May 4, 2005
Day 12
Jos Airport Departure Lounge

Today is a travel day—Jos to Lagos this morning, and Lagos to Douala, Cameroon this evening. My nephew Bert is to meet us this evening at the airport, stay overnight in Douala and drive to Yaounde tomorrow. Cathy and I visited Cameroon in the early 80’s with the Kooiman’s before Andrew was born, two solid days driving by car, for ten days of hanging out on the beach. We have pleasant memories of that trip, except the long, dusty, bumpy drive. But let’s wrap up our impressions of Nigeria first.
Yesterday started with a visit to Evangel Hospital, a mission hospital of SIM (formerly Sudan Interior Mission, now Serving in Missions). There is still a considerable expatriate presence and I was able to interview a physiotherapist and a physician for my research. Findings were quite similar as in Mkar: very little depression, some low back pain (probably increasing), complete absence of neck and shoulder pain and no recognizable Fibromyalgia Syndrome. Anyone who has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) type symptoms tests positive for HIV.
After the Evangel tour and interviews, Andrew and I went to Shere Hills, a volcanic mountain area where we hiked and climbed. I remember going out there before; we have a picture of a time we took out mothers out there for a picnic with other missionaries.
The afternoon was quiet, and we spent the evening with Chris Roos, a missionary nurse who has spent her entire career in Nigeria, much of it Mkar during out time there. She is now stationed in Jos and her present passion is HIV/AIDS prevention, having founded a ministry called Beacon of Hope to challenge the Church to teach HIV/AIDS prevention. She showed us her office, followed by supper at the Cedar Tree.
Let me summarize my impressions. The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) recently released a report that placed Nigeria high in three categories:

1. Religious (# 1)
2. Happiness (#1)
3. Corruption (#3) – used to be #1, so improvement

I would concur with the BBC report; spirituality is a high priority here and people express their faith openly, and even on secular radio there are constant references to things spiritual. The Church is growing rapidly, with Pentecostal churches showing the fastest growth. Chris also said that these churches are most effective in HIV/AIDS prevention. Islam of course also has a major presence in Northern Nigeria.
The BBC’s finding that Nigerians are the happiest in the world does surprise me somewhat, and I wonder what tool they used for their survey. Certainly the paucity of depression might explain it. Some earlier studies I have seen placed Nigeria quite low on the happiness scale.
My own findings revealed more low back pain than I remember from before, but still less incidence than in Canada, although when you consider how much back work they do, you would expect more degenerative disease. Neither I, nor the people I interviewed, see any post trauma neck pain, what we call WAD (Whiplash Associated Disorder) at home. As mentioned before, depression and suicide are extremely rare. In Tivland homosexuality is unknown, incest is rare, as is the physical abuse of children. Children respect their parents and authority. I saw no cigarette use (except one Lebanese woman in an Internet Café). People do use alcohol and I cannot say how much alcoholism there is. I saw no teenage rebellion.
People are industrious, trying to scratch out a meagre income in anyway they can; everybody is trying to sell produce or services, so there are vendors along every street and at every intersection. Although people all report hard times, I saw no starvation or malnutrition.
So on the positive side, here is a culture that is resilient and happy despite very low average income. The strength of their relationships, secure maternal infant bonding, and strong spiritual beliefs surely contribute to this.
The major challenges Nigeria faces are a high birthrate, urbanization and the replacement of farmland. The HIV/AIDS epidemic will be major load for the health system, and sexual promiscuity and polygamy both contribute to its spread. There are not the numbers of AIDS orphans here that I think we will see in Malawi, but that may only be a matter of time. Corruption and exploitation of the poor will also need to be addressed. And someone badly needs to start a waste management operation.
I am thankful for my time here. We in the West can learn from African culture, and this has spurred my passion to teach the importance of relationships, healthy spirituality, and the importance of a solid nuclear family where children are raised with unconditional love.
And we are thankful to those who have lovingly hosted us. Hospitality is a way of life in Africa.

Africa Journal Day 11

Tuesday, May 3, 2005
Day 11
Jos, Orkar’s home

Today is to be our last day in Nigeria. Tomorrow we are to fly from Jos to Lagos in the morning, then on to Douala, Cameroon, in the evening. The major reason for going to Cameroon is a weekend seminar I am offering the SIL Cameroon (Wycliffe Bible Translators) staff, entitled Everything that Hinders. I will be spending quite a bit of time today, and tomorrow as we travel on prep time. This seminar is similar to the Living Your Destiny workshop we did in Charlottetown some weeks ago, except that I am the only one of our Centre for Restoring Hope team to present. So I’ll be flying solo.

Andrew and I played tennis yesterday; took a while for me to get going, as I have only played occasionally while in Florida. We managed to finish two sets before it got too hot. We had fun. The court is at the Mountain View Guesthouse, where we often stayed as a family during our missionary days. The guesthouse looked to be well maintained.

In the afternoon we did some visitation, Andrew did some shopping, and we picked up our flight tickets to Cameroon. I was happy to check my emails and hear from Cathy. We rejoice in the good news that Nathan received a full scholarship to UPEI.

We had a quiet evening with the Orkar’s. Esther has started writing a memoir of her life, which she hopes to be an encouragement to other women. She seemed frustrated with her layout and asked for help. I hope the suggestions for the outline that I gave her will improve the readability, and the impact.

Today we hope to visit Evangel Hospital and to go hiking where we often did in the early days; I think it is called Shere Hills.

Africa Journal Day 10

Monday, May 2, 2005
Day 10
Jos, Orkar’s home

Today Nigerians are celebrating "May Day" as a public holiday, to commemorate the labour force. Yesterday was Sunday, and we enjoyed worshipping with the Orkar’s; he had pre-warned us about typical long African services. This one was two hours, not at all intolerable for me. In fact, it bugs me at home when people complain of a service that goes over one hour, when most movies, concerts, and sports events, go at least two hours.

We arrived in church early and were given a tour of the facility. It is quite large, probably could seat 600. There were extra classrooms that weren’t being used yet, but there is vision for the future, such as conferences. Pre-service worship started about twenty minutes before service time-led by a contemporary worship team and band, 4 singers, keyboard, drums and electric guitar. I thought back to my time in Sri Lanka where the same emotions overwhelmed me-the songs that we sing at home, I’m singing here, having become a global worship repertoire, connecting us as brothers and sisters all around the world. I think it’s a foretaste of heaven.

The crowd was truly multi-ethnic, part of the vision of this English speaking church, to reach out to students and faculty of the University of Jos. Along with Nigerians, there were people from Congo and Uganda, and of course those of us with Caucasian roots. I truly enjoy such an interracial experience.
John and Esther had invited a whole crowd over for "Sunday Dinner"-ruam of course. This gave us a chance to meet some of the mission staff still in Jos, and some of their friends.

After lunch, Andrew and I decided to work off some of the ruam, so we hiked up a small mountain behind the Orkar’s house. They live on the edge of town, on a street that I would classify as "upper middle class." Here all the homes are within highly secured and walled yards. The tops of the walls typically have something sharp at the top, such as barbed wire or spikes, and there are steel gates guarded by round the clock security. Two or three beeps of the horn is the sign for the sentry to open the gate.

From our vantage point at the top of the mountain, we could see Jos nestled between several mountains. Jos overall seems more "progressive" than Gboko-we saw our first women in slacks here. Traffic and the unreliability of NEPA are no different than Mkar. John is a cautious driver, but I must simply close my eyes at times.

We ended our day at the Internet Café, where we had a wrap and a Coke, before we checked emails and posted Saturday’s blog.

Africa Journal Day 9

Sunday, May 1, 2005
Day 9
Jos, John and Esther Orkar’s home

John and Esther picked us up in Mkar at the prearranged time. After saying our farewells, we were off in John’s Toyota Land Cruiser, loaded to the roof with our baggage, and produce. John asked if we had a chance to see inside our old home; he didn’t mind going to the door and inviting ourlseves in. We did, and had a chance to see the old house, and Andrew’s bedroom. The children’s wall paper with lions, etc. was still up! We took his picture in the room.

The journey from Mkar to Jos took about seven hours, with several stops along the way. One stop was for lunch-pounded yams and "bushmeat." They call it "grass cutter" as a pleasantry, but I knew this critter as a "bushrat," something close to a muskrat at home. However, all cooked up, it is not bad meat. Andrew seemed to enjoy it, not really knowing its dubious lineage as a rodent.

I enjoyed the climb up the plateau, an ancient volcanic mountain range that reaches over 4000 ft above sea level. Driving up is a nightmare though, with overloaded lorries (trucks) in first gear, smoking billowing everywhere, holding up traffic. It is so tempting to pass when you shouldn’t; people do it anyway, although John was the most cautious driver we have had so far. Sometimes I just have to close my eyes and desist the urge to be a backseat driver.

The landscape on the plateau is almost dessert-like, with cacti and large rocks everywhere. Jos is a large city, with more modern buildings and architecture than Ggoko. For supper, John and Esther took us to the Cedar Tree Restaurant, a place I remember from years ago, run by a Lebanese. We overate on Lebanese Mesa, leaving plenty over for takeout. We met some important people there, and a missionary who I recognized from years ago, Dick Seinen. He was entertaining visiting Mission brass from America-I thought it would be more appropriate to have them try out the local culture (like our bushmeat experience).

From the restaurant, John was anxious to take us to the Internet Café. If we thought the one in Gboko was another world, this one was on another galaxy! The interior was very modern, it was air conditioned, and everything worked! And it was high speed.

It was great to spend time with John and Esther. I already mentioned the long history of our acquaintance. They are wonderful hosts, and people of strong and deep faith. I look forward to worshipping with them today.