1 May 2013...
Today 1 May... Labor day, so a day off in Cameroon. Yesterday we celebrated our Dutch Queensday and the new Kings day
It is now the first of May late in the afternoon. Just had a good cup of Bamenda-coffee. Excellent!
Now Roelie is teaching Dutch to Jurian (12 years old) and I work on this diary. I found an old article about the backgrounds of the 1 May celebration. It is in Dutch and dated 1976. Nevertheless worth reading with information about the Illuminaty.
Achtergronden en betekenis van de 1 mei viering (3 MB) (download)
For Dutch readers!
Google Earth and our pace
May be interesting for you to have a look...
Our house is at the "Annex". A square with guesthouses. We live at the "X" of Annex.
Coordinates at Google:
3°49'11.76"N - 11°31'29.02"E
A potluck with all workers at our "Annex, after our yearly Retreat/conference.
Outside Yaounde at a distance of 6 km is our school RFIS at a nice site with room for sportfields and other space.
This old picture still shows rainforest around our school, but now we hear all day long chainsaws and around us the new Yaounde is being build.
Probably Yaounde has more than 3 million inhabitants. RFIS coordinates: 3°48'1.58"N - 11°33'19.51"E
Teachers needed!
Our school and mission schools in general face each year again an urgent need for teachers.
Every year again the question is how to get the teachers for the many subjects to be taught. Many teachers are here for only a year or two years and leave, other teachers go on furlough. Each year we trust that God will provide the needed teachers, but for us it is the question whether or not we can start the new year.
Some organizations connect mission schools with teachers like the site http://missionteach.org.
The picture right shows their present status: 778 jobs to fill in! ... in a time that we should do everything to reach the unreached with the gospel of Jesus Christ in their own language. Care for the education of the missionaries who do this job is crucial!
Below are the vacancies at our RFIS (RainForest International School) for next year:
RFIS Staff Needs for 2013/2014
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Urgent
- Bible Teacher (full-time)
- Bookkeeper (full-time)
- English Teacher (full-time)
- Facilities Manager (full- time)
- Guidance Counselor (full-time)
- Middle School Math Teacher (half-time)
- Science Teacher (half-time)
- Social Studies (History and Geography) Teachers (full-time)
- Student Care Coordinator/Counselor (half-time)
Needed
- Art Teacher (half-time)
- Computer Teacher (half-time)
- ESL Teacher (half-time)
- Industrial Arts Teacher (half-time)
- Learning Support Specialist (half-time)
- Music Teacher (half or full-time)
- Spanish Teacher (quarter-time)
Possible
- Examinations Coordinator (quarter-time)
- Home Economics Teacher (half-time)
- School Nurse (quarter-time)
Watch this short PR movie to get new teachers, made by a recent graduate (19 MB) !
Lessons
The lessons biology, chemistry and science go well, although I would like to do better.
With the agricultural class we planted small trial fields for corn and tomatoes, and on a beautiful Saturday two weeks ago, we visited the village of my colleague Didier Essama. The students interviewed some families in this village to see how they obtain their income, how they grow their crops, what other income and expenses they have etc. It was very successful. The students had to make a photoshoot report of their findings. In this way they were forced to observe details.Some students grew up very protected and have no idea of the trouble that the local people have to grow their food and get an income. Moreover, it is painful to have to note that the population in terms of agriculture is left to its fate: no agricultural extension or adequate agricultural education. Below is a short impression of our visit ...
Left: Josh & Clancy with their hostfamily in their garden.
Right Elisha and Min Jeong with Didier's mother. At the end of our visit she had a delicious meal ready for our host families and us. A visit without a good meal is unheard of.
This visit (2.5 hours drive) was also used to prepare a sports tournament of our school with the local teams here that would take place two weeks later.
Evangelistic "international" sporttournament at Mvamedjap Fong - Google coordinaten: 3° 4'17.77"N - 11°35'6.20"E
Last Friday and Saturday - 26/27 April - we went again to Didier's village, this time with the school's soccer team. We went with a Toyota van and a Toyota Hilux . This time to clean Didier's fish pond and to play soccer against local teams. Cameroon is a real soccer country with strong teams.Our goal was not to win (if we did not lose too heavy, it was very nice), but to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the local teams.
These were heavy days for our boys. Not for me, for I thought that I didnot need to work too hard with my 62 years. So I made pictures and movies, and was as assistant director a worthy representative of our school in this culture where important persons mean so much. I could finally use my "weight".
Raking the weeds together, mowing the gras, draw lines etc. Some took a well deserved break in a huge pile of weeds.
This is our RFIS soccerteam that was ready to meet the local Cameronian teams.
These boys were really good sports and an example of endurance and faith.
We had some chances to score but at the end of each game we had to be content with no more than 0-2 losses.
The real purpose of this event - with international soccerplayers (our schoolteam) - was to share the gospel. Just before the finals our drama team gave a few excellent performances.
Right after these performances our students
shared their faith with the local people and visiting teams, using flyers and Gospels (in French).
Liz explains the gospel in perfect French and on the picture below Didier adresses his own people and asks them to follow Jesus instead of their local spirits. 
All guests got something to think about.... a flyer with a clear explanation of Jesus' message or a gospel. The students were ready and eager to reach these people with Jesus' salvation and reconciliation with God. No more fear for the spirits.
The drama team - Each scene got an enthousiastic applause... Do they understand the meaning of the drama?
These people live in a world with an air of Christianity but ruled by their fear of the spirits.
This is where the plays took place. In the center under the canopy the VIPs. One student had become sick (working hard and playing soccer all day long in the hot sun). His prayer was "Lord, make me better so that I may share the gospel with these people". And sure enough 2 minutes for the drama team started the heavy headaches left him and he was able to join the team and to preach the gospel. God has blessed all of this!
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Miracles happened! A number of people said that they wanted to be born again. Start a new life with Jesus as a child of God without fears for spirits, their sins forgiven and born again and accepted as child of God. (John 3). Unfortunately here is no follow up.... pray for these people.
Of course the tournament was accompanied by a good meal prepared by Didier's mother and family. This is the "kitchen".
A joyful afternoon at RFIS
Students call it "Carnaval", but it has a complete different meaning than our Dutch carnaval. The students organized all kinds of special events and games to enjoy a good time with all families and friends related to our school.There was a quick-draw artist-student, of course, face painting, a cable, a water pageant, quad racing, etc. etc. See the photo impression:
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Some students discovered Sinco as photographer:
Three sisters, students at RFIS. Their parents are missionaries here in Cameroon..
Roelie and cats
There are new kitten born at the Annex and Roelie, together with the small frend have a look at their hiding place.Guess what happend? We call her Putih (Indonesian for white!)
See you at our next report!
Our address:
SIL - BP 1299
Yaounde
Cameroon - Africa
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