So Ruth and Rachel arranged a tour of the tourist hotspots of the Far North for us through a great company called Lara Voyages. Early on Saturday morning, we packed up our stuff and we met at the Baptist Mission where we were staying by this Toyota Land Cruiser with leopard print seat covers driven by Jean Paul. We picked up Sarah L. also since we were going right past her house in Mogode.
The drive was great. The scenery up here in the Far North is so different than the North West that it was very visually stimulating to just ride through it. It is similar to the difference between Vermont in the US (North West) and New Mexico (Far North). We stopped at Sarah's and I got to see how vastly different a volunteer's living circumstances can be--she has two rooms (literally), no running water, a concrete slab outside that is both her latrine (hole in the ground) and her bathing area.
Then we were off to Rhumsiki, the first stop on our tour. It was supposed to be "really touristy" but these things are very relative. The only touristy thing about it was all the little children shouting, "Donnez-moi un cadeau" (give me a present) or "Donnez-moi un Bic" (a pen). Sarah said that the children can earn more money begging off of tourists than working so they don't go to school. Very sad.
ATTENTION: If you visit Africa, or probably any developing country, please do NOT give things to children. It is very disempowering and undermining. If you want to do something to make a difference, bring school supplies and give them to the Principal of the local primary or secondary school.
We had a great walking tour through Rhumsiki led by our able guide, Joe. We saw lots of panoramas; we visited a group spinning and weaving cotton; we visited another group of women making pottery; and we visited the crab sorcerer! The day ended with a lovely walk to watch the sunset (performed beautifully by the universe) and an impromptu visit to a local church that was practicing their singing and dancing for Christmas. The kids cracked up when Rachel jumped in and started dancing with them!
Rachel and I both asked the crab sorcerer questions and he gave wonderfully direct answers. I really loved that. He arranges pottery shards in a bowl (reminded me of the i-Ching), then talks to the crab who he places in the bowl and covers up. After some period of time, he lifts off the lid and the crab has rearranged all the pottery and from this he knows the answer to your question! I asked if I was going to continue to work in Africa and he said I would stay and work here until I retired and then I would return with my friends! Rachel asked if she would have children and he said yes, a boy and a girl, the boy first, and they would be very studious. What a hoot.
The next morning, I had a nice run out in the countryside surrounding Rhumsiki and then after breakfast we went down to Amsa and met the blacksmith and watched him at his craft. I was amazed at both the simplicity of the technology and its effectiveness. Then we headed out to Djinglya and Mora to see the markets and shop. That evening found us at the Waza Campement which was charming, if a bit long in the tooth. We saw another gorgeous sunset from the veranda there and then had a nice Christmas Eve dinner.
Christmas Day we were up at 5am so that we could head out to the park by 6am. It was a bit later than that, this being Africa and all, but not much. The sun was barely rising when we entered the park. We spent about 8 hours or so in Waza and saw lots of beautiful birds, topi (a type of antelope), chevale antelope (don't know what they are called in English), giraffes, two hilarious warthogs, and a bunch of monkeys. Photos are available on my flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tlongacre/
We returned to Maroua in the late afternoon to find that our room at the Baptist Mission was *exactly* as we had left it -- it had not been touched because they could not find where we left the key!
It was a lovely tour and we had a great time.
I've been traveling and either too busy or too off the beaten path to update my blog. Sorry! This is to update you on events and happenings and then I'll write in more detail about the most interesting parts of my trip.
Took the train to N'Gaoundèrè with all the other VSO Volunteers from the North West, South West and West Provinces. That was great fun. We almost filled an entire sleeper car and spent hours and hours standing in the hallway (where it was cooler) talking, catching up and getting to know each other. In the morning most of us were up in time to catch the sunrise and then watch as the scenery changed from our familiar green hills and farmland to dry grassland.
We arrived in N'Gaoundèrè without a hitch, although not until noon for reasons we do not know (the train should have arrived around 9am). But that still gave us plenty of time to get settled at the hotel, have lunch and check out the town a bit before the reception to meet all the volunteers coming from the Far North.
The VSO All Volunteer Conference went well, I thought, although the organizers were (I found out later) a bit disappointed. But, personally, I was just happy to see and be able to talk with other volunteers and found it very nurturing and supportive. The hotel was darned expensive though, with a beer costing almost three times what I am used to paying. Went for a couple of great runs there.
After the conference, most volunteers headed southward, while I and a few others headed up north. Rachel, Ruth and I spent two nights and a day in Maroua and then headed off for our great tourist adventure to see Rhumsiki, Mora and finally Waza National Park on Christmas Day. We paid regular tourist prices and had our own Toyota Land Cruiser -- quite posh! It was total fun and we were pampered and guided very well. I will write more about that.
Now I am in Maga with Ruth and we are quite excited to be going to spend the day tomorrow on a pirogue on the lake -- hopefully we will see hippos, fisherman and a real fishing village!
Stay tuned!
On Thursday, I (along with Joost and Panjam) took the bus from Bamenda to Yaoundé and in a couple of hours we, along with the other volunteers from the North West, South West and West, will take the train up to N'Gaoundéré for our All Volunteer Conference which starts Monday morning. The train runs at night and the ride takes something like 11-14 hours. Looking at a map, it may seem odd to come down to Yaoundé in order to go up north, but the road between Bamenda and N’Gaoundéré, although it exists, is very bad and rife with “coupers de route” (highway robbers).
This gave me a chance to visit with my friends Viateur and Annonciata whom I know from Rwanda. When I was there doing research for my master’s thesis in the summer of 1998, Viateur was a priest in Butare and Annonciata was heavily involved in the Mother’s Union. Shortly after that, Viateur was recruited to come to Cameroon and get a Master’s degree in order to go back and teach at the University in Butare. After his masters, they decided they really needed more PhDs, so he is now working on his dissertation on remebrance in the Old Testament. They have been here for 8 years and will probably return to Rwanda next year sometime. It should be an interesting transition. Partly because I think a lot has happened in Rwanda in the past 8 years and partly because none of their children have been back to Rwanda in the past 8 years and only their oldest has fleeting memories (he was 3 when they left, their daughter was newborn and their younger son was born in Cameroon). The University in Butare is a nice place, though. Considerably more progressive in its thinking than some other institutions of theological education. The man who is the Dean of the School of Theology wrote an interesting book that I read the table of contents of about applying Paul Tillich’s ideas about God to preaching in the African context.
So, I’ve spent the last two days staying here at the Faculté de Theologie Protestante in the Etoa-Meki quarter of Yaoundé. One thing which I think is quite different about a graduate school in Africa vs. the US or Europe is -- children! Tons and tons of children. Because virtually everyone at the post-graduate level is married. And I think that a fair number of children are born while people are in school. Hence, there is one floor of housing for single students and multiple blocks of apartments for families and a family gets assigned to a particular block depending on the number of children they have. And in the evenings and on the weekends, the place is literally teeming with primary and nursery age children. It’s quite a nice place to be a kid, too. The school is enclosed, so they can all run free, which is quite a luxury in a big city like Yaoundé. It has been a very nice place to stay -- I can go out and be in the hustle and bustle of the city during the day (which is refreshingly exciting compared to Fonta!) and then come back to peace and quiet in the evening.
Took my first taxi rides yesterday. I’ve taken a couple of motorbike taxis around Bambui, but I’ve never needed to negotiate with a taxi before. The most difficult thing here in Yaoundé is making sure you are standing in a spot where a taxi going where you want to go will come by. When you are totally turned around in a new city (as I am), this is a challenge. But with the help of an older man in a passing taxi, I managed to get where I needed to go. Being in Yaoundé makes me see just how much of a small town place Bamenda is. In Yaoundé you can literally buy anything, just about anything you can buy in the US or Europe. New Nike shoes, Adidas clothing, Crest toothpaste, soy sauce, cat food (wet or dry) -- these things do not exist in Bamenda. Of course, the prices are the same as in the US, which I could never afford in my current circumstances. Besides there’s a bit of fun in hunting down a $3 pair of practically new Levi 501s rather than paying $60 to buy them off the shelf.
Ran both mornings here and sweated like a pig. It is hotter here than in Bamenda, but mostly it is so HUMID! It’s just like Florida actually. So I go out running in shorts and sleeveless top and within 1 mile I am completely drenched. It’s a good thing I like to sweat. There a few hard core everyday exercisers here in Yaoundé -- some runners and a couple of bikers. Friday morning, I’d say I saw 30-50 people along my 10K route. But the weekend warriors are infinite! This morning, rather than taking that last hill towards the base of Mt. Fébé, I turned and went towards the Palais de Congrés and when I got there -- there were literally hundreds of people jogging around, stretching, etc. Several teams were working out together and there was a group of women selling food and water (never miss an opportunity to sell!). The Palais de Congrés is a lot like the Museum of Art in Philadelphia (remember Rocky?) there is a large set of stairs that *the* place to exercise. But alas, that was the turnaround point for me, so I didn’t do the stairs.
Must finish re-packing. Later.
The Community of St. Francis (an Anglican women's religious order) in San Francisco have an Advent Home Retreat which I am participating in virtually this year. On Thursday, the meditation included this prayer, from The Desert If Fertile:
"What is the point of your presence if our lives do not alter? Change our lives, shatter our complacency. Make your word flesh of our flesh, blood of our blood, and our life's purpose. Take away the quietness of a clear conscience. Press us uncomfortably. For only thus that other peace is made, your peace."
Dom Helder Camara
This prayer speaks powerfully to me -- there is a passion and an urgency in it that expresses well how I feel and how I want to relate to God.
But the lines "take away the quietness of a clear conscience. Press us uncomfortably." catch my attention. I realize that I generally focus on the transforming power -- and the other side of being transformed -- the peace, your peace. I forget about being uncomfortable, about the chaos of a messy conscience. Which is where I actually spend much more time. And during these times of discomfort and messy chaos, God feels pretty distant. I feel like something is wrong. My life feels "off" or out of sync -- not "in the flow." I yearn for the experience that "all is well," the deep inner knowing that everything is at it should be, however it is. And I judge myself pretty harshly for having so little faith.
So in this moment, I take some comfort in the realization that this discomfort, this troubled conscience, this agitation I feel is how "that other peace is made, your peace." I pray that Dom Camara is right.
This just in from the BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6220072.stm
A new article published in Science magazine tells of the research by scientist in Kenya who have discovered that malaria can multiply by 10 times the viral load of HIV and thereby increasing the probability of spreading HIV per sexual act.
This explains a lot. I have never been satisfied with any explanation as to why HIV/AIDS is so prevalent and such an epidemic in Sub-saharan Africa and not so in the US or Europe. Risky sex does not even come close to explaning it. Neither do traditional medical or sexual practices. I mean, let's be serious, we engage in just as much, if not far more, risky sexual behaviour than they do in Africa. Generally weaker immune systems are a large factor, I'm sure. But this malaria and HIV link makes so much sense.
Now it would be great if someone could do a study to see whether HIV+ rates are higher in areas where malaria is worse.
I think I have mentioned that PRTC is involved in a huge land dispute. Basically, the Fon (chief) of Bafut has ordered a bunch of his people to encroach on our land. Land that we used to use for grazing our cattle is now being farmed by these people. Having done a tour and seen it, I'd say they are occupying about 1/3 to 1/2 of our land -- that is about 300-450 hectares. The most egregious case is a guy who has actually set up a rock quarry on our land, clearly visible from the main tarmac road. This has been going on for several years and Principal Fru spends at least one day a week in court or trying to be in court (the case has been adjourned over 10 times). The whole thing is quite frustrating and a wonderful view into how the legal system works (or perhaps doesn't work) here in Cameroon.
Finally, a week or two ago, they started to hear the case and the judge decided that he needed to come out and see for himself the land and what was being done. That day is today and what a scene!
Everyone and their dog showed up. First, on our side, the pastors began to arrive -- Pascaline, our parish pastor, the Presbytery Secretary, the Provincial Treasurer, the Secretary from Mezam Presbytery and the Moderator's Representative to the Province (the Moderator is the head of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon). We also have on our side the Fon of Bambui, our lawyer, the (now retired) surveyor who did the initial land surveys when we bought the land and all of us.
On "their" side arrives the Fon of Bafut and (looking out my window) I'd estimate 150-200 local people, complete with produce to sell. (Every gathering of people is an opportunity for an impromptu market!)
It feels like Fonta just turned into Bamenda. Well, or at least Bambui. Our sleepy little compound has been taken over.
The really difficult thing about this whole case is that whichever way the case is decided in the end, there will be bad feelings between us and our neighbors. Not only is that unpleasant (and it has direct consequences for those who are Presbyterians because the are currently separated from their usual congregation), but in Africa, that poses a bit of a security threat. Safety here comes in knowing and getting along with your neighbors.
Hmmm.
Because I think some of your can relate to this, I thought I'd share these words from a song by India Arie (I commend the song for your listening pleasure as well -- it's on the Voyage to India CD -- because the music matches the words so perfectly that it's a whole "feeling" you get) --
In St. Lucia I Jumped In The Water
(It Was Like I Was Seeing It For The First Time.
It Literally Changed My Life.)
For The First Time I Understood Its Power
As I Swam, I Was Cleansed.
If I Had Any Doubts,
This Experience Cleared Them.
Now I Know For Sure That God Is Real.
I Know That It's The Truth
By The Way It Feels.Cause I Saw Starfish And Sponges,
Fish Shaped Like Trumpets,
So Many Different Colors.
I Stayed Out There For Hours And I Only Saw A Fraction Of A Fraction Of The
Deepest Of The Deep Of The Great Blue Wide.
It Brought A Tear To My Eye.That's How I Know That God Is Real.
All Of This Is Not By Chance.
I went snorkeling in Hawaii once. It was an overcast day and because I had flippers on, I could not walk well in the water. So, as soon as I was knee deep, I just laid down and started to swim. Immediately, my breath was taken away. Right there, in two feet of water were TONS of multi-colored fish. There was so much to see, so much to be with. I spent hours going, "holy cow, look at that. Oh my God, isn't that incredible. Wow, get a load of this!" and I don't think I got further than 400 metres from shore.
Yep, that's how I know that God is real.
One: the movie has recently been made available on DVD. I have not seen it yet, but hopefully it will soon be winging its way to me. KQED's Forum did a show about it last year of which I downloaded the podcast and am now listening to and it has me truly inspired about this movie.
In the movie they ask several questions and Michael Krasny, the host of Forum, asked his listeners to call in their answers to two of the questions:
1. What is your greatest wish for the world? And 2. Why are so many people depressed?
So, I take this opportunity to offer my answers (in this moment at least) to these questions.
First, question #2 because I have more experience with that and find it easier to answer. As a preface, I want to say that it is my belief (not having done a study to confirm it) that the majority of people who are depressed are either pretty well-educated (relative to most in the world) and probably live in the developed or "Western" world. So, I think that so many people are depressed because they know they can be so much more than they are being in the day-to-day life, but they do not know how to be that or they are afraid of the challenge of leaving all they know and have been in order to become what they can be. Depression, in my experience, is so much about being *stuck*.
Okay, now question #1 -- geez, you know what I really wish? I really want everyone to be willling to open up and get to know other people, particularly people who are different, and most particularly people who you might be afraid of. And to allow yourself to be known by others. Yea, that's what I want. That would be so beautiful.
I designed our Christmas card this week. We took a staff portrait (actually we took several, and this is the one I chose for the card). Can you guess which one is me (ha, ha!)?
I had a truly surreal experience this afternoon.
Since I never got to even notice Thanksgiving, much less celebrate it, I took myself out to the best restaurant in Bamenda -- the Dreamland -- for lunch. Had the prix fixe meal which was one heck of a lot of food (for me these days at least) and, at $7.20 including a beer, not bad at all, even if it did cost 4 times more than I normally spend on a meal. Started with a really nice salad -- they got an amazing amount and variety of food on a small salad plate. Then I had 1/4 roast chicken (once a year, I'll eat a bird), french fries (which are surprisingly scarce here in the North West) and green beans and carrots. Desert was some wonderfully sweet pineapple.
Not turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce, but not a bad approximation at all and it was pretty well done.
I was sitting at a table outside on the balcony. It was quite pleasant out and there was a soft breeze. And across the street a music shop was serenading most of Commercial Ave. with a large speaker blaring, yes, Christmas carols. At first it was all the churchy favorites -- O Little Town of Bethlehem, O Come Let Us Adore Him, Joy to the World, etc. It seemed very odd, but then I remembered that tomorrow is 1st Advent, so. . . But then they changed tapes and it was all, "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire," and "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas," and "oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh." My God, that was strange. I don't think I ever realized before just how AMERICAN most Christmas songs are -- and far northern American at that.
Thankfully, there are no great "Christmas sales" here, nor even any Christmas decorations (not yet at least), which is nice. I hope to spend Advent anticipating the birth of Christ -- a novel thought, eh? It seems for folks here Christmas is about going visiting neighbors and family and eating all the "special" food. Although now it is eaten all year around, even people in the early 30's still get a little misty-eyed talking about "Christmas rice" (which is on sale in Bamenda now). Popcorn and peanuts is another special treat food. Sounds like the season will be nice.
