birds and babies.

Since I have arrived here we have acquired four new pet birds. I am not so much a fan of birds. Jean really is though. For Christmas he received lovebirds, then when he returned from a speaking engagement he purchased a guinea fowl that runs rampant around the compound and yesterday Ivette bought an owl. I feel like I am in Christopher Robin’s neighborhood. Last night I was trying to fall asleep as the owl was just beginning his day. I hope that I have grown in liking birds by the time I leave. I did have a brilliant idea though as I listened to his hooting that doesn’t at all sound like hooting while trying to fall asleep; we have a mouse problem, and I am thinking one night, Mr. Owl can swoop into our room and rescue us from the noisy shuffling of our mouse/mice.

I wanted to take some time to honour all my friends and family who faithfully read, comment, email and encourage me. We all need one another’s pra*yers and I appreciate all the pra*yers you have faithfully spoken on my behalf. We have been experiencing G*od often and I know that the pra*yers around the world are saving lives and giving us strength to enter the situations we are in. Thank you.

I also wanted to tell everyone that the women I wrote about last week died on Monday. She had meningitis but also was weakened greatly due to progressing AIDS. I didn’t get to meet with her family again; I think maybe I had just missed them. I find myself in these situations wondering, was this your will G*od? How has sin intervened with what you intended? Yet knowing, she was suffering, greatly, and it is G*od’s grace that she isn’t here anymore. I still have a lot to learn about death.

Yesterday in the labour room, there was one woman who had been there for two hours by the time we had arrived. The girls began to monitor her while I went to antenatal care. She had a previous caesarean section and then miscarried twice. We call these cases “precious babies” when the family has come up against many challenges and is absolutely fighting for this baby. When I returned around lunchtime, I noticed how close the family wanted to be to her. They were by her side and didn’t want to leave and moaned when the midwives forced them out. I think they were grateful to have us staying with her. The baby’s head was not descending well, and at any moment, we were ready for her to go to Theater. At one point, Helen, a midwife, grabbed Paula and the family and Paula prayed over the situation. Although we often are praying for the baby and mom, it is rare when we are able to publicly speak out a pra*yer. After 8 hours of labouring spiritually and physically, Melisa and Helen delivered a lovely boy. The family was peeking their heads into the labour room and started singing and dancing. It was such a beautiful site. The mama was singing along until the midwives hushed her and told her to rest, “G*od knows you are grateful”. She stayed silent but raised her hands and praised the Lo*rd. They especially love babies here in Cameroon. It is so special to be a part of, the families are always saying “thank you plenty” when you come out with the baby swaddled and hand it to them.

Okay guys, just a little piece of life here…Bless you all. I am missing Washington state this week. Oh and don’t worry, I watched the presidential inauguration. Can I just say that Cameroon may love Obama more than the US? It is a common site to see Obama’s face or name on homemade shirts, hats and watches, yes watches. I was telling a Cameroonian about a doctor at a different hospital that had a picture of the “first family” on his watch, she replied by shoving her arm in my face and saying “like this?” While we were watching the TV and I was explaining who everyone was, what they did, etc. everyone on my team was wondering, “Why don’t you sound like these people? They have such a strong accent.” It’s official, I don’t sound American anymore.