another update

Praise the Lord that things have calmed down around here. Last week we were pretty much stuck in the house all week. After a heavy military presence in town, things got quiet and we were able to go out to church on Sunday and get a bit of shopping (we were getting pretty low on food). There have been some rumors that there may be some more rioting this week but so far so good. The American embassy called the situation "a tensed calm" as there are soldiers everywhere with machine guns keeping the peace. But things are defiantly improving and it seems like the situation is under control. Thank you so much for all your prayers, we really appreciate it!

another update

Praise the Lord that things have calmed down around here. Last week we were pretty much stuck in the house all week. After a heavy military presence in town, things got quiet and we were able to go out to church on Sunday and get a bit of shopping (we were getting pretty low on food). There have been some rumors that there may be some more rioting this week but so far so good. The American embassy called the situation "a tensed calm" as there are soldiers everywhere with machine guns keeping the peace. But things are defiantly improving and it seems like the situation is under control. Thank you so much for all your prayers, we really appreciate it!

Cameroon Update

Well, the drama continues, there is never a dull moment on the mission field, that's for sure :). Seems like people are protesting now as the president is trying to change the constitution so he can stay in power even longer (25 years and counting so far!). Yaounde is completely shut down right now, all shops, schools are closed, no public transport. There has been rioting in the center of town with people burning things, looting, fighting police. We're on the outskirts of town so it has been very quiet here, praise the Lord. The American Embassy has advised all ex pats to stay in their houses, so that's what we're doing for now. Praise God that Jude did come early as if I went into labour right now it would not be good! The Lord sure knows what He's doing.

---

Delicious ideas to please the pickiest eaters. Watch the video on AOL Living.

Prayer Request

Please keep Cameroon in your prayers right now. The taxi drivers (maybe about 70% of all cars here) are striking as gas prices have risen (over $5.00 a gallon right now). In Douala (about 3 hours away) they have been blocking roads, burning things, and fighting police. Praise God here in Yaounde they have only be striking by not working, which is still a huge inconvenience to everyone without a vehicle. They have been stopping gas trucks from coming into the city. We were advised to fill up our truck just incase. Jake went down this afternoon. The first station was already out of gas, the next had about 20 cars waiting. Praise God, Jake managed to get some after a long wait, he said that one pumped had been smashed and that there was police on guard there.

 

We are not in any danger but it has been a hard few days for most Cameroonians as it is extremely difficult to get to work or school as most rely on taxis. Please pray this is resolved peacefully and quickly, thanks! Will keep ya posted.

---

Delicious ideas to please the pickiest eaters. Watch the video on AOL Living.

Hey Jude...

Well, I'm back, praising the Lord for the safe delivery of our precious little boy. Jude is doing so well and is such a good baby. He pretty much eats and sleeps, eats and sleeps, opens his eyes for 2 minutes, eats and sleepsJ. For anyone interested I'm going to write my birthing experience (it was really good by the way). First of all, Jude wasn't due for another 3 weeks. Jake had a trip out to the East to check up on the school out there and get some info and pictures. He was only going away for one night and would be back in the afternoon of the next day. We joked about that if the baby came while he was gone, he was going to be in big trouble, but we thought there was no possible way, what are the odds. My past labours had been really long, (over 24 and 16 hours), and Jake said he could get back in 6 hours so there would be no way he could miss the birth, ha! So Jake left early Tuesday morning.

I felt good all day Tuesday, put the boys to bed at 8 and was watching the news. At about 10pm, I started having some contractions, pretty close together but they weren't strong. I just assumed they were Braxton Hicks and walked around for a little bit and they stopped in about half hour. I went to bed and then woke up at 11pm with more contractions. This time they were stronger and closer together. So I started walking around again. Half an hour later they were closer yet and I was starting to get concerned, I thought there was no way I'm going into labour with Jake gone! So I kept walking, hoping they would go but by midnight they were coming every 5 to 4 minutes and were starting to hurt. I called Jake and told him he better start coming home. Then called my doctor and he told me to meet him at the military hospital so he could check me (that's where he works), and then we would go on the CNPF hospital where I was meant to deliver (a lot nicer and cleaner than the military hospital). Then I called my missionary friend, Sun, who was meant to look after the kids, to ask them to take me to the hospital and get the kids. But, woes upon woes, her phone wouldn't go through, I tried and tried, to no avail, so I was starting to freak out a bit. Called Jake up again and asked him to try and call. He called me back and said that he couldn't get a hold of Sun, but had called Emmanuel (good friend from church) and he was coming to get me, phew! So got the boys up, quickly tried to pack my bag, and get all the baby stuff together (I was sooo unready). Contractions were still coming consistently but not too painful. So Emmanuel got here about quarter to 1 and of we went to the hospital. I went in and left the kids in the car with Emmanuel. The doctor was waiting for me in his office and he checked me and I was already at 5 cent. (It had taken me about 10 hours to get to this point before!). The doctor said he thought the baby would be there in less than an hour so there was no time to go on to the other hospital. Called Emmanuel and told him to bring my bags up and take the boys home with him. I was still just walking about the dr. office breathing thorough contractions that were getting stronger but still not too bad.

Then the doctor realized that someone had taken the key for the delivery room home! He called the guy up and told him to hurry up and bring it. About 20 mins. later the key came, and finally got in the delivery room. The doctor checked me and I was at 8 cent. He told me to walk around for about 10 more minutes which I did, by now the contractions were intense, I was shouting "Jesus" out during them J. Then I got up on the table, he told me to push, I did two times and the baby was out! They put him on my chest and I touched his head and he started crying. Then I was like "what is it!!!" and the doctor said a boy. I was sooo happy, it was like a dream, I couldn't believe that it was all over already! It was exactly 2 am in the morning and I had only had about 10 min. of intense pain! Soooo different than my past two deliveries. They took Jude to get cleaned up and he was crying the whole time. His apgar score was 10. About 10 minutes later they brought Jude to me and wheeled me into the room. Jake called just about then… as he had just got into a town that had cell phone reception. The first thing I said is that it's a boy, and he couldn't believe I had already had Jude. He was happy and sad at the same time as he missed his birth. He said he'd be there in about 4 hours.

The room wasn't too bad… It actually had a really nice bed, one that moves up and down. But there was mold on the wall and the toilet had no toilet seat and the shower leaked so when you was on the potty you got all wet J. But it could have been worse.

Jake got there about 7 in the morning, I was so happy to see him! Later he went to get the boys and we were all together, it was so nice. I did have an allergic reaction to something; the doctor thinks it was to the "antiseptic" water that they washed me with after I gave birth. I had hives all over my legs, it was really weird. They gave me a shot and it got a lot better. The water was in an old Fanta bottle so maybe I was allergic to the Fanta instead! Anyway, I got to go home the next morning; the rash was just about cleared up. I'm still amazed at how easy this whole delivery was, God was really with me. Jude is such a huge blessing and the boys just love him (after they got over the disappointment of not having a sisterJ). They just hug and kiss him all the time; I have to watch that they don't smother him.

---

Delicious ideas to please the pickiest eaters. Watch the video on AOL Living.

African Cup Of Nations

Cameroon made it into the finals of the African Cup, that is football or soccer for everyone who has no idea what that is. It is a REALLY big deal over here, they will be playing Egypt who are the reigning champions at the moment. Town was really crazy today, people and cars covered in flags, people blowing whistle and horns. We even saw a guy completed painted in the colors of the flag running through town! The whole country shuts down when a game is on, the roads are completely empty. And if they score a goal, the whole city cheers, it's VERY loud. Really hoping they win, they have a great team. If they don't, people will be really unhappy. Last time they lost a big match people were rioting in the streets and tried to burn down the house of the guy that missed the penalty kick! So they take it really seriously. GO LIONS!!

Fast internet

So, I'm finally back. I've been taking it easy since coming back from the medical team as I tired myself out :). No more traveling now until the baby is born, phew! Jake does need to go to the East next week for a few days but I'll be staying back with the boys (and praying I don't go into labour while he's gone :). About a month left now, I'm sooooooooooo ready for the baby to come.

Praise the Lord that we've finally got high speed internet at home, been trying for almost a year now, and after going with about 6 different companies we finally got one that reaches our area. They came and installed it Christmas Eve but it hasn't really been working properly but this last week it's been up and running and is super fast. It is such a HUGE blessing. We've been Skyping with a bunch of family... we can update our website in an hour now instead of it being an all day thing... great for homeschooling... just a huge blessing altogether.

Medical Team

Well we are out in Tombel village right now with the Medical team from Jacksonville. There's 15 of them, they're such a great bunch and have been working really hard. We started the free clinic yesterday and so far we've seen over 300 people. There have been a lot of people coming so we're hoping we'll get to see them all before Friday. I've been helping out at the make-shift pharmacy and translating into Pidgin English when needed beside a million other little things. Jake has been driving back and forth to the Agriculture/livestock seminar that is going on in another village (We have a vet on the team). It is only 9 miles away but takes about an hour to get there! Jake is really enjoying all the rocky roads :). Praise God they saw 100 people give their lives to Christ today. In the evening crusades have been going on with hundreds attending. (I haven't been to any as it is too late for the boys). And of course the boys are having a great time as they just get to run around everywhere and everyone is making a big fuss of them as we're in the village. They are completely filthy all the time as they play in the dirt but oh well, at least they're happy :). I can put any pictures up of yet as we are just using our cell phone to send emails. I will post some when we get back next week. Tomorrow we'll be going at a local school to give out some pens and crayons the team brought, I'm gonna give a short word to the students. Thanks to all of you who have been praying, things have ben going great!

---

Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

Quote of the Day!

The other day we were talking about the baby with the boys and Josh asked if the baby was going to be black because it was going to be born in Cameroon. I told him no and I think he was a bit disappointed :).

Besides that, had my doctors appointment last week and praise the Lord, all is going well. In my eight month now, so will soon have to start seeing the Dr. every two weeks. Before you know it, the baby is going to be here. Hoping to get another ultra sound soon so we know what it is before it arrives (and so I can stop calling the baby an it!).

God's already been blessing us in 2008. There's a Christmas tree farm in Texas who every year does a fund raiser night for missions. This year they chose us and raised over a $1000! It was a huge help. We've really been needing new tires for our truck but haven't had the money to get them. When we shipped it, it came with nice tires but they were just regular street tires, not cut out for the roads over here. The last time Jake went out to a village he managed to get a flat 4 times in one day as the roads where extremely rocky. Then another time we actually had a long slit in the tire from a rock. So needless to say this was a bit of a hassle and something we always thought about when traveling out of the city. Praise the Lord with this money, we were finally able to get brand new all terrain tires, that can just about go anywhere. Things like this are soooooo expensive over here, the Lord knew our need and provided, just in time too as we head out to Tombel village this week. One other missionary told us the three main crops in Tombel are Cocoa, Corn and rocks!

New tires!