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Letter from Shirley Hill in Cameroon |
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April 24, 2006
Dear Friends,
It was dark, hot, and muggy when I arrived in Douala, the financial
capital of Cameroon. The airport scene was chaotic, as passengers
made their way through customs, baggage claim, and the luggage
search. I enlisted the help of a porter and told him that I was
a missionary coming to Buea to work in the area of HIV/AIDS on
invitation of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC). Apparently,
this was a good move because he ushered me around the crowd and
shoved the letter of invitation under the nose of a nearby customs
officer. The officer glanced at the paper and asked what I had
to declare. “Clothes,” I said, “my malaria medicine,
personal belongings.” He had heard enough. A wave of the
hand, and I was through customs without opening a single bag.
Outside the airport, members of the PCC gave me a warm reception.
I spent the night in Douala before heading to Buea the following
morning. |
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Lokoko Presbyterian Church, where I worshiped on Easter Sunday morning. |
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Cameroonians have a special way of greeting people.
With one hand they grasp your hand. With the other, they hold their
forearm and say, “You are welcome” with all the sincerity
one could imagine. I was warned that Cameroonians were hospitable
people, and it’s true! For the first two weeks, they welcomed
me with invitations to dinner, church, and community events. Their
gracious hospitality did not stop there. |
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The PCC has provided me with a beautifully
furnished four-bedroom home. The property is gated and guarded around
the clock. In addition, they provide a driver to take me where I
need to go until I get my own vehicle. |
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Christians in the PCC are not only
hospitable but are also deeply religious. Church services can last
more than two hours! There is plenty of time to praise the Lord.
Music is one of their finest expressions of praise. It is not uncommon
to hear five or six different choirs sing in a single service. The
songs range from traditional Western hymns to lively African choruses
sung in English or one of the many dialects native to Cameroon.
I am surprised by how liturgical the services are. Christians used
to more informal styles of worship would be surprised to hear the
traditional call and response, “The Lord be with you. And
also with you.” Or, during preparation for the Lord’s
Supper, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you but only say
the word and I shall be healed.” The combination of formal
liturgy and lively African choruses makes for a very rich worship
experience. |
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The day watchman at the home the PCC has provided me..
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Daily life is also rich with sights,
sounds, and smells, especially on market days. Small markets are
open every day, but Tuesdays and Saturdays are the big days. Residents
swarm the Sopo district in downtown Buea. Permanent shelters have
been erected of wooden poles with corrugated metal, cardboard, or
other material for roofing. Under these shelters, vendors display
their goods on the ground or wooden tables. There is an abundance
of foodstuffs: mangos, papayas, plantains, bananas, beans, cocoyams,
cassava roots, rice, cabbages, carrots, tomatoes, dried fish, peanuts,
and more. Meat vendors stand ready with sharp carving knifes to
whack off the precise cut you desire. |
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The view as I walk from my house toward town. |
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Food is plentiful in this area because Buea is
situated in the foothills of Mount Cameroon, an active volcano and
the highest peak in western Africa. The soil is rich and the rain
plentiful. The Southwest Province of Cameroon is near the equator,
which accounts for the tropical climate and scenery. Green abounds
here. Banana palms, mango, rubber, and acacia trees are just some
of the vegetation that make up the lush environment. |
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Cameroon is rich in beauty and
natural resources. It is known as “Little Africa,”
because you find here everything you would find on the continent
as a whole: mountains, coastline, waterfalls, tropical forests,
savannahs, plateaus, desert, large and small animals, all in an
area a little larger than California. Their major industries include
petroleum production and refining, textiles, cocoa, coffee, cotton,
rubber, bananas, and timber. You would think that with all its
resources, the people of Cameroon might live fairly comfortable
lives. Yet poverty and disease abound. The reasons are many and
the issues complex, but one thing is for certain, HIV/AIDS, malaria
and tuberculosis are robbing people of their health, income-earning
potential, families, and even life itself.
The church is committed to fight disease, especially HIV/AIDS.
The PCC has a full-time coordinator, Mrs. Mary Ngoh Bisong. Mary
has been involved in the fight against this pandemic for more
than 15 years. She works hard to raise the level of awareness
of HIV/AIDS and coordinate activities and services within the
church using every available avenue to get the message out. It’s
a daunting task; that’s why the PC(USA) has joined with
the PCC in this crucial battle. Thanks to your generous giving,
I am here on your behalf to work with Mary and others to fight
this pandemic.
Prayer requests
- That I will find reliable transportation so I can see what’s
happening in the field.
- Funding for the car and its usage.
- God’s wisdom, as Mary and I work on an HIV/AIDS strategy
for the church.
There are many challenges ahead, but the Holy Spirit—along
with your prayers and support—will strengthen us along the
way.
Peace,
Shirley Hill |
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