FROM MARJEAN:
Hello, Family
and Friends,
We have arrived safely in Cameroon, after a long 20 hours in
flights and airports. We almost missed our connection in Cincinnati, and then in
Paris, we had two hours, but even there we had to hurry because our plane was
loading when we arrived at the right terminal. They move people by bus and we
were an hour in the buses, riding around the Paris airport. It seemed like we
were going in circles, but we weren't. They could learn a lot about efficient
people moving!
It is hot and humid. Very tropical! The area is like a
tropical rain forest with many palms, crotons, lizards, banana trees, rubber
trees, and some coffee plantations.
We are living in the health complex
where we have a room with a bathroom inside! You may not believe this but we
even have an air conditioner in our bedroom. The buildings are concrete with
stucco on the outside and inside. It is very adequate for us and not as
primitive as we had anticipated, though it is very simple.
Around us is
a village with dirt streets. Along the road from the city where the airport is,
there were many little booths and markets. Everywhere people are selling things
in order to have some money. People come up to you with umbrellas to cover you
and then they want some money for it, even when you didn't necessarily need
their help. Charlemagne, our host and president of the Kumba Seminary was very
upset with all the people who came up to us at the airport! I wanted to give
them all dollars and he said NO!
The houses are open, most of them with
mud floors, tin walls and roofs. Yesterday, I saw a woman carrying her things on
her head. The traffic is a riot--cars going everywhere, scooters, etc. We were
glad that we had a driver!
It is the rainy season, so there is a lot of
mud everywhere. This morning there was a man washing the cement walkway by hand
with wet cloths. The people are absolutely precious to us. They are so happy
that we have come here. It is going to be a good time for us here. We are
still somewhat anxious about starting our work on Monday, but each day will be
easier.
These are just a few first snippets from our few hours here. We
slept well last night because we were so tired after being awake for about 30
hours.
Today we will visit the hospital and the town with Dr. Wryter, the
Chief Medical Officer of the hospital. Tomorrow we will go with him to his
church and then to a town south of here on the Atlantic. We will see the beach
that is opposite ours in SC on the Atlantic.
On Monday, our work begins.
I (Marjean) will be working evary day at the hospital here, and Manfred will be
taken to the town of Kumba, about 80 km from here, early on Monday morning,
teach 6 hours on Monday and Tuesday, and return here on Tiesday evening. He will
write you about his experiences then.
More later. We are safe and being
well cared for! It will be a challenging, stretching learning experience these
six weeks here.
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