Round Three....my additions at the bottom....

It is noon Christmas day here and we just returned from mass at a catholic church the size of Sacred Heart in BA. Service was very much like ours except more singing and hand clapping. All in French so the sermon seemed to take forever. Service lasted 2hrs, but I very much enjoyed it. Will never complain again about long mass.

20 minutes into service, ushers placed 5 chairs on alter—in walked very large African and what I think were 4 bodyguards and sat there-with15 minutes to go they got up and left and the priest thanked them for coming—stark reminder of various classes here and how privilege sets people apart.

Yesterday was spent shopping for food at outdoor market for x-mas eve dinner hosted by kate –went with neighbor blanche, market is sheer madhouse, but Kate knows some of the vendors and if we spent 3 hrs, every 10 minutes someone greeted her that she knew’

Purchased two large chickens-the size aunt Maryann raised for dinner. As promised Kate got the knife and with help of Cameroonian friends holding the birds Kate did the honors—not even spooked when blood starts flying. I was surprised that they do not sever the head completely, until I found out they eat it too, and the entire leg’---they were sure surprised that this old Huron county farm boy knew how to clean and cut up bird.

I spent a much time cleaning veggies and kate make various spinach and veg dips. About 25 adults arrived for dinner and were reluctant to try kates stuff-her neighbor a cooked birds rice and I cooked about 20 pds of French fries==after they finished ther traditional foods they finally dove into veg and dip---some liked others not so much.

The first 3-4 days were spent in east province, which speak English-here all French, nice to be at kates and meet friends but cannot communicate’

A friend gave kate a fridge yesterday which really helped in this heat-had my first cold beer-what a treat, I will try to bring 2 home to celebrate jonathans 21st. We ran into kates landlord 2 days ago, seeing me he was again assured Kate that he would be right over to hook up her stool and sink---to show you how much muslin- influence there is in theis region, it is Christmas day and they are finally here after a year of promised to put in drain field.

We are invited to at least 5 homes today for dinner and we are expected to eat at veryone-think I will start diet as soon as arrival in states.

I should note that today in church they HAD A HUGE children’s procession up to the nativity seen-as they enterd the church from the courtyard they would see me and the stares we very comical to watch—I would not be surprised if I am the first middle aged white man they have ever seen—they look at me like they have seen a ghost.

Soccer is king over here-I have not seen a baseball, basketball or football, but soccer{they call it football}wildly POPULAR

GOT TO GO MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL YOU GUYS


Christmas mass: 2 hour mass he says? That’s nothing. Actually it is somewhat unusual for Mission Catholic; they’re pretty good at keeping it to just over an hour. I go to the Presbyterian church in town from time to time. While mass starts at 9am, every time I go I know not to have anything planned before 12pm. I still know where I’ll be then. I’ve been kind of bold about it a time or two. Some friends wanted me there for their induction (which I swear they do them every other weekend anyways). I decided it was OK to show up at ten, take some pics, and skip out by 11am. They just tease me about it a bit - Father Jack would have thrown a fit!

The people who came and went were in fact the chief of my village and his four bodyguards. I was quite surprised to see them there actually – they’re all practicing Muslims. They arrived 1 hour after the service and left just before communion. When they got up to leave the pastor did in fact thank them for coming. Social classes are very much alive here!

Market: shopping on for x-mas eve dinner was kind of fun. No doubt that’s by far the most food I’ve bought in one trip. Usually they know exactly what I’m there for – eggs, eggs, and more eggs. I’ve been meaning to take pictures of my market since I arrived there. I never did because I didn’t want to seem intrusive. I took advantage of my dad being here as my excuse to do it. Turns out, I guess I didn’t have to be - ‘market mommies’’ were lining up to get there picture taken.

X-mas eve massacre: That’s right, I got them both. While the original plan was for me to do the first one and my dad the second, he got no such chance. The kids took care of the worst part really – entering the outdoor kitchen to catch them. I was standing outside the door listening to them squabble and run around while the nbr boy was trying to catch him. While it took him all of two minutes I’m pretty sure it would have been a vegetarian dinner had that part been left up to me. Slitting the throat was easy enough I guess. The blood all went in the opposite direction too so really it was a pretty clean deal.

Rich spent all afternoon doing what he does best – appetizers. While I’m sure there were some very sad people in Michigan, feeling lost w/o their ham rollup/bac-o-nut/stuffed mushroom trio, I can tell you my neighbor Catherine was very appreciative of the Ranch dressing and spinach dip. The others……not so much…and in typical Cameroonian fashion they first refused to try them and then proceeded to tell us how much they disliked them after they did. Right….because couscous is so awesome!

Correction: The first three days were actually spent in the NorthWest region (not the East as was mentioned). The Northwest is one of two Anglophone regions here so my dad was able to communicate on his own with everyone. I warned him about speaking normally and not being understood. By day two he was a special” English expert. The secret he said: do not use contractions. By the time we reached Foumbot I was in translator mode. I had somewhat of an idea of what to expect. I’m used to having discussions with Wendy about doing it – she always has to when were with the Chinese. Sure enough I did a lot of what she does: look at the French speaker and speak English, look at the English speaker and speak French. I would get caught up in conversation in French, catch a glimpse of my poor dad just sitting there, and realize I forgot what I was suppose to be doing.

Castel beer: My dad was So excited to drink his “coldest beer yet in country”. I took a sip and realized I forgot how cold beer actually came. I’m so used to drinking warm beer here that to be honest, I didn’t even like it. Joe Cook: what did you think about the bday present???

Xmas day was eating, and more eating, and more eating. I really thought I’d get away with saying no to a plate because I knew all of them so well. No such luck. I think maybe because my dad was there I had to eat at them all too. Was way too full, but it was lots of fun!

Soccer is their life over here. I was actually at the bar yesterday watching the Cameroon v Gabon match. It was the first time I saw Cameroon lose actually. After the game one of the guys I was with was being really funny about it. He just kept repeating: “So many people who aren’t going to get any sleep now tonight” and “so many more that are going to have nightmares”. J