Good Friday - post for April 2

Ben got this picture in Bamenda today. As you know today is good friday, and the Catholic churches have a tradition of re-enacting Christ's trek down the Via Dolorosa on the way to Calvary. Hundreds of thousands of Catholics from each Parish, follow a life size cross to designated stations, singing and praying as they go. The picture isn't the best as it is shot through the dusty windshield, but it gives you an idea.

My good friday was spent schooling the kids. Matt went to Benakuma this weekend and so Susan invited me down to spend the night. I accepted! So, as soon as Ben got home, I grabbed all my dirty laundry, and my computer and my fan (will explain soon) and drove the short distance to their house. I'm SO thankful for Susan's help in my laundry. We haven't had water in a week now, and she allows me to use her washer (and water) to keep caught up. Thank you SO much Susan!!!

Anyway...our neighborhood Presbyterian church had it's All night singing and healing service. They continue to blast their speakers throughout ALL of Bambili and Bambui. Susan's house is so near to their meeting house. She kind of jokingly said, "We should go sneak and have a look at where they are meeting." So after debating for a short time, we went and threw on dark clothes that covered us from head to toe and locked all the doors and headed toward this meeting. We didn't exactly want anyone to see us headed there and think we were actually attending, but we were just curious. So, we sneaked through her Cypress bushes, falling out the other side into someones farm. We thought we'd be so sneaky...as soon as we both tumbled through, two guys walked by and said, "Are you going to church?" What?? What in the world would give them the impression that we were heading there? It isnt' that close to her house! There goes our plan of being secretive. We waited a while for them to get way ahead and started down the path. We both carried heavy flashlights for light and for a weapon. Well, we soon realized that one flashlight didn't even work, and the other was so low on batteries we just kept clicking it on and off when necessary. What amazes me is that the Cameroonians walk in the dark so sure-footed! It really is something else! We got to the main road, and ducked behind trees and bushes when anyone passed. We passed a bar (yeah we were nervous) and got to the dead end street right next to where they meet. However, there was a bar on one side and a big group of men and a bright streetlight. We decided that being as late as it was, the wisest choice would not be for two white women, at 10 p.m. at night, to walk through that group of guys. So, we turned around and rushed back, never even seeing the meeting at all. They sang and preached, and yelled and screamed and healed, and spoke in tongues until 9 a.m. Sat. morning. Thank the Lord I thought to bring a fan with me or I would have never slept!