Our Mission in Cameroon (Republic of Congo Mission): 10/19 - Losing an Elder for Medical Reasons, Loaning a Piano

Another baptism in the Douala Branch: Adu Forson.

Elder Hatch, President Nkong, Adu, Elder Colindres

Sad news. We couldn’t resolve Elder Roth’s headache so he had to cross the pond to the USA for diagnosis and treatment. We really hate to lose him. He has been such a hard-working, dedicated missionary and a great example for all. He served well as a District Leader and inspired missionaries and branch members alike and will be missed. I wish we had about 50 missionaries like him here, to augment the 7 great missionaries that we have now. I really think that the missionary committee is sending the cream of the crop to this mission. I think that when missionaries leave Africa for medical reasons they are reassigned stateside, but I hope they make an exception in this case and send him back.

Elders Roth, Rakotondrabeharison, West, & Waite (Bonaberi District)

We taught Edimo and Odile again with another neighbor joining to make a group of 5. This time we brought Elders Hatch and Colindres, so they can take over the bulk of the teaching. Sadly, we learned that Edimo and Odile are not legally married so they cannot be baptized until that is resolved. Odile and her friend Esther came to a RS activity and had a good time. It was a group discussion on unity, gossip, and calumny. Then there was a delicious meal of ndolé, manioc, boiled plantains, chicken, beef, rice, and foleré.

We wrote a contract and loaned out one of our 10 pianos to the best student in Bonaberi. We said he could use it for 3 weeks and then we will loan it to another student. Attendance is low enough now that we have pianos to spare.

Vinick & Ivy in their living room with piano in bag

Vinick at his front door

In Sacrament Meeting the Elders Quorum sang Ye Elders of Israel in the typical, African, “belt it out” style. Everyone enjoyed it so much that there was a small round of applause afterward. Then they changed the program to have the quorum also sing the closing hymn and some postlude music.

General Conference DVDs arrived so the branches are planning to show them next weekend.

An American businessman, Jeff Gibb, returned to Cameroon and asked us what we would like him to bring. It’s funny but there isn’t that much that we wish for here. He brought us a boombox, ant poison, and lots of kids’ books. I plan to loan the books out to branch members. There aren’t any libraries here and few kids’ books available anywhere. They’re all in English but many members speak English.

We replaced three light fixtures in the Douala apartment and ran numerous errands, but mostly it was a quiet week with gradual progress on many fronts.