It's Beginning to Look Like Cameroon -- Day 6

French Word of the Day: animateur, pronounced anima-tour; and, no, it has nothing to do with cartoons! An animateur is a (male) coordinator, or organizer (if the person is female, she is an animatrice). Youth leaders in our churches often use this word to refer to their work. The related word, animation, refers to organization or coordination, especially of a cultural kind.

Face of the Day: Timothy Ashu, pastor of cell group in Kembong, Southwest Province: Pastor Ashu is one of the newer members of our connection. After visiting him last year in the dusty village of Kembong, I designated his small group of Christians an official prayer cell group. Pastor Ashu has a wife and daughter.

Cameroon Fact: Ndole (pronounced en-doh-lay) is the national dish of Cameroon. It originated from among the Douala people along the Atlantic Coast, but it is now widely eaten throughout the country, especially for special occasions. Ndole (Vernonia amygdalina) itself is not available in the States, and is a very bitter leaf that requires a complicated and fascinating process of “washing,” in order to reduce the bitterness. Most ndole is also prepared with some sort of meat, usually either beef or fish.

Mission Challenge of the Day: Go count the number of Bibles you have in your home. If you have just one, you have more than most Cameroonians. Every time I visit a church, I am besieged by people asking for Bibles, and that is always a request I hate to turn down. I can buy good complete Bibles for between $6 to $8 in French and English. Consider making a financial gift to the Mission for Bibles!