Thanksgiving is a Season

In Cameroon, Thanksgiving is not a national holiday; it is not the ‘start’ of the shopping extravaganza that marks the retail Christmas season;  it is a season in the church year.  Multiple Sundays during the months of October and November are marked as Thanksgiving Sundays.  During these various groups (men, women and youth) within the church lead the church in bringing their Thanksgiving offerings. The group leading the Sunday in our church dances with their offering to the front, while the rest of us support them but placing our offering in the baskets after them.  Then it culminates (near the end of November) in the large Harvest Thanksgiving Sunday where all celebrate together. 

New building at Grace Baptist Church

  This year during the season of Thanksgiving our  church was finally able to put up this wooden structure so we do not worship amid the blowing tarps that previously tried to keep the rain out.

Sharing the bounty of the table

We did also share a Thanksgiving Day meal with many friends both old and new at our home.   Despite the fact that none of our children were with us this year the house was filled with the sounds of many voices.  And we are thankful that our own children were with friends and family.  We shared chicken with all the fixings associated with a US Thanksgiving feast.  We also shared the singing of thanksgiving hymns, an American football game on the TV, and the smiles of children that continued to eat shrimp chips through the evening.

A room full of laughter

 I am thankful that Thanksgiving is a season in Cameroon that has not been pushed out between Halloween and Christmas.  I pray for myself it will not only be a season of the year but a yearlong attitude of the heart. 

Anyone with me?