I can’t really call this our “first Christmas” in Cameroon, since we were here for Christmas in 2002, after evacuating from Central African Republic. But that’s a different story!
This year season got off to an international start Dec. 3 with celebration of the Dutch holiday Sinterklaas. The Parent Run School (PRS) had a whole day of games, fun, treats and culture learning.
December 10 we attended the Christmas concert by RFIS Middle School and High School choirs and instrumentalists. While most songs were traditionally Christmas, there was an international flavor, not just among the students, but in one of the performances. They sang “O Sifuni Mungu,” in Swahili and English, while a few students accompanied on local drums and other students danced (“worship in motion”) a routine choreographed by one of the students. It was incredible.
December 13 we celebrated the old Swedish (we’re not, but the founders of the American Covenant Church were, and our neighbors are Swedish Americans) tradition of Lucia Day! Little 2 year old Ruthie came over early in the morning (supervised by her mom) with a candle and yummy coffee cake to share.
Then Dec. 17 & 19, just before school ended for Christmas break, Ben and the students from his school performed their Christmas play. They did an excellent job, and of course all us parents were proud. Ben got to be one of the 3 wise men.
Decorating at our house was quite simple. I found our artificial tree, and in the box were lights that still worked and a box of ornaments. That seemed to be enough. Shopping was pretty much done by December since traffic gets rediculous in December; shoppers going to town and also many travellers leaving Yaounde for holiday in their home villages, or others leaving villages to spend Christmas in the big city.
Christmas Day we had dinner with dear friends, Covenant missionaries Paul & Sheryl Noren and their son’s family Karl & Mary and the kids. We had a few presents for the kids, but we don’t put much emphasis on that when we have African friends who are glad just to put out a meal for their children.
At our church, International Christian Church of Yaounde, which meets Sunday mornings in a conference room of the Hilton Hotel downtown, we celebrated Advent, lighting the candles each week. This year I thought often of the Wise Men. Maybe I was influenced by Ben’s part in the school play, but my curiosity of them was satisfied in a sermon given recently at church. What intrigues me is that back then God had revealed himself to those “kings” in ways that indicated clearly to them the significance of Jesus’ birth. And still today, God reveals himself to people of other nations in ways that communicate clearly the significance of Jesus for everyone.
