Janice

Once a year we have a site visit from the MDA office.  Janice England, Lay Mission-Helper Director, did our visit this year.  We met Janice in Bamenda last Saturday and had the opportunity to have lunch with Debbie and Frank, 2 new Lay Mission-Helpers from the Kumbo Diocese.
 
We returned to Njinikom and Janice spent the next 4 days with us.  We had become good friends with Janice during our Formation time in Los Angeles.  It was nice to be able to catch up on each others lives after not seeing each other in 15 months.  Janice was able to visit the hospital and Terry’s school and investigate potential positions for LMH volunteers.  We had a wonderful celebration with the Sisters in the Convent Tuesday evening before Janice left.  Janice is spending 2 days with the Archbishop of Bamenda before returning home to Los Angeles.

Good Friday

Archbishop Cornelius of Bamenda

Good Friday is a National Holiday here in Cameroon.  Apparently the Moslems were given 2 National Holidays and likewise the Catholics were given 2.  There is not the same separation of Church and State that we have back home.  

Outside of Church

This afternoon the Hospital Staff will meet and do the Stations of the Cross between the Hospital and the Church.  Other groups will likewise start the Stations of the Cross from other areas then we will all meet for Good Friday Services at the Church.  Holy Week is looked forward to here with great anticipation and is actively participated in by many.  Easter Morning Service will be a wonderful event.

Rose, Terry and Sr. Delphine

This day I will never forget.

Tuesday Terry, Jim, Rose and I accompanied 15 Sisters and hundreds of parishioners from St Anthony’s to the Chrism Mass in Bamenda.  It was an absolutely amazing experience as thousands of people from the entire diocese celebrated at the Cathedral with the Archbishop and all the priests of the diocese.  We were there an hour early for the 5 hour mass. 

One of the Sisters had told me before mass that I would not even notice the length and she was right.  The enthusiasm was unbelievable and the 500 member plus choir was amazing.  The offertory took over an hour for the people to bring in all the corn, rice, oil, livestock, bananas, plantains and more.  The diocese uses the gifts to feed the poor.  Many people waited hours outside the cathedral to march down the aisle with their contribution.  I was chosen to carry the oil for the blessing of the sick and present it to the Archbishop.  I was honored to join these amazing people of Faith.  As Jim Unger said, “This is a day I will never forget.”