Jessica Morgan’s Blog

One month home!

Greetings! I can’t believe that the team have been home for a month now! How time has flown! It feels to me like we only just left our friends in Cameroon, and at the same time that we have been home forever. Please forgive the lack of blogs in the past few weeks - I have just started a new rotation and hence have been busy with the usual things that come with that.

As for Cameroon things are nearly all wrapped up. I visited Dundee last weekend and was able to see all the team (albeit briefly). Everyone seems very well and enjoying life to the full. In particular Colin and Kayleigh are both preparing themselves to start university in September! Whilst in Dundee, we had the chance to prepare a newsletter for all our supporters - if you would like a copy, please speak to any member of the team and they will print one for you. I am working hard to get this into uploadable size but this is proving difficult. There are also CD’s available that have many photo’s and videos on for those who want to know more.

 I also wanted to update the blog to let you all know that there is quite a large amount of money remaining in the charity account. We have decided as a team that this money should be split to help three different projects in Cameroon:

1) The Jesus film ministry - this project is run by a local pastor and takes the Jesus film out to unreached people groups in Cameroon. We were invited on a number of their trips whilst in Kumbo and witness the amazing work that they are doing. The funds will help them with the running costs of their ministry

2) The Chosen Children programme - This is a programme for children who have been affected by HIV/AIDS, either becuase they are infected themselves or because members of their family have the disease. The project helps to provide food, clothing, education and medical support to these vulnerable children.

3) The Beryl Thyer Memorial Africa Trust - We have spoken about this work on the blog before but briefly, this UK based charity helps children in Cameroon with Burkitt’s Lymphoma - a rapidly developing cancer. I will continue to work with BTMAT once the current ICU project is completed.

I hope that you will all join us in supporting these three causes in your prayers.

Prayers: Praise God for His constant provision. Thank Him for the way He has returned the team to normal life with little culture shock. Pray for the projects that we are supporting with the remaining money. Pray for Kayleigh and Colin as they prepare for university.

Home at last!

So, finally you get to hear from me (Jess) again. I thought it would be fun for you to hear from the team over the two weeks in Cameroon and I truly believe that they excelled themselves in their descriptions of Kumbo - I could not have done better myself! So for today’s blog I’m just going to give you an update on what happened since the last posted (which only loaded today but was actually written last Friday) and then I’ll maybe talk a bit about what happens from here!

So Friday’s opening ceremony went brilliantly!! We were given yet more outfits and sang more songs! There were plenty of speeches and basically some time to see friends and properly had the ICU over to them. A very emotional time for the whole team as we saw the plans of the past year come together! God has been so good!

 The rest of Friday was spent in a whirlwind of packing, finishing Bible study and saying goodbye to all of our many friends! Unfortunately, Kerr (and to a lesser extent Colin) came down with a nasty stomach bug so there were a few health concerns but generally the team set off for home on Saturday in a very good mood.

Unfortunately, just down the road (well, 3 hours drive away) we received a message from Air France saying our flight had been cancelled and we could not leave Cameroon that night. It was a big problem! However, the team dealt with it very well, and even when the rest house in Douala was found to be full, the team morale remained quite high. It was decided that we would spend the night in Limbe - the closest thing that Cameroon has to a beach resort. We booked in and had a lovely meal of chicken and chips, which I think helped with comfort immensely, before heading for bed.

Sunday morning was lazily spent at the hotel and we set off to catch our flight in the afternoon. No problems once we reached the airport, other than that Kayleigh’s luggage had still not appeared! No help there at all. It was then an uneventful flight to Paris. Once there, we learnt that Kayleigh’s luggage had been sent to Douala on Friday and therefore should’ve been there when we asked! Grrr! One more small delay in Paris and we made it back to Edinburgh by Monday lunchtime. One mission successfully completed!!!

So what is happening to the team now I hear you ask? Well, for most of us (Elinor, COlin and I), it is back to the day jobs - quite a culture shock! Kayleigh is preparing for university and also for a holiday in Florida. Kerr is already in Peru having flown out of the UK again on Tuesday morning!

 There is still some work to do for the mission - mainly in following up and contacting our supporters. If you would like a ’supporter’s pack’ these should be ready in the next couple of weeks, so please let us know and we will send one your way. We are also planning to visit a number of the schools and churches that have supported us - keep watching the blog for when these visits will be happening.

I think that is all I can think of to write just now. I will keep blogging for at least the next couple of weeks as we conclude everything. Will try to upload some photographs in the next week or two.

Prayers: Praise God for his amazing blessings and guidance. Thank Him for keeping the team safe and well and for ensuring that everything ran smoothly. Pray for the hospital in Cameroon as they use the ICU, that they would feel confident and able in using the equipment provided, and that the children would really benefit. Pray for the team as they are settling back in at home, that the culture shock would not be too great, and that they would continue to learn from their experiences in Cameroon.

Opening Day !!

Hi Kayleigh and Elinor here!!!

It is our last full day in Kumbo today!  We have been very busy over the past few days getting the Children’s Ward ready for the Opening Ceremony.  This has involved various activities!  Building beds, lights, oxygen concentrators.  We have been stocking the cupboards with various sundries.  Colin and i made some decorations for today with the children.

 Yesterday the whole team lead some basic Resus training  for the Medical Staff.  After the training session we were then suprised with an “informal” presentation of appreciation.  This consisted of a few speeches, some singing and dancing!  We were presented with the gift of 5 cameroonian outfits which we were touched by as this is a sign of friendship! We were so overwhelmed by this token that we are not sure what to expect this afternoon!

The ICU opens at 2 o clock today!  We will keep you posted! 

An Update from Kumbo

Thank you for standing with us! God has been very busy among us this week and we have made huge progress with our project. We must apologise for not blogging as regularly as we would like - if we have electricity here we’re doing well, so internet is a bonus!

We have assembled most of our equipent and the majority is now ready to be handed over to the staff. The ward is looking very modern now that there are five shiny new beds and four cots. This has meant that the nurses were able to throw away several beds that have been in the ward since it was built (some 50+ years ago!) and that are no longer fit for purpose. We were all very moved to see many of the parents on the ICU helping to unpack matresses and assemble the beds. Nurse Esther said that this is because “they are all so happy about what you are doing”. The paintings on the wall are now very close to being completed - all that remains to be painted is a black outline on each design, which Elinor has taken charge of. The Children’s Pastor was delighted that we have chosen scriptural pictures rather than cartoons because she can use them to tell stories to the children. We have painted: Mary with the baby Jesus; a dove; Noah’s Ark; the Triumphal Entry; and two fish and five loaves.

On Sunday we all had a wonderful time at the baptism service and at Nadine’s celebration. We learned many African songs and enjoyed dancing in a giant ‘conga’ line around the house. Emmanuel and Rose threw an enormous feast. We ate until we were overflowing with traditional Cameroonian food and were even treated to a bottle of Fanta! We are sure that half the town ate there that day! 

The girls held their second ‘Esther’ Bible study for local teenage girls last night and this was a great success. We were very encouraged to see some new faces and everyone learned something new about the story. In Kumbo much teaching is focussed on the New Testament, and so Esther has been fresh to all of our guests. We were glad to hear some of their responses during discussion. 

Colin spent an afternoon with one of the chaplains at the hospital on Monday. They went on a ward round and met many patients. They spent time comforting them and chatting with them, and prayed for many people.

Some excellent news: Kayleigh’s luggage is now in Douala! There has been some further delay with the airline’s administration of this matter, but we hope to have her bag before we have to leave at the end of the week. Kayleigh was a little unwell with a cold for a couple of days but, praise God, is feeling much better now. Jess stubbed her toe last night and it is broken. This is quite painful, but she is able to walk without any limping. We would very much appreciate your prayers for a speedy recovery.

The boys are going on an outreach with the Jesus Film Ministry tonight. They will be going to a village in the Bush to show a film of the Gospel of Luke in the local dialect to share the Good News with some people who may not have had the opportunity to hear it yet. Many people in this part of the world have yet to hear the name of Jesus. Please pray for their safety, and that God would use them powerfully through His Spirit to bring many people into a personal relationship the Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally, we would appreciate your prayers for the remainder of the project: that we would finish all the work that needs to be done, including the medical training tomorrow afternoon, in time for the opening ceremony on Friday morning. We are all feeling a little tired, but we know that God has more to do through us and we will push on and finish this race.

 We really appreciate your support - our God will certainly reward your faithfulness to His mission! Amen!

Just over half way!!

Hi, Kayleigh here!  We are just over half way now,  over the past few days we have been finishing painting the walls and building the rest of our equipment.  The staff at the hospital have been really excited each time we bring something new on to the ward!  They have also been very encouraging about the progress of the painting.

On Thursday morning I went with Jess whilst she did the ward rounds on the Children’s Ward and Maternity Ward. It was perhaps one of the most eye-opening experiences of my entire life. The care provided given the conditions that the hard-working staff have to work with was inspirational. I discovered about the realities of health-care services in the Third World. This has all been very useful as I will be studying for a Nursing degree this Autumn.

We have been blessed to be invited to a baptism service in the local CBC church in Kumbo by the lady who looks after us at the rest house, Mama Rose. She has been proudly informing everyone on the planet of her daughter’s imminent commitment to Christ and we are very excited to be invited to the celebration at her house tomorrow afternoon. The hospitality and love shown to the team is phenomenal.

 Please keep praying for us as we continue God’s work here in Cameroon.

The latest few days here in Kumbo!

Thank you to Colin there for our first blog over here at Banso Baptist Hospital!!

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Elinor, the artist on the team and I’ll be taking you through the last few days and what we have all been doing.

Two nights ago we were invited out with a team who have set up an evangelism project known as “The Jesus Movie” project led by a local man, Pastor John. Jess and myself drove (or bounced in the back seat due to the exciting roads!!) out of Kumbo to a small farming village called Mendzem. There, both of us helped Pastor John, a young bible college student called Godlove and a third ministary worker set up a projector and screen (a bed sheet nailed to the wall)  in Mendzem Church to show a film of the Gospel of Luke in their native language Lambso.

The bell sounded for church and around 20 people arrived from the village. Two hours later the film came to a conclusion and the building was so packed with hundreds of locals that they were crammed around the church doorway looking in!

After the film finished there were about 20 people wanting to know more about Jesus and remained behind for a time of discussion and prayer. It was so encouraging to see how something as simple as a film in their native language could create such a powerful impact on their lives.

We ended our evening with an invitation for dinner of Fou Fou and Jamma Jamma at the Pastor’s house in the village. The Journey home was a late one but Jess and I felt glad all the same that we had the opportunity to experience it and Colin and Kerr are looking forward to going out with “The Jesus Movie” project next week!!

Last night was the first bible study for the girls up at our house. We studied the first two chapters of Esther with a group of local teenage girls and had so much fun and fellowship that we cannot wait for them to come back for the next session on Tuesday! 

Painting has officially started in the Intensive Care Unit! Kayleigh and I first used a projector to get the designs drawn onto the walls and Kayleigh, Colin and I have spent the last few days with paintbrush in hand whilst the others have taken time out in between other activities to get the first coat of our paintings on! Jessica has settled in with the medical staff and beginning a little earlier than the rest of us with ward rounds and Kerr has been working very hard in General Supply putting together all of the equipment we had flown over.

The reaction of the patients, their families and the staff has been nothing short of wonderful. We have been told every morning when we walk into Childrens Ward just how much we are welcomed and how grateful they are for the work that we are doing. It is a joy to come in and see nothing but smiles greet you for the working day. 

But we could not have achieved what we have done so far without the help and support of everyone who has had a heart for this project. So please let me take this opportunity to thank you all on behalf of the Cameroonians for the wonderful changes that are happening over here. God has made his prescence known to us ever since we stepped off the plane in Douala and we have all felt so blessed each day.

A prayer request though: It’s been a week now and we still have no news of Kayleigh’s Luggage. Please pray for its swift arrival (although Kayleigh is still smiling!!)

Thank you and God Bless. Elinor

We Have Arrived!

“Look around the nations and see; wonder and be utterly astounded.” (Habakkuk 1:5)

  Our team has arrived safely in Kumbo, albeit slightly tired and missing some of our luggage (hey, this is Africa!). Two of the three missing bags were driven from Douala and are with us now. These were the ones with project materials in them so we are very grateful to have received them. Kayleigh, however, has very few clothes and so we would appreciate your prayers on this matter!

 The team were fascinated to witness the stark contrast between Western and Cameroonian culture on the 8 hour drive to Kumbo. From the street vendors selling their corn from a tray on their head; to men washing their motorbikes in a muddy river; to the craters in the dusty road; to trying to understand Pidgin English, we all underwent a degree of culture shock. Overwhelming as this has been for each of us, we are all feeling more settled and comfortable now that we have been welcomed as friends and family by our hosts from the Cameroon Baptist Convention.

 On our first tour of the hospital we saw the ICU with its structural changes in place and some tears were cried. It was wonderful to see the changes that have already been made through this mission, and to know that we are all really making a difference.

 We have begun some of the project and have fitted whiteboards and an X-Ray light box, as well as assembling some cots and beginning some of the painting work. The gratitude of the staff has been humbling to say the least. When we produced a pair of scales that were being thrown out by a UK hospital the nurses behaved as though it were Christmas!

We had a balloon party with the children yesterday afternoon. We could never have imagined that one packet of balloons could cause so many sick kids to smile! One of the parents said to Elinor, “You have all brought love into this room. Thankyou.” That is just a small reminder of why we are here.

The final fortnight

Its true! In less than a fortnight the team will be in Cameroon working on a project that has been planned for over a year. There is not much more news to add as most of the major planning and preparation is done. Currently the team are keeping themselves busy with personal preparation - I even started packing yesterday! I also have the great pleasure to write this week that we are finally in the black! All major expenses for the trip have been paid and money is still slowly trickling in. As the team have all put more money into the account than originally intended, it has been decided that any left over money will first go to helping to reduce the costs for our volunteers. I have spoken to them all about this, and know that some of them wish for their share of the money to be donated to BBH’s social fund (a collection that helps to pay the hospital bills of the poorest patients). I hope therefore that you will continue to support the project in this last way.

So that is it! The final few days are upon us and we are so excited to be finally going (albeit nervous as well!) The team had a fantastic weekend in Carlisle (those of us who could make it) and the time enabled us to just enjoy ourselves and become more spiritually prepared for the trip. I hope that you will continue to help the team members that you support with this, as well as with the much more boring physical preparations!

This leaves me with one final point in what is probably the last blog before we go (I am starting nights on Thursday for a week so will probably not get a chance to update the blog) - I hope you will all continue to pray for the team whilst we are away. We are planning to keep the blog updated on alternate days (God, and Cameroonian internet, willing) so you should be able to find out all the latest news from here! We look forward to seeing you all when we get back!!

Prayers: Praise God for His ongoing provision in this project. Praise Him for how He brings everything together. Pray for the team in their final preparations. Pray for safe travel and for all the team’s luggage to arrive safe and secure into Douala.

Less than 4 weeks to go!!

Indeed, in less than a month, the Gate’s Cameroon mission team will be leaving bonny Scotland and travelling to Banso! Finally I can write a piece of news in the blog that I have been hoping to write for months - our equipment arrived at BBH today!!!! I am so excited that it all finally got there! I am so glad that we decided to fly the equipment, as it would definitely not have made it to Kumbo in time for our arrival. Other exciting news includes that visas and passports are now finally in my possession! It finally feels like we are actually going to Cameroon.

Also happening this week is the team fellowship weekend. The team (except Kerr) are heading to Carlisle for a couple of days of camping, quality time and general hanging out. This is a time for everyone to just get to know one another and to raise any last minute questions or issues about the trip. I have to admit that I am very excited - mainly because I love camping!

Ok, so it was a short, but very sweet, blog this week - but I’d better get back to work. Here come the prayer points:

Prayer: Praise God that all of His work has come to fruition - that the equipment has arrived and everything is prepared for the team. Pray for the team on the fellowship weekend - and for good camping weather! Pray for the last lot of finances to come into the account before we leave.

5 more weeks

Some brilliant news this week - on many fronts! Firstly, the equipment is in Cameroon. We are still waiting for clearance through customs but it is now in the right country! The nebuliser, that was not in the shipment, has also been delivered to me to transport in my hold luggage. Secondly, the building work is now completed - have a look in the Pictures page to see what a difference has been made! Thirdly, the visas are in the Cameroon Embassy in London awaiting verification. We should be able to pick them up at the beginning of next week. And finally - we have paid all our in-country costs for when the team are in Cameroon. This has been amazing as on Monday there was no money in the account and I was concerned as to where this money (£2500) would come from, as we had to pay these costs by next Monday. However, God has provided and the money had arrived in the account within days.  Yet again, I learn to trust more in Him.

So ends this post, as I am blogging at work! However, here comes the usual:

Prayers: Praise God for yet more provision in His project. Praise Him for the swift and easy building work in Cameroon. Please pray for the equipment as it goes through the customs paperwork. Continue to pray for honesty and integrity of all those who come into contact with it. Pray for the visa paperwork. Pray for the team as they make their last minute preparations for the trip, particularly for their emotional preparation. Pray for our contacts in Cameroon as they prepare for our arrival.