Jessica Morgan’s Blog

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.