Happy New Year from Douala Cameroon

For some of you this is the first news you are receiving.  A few lines to catch you up.  

Douala is a modern city by these standards, there are paved roads, plumbing in most places and electricity.  Lots of cars, motos, push carts of all kinds and even wheelbarrows hauling people and goods.  Some new buildings but mostly the run down buildings of the colonial days.  By our standards it's not so progressive.  Along most roads are dozens of stands, carts and little tables selling all kinds of foods and other goods.  Phone cards, clothing, kitchen ware and anything else one can think of.  Men and women with tall piles of bread, sugar cane and trays of whatever they are selling balanced on their heads walk down both sides of the roads and streets.  Absolutely no sanitation concerning the food and not a single public bathroom except the side of the road or a stone wall or one of the many drain ditches along every street.  Eggs are not refrigerated or cleaned.  That is something the buyer takes care of.  The internet is slow and very unreliable.  Most businesses close down from 12:30 to 2:30 for a rest  (and I say a bathroom break).  

We waited two weeks to have the name and signature change from the last couple completed.  We went to the bank to see if the transfer was completed.  The bank couldn’t tell us so suggested we just try to cash a check.  We wrote one and then waited 1 hr. and 40 minutes to finally have it cashed.  With a great big smile we were told everything was now O.K.  Next week back at the bank to get another check cashed.  Sorry we were told, your name and signature is not in our system.  This is Africa.  By the way this bank is the most modern place we have been.

It is very hot and muggy but always overcast so the sun's rays do not beat directly on you.  The rainy season will start in April and continue for two months.

The people are delightful, friendly and kind.  Everyone is always trying to help us, explain things and show us the way.  There is a rather strong branch here and a small group about 45 minutes away that operates under the same Branch Presidency.  On Fast Sunday both groups meet together.  The small group is in a section of Douala called Boniberi.  It is across the Wouri River.  It is huge and empties into the Atlantic Ocean about ten miles away.

The Elders here are fantastic.  At the first District meeting here in our apartment we looked at their dusty worn shoes and street stained lower pant legs and Brent started to cry.  They tramp all day in the heat  and go home to no air conditioning, just fans. They do lots of teaching.  The people here love Jesus.  If you want to talk about the Savior they will listen.

We celebrated Christmas with the eight young Elders.  One of them is the Branch President’s son.  We are one elder short until the middle of February.  (The elder that went home two weeks ago mother is from our home town of Lovell, Wyoming.  And his grandfather is Bill Powell)  The American Elders told Yanick that he could go to his house for Christmas (he lives ten minutes from our apartment)  But he said no, he was a missionary and couldn’t go home.  I had stockings for all of them, mostly put together by the sisters in our Great Falls Ward.  They loved it.  We also had Nerf footballs and Frisbees.  I cooked Mexican food with homemade tortillas and many substitutes.  All but Yanick devoured it. In this Mission the young Elders are allowed to watch a “G” movie occasionally so we watched movies.  

African Christmas traditions  are eating good food and visiting family.  They also dress up on Christmas day and parade the streets in their finest.

New Years was much the same with the Elders.  Fireworks are a tradition  aling with eating and drinking.  The streets were alive when we drove the Elders home.

Every Monday night we attend the singles FHE group at the church.  I bake something and they love it.

So far we love the mission and are still finding our place.  French is a stretch but we start lessons.  American style food (actually from France) is available for a price so we are surviving.  We miss our friends and family but love the work.

Happy New year to all. 

Elder and Sister Willis