Our trip to Bamenda today (yes, we’ve gone two days in a row) was highly enjoyable. We started by going with Mr. Eta, a psychiatric nurse-practitioner (and therefore the only person in Bamenda capable of prescribing psychiatric medications) to the home of one of his patients, a 36 year old schizophrenic man. We then had the pleasure of accompanying Eunice and her niece on a school-supply buying trip, which was much more fun than it might sound. Unlike a Target excursion, we got to go throughout the market and little shops buying specialty goods at each one. One of the shops sold a bag of 1 ounce shots of whiskey for 1000 francs (about $2). I really wanted to get one for the novelty of it, however the hospital campus requests no alcohol on the grounds, and as we are guests I’ll respect that. We also found popcorn, roasted bananas, and plantain chips. Yummy. We had to wait about 30 minutes for our taxi home to fill up with people, but it was worth the wait. The driver and the passenger next to me (there were four of us in the front seat) had a really interesting conversation about Catholicism vs Pentecostal, the process of dowry, marriage, polygamy, the importance of a good education, being charitable, being blessed by God for kind actions and so on. I feel like I had more insight into some local culture in that forty minute car drive than I had thus far. We shook hands when we got to Bamenda, which was unusual, but nice.
We walked through the Bamenda market to get bananas, pears (which is what they call avocados), and a gift for Mary’s brother. I then spotted the highlight of my daily purchases—a tarp covered with holiday hats, several of which being those worn by Mr.Smurf! The price was only 300 francs (about 75 cents). I couldn’t refuse. As I tried it on the women in the market laughed, and appropriately so, as I looked like an idiot; nonetheless I love it, and intend to wear it around the grounds tomorrow, hoping to get a pose with Mr. Smurf.
I continue to pray daily and thank God that He has blessed me to be here at all, and even more that I am here with Mary. The peace of having my wife and best friend with me has kept my mind steady, and my spirit light. Beyond this, I am here with more friends, and have made several in –country. I pray that the Lord continues to guide and strengthen us, and that he would also open our hearts and minds, and temper our egos, in order to know and serve His will
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