Christmas Spirit

We’ll admit that it took a while to get into the “Christmas spirit” this year. Maybe the constant weather of Cameroon is playing tricks on us, or maybe we’ve just been too focused on the tasks we hope to finish before the new year. A colleague just gave a presentation on the star of Bethlehem, and it got us thinking about the signs and messages that stand to remind us of Christ in this season, wherever we may be.

Consider just a few of the ways that God prepared the world for Jesus’s birth:

A prophecy of Isaiah predicted the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:13–17). A prophecy of Micah described the place as Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Gabriel met Zechariah to prepare him for the arrival of John and Jesus (Luke 1:5-19). Gabriel was later sent to Mary, a virgin, and she was told she would be the mother of Emmanuel “God with us” (Luke 1:26-35). God sent a sky full of angels to invite the shepherds to Bethlehem (Luke 2:18-20). He also put a sign in the Heavens of a coming king (Revelation 12:1–6). The Star of Bethlehem led the Magi to the place of his birth, and away from Herod (Matthew 2:1-12).

What has God used this year to draw you to the birth of His Son?

Did He meet you through time with family and other witnesses that have influenced your faith? Were you enchanted by familiar hymns and carols? Did the traditions and decorations of Christmas light up your heart? Did you get wrapped up in the spirit of giving? Are you still waiting for your heart to turn towards Him? Did He inspire you through the reading of His Holy Word? As you will read later, the Lamnso people of Cameroon can now read God’s whole love letter in their heart language for the very first time!

Now that God has taken the first steps, how will you choose to respond to God’s gift of his Son?

Like the wise men, will you search out a new or closer relationship with Christ and bring him the best you have to offer? Will you run to his side and adore him like the shepherds? Like Mary, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Zechariah, will you faithfully step into a new role created for you in the plan of God? Will you continue your precious traditions or start something new? Will you continue diving deeper into the Holy Scripture?

We pray that this Christmas season is a time of blessing for you and yours like no other!

C.H.R.I.S.T.M.A.S Update

Christmas in Cameroon! This is the third Christmas that Matthew and Teresa have celebrated in Cameroon, the first being six years ago when Teresa came to visit Matthew during his first term.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Rejoice with us! The Lamnso Bible was dedicated in November. The people of Kumbo in the Northwest Region of Cameroon now have the WHOLE Bible in their Heart Language.

Insecurity. Since late November there have been periods of insecurity in the NW and SW regions of Cameroon. Lawyers and teachers have been on strike and the peaceful demonstrations degraded into riots as local people joined the marches. Government leaders have been involved in talks to resolve the strike issues.

Swimming! For two weeks Teresa taught swimming lessons to some of the older JLS students. They learned many skills in the water and enjoyed diving the best!

Teresa just finished the two-week December Joint Learning Session (JLS). She had seven students in her kindergarten class. They enjoyed many fun learning activities. One of their favorites was demonstrating their map skills by going on a map hunt where they found candy cane cookies to enjoy!

Matthew traveled to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, for a Paratext 8 training. The new and improved tools will make it easier to see the tasks ahead of each team, as well as helping to complete them!

ALL OF YOU!!! Thank you for being a part of our ministry. Without your prayers, encouraging words, financial gifts, and love we would not be able to accomplish all that we do.

Serving! It is a blessing to serve in Cameroon. We are blessed by our Cameroonian neighbors, our colleagues from around the world, and the opportunity to be a part of God’s great commission and spreading His word to all the nations.

Prayers and Praise

Praise that God is with us in ALL that we do!

Prayer for Cameroon. Pray that God will stretch out his hand over Cameroon with a new peace that passes all understanding, a spirit of communication and compromise, and a sense of solidarity. Please pray as well that this will be a time that more people turn to trust in God and to love their neighbors.

Praise that Joint Learning Session went smoothly and we were able to celebrate with an end of the session pool party!

Prayer for the start of Greenhouse in January. There will be six students in Teresa’s kindergarten class!

Praise for all that Matthew has been able to accomplish within his different jobs.
Prayer for two trainings that Matthew will be traveling to in February (one in Germany and one in Burkina Faso).

Look at the Candy Cane. What do you see?
Stripes that are red like the blood shed
for you and me.
White is for our Savior, who is sinless and pure!
"J" is for Jesus the Lord, that's for sure.
Turn it around and a staff you will see.
Jesus the shepherd was born for you and me!