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Miss you all

Our first day in Africa

March 4^th,

Woke up this am around 9am! I was completely shocked that we had both slept that long. We took our time getting going and met up with a gal who lives here to give her a bag of stuff sent from her sister who lives in Duluth. Very nice gal, who speaks English well and her niece came after. We had a short visit and she is actually going to help us out by holding some of our extra luggage bags while we are gone to N'gaoundere.

We went across the street to see the one local vender trying to sell some stuff and they are nice guys who seem pushy, but speak good English and I want to believe they are honest men. We walked down the street a little ways and it's amazing to me that garbage is just thrown in the street and ditches and what garbage cans are out in front of stores are being eaten out of by people. Many sleeping on cardboard, or pallets with plastic and their shoes have holes in them, ones that we would have probably thrown out months ago.

Met up with a local Taxi driver who had some air tickets for us and he insisted on taking us around today, which we paid him for, but was nice to have him there. He took us to a local flower market which Llonda has been to several times and likes but it a place where they have a lot of the same stuff, but fun to barter with them. Llonda is a shark at bartering and I am the silent one who stands in the shadows waiting for her to make the deal. Yes surprising to many of you that I am the silent one! But knowing that we were not going to make any purchases yet, since we do not have anymore room in our suitcases to travel to N'gaoundere with I didn't mind. Was nice to get an idea of what they wanted for their stuff. So many beautiful hand crafted items that one can only wish they were that talented to do. The town smells of bad body odor and urine as it's nothing for someone to just urinate on the street or ditch or wherever they want really. And to my understanding they do not want to spend the expense on deodorant as many need the money for food etc. After leaving the market and finding many items that we would love to take back for everyone, our driver took us to a local African restaurant called the White House where it is a buffet. The beer was cold, and the food was plentiful. Not knowing the manners of the culture, we all headed up with a plate and Llonda and I wasted no time digging in. Me being picky of course, but certainly grabbed some items that I had no idea what they were. Our driver only grabbed salad. Not understanding that you went up as a group, and ate as a group and only took salad first. Whoops. It didn't stop us from eating it though. Cous-cous, rice, fish (a whole one), and more mystery meat, with deep fried balls of something that ended up being plantain (this is a fruit here), that I took a few of thinking it was deep fried it had to be good right! All in all it wasn't bad, but very sweet, and it was hard to leave anything on our plates as we are in a starving Country. So I choked most of it down, not wanting to be rude. Our driver refused to go up and get another plate until we all went and I could not bare to get another round, so Llonda went back and we all skipped out on the desert table.

Back to the hotel to pack and repack some more, fit in a nap, and time to blog:)

After getting back to the Ibis we took a nap, which may have been a bad thing as we were both more tired than when we had laid down. Got up and went across the street for some coke, then down to the restaurant for dinner. While outside “checking the weather” we met a local who speaks some English who refers to Llonda as “Big Mama One” and me as “Big Mama 2”. He is really into boxing, and is excited to take us to his club. He gave us his email and phone number and is anticipating us coming back from N'gaoundere so he can pick us up and take us to watch him. He was thoroughly impressed with the fact that even in a knee brace I could kick up to his face and throw him some upper cuts and knock outs. Thanks to my Billy video work out sessions. I very much enjoy talking with the locals no matte how much I can understand them and them understanding me. I had my first experience with an African gal who kissed both my cheeks and befriended me like we had been best friends for years and then asked for a beer. Sadly I could not oblige. It is not by far a cheap trip. But I am grateful for the time here and feel as if I am making some lifeline connections, and only wish I could provide for them the simple needs that they have. Everyone that I have met has truly been a wonderful person!

 A special note to my Re:form students!  You are in my thoughts and prayers everyday, and please behave while I'm gone!  Love you all:)

We love you and miss you all!

Llonda and Steph

Made it to Douala

March 3^rd, 2012

We are currently on the flight to Douala and this by far has been the longest lag of flights yet. We are both overly tired and dehydrated from the little glasses of water given out and no time at the airport to get any bottles of water. After landing in Brussels we took a bus over to the other terminal where we once again flashed our passports and played the hurry up and wait game. That game is very popular when traveling as we have played it on nearly every trip! Our bodies are sore and our heads are pounding from the lack of everything, sleep, oxygen (it smells) and water. We should land in Douala around 6pm here (11am MN time). It will be dark by then and by the time we go through customs and get all of our luggage and find arrangements for a ride to the hotel it will most likely be 8pm.

After landing in Duoala, the airport was very hot! Humidity level at 90% with a temperature of 88 degrees. I (Steph) still had my MN clothes on which included a hooded sweathshirt and jeans and so glad I had my bandana on to keep the sweat from dripping down my face. We both had large amounts of luggage and had not made prior arrangements to get to the Ibis hotel which we will later regret. We walked through the long hallways with windows open and the floor that had cracked tile on it and stairs that chipped and falling apart. Llonda grabbed a couple of luggage carts as this time since two of carry on bags had previosly taken away from us, we had 7 bags to try to get off the rotating luggage rack. The airport is filled with Africans above watching everyone which was a picture moment. I handed the camera over to Llonda and she started clicking away. Security was over in less than 60 seconds stopping us. They frown upon photos being taken of or in government buildings. While waiting for our luggage Llonda was spoted by Abdoulye a former porter she had used before on her travels here. He was most certainly our saving grace at that moment. He was there for another traveler and heard we were coming in, but had the wrong date, so as fate would have it he told us to hang tight while he picked up the other gentleman and came back to our rescue. He took one cart of luggage while I took the other and he brought us over to the Chief of Customs where he approved our luggage, and then had a couple of kids (I'm sure they were adults but they looked like kids) to watch our luggage while he took us back into the police area to meet a couple of the commissioners. Neither of us was in a presentable position as both were drowned in sweat and smelled horribly, and were totally exhausted from being up for 30 some hours straight. But we shook their hands with the last bit of strength we had left to lift our arms from the total of 400 pounds of luggage we had been handling and smiled which was the last thing I could think of doing at that moment. He introduced us as Dr's, which was not correct but was too hard to explain the difference so we graciously accepted the compliment and went on our way.

We went back to our luggage which was safe with the kids, and started outside. After being cleared by the chief of customs our luggage wasn't even searched which was wonderful. Headed outside into the darkness and looking at the large amounts of people loitering around and trying to sell their stuff to you, which is how most make their living, we made our way down the broken pavement to wait for two taxi's. No way we could fit in one with all our luggage. We got loaded up and Llonda thought it may be best to talk with Cameroon Air whom we will be flying with on Monday to Garoua to get their luggage requirements. So back into the hot airport to speak with them. Of course it will be another small fortune to fly with all the luggage, despite the fact most of it is medical supplies. So we already know we will have shuffling around to do with our luggage. Finally we are off in the taxi's and enroute to the Ibis. Thanks to Abdouleye all is good!

We get settled in, cleaned up and go to the Ibis restaurant for a late dinner, which would be my first African meal. I struggle with the menu, and push to order off the kids meal which is not allowed and after long negotiations our waiter allows me to order something he choose for me but agrees to keep it seperate on the plate in case I don't like it. Llonda knows exactly what she wants and has no problem ordering. Excited for her choice, the waiter comes back that the avacado's are no good. So she orders something else with no hesitation. The place is nice and they speak some English and when our food comes I have meat on my plate that is white and both of us are unsure of what it is. Starving, I waste no time digging into it, and it's a familiar taste to me but I still don't know what. Llonda figures it out as smoked fish. Ahhh, yes! That's exactly what it is. All in all, not a bad first experience. We came back to the room and I worked on the computer a little bit while Llonda went to bed and I got to bed around 11pm which is only 4pm home time but after not sleeping I was TIRED!

Good night everyone!

Travel Day

March 2^nd 2:53

We arrived at the Mpls airport at 12:15 and unloaded the 5- 50lb pound bags to ck and the 4- 44lb bags of carry-on's (2 each) and headed in. A special thanks to our neighbor Sven who brought us to the airport and has been waiting with us ALL day:) Because he works for Delta he has special clearance to come thru to the gate and could wait with us. We were suppose to be able to board at 2:12, make it to Chicago. by 4:44 for our connecting flight to Brussels by 6:01. It is now 3:15 and we are sitting in a nearby cafe waiting for our flight. It was pushed back to 3:30 and now to pushed back to 4:30! We will obviously miss our connect flight and Llonda is very worried, and I have another tall one. Llonda has gone to stand in the long line to find out what is going on, and I am working on my first attempt of the blog. She sends me panic stricken texts from the line that we are totally screwed and I try very hard to not get too worked up, as I already had melt down #1 early this morning on the side of the road at the school.

Llonda has returned and she convinced the attendant to move us up in seats to be closer to the front so we can “run” off and catch our connecting flight in Chicago. Security check in was probably one of the best expierences I have had yet. Amazed that in the 88 pounds I could get on and the quart size bag fully packed with liquids and PASSED through I am pretty confident that we did good in our choices.

With our 5 bags everyone of them ranged from 49.7 pounds to 51!! And they were so impressed at how close we were that they let the 51 pounder go! The amount of time spent packing repacking, weighing and re weighing, was truly time well spent! We were able to board the plane in Mpls and officially hit the airways and are now en route to Chicago. Text's and phone calls have been exchanged by all the kids and we hope to have contact on the ground in Chicago but time will be limited and we will be rushed. In order to get on earlier, Llonda and I could not sit together and for sure I got the better of the deal. We both got middle seats (yuck) but I was fortunate enough to have the exit seat so I am free and clear on one side while Llonda a row back sits between to men sleeping.

Break time and will write more once we get on the long overnight flight to Brussels.

Once aboard our flight to Chicago we were still hoping we would make our connecting flight. It was a quick flight, and there and they were anxiously helping us off the plane to make our connecting flight that was right across the way. I was surely not going to board though without hitting a bathroom first which made us literally the LAST TWO to board. Which also means that two of our carry-ons (not the backpacks) had to go to checked luggage. So as we sat right outside the plane doors rearranging all of our bags trying to make sure we had our most important items with us, as we will not see those bags again until Douala. Neither of us were happy about that as now if our luggage is lost or delayed in getting to us, we don't even have a set of underwear with us!

We are Currently on the plane to Brussels and at the moment right over London. Every seat has a TV screen on it and has the option to view a map of where the plane is and its starting and ending point. I have taken a few pictures along the way and will try to post one at a later time. We also have a visitor with us. Flat Stanley is along for the ride! He is part of a book that a first grade classroom in Spokane Washington is doing. We received Stanley from our friends Paula and Noah who received Stanley from her Cousin in Washington. So periodically you may see a picture including Stanley.

As far as the flight to Brussels after kicking a couple who had moved into our seats out, we tried to settle in as best as we could with a back pack each that started off somewhat organized and now is a total mess. Llonda watched a movie or two while I listened to a book on tape and both of us have tried to sleep a bit. I befriended a cute little girl in the seat ahead of us, who has what must be her twin sister with and their dad. They couldn't be much more than 2 or 3, but we have had fun playing peek a boo. We occupied more time with a cribbage game (that I won) and of course ate. The food was certainly not terrible for plane food, but I wasn't hungry to eat the breakfast. We left Chicago at around 6:30 pm Friday the 2^nd, and it is currently 1:30 am in MN and 8:30 am here. We have about a half hour left of the flight with about a two hour lay over in Brussels to aboard another long flight to Douala.

Wishing everyone well!

Here is a view of the Sahara Desert.

Finally On Our Way

March 1st

The outpouring of support continues.  Our community, church, co-workers and friends keep piling it on & right about now; we wish that we could drive a semi straight to Africa.  We have packed and re-packed, weighed and re-weighed our suitcases so many times. Both of our stress levels are running high, at least at a 9.  We fight about what to take and how to pack it. How does one best decide?  Do you take life saving medications for patients with heart disease and high blood pressure or glucometers and insulin to treat diabetics? Or there are the screening kits for cervical cancer and needle-less IV systems to protect healthcare workers from Aids. & oh yes the package from Global Health that must be included, the list goes on and on.  We compromise and throw out one of the snacks we planned to take, less socks and underwear.  Hopefully we don’t regret that choice!

The emotions that one feels leading up to a trip such as this are really hard to describe.  The anticipation mounts; you are both excited and terrified at the same time.  You worry about the kids, the family, the house, and the dogs, the house/dog-sitter, and even the cats.  Will it snow while we are away?  Will the guy you have lined up to plow the driveway dig too deep into the gravel?  Will the houses old electrical system die while we are gone? Trust me when I say…you just worry about everything.  Things you typically don’t even give a second thought too.  It is hard to put a label on what one is feeling; perhaps it is not worry but just comes out that way.

Being total control freaks, we are reminded that control is an illusion.  For sure we are headed to a place where we will have control over nothing.  We will be running on African time, the plane comes when it wants or doesn’t show up at all.  This is a place very different from what we are familiar with, and one in which we must learn to go with the flow, take it as it comes and oh yes, there is patience.  This is difficult, as we are especially not patient people! We would throw in a book to read, but then that would put our luggage overweight. Oh what to do? For sure we will not be ready until we get on that plane and then we will cry most of the way to Chicago.  But hey it’s for a good cause right?

Some people ask, “Why would you even want to do this?”    I am uncertain of how to answer that, other than to say that mission work is probably more about building on the character of the one performing the mission, at least as much as it is about the very people you are trying to help.  Hopefully we will both return in one piece and be better people for it. 

Last night we had a big send off supper with our families and Pastor Noah.  We had one last feast of American food before we go.  Thanks everyone for the donated goods, well wishes, money, prayers, and oh yes that awesome African cake.

Departing Minneapolis to Chicago to Brussels to Douala, Cameroon…. Our next reporting, God willing, will come to you live from Africa

A little bit of History

February 24th

Cameroon is an under served, under developed country located on the other side of the globe.  Compared to other African countries, Cameroon has a relatively high political and social stability that has permitted for the development of petroleum and timber industries, roads and railways. Nevertheless large numbers of Cameroonians live in poverty as subsistence farmers or have no jobs at all. The quality of healthcare is generally low.  Most facilities are dirty, poorly ran and poorly equipped.  They bare little or no resemblance to facilities we are accustomed to here in America.

In Cameroon there is no health insurance and those who come to the hospital are very ill.  Many have endured unbelievable obstacles in great pain, on 3, 4 and 5 day treks in from the bush with severe burns, babies stuck in the birth canal and other atrocities just to reach medical care. In reality, Cameroonians often seek treatment at the hospital as a last resort.  The most common practice is to first seek out whom they call traditional healers. We would most likely call them witch doctors.  The traditional healers use roots and herbs to mix up healing ingredients, sometimes rubbed on the skin, other times worn in a pouch around the neck or even drank. Occasionally they will perform some type of minor surgical procedure.  Then later, when despite this treatment, the patients’ condition does not improve or worsens further, they will finally take them to the hospital.  In some cases these potions given and procedures performed will ultimately be the cause of death, but in the minds of the people, it will be the hospital that killed them, because that is where their loved one died.

Cameroon is a bit larger than the state of California and it is often referred to as “Africa in miniature” for its geographical and cultural diversity.  There are beaches along the ocean, tropical rainforests, mountains and plateaus, and to the far north, savannas and deserts. There are many different tribes that live within the borders of this country and although French is the national language, there are over 250 languages spoken within the borders of Cameroon. There are actual teams of missionaries in which their sole purpose is to translate the Bible into these native languages.  They truly have not heard the word and do not have the option to believe, when there is not even a Bible for them to read in their own language?  This is a mission very different from the one we are on, but in general, just good food for thought.

We will be traveling as representatives of the Cameroon Healthcare Development Program (CHDP), which is affiliated with SMDC, Global Health Missions and the ELCA (to name a few)  We are excited about being given the opportunity to help others and to share our journey with all of you. We do not consider ourselves missionaries; in fact some would consider us the exact opposite.  However, we feel called by God to reach out to the people of our world especially those who are less fortunate than us, all of whom are God’s people.  We are not qualified to judge or instruct them on religion, but as part of our work we will be ministering to their spirit, regardless of their religion or the lack of it.

There is a high level of religious diversity in Cameroon and reportedly 2/3’s of the population practices Christianity.  However in the Adamawa province where we are headed 80% of the population is Muslim and practice the faith of Islam.

For sure there is no question that in this land we are headed for, we will be in the minority, perhaps in all ways possible: racially, religiously, economically and linguistically for sure.  You have to make sacrifices both personal and financial to embark upon a mission such as this and mostly have a lot of faith that the God who has reached out to you will provide the way.  We pray that somehow in the midst of being isolated in this world where nothing will be familiar to us, that he will show us the way and then give us the courage and strength to follow his will.

Time is really running fast now.  Less than 6 days to departure.  We will be carrying medical equipment being sent by Global missions, CPR dummies, and many supplies donated by CHDP, Mercy Hospital/Ambulance service, The Diabetes  Center, Salem Lutheran Church and the community at large.  The outpouring of support is nothing short of amazing and our suitcases are overflowing.  You start out thinking that you will have everything all neat and organized, but then reality sets in and we have to keep shuffling it all around, trying to make it all fit and still meet the weight requirements.  Thanks to everyone who contributed, it will all be put to good use.

February 20th 2012

CAMEROON AFRICA

This is our Blog…The blog created by Steph Nynas and Llonda Thompson.  Our Hope is to take all of you on this journey with us.  We recognize that this is a journey that many will never have the desire or get the opportunity to take. Yet it is a trip that is very important both to the people of Cameroon, Africa and to those of us sitting here in our nice comfy homes here in the USA.

God has called us to not only to open up our hearts and our minds to these very deserving people, but also to try and reach yours.  Perhaps one of the most important things that we can accomplish is to raise awareness and bring those of us sitting on this side of the globe to the world of Africa. They live in a world very different from ours... Many have little more than a fire to keep them warm at night, let alone a house with a floor and a door, running water and electricity.

We are beginning this blog prior to our departure to try and bring you all up to speed with where we are going, and what we plan to do.  Sitting here we are capable of doing many things right here in our home, such as the map above, that is nearly impossible to obtain from there.  Some days the electricity will be out and there will be no water for a shower. On other days there will be no internet (our only connection to the outside world as we know it) and that can be quite unsettling.

 

Leaving on March 2^nd, first we will take a nearly 24 hour flight from Minneapolis to Douala, Cameroon.  Douala sits on the ocean and is very different from the place we will travel to in-land and to the north…  Ngaoundere, Cameroon is our final destination.  Luckily they tell us that the planes are currently flying, at least someplace close to our destination.  From past experience I know that we cannot rely on this and may need to make alternative plans for travel.  Trust me when I tell you that the alternates are not easy and would make our trip from Douala even longer than our travel from this side of the globe.  Buses and trains there are nothing remotely close to those we have the luxury of traveling on here, & that would be the only other way.  It is hard to describe really, so for now, we pray for the plane and a 5 hour bus ride.

We are going for a very short stay in the terms of missionary work to this part of the world, and we will have to hit the ground running.  Having been there before, this will be easier for me, but I know very challenging for Steph.  Being weary from travel, the culture shock, the way of life, the heat, & all we will see at the hospital, can be very overwhelming.  There is much to be done immediately upon arrival. It is challenging just to prepare food so that it is edible and to be able to drink clean water.   Modern conveniences that are part of our every day life are not the norm there.

In Many ways, I feel like I am being called back to Cameroon again so that I can bring Steph along.  She has many talents that will go really far in improving health care for this village and this country.  God could not get her to there without me, so my role is largely supportive of her.  Yes, I will be performing many other duties, but feel that my main job is to put her in the right place, with the right people, with interpreters to help her get the job done.  She has a stamina far beyond mine and I will be doing all that I can to meet our basic needs, so that she does not have to worry about them.  I will support her and steer her through obstacles that are not pertinent, so that she can focus more fully on our mission, the mission to improve health care in Cameroon.

Here in America, we can make the difference for a patient or 2 or 3 at a time, but there we have the capability to impact the way that healthcare is delivered not just for not just a hospital or community, but a whole country.

Prior to departure to this remote destination in Cameroon, we had to first visit the Travel center at the Duluth Clinic. We have to be educated and vaccinated for tropical diseases.  Let me see…there are shots for yellow Fever, Meningitis, typhoid, Hepatitis and Rabies. (Yes rabies, even the domesticated animals have not been vaccinated, so you cannot take the chance).  While there we must take prophylactic medicine to prevent malaria and have a ready supply of antibiotics to treat diarrhea.  I’m sure that I probably missed a few but in general when you leave there you feel somewhat like a pin cushion from so many injections.  You feel sick and who knows which injection left you feeling that way.

On top of that you need passports that are stamped with a VISA to visit this country.  You need official invitations, pictures, proof of vaccinations, and a registered bank account before you even apply.  We got our passports back officially stamped with Visa’s just this week, so a big weight has been lifted off our shoulders.  Other than packing, we are ready to travel.  Less than 12 days now, so no more procrastinating.