This past Sunday was the first day that we went to a church service that was not translated and was mostly in French. Since we have been here when ever in town or off the compound I am surrounded by French. Sometimes it’s probably another tribal language, but mostly French. Maybe 2 weeks after we arrived here, I thought I can hear, but can’t understand what is going on right next to me. Mark knows more French than I do, however we still stumble around trying to comprehend what is being said around us. Sometimes reading scripture and understanding it is like that for me. I see and hear but don’t understand it fully. Through this experience I just have been pondering the verses
Acts 28:27
For this people's heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed;
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’
I pray that we can hear with our ears and see with our eyes to see God moving here.
We are blessed that we are currently on Spring Break from school. RFIS has just over a 2 week break so children are able to travel back to be with family for a bit. We will go into work for a few days in the next couple weeks, but will have a chance to rest and relax as well. We pray that over the next couple weeks that we are able to listen and act on what God has for us.
Thanks for your prayers and support
Mark and Leah Janowiak
Monday, March 14, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Pictures of Rain Forest International School in Cameroon
Here are a few pictures of Cameroon, but more specific of RFIS where we work. Enjoy!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Learning Everyday Life in Cameroon
The last time I blogged I was listing our first impressions of Cameroon. I believe the next phase of moving into a new country is re-establishing a daily routine. So, let me take you on a day in my shoes here in Yaounde, Cameroon.
On any given weekday I wake up around 5:45 AM, just before the sun comes up. I shower, get dressed, and eat breakfast. Breakfast here is rather mixed, Leah and I have ate a lot of eggs and bread or in a rush just some bread with peanut butter and honey. The one surprising gift has been fresh whole wheat bread, a local Cameroonian lady bakes bread, tortillas, and bagels. Her father then comes around our housing compound in the late afternoon to drop off the fresh baked goods! Leah and I are out of our flat by around 6:45 AM to walk down our road to the main road (about 2 blocks) to catch our ride as we carpool with 3 others that work at RFIS. We usually arrive at RFIS just after 7 AM and I begin my daily routine to check the network, turn on the computer lab desktops and check the nightly backups. We have coffee break for 15 min just after 9 AM and let me tell you they bring in fresh coffee grown by a co-op of farmers in the Northwest part of the country in a town called Bamenda. SO GLAD to have locally grown coffee brewed daily! We break for lunch just after noon and can buy the Cameroonian meal of the day that a local lady prepares and sells for about $1. I will talk more about Cameroonian food later. We usually find a ride back to our compound that has about 20 flats, around 4:30 PM. We then either start to prepare dinner or a couple days a week will walk to a lady's produce stand to buy fresh produce, rice, and oil. We have been growing more comfortable with the type of meals we can prepare here in Cameroon. Through the help of my Cameroonian co-worker we are being introduced to making more traditional Cameroonian meals. Typically it is very affordable to buy produce and it is cheaper buy produce than it is to buy processed foods and that makes me very happy! After dinner we hang out with other missionaries or we relax for a bit before fitting in devotions and head to bed around 10 PM.
Obviously not everyday is the same, but this gives a snapshot of our daily routine that we are settling into here. Between the people, the food, and the environment we are falling in love with Cameroon!
Peace and Joy in Christ
Mark and Leah
On any given weekday I wake up around 5:45 AM, just before the sun comes up. I shower, get dressed, and eat breakfast. Breakfast here is rather mixed, Leah and I have ate a lot of eggs and bread or in a rush just some bread with peanut butter and honey. The one surprising gift has been fresh whole wheat bread, a local Cameroonian lady bakes bread, tortillas, and bagels. Her father then comes around our housing compound in the late afternoon to drop off the fresh baked goods! Leah and I are out of our flat by around 6:45 AM to walk down our road to the main road (about 2 blocks) to catch our ride as we carpool with 3 others that work at RFIS. We usually arrive at RFIS just after 7 AM and I begin my daily routine to check the network, turn on the computer lab desktops and check the nightly backups. We have coffee break for 15 min just after 9 AM and let me tell you they bring in fresh coffee grown by a co-op of farmers in the Northwest part of the country in a town called Bamenda. SO GLAD to have locally grown coffee brewed daily! We break for lunch just after noon and can buy the Cameroonian meal of the day that a local lady prepares and sells for about $1. I will talk more about Cameroonian food later. We usually find a ride back to our compound that has about 20 flats, around 4:30 PM. We then either start to prepare dinner or a couple days a week will walk to a lady's produce stand to buy fresh produce, rice, and oil. We have been growing more comfortable with the type of meals we can prepare here in Cameroon. Through the help of my Cameroonian co-worker we are being introduced to making more traditional Cameroonian meals. Typically it is very affordable to buy produce and it is cheaper buy produce than it is to buy processed foods and that makes me very happy! After dinner we hang out with other missionaries or we relax for a bit before fitting in devotions and head to bed around 10 PM.
Obviously not everyday is the same, but this gives a snapshot of our daily routine that we are settling into here. Between the people, the food, and the environment we are falling in love with Cameroon!
Peace and Joy in Christ
Mark and Leah
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
First Impressions of Cameroon
I thought that the first blog in Cameroon should be some first impressions since we have arrived in Cameroon.
I was trying to write this blog entry a few days ago, so I hope I can remember some of the items that may almost seem normal now.
First Impression #1
People drive like in a video game! Yup!!! No traffic police = no rules to driving. In Cameroon when it comes to driving only 1 rule applies: Never assume the car in front, on the side, or behind you to do what one might expect. We had a motorcycle pass us on the right side of our van and then immediately make a left turn in front of us (all on a normal 2 lane street). The taxi's dart in and out of traffic stopping to pick people up and drop people off. No stop signs, traffic lights, nothing. Some missionaries have commented that it is kind of fun to drive as anything goes, but you always have to watch out for the cars that at full speed come across oncoming traffic from a side street. We will see if I dare to get a Cameroonian driver's license (lots of missionaries do here).
First Impression #2
The Cameroonian food is excellant, but you can find most all Western food here. The Cameroonian food is blessed with so many vegetables and fruits! It is currently the towards the end of the long dry season and still we can buy almost any produce, most from Cameroon (ex. Apples from South Africa, but Cameroon doesn't grow apples any time of year). You can find Western foods (cereal, bread, pasta, canned goods, etc) but for the same or higher price as you would pay in the US.
First Impression #3
We live in a compound with about 10 flats that are divided into about 21 apartments. So missionaries drop by like when people would show up at our dorm in College.
First Impression #4
Bugs/ so far ants are our roommates. Ants (the little sugar ants) can quickly figure out you have food in your kitchen and march themselves from the front door all the way into the kitchen and up the counter.
That is a quick list of first impressions here in Cameroon. Leah and I are continuing to adapt to the nice warm climate, but still enjoy a cat nap on a daily basis. Also, we loved our first semi-real Cameroonian lunch that I made today: Plantain with Red Beans.
That's all for now, I could go on and on.
Mark J
I was trying to write this blog entry a few days ago, so I hope I can remember some of the items that may almost seem normal now.
First Impression #1
People drive like in a video game! Yup!!! No traffic police = no rules to driving. In Cameroon when it comes to driving only 1 rule applies: Never assume the car in front, on the side, or behind you to do what one might expect. We had a motorcycle pass us on the right side of our van and then immediately make a left turn in front of us (all on a normal 2 lane street). The taxi's dart in and out of traffic stopping to pick people up and drop people off. No stop signs, traffic lights, nothing. Some missionaries have commented that it is kind of fun to drive as anything goes, but you always have to watch out for the cars that at full speed come across oncoming traffic from a side street. We will see if I dare to get a Cameroonian driver's license (lots of missionaries do here).
First Impression #2
The Cameroonian food is excellant, but you can find most all Western food here. The Cameroonian food is blessed with so many vegetables and fruits! It is currently the towards the end of the long dry season and still we can buy almost any produce, most from Cameroon (ex. Apples from South Africa, but Cameroon doesn't grow apples any time of year). You can find Western foods (cereal, bread, pasta, canned goods, etc) but for the same or higher price as you would pay in the US.
First Impression #3
We live in a compound with about 10 flats that are divided into about 21 apartments. So missionaries drop by like when people would show up at our dorm in College.
First Impression #4
Bugs/ so far ants are our roommates. Ants (the little sugar ants) can quickly figure out you have food in your kitchen and march themselves from the front door all the way into the kitchen and up the counter.
That is a quick list of first impressions here in Cameroon. Leah and I are continuing to adapt to the nice warm climate, but still enjoy a cat nap on a daily basis. Also, we loved our first semi-real Cameroonian lunch that I made today: Plantain with Red Beans.
That's all for now, I could go on and on.
Mark J
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Please come and take our stuff
So I have this incresing pile of things building up in my living room.
So please tell me if you want it and will come pick it up.
Plastic round outdoor table (has a hole for umbrella, no umbrella) 3 chairs that go with it.
a Dead Mac Desktop (I can give more details if you are intrested, not sure how dead)
Printer/scanner/fax/copier that needs ink
Yarn, Ribbon, hemp
a book on how to make hemp bracelets
poncho jacket thingy
I nice set of knifes and the wooden thing you put them in
electroics (lots)IT stuff, not even sure what some of it is
Older Atlas
And like a million other little things
So please tell me if you want it and will come pick it up.
Plastic round outdoor table (has a hole for umbrella, no umbrella) 3 chairs that go with it.
a Dead Mac Desktop (I can give more details if you are intrested, not sure how dead)
Printer/scanner/fax/copier that needs ink
Yarn, Ribbon, hemp
a book on how to make hemp bracelets
poncho jacket thingy
I nice set of knifes and the wooden thing you put them in
electroics (lots)IT stuff, not even sure what some of it is
Older Atlas
And like a million other little things
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Email Newsletter January 2011
Happy New Year Friends and Family!
So much has happened in the last couple weeks. I wanted to start with a great thanks to all of you for your prayers this past year! God has blessed us, grown and stretched Leah and I over the last year. We have seen God taking us from calling us to Cameroon all the way to giving us the green light to depart for Cameroon. All the encouragement, all the blessings, and seeing God work in our lives week after week has been a truly amazing experience over the last year. We look forward to this next year as we depart for Cameroon and enter the mission field! We look forward to the ways in which God will blow our minds as we works in us and through us in Cameroon. Thanks for all your prayers and donations in this past year and into this year as together with Christ they encourage and make it possible for us to leave for Cameroon.
This newsletter is coming a few days late as Leah and I have both been struck with a strong flu the last few days. We feel blessed that we didn't have to go to the hospital, but we both wondered since we did not have health to take care of each other. We are very thankful we are feeling somewhat better. God gave us each strength at different times to take care of each other and had the kindness of a friend.
We wanted to quickly fill you in on the past couple weeks:
The week of Christmas Mark got his gift he was praying for. Plane tickets! Our fly out date is February 2nd from Detroit.
We filled out our visa application and mailed it in Monday after Christmas.
Figured out our housing with Wycliffe in Cameroon.
Set our move out date at the apartment, our last day in Jackson will be Jan 22nd.
Made plans to see family and friends.
Started packing up our apartment.
When we decided to take the plunge and set a date, buying tickets and sending in our visa had been a difficult, yet easy choice to make. We were not quite where we wanted to be with funding and it was scary not wanting to make the wrong choice. I kept reading all these crazy stories in the Bible, how God asked people to do these outrageous things so He could be glorified. I don't know if you ever read one of these sections and find yourself humored, but I kept shaking my head saying that's crazy who would do that. After deliberation, prayer, speaking with multiple people and looking at Scripture we jumped (set a date), I am happy to report our funding jumped to 85% a few days after we made our decision. We have nothing but peace and excitement (which can get out of control at times) plus a bit of stress of getting everything done.
We have added our story to our blog and will be adding our email newsletters to the blog so that as people get added on to our email listing they can stay in the loop. As always feel free to email mrjanowiak@gmail.com or gracebyfaith711@aim.com if you have questions or interested in more information.
We will be having a going away party during the weekend of January 15 or 16th. I will get more details nailed down here in the next few days for you and will send out a quick email about this. It will be held in Jackson or Ann Arbor.
Please continue to pray with us for 2011 and opportunities to share the Gospel.
--
Peace and Joy in Christ,
Mark and Leah Janowiak
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
So much has happened in the last couple weeks. I wanted to start with a great thanks to all of you for your prayers this past year! God has blessed us, grown and stretched Leah and I over the last year. We have seen God taking us from calling us to Cameroon all the way to giving us the green light to depart for Cameroon. All the encouragement, all the blessings, and seeing God work in our lives week after week has been a truly amazing experience over the last year. We look forward to this next year as we depart for Cameroon and enter the mission field! We look forward to the ways in which God will blow our minds as we works in us and through us in Cameroon. Thanks for all your prayers and donations in this past year and into this year as together with Christ they encourage and make it possible for us to leave for Cameroon.
This newsletter is coming a few days late as Leah and I have both been struck with a strong flu the last few days. We feel blessed that we didn't have to go to the hospital, but we both wondered since we did not have health to take care of each other. We are very thankful we are feeling somewhat better. God gave us each strength at different times to take care of each other and had the kindness of a friend.
We wanted to quickly fill you in on the past couple weeks:
The week of Christmas Mark got his gift he was praying for. Plane tickets! Our fly out date is February 2nd from Detroit.
We filled out our visa application and mailed it in Monday after Christmas.
Figured out our housing with Wycliffe in Cameroon.
Set our move out date at the apartment, our last day in Jackson will be Jan 22nd.
Made plans to see family and friends.
Started packing up our apartment.
When we decided to take the plunge and set a date, buying tickets and sending in our visa had been a difficult, yet easy choice to make. We were not quite where we wanted to be with funding and it was scary not wanting to make the wrong choice. I kept reading all these crazy stories in the Bible, how God asked people to do these outrageous things so He could be glorified. I don't know if you ever read one of these sections and find yourself humored, but I kept shaking my head saying that's crazy who would do that. After deliberation, prayer, speaking with multiple people and looking at Scripture we jumped (set a date), I am happy to report our funding jumped to 85% a few days after we made our decision. We have nothing but peace and excitement (which can get out of control at times) plus a bit of stress of getting everything done.
We have added our story to our blog and will be adding our email newsletters to the blog so that as people get added on to our email listing they can stay in the loop. As always feel free to email mrjanowiak@gmail.com or gracebyfaith711@aim.com if you have questions or interested in more information.
We will be having a going away party during the weekend of January 15 or 16th. I will get more details nailed down here in the next few days for you and will send out a quick email about this. It will be held in Jackson or Ann Arbor.
Please continue to pray with us for 2011 and opportunities to share the Gospel.
--
Peace and Joy in Christ,
Mark and Leah Janowiak
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Christmas Gift
I am the type of person who gets overly excited when I get someone a gift or if someone tells me they got me a gift. I have gotten better, but too many times I guess what my husband got me and he is learning to be trickier. I also tend to want to give it early, whither its birthdays or a holiday. So Christmas has been painful for me because my husband loves to wait to Christmas day to exchange gifts. We went to his parents for Christmas and normally we do our own Christmas gift exchange beforehand. He asked me to wait and we could do all gifts together.
Now let me just stop and bunny trail here for a minute to explain myself. My family is split 3 ways plus being married and friends Christmas is more like a 2 week celebration for me or Hanukkah.
This year I knew I got him an amazing gift, I got him a board game that he has been talking about for like a year. Well I bought it, like a good wife. Every time he asked me what game I wanted to play I wanted to hand him his gift. Christmas day comes and Mark is thrilled. As soon as possible we start trying to put the game together and read the instructions. Now we are minor game geeks, but I did not realize Mark had never played this game. We sat for at least 2 hours (not lying) trying to read the instructions. Now we are both literate and it was written in English. We could not figure the game out. To the point of frustration and we gave up.
Currently there are 340 Million people who do not have Gods word in their own language (www.wycliffe.org) I think Mark and I had a small taste of what it is like to read something and not understand. I was so excited to share this Gift and Mark was so thrilled to receive it; only to realize the complexity and feeling like we couldn’t understand the language. Now I have some training in Spanish and Russian. If you were to hand me the Gospel in either my understanding of God would be horrible limited and frustrating. So give thanks to God for former missionaries who translated your bible into English, and praise for the translation work going on now to give people a gift of His Holy Word. Pray for the continued work that people can hear and read God written word in their own language.
Now let me just stop and bunny trail here for a minute to explain myself. My family is split 3 ways plus being married and friends Christmas is more like a 2 week celebration for me or Hanukkah.
This year I knew I got him an amazing gift, I got him a board game that he has been talking about for like a year. Well I bought it, like a good wife. Every time he asked me what game I wanted to play I wanted to hand him his gift. Christmas day comes and Mark is thrilled. As soon as possible we start trying to put the game together and read the instructions. Now we are minor game geeks, but I did not realize Mark had never played this game. We sat for at least 2 hours (not lying) trying to read the instructions. Now we are both literate and it was written in English. We could not figure the game out. To the point of frustration and we gave up.
Currently there are 340 Million people who do not have Gods word in their own language (www.wycliffe.org) I think Mark and I had a small taste of what it is like to read something and not understand. I was so excited to share this Gift and Mark was so thrilled to receive it; only to realize the complexity and feeling like we couldn’t understand the language. Now I have some training in Spanish and Russian. If you were to hand me the Gospel in either my understanding of God would be horrible limited and frustrating. So give thanks to God for former missionaries who translated your bible into English, and praise for the translation work going on now to give people a gift of His Holy Word. Pray for the continued work that people can hear and read God written word in their own language.
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