Dream Fulfilled -- My Second Trip to Cameroon Jan to Mar 2011

My heart is overflowing with the events of the last two days.

On Sunday I preached at Ruth's church, the Evangelical Reformed Church. Sam had preached in January. For awhile it looked like I was not going to have my chance because of the multi-week celebration of the ordination of the young pastor who has been an intern here for several years. But then this last Sunday opened up.  Providentially, the Gospel lesson according to the lectionary was the Samaritan Woman at the Well.

The women's group of which Ruth is a part -- and which I have enjoyed so much here -- prepared two special songs. One, "Toi le femme" (You the woman)," is the song of the synod-wide women's group. It affirms the place of women before God and offers praise of God. In one verse it says that once we were slaves but . . . now we are in the pulpit. They sang this as I climbed the steps into the high pulpit that towers over everybody. In the chorus when "Toi the femme" is sung three times, they all point at another woman, so I pointed at women in the congregation, here, there, and far in the back. It was great fun.

 I started out by summarizing my experiences here including the celebration of International Women's Day. I said I hoped for the day when we didn't need a special day to affirm women because they would be free to become all God meant them to be, and thus would be affirmed every day. But alas, that day has not come. I summarized the exploitation of women here and around the world which led me into the discussion of the Woman at the Well, a woman who probably had few options open to her and had to get by somehow.

The sermon was very well received. I received positive feedback as I greeted people afterward. But the most amazing feedback came at women's group. Ruth hosted the group at her house and attendance was grand. They had their usual Bible study. These women's preparation was impressive and discussion was lively.

Then one of the women spoke to me on behalf of the group. She spoke in French, but I got the sense of it.  She said it was no small thing for me to have stayed with my friend for three months and to do all I have done. She said that I should remember that I'm not visiting just one friend, but many friends. Most touching of all, she said that I had not mounted the stairs of the pulpit alone but that in doing so I had elevated all women.

Originally published: March 29, 2011