Out of hibernation!

A few months ago, Josh and I went to conference for missionaries returning to the States. During the conference, we were asked what “season” we felt we were in. I responded by saying that I felt like I was in winter- in hibernation actually-a time of withdrawing, resting, and preparing for our next season of ministry. (Apparently there was some hibernating from the Blog too since there has been nothing new on here since August- sorry!) This time at home in Arizona has been really important for us to reflect on our last term in the Central African Republic and Cameroon, recharge our batteries, refill our cups, and prepare for the next season of ministry- we will be heading back to Banyo, Cameroon in January!

Before we talk about what is next for us, here's a recap of what we've been doing since returning from Cameroon:

• Lots of great time with family and friends! We have enjoyed living close to Josh's parents and vising my family in Georgia. Charlie has had great visits with cousins. And we have really loved catching up with our good friends!
• Charlie started preschool and LOVES it! She asks everyday if it is a “school day.” She has also made many new friends.

• As Charlie is getting older, we have been experiencing a lot of fun kid activities like going to birthday parties, taking trips to the zoo, learning to ride a bike, and being obsessed with Frozen! Knowing that some of these activities cannot be experienced in Cameroon, I especially enjoy them and try not to take simple things like playing at the playground for granted! We are trying to pack in all of the fun that is for sure!                                          

• Josh started working for the company that he sold before we went to Africa- Adopt Technologies (formally Directrix). He does not like to be idle for long so he is happy to be back in his IT element.

• I am also doing what I love- being a mom! It has been such a blessing to be able to stay home with Charlie and get to enjoy all of these fun childhood moments.

• And of course we have been enjoying all of the restaurants, shopping, movie theaters and other conveniences of America. Oh Target, how I love thee! And let's not even talk about the food! Cheese, cheese, and more cheese for sure!

Stay tuned for more frequent updates! Don't forget you can check out our page on the Covenant website here: http://www.covchurchgiving.com/p-298-missionaries-joshua-and-lori-shinar.aspx You can even donate there is you wish!

Home again, home again!

Home again, home again jiggity jig! We have been back in the US for over 2 weeks now and it has been a whirlwind of fun and crazy. The reverse culture shock has not been too bad- so far Charlie has not pulled down her pants and peed in any public location- or at least that I know of.

I think the transition has been so easy because we have been blessed by people who have taken care of us and doted on us in so many ways. Our first US blessing came when our plane landed in Chicago. Dear friends of ours picked us up, let us take showers at their house, fed us, and supplied a plethora of toys for Charlie to play with. It was the best 8 hour lay over we have ever had! Then when we arrived in Phoenix, Josh's parents picked us up at the airport and have been blessing us non-stop since. They have graciously let us stay at their house until Josh gets a job and we find a place to live. They have also taken on the role as "the most funnest people ever" according to Charlie. As soon as she wakes up, she wants to play with Grandma and Grandpa and amazingly they usually want to play with her too! This provided me lots of time for my consigning project.

(Notice the outfit Charlie is wearing- 6 month old outfit that should have gone to the sale, but is perfect for "tea" with Grandma).

Much of my time so far has consisted of getting Charlie's old baby items ready to sell at a consignment sale, working at the consignment sale, and buying new fun toys and clothes at the consignment sale. There was also a few shopping trips thrown in there- ok more than a few and also several dining out experiences.

Josh has been keeping busy looking for a job in the IT field- searching for openings, networking, and brushing up on his skills. And lots of Myth Busters watching.

Charlie has been having a blast playing at the playgrounds and splash pads. We have gone to the library and the Children's Museum also. Add to that swimming and new toys- we have worn her out every day. She is having a blast, but almost everyday asks when we are going back to our home in Banyo because "she misses her friends."



We have transitioned back to the American lifestyle quite easily, but occasionally I look at the things around me like one of my African friends might. The first time I went to the grocery store, I was overwhelmed by the abundance of produce- and how clean it was. There was no dirt on the carrots! When I walked through the mall, I thought about how crazy/amazing it is that there are so many brightly lit, beautifully decorated store there were that just sold clothes! When we first drove on the roads in Chicago, Charlie kept on saying "whoo, whoo, whoo." She was so excited by how "fast" we were going.

Thank you for all of your prayers! We are so thankful to be home with family and friends.

No place like home...

There is no place like home, there is no place like home....

Sorry for the Wizard of Oz opening, but Charlie loves this movie and it is often in my head- as is Annie, but I will spare you my singing “Tomorrow” because it will most definitely get stuck in your head for all of eternity.

I digress.

This time next week, the Shinars will be back in the States! Maybe I should say we will be “home” in a couple of weeks, but really Banyo feels just as much like home to us now. Maybe the best thing to say is that we will be at our other “home” in a few weeks!

 

As a missionary, you learn to get used to dichotomy. We are American, but no longer like we once were. We are African, but not really. We are foreign, but familiar. Everything around us is familiar, yet foreign. We feel at home in 2 different places. So naturally, our feelings are split when it comes to returning to the States. There are many things we will miss and many things we that make us excited about returning!

Food- Almost everyday, Charlie will say, “When we go to Grandma's house, we will have lots of....”
99.9% of the time she fills in the blank with food- cheese, blueberries, ice cream, etc. (Once she said we will have lots of toothpaste and tooth brushes!) We all are looking forward to foods we can only dream of while in Africa like sushi and tender chicken, but at the same time we are going to miss our 20 cent humungous, creamy avocados, the exotic guavas that are just starting to produce, and local foods like egusi (pumpkin seed soup).

Clothes- Surprisingly, Josh thinks my African mumus leave something to be desired, yet I have to admit I am going to miss the joy that is loose, comfortable tent-like clothing. And having only 5 outfits makes getting dressed easy. But I get his point. We have a running joke amongst the missionaries about Josh and his never ending supply of gray t-shirts. They are all he wears. My eyes wouldn't mind seeing him in something a little more fashion forward! But like me and my mumus, he thinks his gray shirts are sublime. So an immediate trip to the mall is in store for us upon arrival! Also related to the clothes thing, on the top of my “things I am excited about having in America” list is a dryer. Rainy season weather is not very conducive for drying clothes outside on a clothesline. I cannot tell you how many hours a week I spend hanging clothes, moving clothes in and out of rain, in and out of the sun, in and out of the house, etc. On average it takes 2 days to dry clothes! And often, the clothes start to turn ripe smelling. To have warm, fluffy clothes that smell like Tide and Downy straight out of the dryer sounds dreamy.

Weather- If there is one thing we are not split about, it is weather. Rainy season is not great for clothes drying, but it is gorgeous and the temperature is perfect- not too hot in the day and cool at night. The sound of the rain at night when falling asleep is amazing. Now, the weather in Phoenix at this time- not so amazing. Boo. Hiss. Not looking forward to that at all.

Activities- On the flip side, we are not going to miss the lack of things to do (especially after dark) here in rural Africa. I realized the other day that we have not been anywhere after 6pm in almost a year! When we get back to the States, I am going to go to the movies or out to eat at night and I am not going to wear a head covering. I know, scandalous!

People- Of course what pulls our hearts in opposite directions the most are the people we love. We are beyond excited to see friends and family. I can't wait for Charlie to interact with her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins again. I can't wait to be with them either! But, when I think about our friends we are leaving behind, my heart aches. I know that we will see most of them again, but when I think of my elderly patients and the fragility of life in Africa, the what-ifs make me teary. Today when I said goodbye to a patient and good friend of mine, we were both in tears. Me crying is not that big of a deal, but these people rarely even cry when a loved one dies so to see her crying was special and heartbreaking!  

 

On that note, maybe now might be a good time to break out in Annie's “Tomorrow!”

Mango Mania!

 

 

 

I don't know if I ever ate a mango in the States- perhaps the occasional Mango Strawberry Smoothie at some smoothie shop, but never a whole fresh, juicy mango in all of its glory. When we first moved to Cameroon 2 years ago, we arrived in the middle of mango season. Wow, I had been missing out! We feasted everyday on them. Little baby Charlie LOVED them to the point where they caused an unfortunate increase in diaper changes! We would tell our house help not to give her anymore, and of course she would cave and give Charlie a big bowl after the slightest whimper of “maaango pwees.” Notice the mango bits all over her face and bib! Who could deny such a cute babe?! 

 

 

 

 Last year, we evacuated Africa and missed most of the mango season, but this year the mango party is on again! They are everywhere. Almost everyone has a tree near them. There is a road near all of the municipal buildings in town that is lined with mango trees. The air is permeated with the smell of fallen fruit that has fermented. We also have a mango tree in our yard, but sadly ours has only produced like 5 whereas most trees produce hundreds. Luckily for us, we can buy 3 mangos for 20 cents at the market! We have eaten so many, I am surprised we are not orange. Almost everyday we eat mango slices. But I have also embarked on some mango recipes- green mango pie (unripe ones taste like apples when cooked), mango cobbler, a botched attempt at mango sticky rice, and the latest recipe- mango Italian ice. Oh yum. Two years after being introduced to mangos, Charlie still is obsessed! Here favorite treat is to get every last bite off of the mango pits!

 

 

 

The Beach!

Josh went to Central African Republic in May and all of the other expats in our area were either home in the States or on Yaounde (12 hours away) for a meeting. So as not to be the only missionaries left in Banyo, Charlie and I headed down to Yaounde as well to hang out with friends. We thought Josh would be in CAR for a month, but he was able to get the work done earlier than expected. He returned to Yaounde and we had a week to wait before our ride back to Banyo would be finished with his meetings, so we decided to drive a few hours to the coast of Cameroon. You may remember that last year when we evacuated, we went to Kribi to “wait out the situation” in hopes of a quick return. Well, a year later we returned to Kribi with a lot less stress and worry. All we had to worry about was this:

Ah, the beautiful ocean was just steps from our hotel door! (So close in fact that one night our room flooded- water, sand, seaweed, crabs, and all!) We lounged and played and ate so much fish and shrimp! It was a great break and we are thankful for the time to rest and play as a family!

 

 

Danforth Days in Banyo!

I have always wanted to be one of the cool bloggers that have guest bloggers on their blog! Well, I don't know if this counts or not- but I stole a blog from the Danforths about their visit to Banyo. Why rewrite a blog that was done so well already?! Enjoy!



Oh, what fun!  We had a super 2 days with the Shinars, and I can tell you honestly that though we miss them at Gamboula, it was wondrous to see them shine in this new place of ministry.   Josh was a delight with his enthusiasm over the great new system of internet he had installed for the whole station. They have had some disappointments lately with believers, and Josh has taken some major responsibilities on just for the They have had some disappointments lately with believers, and Josh has taken some major responsibilities on just for the interim.

 

Charlie was fun, not just because she is the cutest little curly top, but she is a trip to have a conversation with.   She sure latched on to Grandpa Roy – they were coloring partners.

 



We had a tour of the very nicely kept hospital, and Lori has many new friends there, including Dr. Smith, one of the most humble and gentle men I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.  Lori does home visits to Fulani, and we were privileged to go with her to the home of one of the cutest little old men you’d ever hope to see.  He was hit by a motorcycle 8 months ago, resulting in 2 broken legs and a broken arm.  When we asked if he’d mind us taking pictures, he turned to me and asked me if I had any teeth for him!  Oh my goodness what a kick!  His 4 front top teeth are missing, and he’s always asking Lori if she has teeth for him!  Well, when he found out I didn’t just happen to have dentures in my pocket, he proceeded to pull out a mirror to make sure his hat was sitting exactly right on his head.   After 3 or maybe 4 adjustments, he was satisfied and let John take his photo (which for some reason disappeared from the camera).  He was SO serious, no smiles for the camera – partially because of his missing teeth, I suppose.

 

He sure was smiley as we talked to him.  He was at the point in his rehab that it was time for him to stand up for the first time in 8 months, so Lori and I helped him up.  He did have to be convinced beforehand that his legs wouldn’t just break again under his weight.  (What weight?!?!—he probably weighs 90 lbs dripping wet!)  Though Lori was chatting with him in fulfulde the whole time, at one point he turned to me and said over and over again as if she wouldn’t understand, “you tell Charlie’s mama thank you, thank you”.   Lori’s eyes teared up, mine too, and she quickly changed the subject, but that was AWESOME.  What love and friendship has grown there!  Lori always takes along one of the Fulani guy believers, so that the door she opens by showering love and care can be followed up on with deep talk, heart sharing, and prayer.

We were thrilled to worship with Fulani Jesus followers and to meet the Shinars’ friends, including some orphan boys who are lovingly being cared for believers on the station.

Our travels on the long road north were punctuated by beautiful scenery, very unlike what we are used to in CAR.  God is good, all the time!

A Zack attack in Banyo!

In May, we had a most excellent visitor- Josh's brother Zack also known as “bro,” “Uncle Zack” or “Dr. Zack.” The day after he arrived in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, he jumped full on into African life- he took public transport! Many, many hours were spent cramped in a smelly, bumpy bus. There were even “salesmen” on the bus trying to sell medical supplies like blood pressure cuffs. True to Zack Shinar fashion, he was an enthusiastic participant in the new experience.

Fast forward to his last day, the Baptist Hospital of Banyo had a special service to thank Zack for his work at the hospital.

At the ceremony, one of the men prayed that Zack would have more energy to do more good works. More energy?! I don't think anyone that knows Zack would think that he lacks energy! True to form, Zack saw and did everything that Banyo had to offer:

• He worked daily with Dr. Smith at the hospital seeing patients and participating in surgeries.

• He ran up Mount Banyo every chance he got.
• He walked to places I have never even been in Banyo.
• He went to the cow market and ate “questionable meat.”
• He hosted “Africa Gospel Radio” twice.
• He thoroughly entertained Charlie

 

• He helped the pastor's wife pull weeds in her garden.
• He went to the local Labor Day parade.
• He helped teach masculine and feminine nouns to people learning English.
• He rode a rickety bike here, there, and everywhere.
• He navigated the market by himself.
• He taught the hospital staff about EKGs, medications, emergency diagnostics, etc.
• He set up an “emergency corner” where supplies for emergencies could be easily obtained.
• He beat up Josh a bit

• And much more!

We had a great time with Zack and were sad to see him go! You can check out some of his radio appearances and an interview he did with the hospital's Nurse Anesthetist here: http://edecmo.org/edecmo-episode-9-antithesis-ecpr-african-inginuity/