Yaounde, Mvan Rue 8.154 Maison No. 212

We are settling in our new home in Yaounde. It is actually very nice in the 3rd floor. We do not yet have everything but with time, we will buy what we need.

Kribi Leadership Meeting

In January ending of 2019, the CABTAL leadership team had a meeting in Kribi. This was a time for the leadership team to pray, look back, look at the present and look ahead to see how the Lord is leading the way. It was also a time to begin working on the Strategic plan for the next couple of years.

LT Connect, IT Connect and ICCM Francophone Africa

LT Connect or mini Outilingua: The task of Bible translation and language development is very enormous and requires the work of Translators, Linguists, Literacy staff, Scripture Engagement workers etc. All these people require specialized computer applications to be able to carry on with their activities. It is the role of the language technology worker to ensure that everyone who needs a special piece of software is well trained to use it. For this reason, LT Connect makes the resources and tools available so that IT staff, who are not necessarily LT workers, can help. Primary reason for this is because there are hardly any LT workers to begin with. For me, this is also a beginning point in training LT workers.

LT Connect participants

Joined IT Connect and ICCM Conference:    
IT Connect is an annual training event of IT staff serving in Bible translation with SIL International and Alliance Organisations in Africa. It is a time to connect and share updates on what is going on in our areas of work. Learn from one another, share challenges and above all, be in a community of practice, with the knowledge that IT is one of the core services in the success of  Bible Translation.

ITConnect and ICCM Participants in Burkina Faso

How was LT Connect done?
During the 2.5 days LT event participants  were basically given language technology tasks to resolve. Although resources were available such as the above website, ask other LT experts, the expectation was that they wrestle with these tasks first and determine what they could do to resolve them.
For some staff this was very challenging and for some it was less of a challenge. For my team (Etienne and Kadada), they found it easy because I have included them in LT events that I organise so they can learn bit by bit. Besides supporting IT related issues we are very willing and able to also support LT related issues. We would welcome more LT related support requests.

CABTAL team to Burkina Faso in Jan 2019

How was IT Connect/ICCM done this year? This year, IT Connect and ICCM participants were given topics to prepare and teach (facilitate). This was not easy for most of them because they are not often involved in training but in the end, it was an idea that they really appreciated. They want to facilitate lessons more and more so as to be comfortable and capable in their different roles. There were several topics to choose from.

Next steps: We expect that every participant will take what they have learned, discuss with their leadership and see how it can best be applied in their context according the needs in place. We also expect to see a wider community of practice amongst colleagues harnessing the available technology to expedite the work of Bible translation and language development in Africa.

My role in these events: Initially, I had heard that Francophone IT staff are really struggling. In my role, I get in touch with them once in a while as we work in an IT community  of practice offering help to one another. As one of the conference facilitators, I worked with three participants preparing teaching modules. This was an opportunity for me to coach them to do this successfully. I was equally involved in interviews with the participants in finding out how things are going for them in their locations.

Meeting with Douada IT staff @ SIL Niger

Photo pose with Ziba Dieudonne, IT staff at ANTBA

Bye bye Bamenda and welcome to Yaounde

January 4th, I finally received the administrative letter that I have been transferred to serve with CABTAL officially from Yaounde. This news brought a lot of immediate changes to us as a family. We had to make very quick but now confirmed decisions. We have been making plans to send Caritas and Marie to Yaounde to school there but we had a hard time finding a boarding school for them or someone to house both of them for us even in the meantime. So the new of the transfer just confirms that God wants us to move at this time. As we planned to travel on Saturday the 5th, we heard word that there is going to be a ghost town beginning that Saturday until Wednesday. We were really disturbed because if I don't leave for Yaounde immediately, I will miss my flight to Burkina Faso on Tuesday the 8th. A friend advised that we leave very early that Saturday and we finally left Bamenda at 6:30 AM. We were going and observing the road and felt very very safe once we crossed from the NW region to the West region (from English speaking soil to French speaking soil). 

We praise God for guiding us out safely because later on, we heard at least one vehicle was burnt down to ashes as they tried driving in town. It was a very long ride to Yaounde but we made if safely in one piece. We were highly welcomed to our apartment in CABTAL. We had been offered this to be there for 2 to 3 weeks while looking for a place of our own. This was a very beautiful apartment with a very nice view of the Eastern part of Yaounde. Our girls really enjoyed staying at the guest house and got a good reading spot outside amidst the fresh air and beautiful view. 

Picking rice to cook

Lilian had gone back to Yaounde so the girls are taking care of the house

On Monday, we got admission for our girls in a school nearby and paid all the tuition. The head teacher was kind enough to reduce a little bit so that we will not pay the full amount. This was very good for us as we had paid a huge sum too in Bamenda. They are really settling down well in school and making new friends. 

While I left for Burkina Faso the following day, my wife continued looking for a house for us. This was a very difficult experience for her for two weeks but finally, the Lord led us into a very beautiful house. We finally got a contract done, had electricity and water setup and we are in there now. We are really enjoying the premises. The site is really good and accessible. We are only battling with mosquitoes.  Our things also arrived safely from Bamenda. Parking from our house and my office was done all in my absence. My wife did an amazing job with the help of my brother Terence and my colleague Eliot. 

Our house in Yaounde. We are on the 3rd floor

This is our street. Our house is number 212