Article by Stephens
Latest Article by Gary and Ruth Stephens (Missionaries to Cameroon):
Gracious Friends,
We have a coffee pot. Sometimes it works the way we would like it to work - sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it leaks, but then, amazingly, it keeps on working. But the good news is that it does work. When I think about our coffee pot my mind wanders in two different directions. In a way, Africa is like our coffee pot. Sometimes we don't have water; sometimes we don't have power. When we have neither (which isn't too often) life can become miserable. But life here goes on, and some of the most miserable moments shine the brightest. It works by God's grace. You may know where I'm going with this, but not its implications. God's plan is at work, sometimes the way we want, but sometimes it seems to be incredibly "leaky". But He is at work!
Last October we decided to take our home assignment from July 2008 to June 2009. What could we see of the future? We prayed and it seemed that our sons might become engaged. They have! Matthew is to be married to Lyra Buco in November and Peter intends to be married to Mary Van Nattan as soon as circumstances allow. My doctoral work required that I take some time away from the pressure of school life. Our stamina had not fared well in the Kumba climate. And truthfully, for the first time in our lives, Ruth and I found ourselves under someone with whom we just couldn't work together as a team. Our strategy: To get out of the way and see what God would do through others. We put the matter to Him and received two invitations to teach in other places.
Then we were surprised. At the end of the academic year our president resigned, effective August 1st. A couple of days ago, the vice president of the school, who also occupied the posts of technical operations manager and dean of student affairs announced that he would be leaving for school about the middle of June. Half of the teaching staff, and seven crucial positions will be vacant for next year! And we only started with eight staff members. Our students-not to mention the leadership of the Cameroon Baptist Convention-are in shock.
The financial situation complicates the situation. No outside sources fund the school, and internal funding is not sufficient to support the needs of a theological institution. This presents a profoundly pessimistic picture for the future-if it were not for the great need for such a school in the coastal area of Cameroon. Throughout this last year we have encouraged someone to come and stand in for us over the coming year. By human standards the hour is very late to ask again. But we ask and pray. The need has gone from urgent to critical. Even the closure of the school for a short time would have monumental consequences for the 100+ students currently enrolled.
Underneath all this, something else, almost too-tender for words, happened. Ruth saw her infant "Women's Institute for Ministry" through to its sweet, but noxious end. Try teaching with babies on the desks and screaming children looking through the wire that separates your ordered class room world from their chaos. But they made it with grace; she and her five women. And in teaching and mentoring, I ended up with a flock of the closest relationships that I've ever had in my life. The Old Testament became sweet; Hermeneutics turned electric; Apologetics took on flesh and bone; and even Philosophy rose from the dead and became a friend to students needing to sort out truth from falsehood in their lives. It was all gloriously exhausting, confusing, and unexpectedly gratifying.
Well, thanks so much for praying us through the two political crises, the physical exhaustion and bewilderment. Currently, I am working on a chapter of my thesis and Ruth is organizing the house in preparation for packing. In reality, we are still in the thick of many lives, attempting to be dependable, encouraging and pointers to grace. We will arrive in Chicago July 9th, and another race will be on. We will write again before we leave. But in closing I must give you a heads-up on something. As always, thanks for your financial support, however, for the first time in many years we will need to raise support to return to Cameroon for the two and one-half years we have left to work here. Please keep that in mind. Pray for our travels and decisions, my work at Oxford from Aug. 4-Sept 16, our family as we may face unexpected challenges this next year-and that we will seek God's Kingdom first-in all things.
With heartfelt thanks,
The Stephens