From Sharon:
Treana, thank you so much for the blog and for taking on this mission. While we all like to ponder what WE can do to help, or how we can teach the people of Cameroon the things we know, the question I have after reading your blogs is this: What can we learn from the people you met in Cameroon? What do they have that we do not, or that we have forgotten?
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for this excellent question. I think we can learn a LOT from our Cameroonian friends: the importance of family and community; the value of taking time to just ‘be’, without worrying about deadlines and schedules; and taking a moment to understand and appreciate what is really important in our lives. Being ruled by money, time and acquisitions gives us an entirely different set of problems!
While there is a lot of poverty to be seen in the regions where we work, there is also an energy that cannot be described in words. It’s apparent in the faces of the people, can be seen in the dancing and heard in the singing. There is a lot of beauty and joy in Africa that I think comes from being open to explore and accept the love of your family, friends and community.
We recently put together a short video to capture this very thing – which I cannot wait to share with you. After watching it, you will understand for yourself. 
Great question and an even better answer, can’t wait to see the video xx
Living in a rural community, I hear so many stories from the older generation about the good old days! Families actually walked to eachother’s houses for card games, socializing and just spending time together! They didn’t have the huge machinery with lights enabeling them to work continously, and cover thousands of acres. There was one farmstead on almost every mileline. They had communal harvesting days where they all got toether and HELPED eachother harvest, then danced and socailized when the work was done. Now it seems the work is never DONE!! They didn’t have the distraction of TVs, DVDs, Computers, Videogames, and cellphones; they sat down as a family and told stories or sang and played games. I often wonder just how ADVANCED our civilization is now?? What about what we have LOST in the process of ADVANCING!! Sorry so long winded – but your blog is just so thought provoking Treana
Thanks, Treana, I could tell from your blogs that you come away from your trips with things you have learned and new insights on life, and you are so kind to share them with us. It seems as if we spend our Western lives acquiring, organizing, maintaining and protecting our stuff and it keeps us from spending time with people. In your photos from Cameroon I see an openness and a connection in the faces, compared to any big city in the West where we block out strangers. I cannot wait to see the video and the snapshots the ladies took. {{hugs}} ♥