From the field - April 2026

Darren and Lori arrived in Cameroon on September 30, 2025. Their arrival was met with a whirlwind of activity and necessary steps to begin life in their new home. From purchasing the necessary appliances for their home, securing drivers license, and securing their new Speed the Light vehicle, their first few days felt rushed and busy. At the same time they were encountering the realities of living in a new country that was very different than their former reality.

In those first few weeks it was more about just waking up each morning with the reality they were living in Africa and everything was different. From daily tasks and responsibilities to simply going to the grocery story or trying to secure currency from the local ATM.

Driving in Cameroon is difficult at best. The road conditions and busy streets filled with many motos (motorcycle taxis) and people walking, a quick drive to the nearest grocery store is a minimum of an hour experience that leaves you exhausted once you return home. Food pre is different and seems to take longer and your decision to bring some of our favorite spices suddenly seems like the greatest decision we made.

Church services are long and even with 11 months of language school our comprehension of even a basic conversation feels difficult at best and exhausting. Everything is different.

But at the end of the day, feeling exhausted seems familiar and being overwhelmed seems normal. Now, six months later, we still experience the weariness of long days with new challenges each day, we find ourselves at home.