Dearest in Christ,
Greetings to you all in the name of Jesus whom we preach. We do hope you are doing great in all that you do.
We are doing our best, many still have struggles here in one thing or the other. We praise God that we are alive, and we still have energy to worship and obey God’s command in our lives.
Our students continue daily and weekly to grow as time is running out for them to prepare themselves for ministry. Many spend time in their personal meditation and research. We shall begin writing third quarter exams for the long courses by the end of this month while we await, by His grace, the arrival of a short course instructor, elder Randy, to come and teach the book of Hebrews. Keep him in your prayers.
This week, youth all over the country were meeting in Banga Bakundu along Kumba road for the annual youth retreat, on the theme “Being Good Stewards of God’s Blessings.” Our youth were there and they made their way back safe and sound.
Some of our students went to 8 different congregations for weekend evangelism. They left under a torrential down pour of rain, but we must go for souls at times even when it is risky. We know God is there to always help us. One of our students, Assah Menge Peter, was soaked with the heavy rain because his area for weekend evangelism can only be reached by motorcycle. When he arrived the congregation had their Bible class. He entered the church hall and could not teach because of high fever and cough. He could not stand, so he was rushed to the nearby hospital. I went to the place on Saturday to check on him and to buy drugs. He is a bit more calm now. Please keep him in your prayers.
Over the week, I paid another visit to the Buea central prison, which we sent an application to in order to start a prison ministry there. It was an opportunity to meet with the administrator who was also happy to welcome me in his office and gave me access to share the good news on printed papers. Many thanks to Mission Printing and all those concerned that facilitated the bringing of the ocean container of tracts to us. The brethren in the prison whom brother Vincent baptized while in detention were filled with joy to see me and how I am struggling to pave the way through the administration in prison to be sending them preachers to come and help them grow. It was a moment for those who have weak eyes to cry as you see people eager and thirsty over their souls, not the physical affliction of their bodies. The converts who are not vested with the scripture continue to manage organizing worship every Sunday for two hours as the prison laws demands. The administrator wants me to come back within the week for us to finalize access to the prison with wine. I told him even though wine is prohibited in prison yards in Cameroon, but the church of Christ cannot worship without us using wine on the Lord’s table. I assured him that there is wine that is non alcoholic, that we are using in our congregation. He said I should buy one and show him when next I come. Keep this tussle in your prayers.
It is worth it for us to do it. Many of the prison officers took tracts from me and said when next I come they will ask questions after reading, if there are questions.
Sister Florence now is my newest neighbor. She came to Wotutu barely two months ago, and she lives opposite my door in the same compound where we are renting. She can hear our “Back to the Bible” program loud and clear and she stopped me to find out many things after few days. I gave her some tracts to read and get back to me as she needs clarification, wow, a staunch apostolic member with her children. One early morning she came to stay with us in the church hall and watch us as we preached to the entire community. Afterward, she remained and attended our morning devotions with our students. Oh, what a God, who calls His own to Himself. This week she said, “It is true there is but one body, the church. I am ready and happy to become a member of the body of Christ, the Church of Christ.” Oh, with tears of joy in me I shouted thank you Lord. She said, “I will be more serious than I was in the denomination, because I am now starting to work for God.” She speaks both English and French. Please keep her in your prayers. She will be a vessel that the Lord can use from many angles in His church.
After her baptism, sister Florence said, “If I have the opportunity to dance for Jesus, then I can do it, but the Bible does not say so.” She said, “There is life in Christ.”
Sister Lilian obeyed the gospel. She lIves far from the church hall, but she can hear the message preached every morning and our tracts, with contact information, are in almost every house in Wotutu. Keep our efforts in your prayers.
Sister Yvette Enongene also obeyed the gospel. Keep her in your prayers.
A total of 3 souls obeyed the gospel last week in Wotutu, while we had 3 souls also in the Mile 16 congregation, who came to us and said we should be sending our students to come and help them. This morning the congregation who used to have 45-50 in worship, worshipped with 74. It means the weekend evangelism that is trying to get backsliders to come back is working. Many will love to attend worship where they know they will understand the message from someone competent. That is what I can see in this congregation, as we started working with them these past 4 weeks. Keep praying as we train preachers and put them on pulpits all over the nation. Our other weekend mission fields are healthy as we still struggle to meet up with the weekly work no matter the bad weather conditions and poor roads to some villages. This is what the “Counting the Cost” class is doing for our new converts.
Plans
We are making plans for the work in Isokolo, which is still pending. We are still struggling to get a house to rent for worship. Keep this work in your prayers.
Appreciations
God bless you for being there for us because, if not of your prayers, love and support it would not have been easy for the smooth running of this work. God bless you and watch over you. Keep us in your prayers. Do your best to share this report with others.
Make a great week.
Elangwe and family
By His grace director CBIW