Dearest In Christ,
Greetings and love from your brothers and sisters in Christ here in Cameroon. We do hope you are doing great in all that you do for the family and the church. God bless you and all your efforts for His work here on earth.
As I am writing this report, we just returned from the long trip where we spent five days on house-to-house evangelism in Lebialem. God went ahead of us and fertilized the land for the seed to germinate as we sow it. It was another huge success as we saw the power of God’s word changing lives and giving hope to the hopeless, and above all rescuing many from the captivity of Satan.
Two 30 seats vans were hired for the trip to Lebialem because both current students and graduates of CBIW were part of the trip to take the gospel to Menji for the very first time. God gave us a safe trip to and from. We thank you for all your prayers.
Our mission in Lebialem was for evangelism, as we do our best to practice our motto: Evangelism is our Mission and our Mission is Evangelism. The people were happy to welcome us. They were so receptive, as they were hearing something new from the Bible away from their Roman Catholic teaching.
Both current students and graduates from CBIW were happy to be part of that history making event, to establish a new congregation in Menji, the administrative capital of Lebialem.
The CBIW family is growing, as the trip was an opportunity for the current students to meet with their seniors who were in CBIW before them. Contacts and other fellowship was part of the trip.
We moved from one house to another, from one market place and office to another, and a total of more than 20 cartons of tracts from Mission Printing were shared, meaning thousands of copies in the hands of people who love to read and are eager to study some more. Keep this effort in your prayers so that it will bear fruit soon.
I was privileged to share the gospel with an educated icon in the Menji community. He is a retired mayor. He was happy to know the steps of salvation from our tracts. He said he will study more. I saw a bright tomorrow from him, as he was taking his time to read the tracts. Many thanks to Mission Printing for the ocean container that was sent to us, which is helping us accomplish much, to God all glory goes.
The chief of Menji was part of the whole program. He hosted us in his palace, something which I have never seen in my life, that the chief would allow the church inside the palace and right into the conference room, and allow us to cook in his kitchen and sleep in other rooms in the palace. He also worshiped with us today, with his wives. We gave him the tract on polygamy, and he said, “hahahaha.” I love the Lord and the word he has heard, but it will be difficult for him to remain with one wife because he will be laughed at by other chiefs. Many wives exposes your wealth. Keep chief Fomenki in your prayers, as I saw open doors in him.
The house-to-house evangelism exposes the truth to entire Roman Catholic dominated communities. The word, which is more than atomic bomb, went into the hearts of many who looked down on their positions in denominations, like one sister, who was the president of a denominational group with the Presbyterian organization. She was overjoyed to obey the truth and also to move around and tell her members what has happened in her life. With tears, I saw how the gospel is amazing. Keep her in your prayers, as she is pregnant. The husband said, “let my wife keep going, I will watch her and follow if need be.”
Our intention was to go and establish a new congregation in Menji, but God had something more than that to accomplish in Menji. We baptized a lady pastor of the Deeper Life denomination in another village. Our students were preaching and teaching the gospel inside the market and they met her. She was aggressive from the beginning and told our students to go to unbelievers who don’t know Christ. They pleaded with her that she can even take a tract and read. She took a reply to a denominational preacher, just the caption attracted her and she started reading there in the market. She called them to come and that opened close to 3 hours of study with her. She later apologized for her behavior and told them, “I have almost led many to hell including my poor old mother.” They told her repent and be baptized. She obeyed in the market and invited some of them to come to her village and preach the same message. The next day we went there and baptized the other adult of that denomination and placed the name Church of Christ, Belehngeh. So we have another congregation, making two congregations established during this trip. God is faithful and the field continues to be wide and laborers are few. One of our graduates, who is already working in two congregations near to these, will work in all 4 congregations, but that will not be possible and it will not help keep these souls alive. We need to start from this weekend sending our students to go and help. It will cost us 23.000 frs to make this happen weekly. If not, our efforts may be down. Keep this in your prayers and your thoughts.
A student, Atem Gladys obeyed the gospel with joy. She said, “I am happy to know Christ at my age, 18.” Keep her in your prayers to grow, so that her growth will attract many to come to the Body through her lifestyle.
Dorothy is 17 years old and she also obeyed the gospel. She is also happy that she did because her parents wanted her to join the sisterhood of the Roman Catholic church when she finished from school in two years time. She said I have seen the truth and I cannot drop it off for something which is baseless and unscriptural. My eyes were full of tears as I hear this type of confession from young soldiers of the cross. My heart poured out and we cannot afford to leave these souls only in the hands of evangelist John Nkemnkeng who will not be able to handle these four congregations. Many things are needed to be put in place: we need benches, Bibles, a sign board, and a motor bike to help this work stay alive. These are emergency needs, keep praying for the work. For 5 days the Lord added 27 precious souls and we fished out 3 brethren who moved to that area. Because the church was not there they stayed like that without worshipping. Please, please come join us to keep this work going. It will spread to many other communities. The news about us is on everyone’s lips now. We have planted enough seeds. We need to water it more, so that God will continue to give the increase in time. Last week ended like this:
27 baptisms
3 restorations
2 new congregations established
More than 20 boxes of tracts shared
Many Bible studies conducted
Some of our new converts were smiling with us. In the presence of God there is joy and there is fullness of joy. Keep praying for us.
After my sermon this morning another six souls obeyed the gospel and moved in front of the congregation.
Plan
We start classes tomorrow in Wotutu for the second quarter. I will teach on Tuesday and thereafter take a short vacation to get myself refreshed. I was planning to travel to Nigeria, but may be the insecurity of the election may not warrant me do that. Keep me in your prayers.
Appreciation
God bless you double fold for all that you are doing. Thanks for your prayers and support towards the work here. God will bless you and keep you safe and strong. If not for you, we doubt what would have happened here with the work. Keep it. The one that wins souls is wise.
Do your best to share this with others.
Elangwe and family
By His grace Director
Bear valley Bible Institute Cameroon-Wotutu