Successful evangelism in Cameroon

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from your brethren here in Cameroon. We do hope you are doing well. We always keep you in our prayers and we trust that the work of God is continuing in your area as well. We continue to apologize for the poor network situation in my area which does not permit me to send my report weekly as I used to do. But, all the same, as long as I have the opportunity, I will make sure my report reaches you.

The past period in Wotutu was great as we were involved in most of our normal routines and a few others that popped up. God is still at work in His ministry and we give all the glory back to Him as He deserves all.

During the last quarter, the course “Marriage and Family” came up. It is always a course that comes along with a lot of opening up of and strengthening to marriages. I taught the course alongside my wife. The course involved lessons that ranged from the origin and God’s expectations in marriage to communication, as well as many other very important topics concerning marriage.

During the course of teaching the class, we at times divided the class into two groups. The wives would stay in the classroom with my wife, while the men would stay with me under the tree. In this way, each person could speak freely with an open heart about the deep things in their marriages, some of which would need some special care and special prayers. We tried to do our humble best in teaching this class because we know it is very true that when families are strong and fully connected to each other in love, then the congregations will be stronger as well.

An extra blessing that comes whenever this class comes up, is that those who are married traditionally, will have the opportunity to legalize their marriage before the government of Cameroon which is backed with a marriage license. To help you understand marriages in Cameroon, they come in phases of INTRODUCTION, TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE, COURT OR WEDDING, AND CHURCH MARRIAGE.

Evangelism is our mission and our mission is evangelism. This slogan or motto is a part of the Bear valley Bible institute here in Cameroon. We do our best to keep evangelism at the top of our agenda. Immediately after the wedding ceremony in our congregation, our students and staff hit the road to different mission fields that are far away from Wotutu as we continue hawking the bread of life free of charge .

Mission work takes us to many locations even when heavy rains make bad roads and with the high cost of transportation to get to our different mission fields. But, because we think souls, we have no other option than to go, so that we can save some souls. Mission printing tracts were given to many prospects and God blessed the evangelistic efforts by adding 25 baptisms, 6 restored Christians, and two newly established congregations. There are the Big Butu church of Christ and the Mbonge road congregation.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. We have resumed classes again in the Bible college and this is the last quarter of the 2 years program as prescribed by the Bear Valley elders. I am teaching this quarter on Congregational Development. I will also include, as part of the course, belief therapy and counseling lessons. This quarter will end before December 11, which will be our valedictory night. The 12th of December will be our graduation ceremony. We have our theme for this graduation which is, “IT’S TIME TO GO Isaiah 6:8.” Please, you can make plans to be our guest during this ceremony.

We say thank you Lord, for the God will serve is a God of providence. Our chapel hall is almost completed. You can see hundreds of students in Brightland Christian Comprehensive College going to the hall for chapel. The message of Christ goes deeper when students are not distracted by various natural occurrences. We used to do it in the open air, but rains would come at times and disturb the smooth running of our chapel and at other times students were baking in the sun.

God takes all the glory. Even though it is not fully completed, hundreds of students are shaded in this building and the serenity is great. More attention is given to the speaker at chapel time now even though we don’t have seats. It is still much better than standing under the sun or rain.

The Bear valley Bible Institute in Wotutu by December, will have been established for 14 years. This means that we have successfully trained 7 batches of students. The new batch of 20 students came in the month of May to take the entrance exams and after many background checks on those who performed well, the result of 20 successful candidates has been proclaimed. They are getting ready to start their new journey in the Lord by the 12th of December where they will be matriculated into the Bear Valley Bible Institute Cameroon – Wotutu. They will be the THETA or 8th batch. Please keep them in your prayers as they make plans to come. It is evident that the FIELD IS TRULY RIPE AND READY, BUT THE WORKERS ARE NOT ALWAYS THERE TO GO GET THE HARVEST. We are doing our best to train men, alongside their families, to preach the saving message.

 Plans

We are still focusing on evangelism. That is our business and the business shall continue.

APPRECIATIONS

Thank you very much for all your prayers and for your sincere hearts towards this work. We are convinced that God is watching and will repay each of us in due season. Do make a great day.

   Elangwe and family

    By His grace director BVBIC-Wotutu

More conversions in Cameroon

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from this part of the world. We are happy that through media technology, we can share news about our work with you who are far away from our own home. We do hope this piece of information meets you in good health and sound in faith. God keeps watching us and seeing all that we are doing for humanity and for the work that He has entrusted in our hands. We are in the rainy season now and the rains can truly try to interrupt many of our mission works. But, because we are encouraged from Paul’s inspired letter to Timothy to preach in season and out of season, we have no reason to complain or to cease to labor. We must continue to spread the good news of Jesus Christ!

Last week in Wotutu was amazing! The work here is in progress, as the Bear Valley Bible Institute Cameroon – Wotutu students are doing their best in their studies in the word. And, they are always ready to answer the Macedonian call, anywhere in our country.

After studying the Bible, our students are also benefiting from our vocational training instructor, brother Kunda Julius. He is presently teaching our students on how to do plantain and banana multiplication. Plantains and bananas are very fast, food crop growing businesses. Therefore, in our preacher training, we are seeing that our students are gaining this knowledge. It will go a long way in helping them in the field, to either do multiplication to plant in their farms, or to sell to others who need it for their farm. We are fighting food shortage as well, so this will help them to have some income, some food of their own, and to help with the food needs of others in the country.

Weekend evangelism took us to 5 different locations. Among the locations we were embarking to, was a community which contains both French and English speakers. So, students from our sister school in Mbanga, a French speaking Bear Valley Bible Institute, were a part of this exercise. As our school van took some students to other locations, my small mission work car was also there to take some students to another location.

God took us safely to Nkende. This location was very new to us. I even had to ask for directions from people along the road to finally get to the location. A sister in Christ, who just built a new house in that location, was the one that gave us the Macedonian call, asking us for help to establish a new congregation in that area. Her husband and 2 children will be staying there permanently, while she visits them during some weekends. She is serving far away from that place as a nurse. Please put her continued zeal, and our continued work in progress there, in your prayers.

In Nkende, we arrived and started with house-to-house evangelism immediately. We were telling the people that we have come with bread, that is spiritual bread, and we are hawking it free of charge. Many of them were amazed and were very receptive to the new message, although some would not give us the time to share the gospel message with them. But, many did have open hearts.

Mr. John accepted the gospel, alongside 5 others in different families. This was a clear indication that the people are receptive, and are ready to learn some new things. The community is characterized by those who follow Roman Catholic doctrine.

Some young people accepted us to their home. Their parents were there, and we were able to share the gospel message with the entire family. The parents are not fully educated, so they allow their children to interact with us. They asked us a series of questions which we answered with scripture. At the end, the young people decided to obey the gospel but their parents refused. They said that they will not be baptized, but their children should go ahead and be baptized because they were the ones interacting with us, and they have seen that they must have understood us more than themselves. They said that while the children are with the church of Christ, they will one day teach them the truth where they can understand it as well. It was amazing for me to hear this from the parents because most of the time, the parents will blatantly refuse for their children to be baptized without them being part of the group.

The sisters of the Wotutu congregation fully reinstate the LACE chapter in Wotutu, since it was closed down because of the political crisis in Cameroon that displaced many, who fled to other locations. The aim of LACE, which is LADIES ASSOCIATION FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATION, is to help women and girls in our congregation in the areas of farming, schooling, and more as they disclose and empower them with the means available to bring more stability into their lives, marriages, and homes. Please keep this baby group in your prayers, as it will be a source of empowerment for many to the glory of God.

Brethren, please keep me in your prayers, as my birthday comes up this week on the 31st of July. God is kind to me, and I return all glory and honor to Him.

Plans

We are still focused on our daily program, which is training men to preach so that they can preach the word and evangelize their own surroundings.

Appreciations

Thank you so very much for the work you are accomplishing daily. We give all glory to God, who is the general overseer on this work.

May God bless you and keep you as you make a great day.

Elangwe and Family

By His grace, director of BVBIC-Wotutu

Alumni campaign in Cameroon

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from Cameroon. We hope this report finds you in good health. Our God is good! He is good all the time! The students from the Bear Valley Bible Institute are out on mission work this weekend. The staff and graduates of the Bear Valley schools in Cameroon, through the alumni association, were to converge in a young congregation in the city of Douala called Ngodi Bakoko. This is where one of our graduates, Njume Kelvin, is serving as the preacher. He is also a teacher in some of the circular schools there. As I now write this report, we have all returned home to our different locations safe and sound.

The mission started in Wotutu as some of our graduates were around to collect Mission Printing Bible tracts. 25 specific boxes of tracts were selected, before we all headed off to Ngodi Bakoko Douala for their quarterly alumni evangelistic meeting. Our alumni are still very connected to the work of the school as some have visited and encouraged the current students during chapel. Several of our graduates are also around during missionary visits as they come around to be of help in the work.

The Bear Valley school started in Wotutu under the name of Cameroon Bible Institute. The name was later changed to Bear Valley Bible Institute Cameroon – Wotutu. The school started in 2011 and we graduated our first batch in 2012. As of now, we have graduated 142. During the evangelistic meeting that just ended, of which I was a part, there were 65 out of the 142 graduates present. We have lost some of them naturally by death, some were busy with other commitments, and some could not make it because in these hard times, some cannot afford transportation to the location. Please keep our graduates in your prayers as they go through many challenges to keep up in their ministries.

Plans

We have agreed for the first ever convention, for all of our graduates, to meet in Wotutu for a two-day lectureship in the month of November.

There will be another alumni evangelistic meeting in Tombel in October. Meetings like this are very good, as they give us ample opportunity to evaluate, encourage and motivate our graduates, as they remain steadfast in the ministry of Christ.

 Appreciations

Thank you very much for your love for the work here. Your prayers and your support are greatly appreciated. God is watching, and will reward in due season. Please do your best to share this report with others.

Make a great day.

Elangwe and family

By His grace, director BVBIC-Wotutu

Special guests in Cameroon

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from Cameroon,

  I have gone some time now without sending my reports across the ocean due to many issues concerning internet receptivity in my area. We give thanks to God that we can have this opportunity to say hello, and to make known to you, what is happening in the vineyard here in Wotutu, under our care. We pray this report meets you in good health and in resounding faith as you do God’s business in your own area.

  God has been active with us here. Since December, as the students of the Bear valley Bible institute travelled to 20 different locations for mission work, and God gave the grace and the increase, even in some places amidst the crisis. We always sing, “Anywhere with Jesus I Can Safely Go.” All of them were able to return back to campus safe and sound with good news about souls being saved, but bad news about the ongoing crisis in our beloved country.

  The work here continues to be in progress daily and we give all the glory back to God. It can only be God! The year 2024 started well for us, even though many students returned back to campus sick. All is under control medically at this time though. Thanks for your daily prayers over the work here.

  The year 2024 started well, and have already received a special blessing by us having special guests, minister Denny Petrillo and minister David Wayne Jones from the main campus of Bear valley Bible Institute International in Denver, come to Wotutu to teach, observe, and visit. Our students formed a line to give them a red-carpet reception on our campus in Wotutu. It was a privileged to have such humble servants of the cross, here in Cameroon.

  These servants of God were in Cameroon for God’s business of training faithful men to be fully prepared to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of this country Cameroon. They had an agenda, to teach the book of II Corinthians. It was great for our students to have the opportunity to tap from these two vessels, who are full of the knowledge of God’s word. We continue to thank God for their coming, and for the way they helped our students to learn.

  These two great men co-taught the book of II Corinthians, chapter after chapter, from the introduction all the way to the end of the final chapter. We were really blessed by their presence, even though brother Wayne was sick for a couple of days. He bounced back though and was able to finish his assignment. This assignment took him across the ocean to Africa, for his very first time.

  We had a family picture with them in from of the Bible building to immortalized their memories with us.

We also had a joint meeting with the instructors from both the Bear valley Bible institute Cameroon -Mbanga, which is French, and those from the BVBIC-Wotutu which is English. The meeting was very good, as it was characterized with much appreciation, as well as appeals to upgrade the Bear Valley school in Cameroon to the level that it can issue out a BA in Bible. We keep praying to God to be with the authorities that be as they ponder and plan. We pray that if God will, it can come to pass during our time here.

During the last quarter’s mission work in December by our students, the Lord added 33 souls into His church, 12 Christians were restored to the faith, 1 new congregation established, and 2 congregations were restored.

PLANS

Evangelism is our mission and our mission is evangelism. Evangelism is always in our plans and is always top on our agenda.

APPRECIATIONS

 Thank you for your prayers, for your concern, and your support towards the Lord’s work here. They are contributing a lot, towards keeping the work in the space it is now. Please share our reports with others. May God bless you. Make a great week.

Elangwe and family

By His grace, director BVBIC-Wotutu

New congregations planted in Cameroon

We bring greetings from the Bear Valley campus in Mbanga Balong where the campus church of Christ do worship. The staff and students sends their greetings and also the congregation that meets at Mbanga Balong. Happy new year in advance, and also sincere greetings from my family, I pray the Lord sees us through these last few days remaining to end this year.

It is a great thing to report again about our mission work in the school and our activities in the campus.

Evangelism is our mission and our mission is evangelism. We do not relent our efforts with our weekend evangelism both in and around Mbanga and also out of the community of Mbanga. Congregational work is also ongoing, The church in Mbanga is also doing great spiritually, growing in number also and even in administrational measures. We have  been able to have different ministries in our congregation in charge of various domain such as evangelism, benevolence, organization, hospital etc just to name these few. Even though we still have financial difficulty, we have in mind to realize some need of our community such as hospital visits and even to touch the lives of some widows in the congregation and in our nearby environment. We beg on all to Pray and support the church in Mbanga for this work of the church to be realized. 

For the very first time that we experience over flood in our local campus due to too much rain fall and water table rising up to the point were some houses were affected right inside their sleeping rooms. Water was everywhere and our walls are still been affected till now.  

Because the water table rose up, our borehole was also affected due to the fact that the pit toilet also came up to the same level as the the wells or borehole. This needed serious intervention in order  to free the students and those who benefits from it also from our community. We did change some filters and treated all the water with white stones, chlorine, salt and some other elements.

Emerald complex is making great progress. Parents and the community now begin to see and feel the presence of Emerald schools in their community. We do chapel and devotional 3 times a week at 11 AM in the presence of both the staff and the students. This time around it was in the presence of the parents also. And it at the end of term occasion in our amphi open air. We pray that some day we should be able to have a hall that can contain a good number of people for chapelsIt is so great to speak out the word through Emerald bilingual complex. 

Our short course went on well very well with the help of bro Rufus and Arouna with the students and the wives of the students. It was great to have these men doing the Christian evidence for the students and evangelistic woman for the wives of the students.

We went immediately to the annual gospel lectuship after the short course. And the 2023 edition was in douala in cite de la paix. 

Our way to mission trip also followed immediately and our students left for various areas for a serious two or three weeks campaign. Tracts were distributed to all including those who were going to the north and to our newly created assemblies 

Two new congregations were established in Kribi and Buaka. 

The field is vast and our laboures are few. We are hitting the hinterlands and the town ship. 

Happy new year in advance 

In Christian love,

ITITI BENEDICT 

"A school without borders"

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from the beautiful country of Cameroon, the land of our birth. God is good, and has allowed us another opportunity to share more good news about the work here in Cameroon that has been entrusted in our hands. We do hope you and your family are doing great and that God is at work in whatever you are doing in your corner, the space God has provided for you.

Our students are back on campus after spending time in 20 locations preaching, teaching, and nurturing congregations of the Lord’s church. They were involved in house to house. The house to house was more effective in some new areas as we were looking forward to establishing a new congregation in Mbanga mile 40 which is along the Kumba-Buea road. God blessed that work with 6 souls. There is now a new congregation there.

Another congregation was down to less than 5 members because of the crisis here in the English region. We went to that community and revived the congregation by preaching peace and being neutral during the struggle. We told those we met who carry guns that we are soldiers of Christ and God has sent us to preach the gospel free of charge to all who are willing to hear. Most of the time, security officers will ask us for authorization from the government. We just explain God’s government and commission from his word from Mattthew 28:18-20.

The Bear Valley Bible Institute in Wotutu has been looked upon by many and nicknamed “A BIBLE SCHOOL WITHOUT BORDERS.” The appellation is coming from “DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS,” who gets into the interior to save lives. Our students too are moving to save lives from eternal condemnation. The gospel is for all. It is for the old, the young, and anyone in between. These young girls happily listened to the gospel from our students and made a lifetime decision to follow Jesus. Keep them in your prayers.

The annual Bible lectureship of the churches of Christ in Cameroon, comes up from the 28th of November until the 3rd of December this year. I am one of the speakers there, and I will be teaching on “Future Leadership of the Church in Cameroon.” Please keep me in your prayers as I go there to do His work.

APPRECIATIONS

Thank you very much for all you do for the work that is going on here. Your prayers and support are the wheels that keep this work moving. God sees and He will reward. Do your best to share our report with others.

Make a great day in His presence.

Elangwe and family, by His grace director BVBIC-Wotutu

Cameroon students baptism more than 20 souls

Calvary greetings from this end of the universe. The church of Christ in Mbanga sends her salutation to the sister assemblies in the world. The staff and students of the Bear Valley Bible Institute Cameroon – Mbanga also send their warm greetings. The students are presently in class, sending their greetings as I send out this report.  

The 5th batch of students are already preparing to take exams for their second quarter and are also preparing for their second internship which will take place by the 2nd of September. While others in the country will be preparing for school to start back, we in BVBIC-Mbanga will be preparing for another soul winning mission to various villages and towns in the French speaking regions of our beloved country Cameroon. We need your prayers as we go out to win souls. 

After a long break of reporting due to a heavy charge of work in the field as the director, where some staff members and I have been moving up and down to attend to some Macedonian calls, we are happy to be able to send you a report of the work that has been going on since our last report. We want to assure you that the church, and the work that is done by the graduates and the current batch of students, is greatly impacting the church not only in French Cameroon, but is spreading her influence into more great works in other French African countries.  

Our students registered 15 baptisms during their first mission work and internship. Some others also registered baptisms during our weekly evangelism program to Mudeka, Banaberi and around Mbanga. 

Our mission last week ended in Buea where another 5 baptisms were registered during the summer youth retreat. My son, Ititi Precious, was one of those baptized. 

We are in the midst of the rainy season in Cameroon. This climate really disturbs our students with attacks such as influenza, cough, typhoid, and malaria. Due to the present rains, there is a lot of stagnant water that is helping to accommodate the multiplication of mosquitos. In the wake of this, most of our students are under severe treatment all the time. Our first aid kit is helping and also the school nurse is doing a good job. In some serious cases we send them for proper check up at the hospital. As of now though, we are doing great, because there have been some great improvements. 

We also concluded our VBS mission successfully as we handed our young ones, Bibles and certificates. Thank you so much to the powerful team that was made up of Bible instructors, Bible teacher for the kids, some nursery aids, and some with a good mind and desire to manage the kids. May God continue to give you all the grace you need to do His good works.  

Our congregation is also doing well. We had some lessons from our intern, brother Bigda Rufus, who is studying with Nations University at the moment. His lessons were based on leadership and eldership. We are growing and are introducing some ministry work in our assembly. The most recent is the hospital ministry and the prison ministry. We have prepared for the work and have sampled some hospital work as we are going to officially begin the hospital ministry by next month. One hospital has already given us a program for devotional opportunity and will soon allow us to commence with work every morning. 

Evangelism is our mission and our mission is evangelism. 

From your servant,

Ititi Benedict

Reaching Souls in Cameroon

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from this far end. We do hope you are doing great. God is blessing us, and we and our families are all going well. It is now summer holidays in Cameroon and many local families have temporarily increased in size because children of brethren come our way to spend the summer holiday.

The past weeks, of the work, have gone well as we were involved in many activities. The Lord has provided the means. We do hope this report meets you in good health and sound in faith.

Our students keep growing in many courses, Biblical and non-Biblical. An example of a non-Biblical course is a class for church music. Minister Tah Lucas does a great job of preparing our preaching students to also be prepared to be good song leaders in their different congregations when they enter their individual works after graduation from school.

The new van has gone a long way to ease our evangelism efforts. We can now move all 20 students to a location for weekend evangelism without any problem. When I drive the van myself, then 21 of us will be able to invade a village. We will be like ants, as we share the gospel to as many as possible before we return sometimes even the same day. It is a great blessing, and we are lovingly, thanking God and the STC family, for such a timely gesture toward us and the work we are doing in the name of the Lord here.

Immediately when we arrive in various locations, we embark on house-to-house evangelism. This method is still very much alive and strong here, as it gives opportunities for the prospects to freely ask questions of personal or general interest concerning their faith. This opens the door for them to become Christians. Some communities are so muddy now that we are in the rainy season now in Cameroon. We are forced at times like this to put on rain boots, so as to make your movement, mess and stress free.

It is always refreshing to go out to other locations for evangelism, lectureships, or workshops. We always meet our graduates there, who are still very active in their respective congregations. Meeting with them, and visiting with them, gives us a picture of the work in the area where they are serving. It is always a time for us to pray with them, and to encourage them to remain steadfast as we know that the field of work and just life in general here is always difficult.

It is a blessing and encouragement to any preacher, when the Lord adds souls to the church as he preaches the gospel and evangelizes communities. It is also encouraging to any preacher, to see young men and women develop, and grow, and start thinking of getting married to build their own families. By doing so, the congregation has a better future. Please keep our brother and friend Jarvis and his girlfriend Georgian in your prayers,  as they walk in love,  potentially resulting in the raising of good Christian children.

APPRECIATIONS

May God bless you for all that you are doing to keep this work functioning. We are very grateful! Thank you so very much for your love for God, His church, His children, and most especially for us here in Cameroon. Please do your best to help us, by sharing our reports with others, who may in turn share them with others in due season.

Thank you very much! Make a great day.

Elangwe and family

By His grace, director of BVBIC-Wotutu

Special guests in Wotutu

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from the great country of Cameroon. We do hope this report meets you doing well and of a sound mind. God is good and He is faithful towards us and the work entrusted in our hands. We do hope you are doing good in all that you do.

The last week here was a busy for us as we were engaged in so many good works for God’s glory. A total of 9 missionaries came from different places in the United States of America to work for the Lord in different capacities.

One taught in the Bear Valley Bible Institute here in Wotutu, others did one on one evangelism, some were involved in medical consultations, dispersing of medications to those sick, and the sending of some severe cases to a hospital for further treatments. There were also visits to the Brightland Christian Orphanage, and a Vacation Bible School. God stood with all of these programs and they went on without any problems. To Him be the glory and honor.

On June 2nd, I was at the airport waiting for Gods servants as they flew in to Cameroon to serve God. 9 of them arrived safe and sound and were received by the brethren in the Wotutu congregation with open arms.

Minister Michael Crowder, and his wife Ethel, came from the Northside Church of Christ in Nashville. He came to teach a short course to our students on “THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH,” while his wife, sister Ethel Crowder was involved in teaching the women during women’s class and was also actively teaching children during the VBS. Brother Michael is a great teacher of the word. Please keep this great couple in your prayers.

PLANS

From the 30th of June we have a mass evangelism in Mudeka village. Thanks be to God; we have a new evangelistic van that can carry 19 passengers. We shall storm the community with the gospel which is far more powerful than bombs. Keep this program in your prayers as God leads us to that community.

APPRECIATIONS

Thank you very much for your time and patient with us during the time of our delay. We thank you very much for your prayers and support which is the wheel that keeps this work going. God is seeing and will reward you in due season. Please share our reports with others who may share it even further.

            God bless you all.

            Elangwe and family

         By His grace director BVBIC-Wotutu

New students in Cameroon

Dearest in Christ,

Calvary greetings from Cameroon and precisely from Wotutu. We are doing better, and we give thanks to God. The church is healthy, and all of the ministries going on here are rolling on well. God is still leading the way.

Last week in Bear Valley Bible Institute was good as our students were busy writing their first exams in Bible College. All went well. We give glory to God for making it possible for them to have a taste of what it means to be trained to become a servant of God in the 21st century. Keep our daily efforts in your prayers.

After final exams, it was time to travel to different locations for mission work. Some students are going far with tracts, a life straw water bottle with aqua tabs, and mosquito nets. Our students went to different regions in Cameroon for the sake of the gospel. Some will be passing through dangerous communities because of the crisis in Cameroon.

APPRECIATIONS

Thank you very much for all your prayers and for your time and timely support towards all the work that is going on here. God is watching and will definitely reward you in due season. Please share our reports with others.

Thank you very much.

We wish you a great day and a great time.

Elangwe and family

Wotutu, Cameroon attends leadership seminar

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from Cameroon and from the brethren here. We do hope this report meets you in good health. We are doing good and God continues to lead the way. The new year is in progress and so are our different ministries which are making some significant progress.

Last week in Bear Valley Bible Institute Cameroon -Wotutu went on well as we were observant to see how our new students are growing. We are here to encourage them to be focused because we are aware that the field is ripe but the laborers are very few. We pray that God will continue to help us, as we add workers to the field every two years through the training of preachers in Bear Valley Bible Institute Cameroon - Wotutu.

The freshmen are getting used to the climate in Wotutu as well as the new lifestyle and new eating habits. These changes have caused some of them to get sick, but we are handling it by His grace.

Last week, because the students have stayed together since January 2, 2023, we deemed it time to form the student government for the present. The students elected a group from among their peers to be running their affairs. This is also a way to help them learn how to practice leadership among themselves. Please pray for them as they learn to lead others. We have a slogan in Bear Valley Bible Institute Cameroon - Wotutu that says, “LEADERS DON’T POINT THE WAY, THEY SHOW THE WAY!”

When you see students dressed in Black and standing under the roof of our Bible track building, then you know that they are gathering tracts and discussing how they can reach out to souls. We think souls, and it is awesome that our students love evangelism. It is a great opportunity for them to share the love of God with some lost souls. Please pray for our daily efforts.

Last week I had a great opportunity to be invited, by those in charge of secondary schools in Cameroon, to speak at a seminar on leadership as recorded in Luke’s gospel. It was a great opportunity for me to speak the truth about leadership, as much leadership in the world is in a mess. It was also another opportunity for me to expose the church of Christ to many who are in various denominations. My God help our efforts.

The seminar lasted 8 total hours. We had several working sessions which were personal discussions and question/answer sessions. It allowed us the opportunity to discuss many Bible subjects and not just stay on the subject of leadership. It was a great opportunity for me, and I pray that the seeds of the gospel that I was able to sow in some of the people, will bear fruits one day for the glory of God.

In academia, there is always a time for testing. It is a time for testing as well as a time for them to check themselves to know how much they have been able to comprehend during classwork and preparation. Please keep our students in your prayers. We can see their zeal to grow spiritually and academically so as to be able to help the church of Christ to grow here in Cameroon.

We are still in the business of handing durable Bibles to our new converts. Brother Martin received a giant print Bible that he will be able to read, even without glasses. “THEY NEED BIBLES,” is a common call and concern. I keep receiving calls from many parts of the country with requests for Bibles.

Last week, Brother Mathew, who is one of our new students, baptized Stella into Christ. Please keep her in your prayers as she walks with Jesus. God is too good to fail!

PLANS

From the 20th to the 24th of February, we will be attending the “Jim Corner Seminar,” on leadership, at the church in Douala. This will give our students the opportunity to meet other preachers. They will also be able to learn some new things there. This trip to Douala will only be possible if we have means of transportation. Our Van can no longer plough our roads because of its age and its mechanical issues. We are presently searching for a good replacement. Please pray for us as it is not easy for us with the current price of things. We will need to rent a van to transport our students to that seminar.

APPRECIATIONS

Thank you very much for keeping this work in your prayers and thank you for all the support you are rendering to keep it going. Your prayers and support are the wheels that move this work forward. Please do your best to share our report with others.

May God bless you, as you make a great day in His service.

Elangwe and family

By His grace, director BVBIC-Wotutu

Mbanga, Cameroon school baptize and restore 54 souls

BVBIC-Mbanga Report

Happy new year to these powerful people of God. He has done it for us again! May His name be glorified. The staff and students of Bear Valley Bible Institute Cameroon - Mbanga say glory to his holy name as we prepare to graduate and send out our 4th batch of students here in 2023. 

The month of March shall be a month of jubilation and congratulations as our newly trained, fresh for the ministry men, enter into the field both here in Cameroon and in our neighboring country of Chad. We are also joyful of the work done by the fourth batch of students especially during this December’s field work and internship. The interns went to about 10 different fields to work for a period of two weeks, but more for those who used their week of rest to stay in their mission ground.

The students shared the gospel with about 300 persons. About 2000 tracts were given out within this 2-week period to 14 different areas. Some of them traveled to a lecture ground and to some other villages to continue work there. One new congregation was established between the frontier of Cameroon and Gabon.  

About 23 souls were added into His kingdom during this evangelism campaign as well as about 31 souls being restored. This makes a total of 54 souls that entered into the kingdom of God. Let us continue to depopulate hell and populate heaven. Many are still outside and are looking for an opportunity to be converted. Who will come for us? Lord, send us! The Bear Valley Bible Institute Cameroon - Mbanga is ready to answer, “Present, and ready to go!” Let's put this young assembly into the hands of God. Let us pray for the new converts as well. 

Weekend evangelism is still part of our mission, as the students still go out every weekend to Kerunzo and Ewangelion to lead worship and continue to make connections with prospects.  

The mission to distribute Bibles to our suspects, prospects, and eventual converts is not left behind. We thank those who have supported this initiative. "They need Bibles." 

Short courses went well with a special one on “Pastoral Counseling” by brother Rufus. Brother Dafta also came to teach a December short course while brother Bigda taught the wife’s class their course.

The students of Mbanga and the staff also took part of the graduation ceremony in Wotutu last December before going for their internship.The sister school was sending out their 6th batch of students or the "Zentians.” It was great to be a part of the one big family. 

One of our students, by the name of Balobagne Vincent, lost his father. The burial took place on the 24th of December 2022 at Banessen village. The director and one other staff member represented the school during the burial. Two students, on their internship around that area, also took part in the burial. Also included were 3 other preachers who worked in that area. Let's continue to pray for our student and his family as he is now back in school.

A new class of students in Wotutu

Dearest in Christ,

We send a special new year greeting to you all over there in your various families. We do hope you have entered the year 2023 with joy from above and in good health. We are joyous and healthy here.  God is faithful to us all as we made it into the year 2023 without much problem.

2023 is here and 2022 is gone into the annals of history. For all that was done there in 2022, we give thanks and glory. We also give God in all that was not done when we were not able to meet up. We are alive and we have hope! We will do our best to continue from where we stopped off in 2022.

December 8, 2022 was another time for graduation. It was the 6th or the Zeta batch graduation. Eighteen students happily put on their academic robes after two years of studies and development, to graduate to join many others in the wilderness to preach the saving message. This is a picture of the graduates with their wives, as well as 5 missionaries from America and Cambodia, who witnessed the graduation alongside 1040 others who were in attendance. It was colorful, and it was also time to celebrate hard work. Keep them in your prayers as they are in 18 different locations preaching and teaching in congregations of the Lord’s church.

On the 1st of January 2023, the new students were already in Wotutu to start their classes on the 2nd of January. It is always a pleasure for us to welcome them in our home and to enjoy a first fellowship meal with them. They are in Wotutu, and the road is ahead of them to undergo their training. The road is a good one! Their choices to become preachers are good ones! God has given them to us so that we can encourage them and motivate them to stay focused toward their calling.

On the 2nd of January 2023, we started classes, and 22 of these freshmen started their journey with me teaching, “HOW WE GOT THE BIBLE.” Some of them have been preaching before this time, and it is our goal that they pay attention to the classes so as to learn more to add to what they already have known before this time. We have a very rich agenda for them for the first quarter. The courses are “HOW WE GOT THE BIBLE”, “OLD TESTAMENT 1”, “LIFE OF CHRIST”, “PERSONAL EVANGELISM”, “GREEK LANGUAGE”, AND OTHERS.

PLANS

We are starting our weekend evangelism by taking the students to different locations for them to know the terrain here, as some of them come from far away from the south west region.

 APPRECIATIONS

Thank you for trusting in us, and for the many ways you partner with us to keep this work moving. You have done well, and we pray for your continuation so that we can do more as we start up with the ETA batch. The 7th batch is rolling! Only God knows what the future holds for us and the work, as the global economic crisis deepens to affect basic commodities and services. We pray for God to help us here in Cameroon.

God bless you as you make a great day.

Elangwe and family

By His grace director BVBIC-Wotutu

Todd Crayton visits Mbanga

The steadfastness of the Lord never ceases, and his mercies never come to an end. They are renewed every morning. May the almighty God bless this day and new month. We pray that He also blesses the mind of the support team.

The work in Mbanga is going on well as we, the students and staff, are doing pretty well. At this moment we are making plans to attend the graduation ceremony in Wotutu. We will then move to about 14 assemblies for the final evangelism campaign and internship as this fourth batch of students in Mbanga will graduate in March. We commit them in our prayers, especially now as traveling these days is very difficult. Let us continue to pray for journey mercies for everyone.

This quarter has been very challenging as we have had plenty of activities. We also had the visitations of Elder Todd Crayton and coordinator David Ballard. It was good to have them in Cameroon again after about a 3-year absence due to Covid 19. We thank God for preserving their lives and the lives of many Christians both in Cameroon and abroad.

Their trip to Cameroon was motivating to both the students and the staff. It was a reminder of our formal slogan, “God is with us, we are never alone.” We know that God is always with us as well as our big Christian family abroad. Their mission was successful. You can see sister Mary, the wife of the director of BVBIC-MBANGA, putting on her smile. A lot of time was taken to observe how the instructors teach the students. Brother Todd and brother David were very happy with our staff. After that, it was time to observe how the students had received the transfer of knowledge.

Our last mission trip and internship was also great, as we sent our students to 12 different assemblies, including a congregation at Yaounde. It was successful as the feedback from the hosting preachers was encouraging. Most of the students were approved to go, and were ready to get to the field for zealous and religious work to be done.

God, through this mission added 12 souls, and 3 were restored back to the Lord. We seek for lost souls to bring into the kingdom of God. "Our mission is evangelism and evangelism is our mission." 

The Moungo Zonal Lectureship was also successful. The Mbanga assembly hosted the last edition of the Moungo Zonal Preacher’s Forum which brought up the idea of pulpit exchange. I therefore, was at Bomono preaching in a small, but very old assembly along the Mbanga Douala road.

The fourth batch of students shall be going out again for another internship and evangelism campaign after taking their short course on the book of Hebrews and also the women taking the course “Essentials Doctrine.” It was great to have these powerful instructors giving out their best to transfer knowledge to the students. 

Here is the combination of students and their wives after they had taken the last part of their short course. Some of them had new born babies and some are still pregnant. What a blessing it is to have these great people in our midst. 

The instructors of the Bear Valley Bible Institute Cameroon – Mbanga also paid a condolence visit to director Elangwe who lost his father in the month of October. We went officially, to comfort our own brother and colleague who lost his father, for we constitute one family.   

We shall resume classes in January and be preparing for the up-coming graduation   March 2023. May God continue to bless us all, as we promise to update you again.

The field is ripe but the laborers are few. 

 Remain blessed.

Your humble servant Ititi Benedict

Wotutu staff and students restore a congregation

Dearest in Christ,

I am sure everyone is doing great as we mark the last days of the year 2022. The year has been a fruitful one for family and for the work that has been entrusted in our hands. We continue to thank Him for His grace that we see upon us and on the work as we have witnessed much expansion of the kingdom of God here in our lovely country of Cameroon.

Welisane John is one of our students who has returned from his last mission work. It was successful! This brother had a great two-years stay here in Wotutu. He will be working in the congregation of Mbonge after his graduation. The Mbonge congregation is one of the oldest in Cameroon. The preacher there died many years ago, and there has been no one to help the congregation since. During weekend evangelism, and the end of quarter mission week, Welisane was sent there. They have now deemed it good for him to work with them full time. Please pray for him and that great spiritual things will continue to take place there.

 Our students are “fully baked,” and are ready to take the gospel to the ends of our country. They are ready to “rob from the strong man’s house,” they continue to “think souls.” Please keep them in your prayers. Be praying for them to have the zeal and courage, to do great things for the Lord everywhere they find themselves.

The last class for this batch was “Marriage and Family.” In this class, we allowed people in the community, and in the Wotutu congregation, to come and be in the class to learn. This always goes a long way in the building up of their families, which also helps to make our community a happier, safer, and healthier one.

At the end of the class, arrangements were made with the local government authorities to draw up marriage papers for each couple. They were very happy for us to pay some amount of money so that the students could have a legalized marriage certificate from the government.

We always round up the class with the famous, “CHOOSE YOUR MATE AGAIN BANQUET.” All of the couples were back in the Wotutu congregation for the joyous banquet which involved their families and many people from their communities. Many of our students considered the event to be their original wedding ceremony.

Part of the ceremony was the cutting of the, “CHOOSING YOUR MATE AGAIN CAKE.” The beautiful wedding cake depicted the beauty of the occasion well. This class, and the banquet that follows it, is always a turning point in the lives of many families.

Be praying for the Malende congregation in the Muyuka subdivision. The preacher that had been preaching in that congregation for over 40 years, died in his home country of Nigeria. I was part of the Cameroonian delegation that travelled to Nigeria for the funeral. Sadly, since then, the congregation has begun to collapse, as the sheep were all scattered because there was no one to preach for them. Our students have actively evangelized the village and some Christians were encouraged to stay faithful and others were restored. The congregation is presently alive and healthy again. Please, we need your prayers as we engage in these types of works.

Graduation bells are ringing! This year, graduation celebrations will be December 7th and 8th of 2022. Everything is almost set for the day. Some Christians are already moving towards Wotutu. For some, coming to Wotutu may feel similar to how the children of Israel may have felt as they journeyed to Jerusalem. The journey can be long, but the remembrance, renewal, and fellowship are much anticipated. Please keep our graduation events in your prayers, that all goes well, as we entrust it into God’s hands.

The smiles on the faces of the students, tell you how ready these students are to go out into the world to preach the gospel. Please keep them in your prayers, that God will continue the work He has started in their lives, as they see his grace and mercy working in their personal life, in their families, in their congregations, and in their villages.

APPRECIATIONS

God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. We are very thankful to God for all His priceless support in our lives as we commit to doing all that is entrusted in our hands to do. Thank you very much for your fervent prayers and deep support that helps to keep this work going. God sees, and will reward in due season. Please do your best to share this report with others. We shall soon compile the end of year report, which will carry the summary of all what took place in BVBIC-Wotutu and the congregation here in 2022.

God bless you! Make a great day!

By His grace Director BVBIC-Wotutu

Wotutu, Cameroon school director mourns the loss of his father

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from Cameroon. We do hope this report finds you well. God is good! We are good and facing the bitter reality of life as we have lost a loved one in the family and in the congregation.

The students are still busy in the mission field covering different areas with preaching and teaching the gospel of Christ free of charge to many on their way.

Last week here was characterized with ups and downs as I was shuffling between my office in the Bible college, some classrooms in Brightland Christian Comprehensive College, and the hospital where my father was battling with a stroke and a serious blood infection. Thanks for all the prayers you rendered to God on behalf of my father. God has finally made the decision to call my father to stay with Him.

Last week, on Sunday, I had the opportunity to preach a sermon entitled, “LAUGHTER IMPROVES OUR HEALTH” from Proverbs 17:22. We decided on our sermon series on health, as many in our congregation are going through some difficult health challenges. The Bible is helping us greatly.

Please keep the Esowe family in your prayers in this time of mourning. God has called my father to glory. He has gone back to his Master. Many thanks to God for using me to lead my father to Christ after I graduated from the Bible College in Nigeria. I am happy that my father died as a serious Christian. He died at the age of 80 years, leaving behind my mother, 7 biological children, 18 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild, along with a host of many in the Wotutu community and elsewhere to mourn him.

Tchemi Giresse is one of the nurses who was helping my father. Because of my father’s sickness, I could not go for mission work with my students but we have souls everywhere. The gospel is always very sweet to share with people who have an open heart. Brother Tchemi Giresse has a servant heart. He obeyed the gospel and I was the one who was able to baptize him. When we left the water he said, “I AM HAPPY TO KNOW THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, I WAS TOTALLY LOST BEFORE THIS TIME.” Please keep him in your prayers as he will be a great worker in the church here.

PLANS

My father's funeral will take place on the 8th of October here in Wotutu. Please continue to pray for us.

Our thoughts and plans are beginning to lean towards the graduation ceremony that will mark the end of the Zeta batch and admit the new batch which will commence in January of 2023.

APPRECIATIONS

Thank you! Thank you very much for all of your prayers and support that have been rendered toward this work. God is watching! Please faint not, because in due season your reward will come. Please share our reports with others.

God bless you as you make a great day.

Elangwe and family.

By His grace director BVBIC-Wotutu

Technology training in Cameroon

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from this part of the globe. We do hope this report meets you in good health. We are doing our best here in health and with the work entrusted in our hands. God is still on the throne! Even though we are being faced with many challenges, we have come to understand that life is not free from challenges. We know that Christians need to use the challenges in their path to be stepping stones, not stumbling blocks.

Last weeks in the Bear Valley Bible Institute here in Wotutu, and in other parts of the work here, things are progressing well. August is always a busy month in Cameroon, because it is the last month for children who have been on vacation to start making preparations to get back to school. It is also time for the youth in the churches of Christ to attend a retreat which is very spiritual. It is to help them empower them before they go back to their different classrooms.

Before exams for this quarter, the Bible students had a special day to learn how to use a computer and how they can do research online. They also learned how to prepare a PowerPoint. We are training 21st century preachers so we are trying our best to prepare them to fit into the society in which they find themselves.

We are left with 4 months until the graduation ceremony of the Zeta batch. Some have really grown to a good stage while others are still climbing to get to a higher level. It is normal! As we say here in Africa, “ALL FINGERS ARE NOT THE SAME,” but it is clear that all fingers have some sort of function in the body. Keep praying for the preaching students as many congregations are longing to see them graduate and start full time work in the vineyard of God in different locations.

We continue to send gospel tracts to different parts of Cameroon. Preachers who cannot afford to come to Wotutu, to come and select mission printing tracts that can aid their evangelistic work in their areas, can simply call me and I will ship them to their village using those big buses you see behind me. We are always happy to be able to serve others.

Weekend evangelism is a great tool in the work here because through weekend evangelism, which is expensive now, souls are being won. Any soul won into the kingdom is greater in comparison than any amount of money spent to bring that precious soul into Christ! Our weekend evangelism is doing a lot of nurturing, revival, and focusing as many congregations are receiving fresh exhortation from these young, but vibrant preachers in the Bear Valley Bible Institute. Most of our graduates are extremely willing and very happy to welcome our students to help in the work. Students went to assist in the village of Bolo Moboka, where our graduate minister Waka is serving the Lord.

This year’s Summer Youth Retreat was historic. As the crisis has calmed down just a little in the two English speaking regions in Cameroon, more parents are willing to allow their children to travel across the country to attend various programs. This year’s edition of the retreat had close to 400 youth in attendance. I was there, and spoke on the topic, “VIGILANCE.” This topic will go a long way to help our youth learn to take their time and concentrate in any endeavor in life.

APPRECIATIONS

Thank you! Thank you very much for all the blessings of God’s grace that you are helping to make us be able to enjoy. Your prayers and your support are really helping this work. Please keep it up! God is watching and will reward you in due season.

God bless you as you make a great day!

Elangwe and family

By His grace director BVBIC-Wotutu

Cameroon school evangelism campaign

We send blessings from Mbanga Balong. May the blessings of the Lord be upon you. May the will of God accompany the big Bear Valley family. The staff and students extend their gratitude to you. The month of June was a fruitful one even though we are in the heart of the rainy season here in the equatorial rain forest. Evangelism was fruitful both in and out of Mbanga. We praise God for the many journeys made by both the director, instructors, students, the members of the church who accompanied us to some destinations.

Evangelism is our mission and our mission is evangelism, door to door evangelism, public preaching at night and one on one talks with backsliding brethren. The campaign was rich as we use our precious God given time and talent to do His will. And the Lord added to the church daily as they were safe.

Our students also went out for a two week campaign to 15 different villages and towns in the given francophone zones with most of them being newly planted congregations. The work for two weeks was a great success. About 1000 French evangelistic tracts were handed out and about 300 persons could listen to the gospel for this period. Six souls were restored and fifteen souls were added to the church through baptism. Eight of those souls came from Sangmelema which is the stronghold and home of our head of state. We praise God for the great increase and we put them into our prayers.

The school has also been visiting other places and carrying out mission work to places such in Bekoko where they join the alumni in serious evangelism. Souls were also added in Susan at our monthly lectureship. We also cannot forget to mention the friendly congregation in Kotto mission where we assisted last month even though there were heavy rains. This is one of the successful work of planting work in French Cameroon.

Brother Ititi, the director of the school, carried out the preaching himself in the midst of graduates and students from both Bear Valley schools. It was during the funeral of the lady who had opened her doors to the church to worship in there for 6 months before she rented her own place. This is a fruitful ground for evangelism.

We feel so blessed by God to be able to do his work here in Cameroon and pray that He will continue to bless us through His Son Jesus Christ.

Reaching out in Cameroon

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from this part of the world. We are doing good with all that is entrusted in our hands and we are appreciating God for His help. Things are going good even though we are all faced with the global crisis that is doing all things possible to dismantle our programs. It is more difficult now to meet up with many expenses as the prices of many of our things in the market have risen to very high levels. We are left with no choice but to continue the best we can. We are bound to manage what we have, as there is just no way for us to jump out of the ever-changing world.

We are thanking God for whom we put our trust. We are looking up to Him, the maker of the heavens and the earth. God is watching, and we know He will always make a way when there seems to be no way.

PLANS

Our out-reach efforts to souls in different communities is at the top of our daily and weekly agenda. Our young congregations and newly revived congregations need our weekly presence to keep the young Christians learning and growing. Please help us to keep this out-reach going.

 APPRECIATIONS

 God bless you, as we sincerely thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all the gestures you are making to keep this work going ahead. God alone will repay each one. Please share our news with others.

God bless you as you make a great day.

Elangwe and family

By His grace, director BVBIC -Wotutu

Gain and loss in Cameroon

Dearest in Christ,

Greetings from Cameroon and in Wotutu to be precise. I hope things are good with you as we pray daily. We are doing good, and we thank God for the grace and energy given to us to do what is entrusted in our hands.

Last week in Bear Valley was hectic as we were taking a short course in the Gospel of John while my wife was busy with the student preacher’s wives, teaching them during this end of quarter study period for the women’s program.

 As I type this report, all of our students are in the mission field in different locations far and near through muddy roads and fear of the unknown. The gospel calls, and our students and staff are answering it. I was teaching the gospel of John. It is a very interesting book to study as a short course. It was great, as we all continue to learn from the book.

 On the other hand, inside our worship hall, my wife was busy teaching the students’ wives on, “LESSON PREPARATIONS AND DELIVERY,” AND ALSO “THE ROLE OF A PREACHER’S WIFE IN A LOCAL CONGREGATION.” It was very rich, for the future of the church.

We lost a minister of the gospel that graduated from Bear Valley Bible Institute Wotutu. Minister Nguty Victor graduated in the class of 2016 and was doing very well in his home congregation of Nguty Town. The church in Nguty has lost a great man who was described as a bulldozer in the church around his area. That vacuum is there, and we pray that God will help us to fill the gap.

 The entire Bear Valley family in Cameroon came out in their numbers to bid him farewell. A very large number of our graduates and others, assembled to celebrate the life of minister Nguty Victor. Please pray for the widow and her children. I was given the opportunity during the funeral program to speak on testimonies, I cried out about how much minister Nguty loved the church.

APPRECIATIONS

Thanks very much for all you are doing for the work here. Please pray for the work we did in Tchad as the news that is getting to us shows that more beautiful things are still happening there. Make a great day.

Elangwe and family

By the grace of God, director BVBIC-Wotutu