Gateway Teams

January 17, 2007

Hello from Kumbo, Cameroon,

I apologize that it has been a few days since my last entry, but internet here is not quite as reliable and not quite as available either! We’ve had some incredible days since our seminar days in Yaounde and Kumba (the other half of the team) last weekend. We attended church in Yaounde and had the chance to see the Rainforest Academy Missionary School and made our way to Bamenda on Monday after a long bus ride.

The other half of the team coming to Bamenda from Kumba should have had a shorter trip but ended up coming 3 hours after us because of a truck that was over-turned in the road. But God kept us all safe and continues to.

Our team has spent some incredible days together as well as we were able to see the Mbingo Baptist Hospital on Tuesday and “New Hope Village”. We could not have ever been prepared for going there as we spent time with victims of leprosy, shared Jesus’ love with them and prayed for them. God truly broke our hearts as we prayed for these dear people. We asked if it would be ok if we laid our hands on them as we prayed and when we came over to do that, they all raised there deformed and fingerless stumps up to us for us to hold. None of us could hold back the tears as we prayed for their simple requests – for a light in their village (there’s still no electricity) and that when they died, it would not be in a lot of pain. It was an incredibly humbling experience as I felt that I was truly looking into the face of Jesus and holding His hands as I held what was left of their hands….

God has continued to make ways for us here as well in regards to our main purpose in encouraging the youth ministries of churches. I had the opportunity to be interviewed on the radio in Bamenda to an audience of about 2 million potential listeners about our purpose here as well as discussing the importance of discipleship, especially among young people.

And today, we traveled to the Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary in Ndu (about 3-4 hours) to encourage a young missionary family there and have a unique opportunity to meet with the Seminary leaders to discuss how the Seminary could be involved in more strategic ways of equipping pastors in the area of youth ministry. It was an incredible meeting and our host, Godwill Ncham, was ecstatic that such an opportunity presented itself on that level.

And so, we thank you again for you continued prayers for our health and safety, but also for how God is putting together incredible opportunities for us to raise the profile of youth ministry among Cameroonian church leaders. It’s been incredible to say the least!

I’d also ask you to continue to pray for these requests…..

- Our team splits up again tomorrow. Half will go back to Bamenda to do the Sonlife Seminar there this weekend and the others will travel 5-6 hours further inland to Allat to teach a seminar there. Please pray for us as we teach.
- News came from home today for me that our dog Kodi will need to be put to sleep today…this is quite hard on all of us as I am gone from home, but I’d ask that you especially pray for our son Kameron as Kodi has always been there. Please pray…
- Shelly’s grandma, Lorna Toll. There isn’t anything new to report at this time but please continue to pray for her as she is quite frail.
- A member of our team, John Marshall (Bethlehem, PA), had a scary fall off of a ledge at the CBC compound on Monday night as the power went off and he didn’t see a ledge. He fell 5-6 feet, but amazingly, thankfully, he’s OK.
- Please pray for all the guys on our team – Paul, Mark, Chris, John and Jud as we are away from wives, children and families.

God bless you all for your faithfulness in praying for us here in Cameroon. This would not be going as it is if it weren’t for your prayers. Thank you.

In His Grip,
Randy