The Waite Update

Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Hi All,

Tomorrow (Wednesday Feb. 6) begins our final week in Cameroon. Much of this time will be spent traveling from Maroua to Yaounde where we’ll catch our plane to the States. It should be a much easier move than when we came to Cameroon as the only things we are bringing home are what we can cram in six suitcases. Everything else stays behind to be used by our two schools, new house church in Maroua, the orphanage, and several needy families. What an adventure it all has been and what an adventure it is stacking up to be as we really are starting over in the U.S. with what is in these six suitcases. And just in case you’re wondering—we don’t have a stash of stuff or even a house waiting for us—it was all sold or given away before we left for Africa. Ah, the blessings and challenges of traveling and living “light”.

We have been busy this last week finishing up our first missionary training school class here in Maroua, and enjoyed a wonderful graduation ceremony on Saturday in which we graduated 10 students. Two are pastoring house churches and plan to use their training within their own churches. Others are evangelizing in area villages while four are working in our newly birthed house church here in our neighborhood. The next class is slated to begin in the latter part of March. On Wednesday the 6th we have the joy of seeing two young men, who surrendered their lives to Christ a few weeks ago, baptized by the pastors of our house church. Both of these men are being discipled, growing strong in the Lord, and preaching the Gospel they once despised.

Mark had the privilege this past Sunday of preaching and teaching in a church just outside of Maroua. This church which is made up of several house fellowships came together for worship, fellowship, and to hear Mark teach on the topic of The Gospel & How It Should Affect Our Forgiveness of Each Other. All together the church spent over five hours together, the bulk of that time spent, listening to Mark and then asking him questions. The temperatures soared over 100 F inside the room which was crammed with joyful and spiritually hungry people sitting on narrow rough wooden planks and no AC!

Whereas, we are so very excited to be back in the States next week and see our children, friends, and other family members, we still, nevertheless leave Cameroon with a heavy heart. We will miss the young men who have lived in our home since the day we arrived, the national believers we have been privileged to disciple and train, the children and staff at the orphanage, the Fulbe people we shared the Gospel with as we sat in their huts and drank hot milk, and living among the easy-going, happy, friendly, and gentle Cameroonians and the many pets God gave us to enjoy. God was so good to have sent us here and so faithful to keep us through the many challenges, struggles, and trials we experienced here as well. So again, while happy to dive into His next adventure for us, we will miss this one.

As for our itinerary once we get into the States—we’ll be landing in Memphis where Mark and Luke will meet us. Then its off to get some pizza, our first hot shower since leaving the States, and get some new duds to accommodate the winter temperatures and replace worn out clothes! We also need to get some medical attention for various ailments, injuries, and yes, even get dewormed. We are looking forward to a family vacation shortly thereafter as well.

While back we will still be overseeing and supplying finances and resources for several projects in Cameroon. Some of these include the production of several theological and Biblical studies materials into French, continuing to route finances to the orphanage through June, providing financial support for our two missionary training schools in Cameroon, conducting an advanced level of our CM3T Missionary training school for our graduates via the internet, developing new Bible curriculum for our schools that can be accessed on the internet, advising and providing initial financial support to micro-businesses to support our national evangelists and church planters so they can support themselves while ministering, and providing direction to some new missionary endeavors being carried out by our national evangelists and church planters to several different unreached people groups throughout Cameroon. Your continued financial support through June will be used to finance all these projects and several more we didn’t list.

As always thank you for your prayer on our behalf. Please pray that we make the adjustment back to life in the States and prove faithful servants of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ as we come back. We rarely refer to it as home any more for now more than ever before we see Heaven as our home and this earth as merely the place we have been deployed to make known the identity of the One True King and His Kingdom.

For the Sake of The Gospel,

Mark, Nancy & kids

A Fire Lit

(An article written by Pastor Preston from Southern Hills Baptist Church in Copperas Cove, TX. for his church as they contemplated the huge investment they made in the work here in Cameroon.  Preston along with men from SHBC, Covenant of Grace Bible Church in NM, a dear young friend from Washington, and our two sons, Mark and Luke came and ministered in our CM3T School last June.  Many of you reading this have also heavily invested in the ministry here as well.  Thank you and may God be praised!)

Over the last two years, you (SHBC) have prayed for, invested in, and sent out workers (The Waites) in the field of Cameroon Africa. Cameroon is strategically located near the 10/40 window of unreached Northern Africa. It also sits just southeast of hostile Nigeria where the gospel is perverted by western influence and Islamic militants. Though it has been costly, these workers have tilled, planted the seed, and watered the word of truth.

Fast forward to date – A fire has been lit in Cameroon and burns at this hour with a hand full of Africans who have a passion to take the Biblical gospel to their nation. What began in a small rural orphanage and the bush area surrounding it will prove to be the start of something God has done and will bring to completion. What a few of us witnessed, we report.

In the spring of 2012, eleven Africans came to the house of a missionary family (the Waite's). They came with a desire to know and grow in the grace of God and study the works of God. Their desire is God's desire to reach the nations. God has lit the fires of gospel truth in a dark place. Most days we were there was without electricity and common conveniences. But to see these hungry souls yearning for truth was inspiring. I thought of those eleven disciples that Jesus appeared to some days after His resurrection and what Jesus did with those eleven who had nothing but themselves to offer. Jesus sent them and sends even more today. They were lambs among wolves but they were confident in God's word.

Today, eleven Africans from the school of theology (CM3T) facilitated by the Waite family and fueled by our giving and prayers have been sent out into Cameroon. A team remains in the original area just outside of Bamenda. A few have gone to the urban capital area of Yaounde. And a few are in the far hostile north inside the 10/40 window; Maroua. The fire of the Holy Spirit is spreading. To think that God called and used us at Southern Hills to help light this fire is staggering.

Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few”( Mt. 9:37). Christians are to be workers in the fields where God has planted them. The difficulty is not the harvest (it is plentiful); Jesus wants workers to do the work of proclaiming the good news with compassion. Make this New Year a year of working in the field where God has given you influence.

FROM OUR CM3T SCHOOL IN YAOUNDE

CM3T Yaounde Home Bible Classes 

The following was written by Martin Enyang, a graduate of our first school and the founder of our new CM3T school in Yaounde.  He and his faithful assistant Collette Acha are doing a wonderful work for the Lord.

With the thought in mind that a large number of professed Christians do not really know what the Bible teaches on the basic Christian doctrines, CM3T Yaounde is now offering home classes to Christians who cannot attend the school due to busy schedules. We bring the truth of scripture to people and take the opportunity offered to spread and preach the word of God. We pray by doing this God will bring many to Himself and spread the truth around. At the same time, while we teach, we do not neglect the preaching of the gospel to unreached and unsaved people, believing what Romans 1:16 says.

Our goal is to Glorify God by preaching the gospel, leading many to Jesus, and to teach them sound Biblical truth. We also hope to bring believers to the truth of scripture by correcting some of the erroneous doctrines we once walked in ourselves. We pray among those trained and taught God will raise Missionaries, who will be willing to give up all, even their lives for the sake of Christ and the gospel and go

Matthew_16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

We hope through the School CM3T, Founded by Mark Waite, a reformation will start in Cameroon and spread to where God wants across Africa. We pray for changes like that started by Martin Luther, John Calvin, We pray reformed doctrine and teaching the truth of God’ word will spread across Africa like wild fire. To Him be all the praise and Glory now and for ever.

Two Countries--One King!

I am one of those individuals who holds dual citizenship, that is I am a citizen with rights, privileges, responsibilities, and accountability in two countries.  However, having dual citizenship with dual responsibilities, rights, and privileges does not equate to an equal loyalty, allegiance, or accountability.  You see, whereas I am claimed as a citizen of two countries my greatest and ultimate allegiance belongs to only one of these countries and its King.  And as ironic as it may seem my greater loyalty to the one makes me a better citizen of the other just as my patriotism to the one makes me a better patriot in the other.  But having said this let me also make the point that when the lines are drawn between these two countries so that I cannot obey the one without disobeying the other my obedience, my loyalty, and my allegiance belongs to my country that is not of this world which is ruled by the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Lord Jesus Christ!  If this makes me a criminal to the one rather than a good citizen so be it.  But in the end all of us who bear the name Christian must remember that Christ’s kingdom has no competitors.  The United States like any nation ruled by men cannot and will not last forever.  Neither will it stand in the end as God’s Kingdom nor even a co-champion.  As the Bible teaches us who hold this dual citizenship and are deployed to this country for the purpose of making known the other—“our citizenship is in Heaven from which also we eagerly await a Savior—the Lord Jesus Christ . . .” (Philippians 3:20)