Charles Wesco (age 44, a missionary at Bamenda, Cameroon) was on his way to an outdoor market October 30th, when he was caught in crossfire and died. Charles' memorial service was held in Indiana on November 12th. The family had arrived in the country just 12 days prior, ready to start their ministry. God put it on their heart a few years ago, and for the past two years they intensely prepared for their move. Please pray for his widow, Stephanie, and their eight children.
Currently there is ongoing political unrest and conflict in Cameroon. For a year and a half, the Cameroonian military has been accused of beating and arresting people suspected of being separatists, torching homes and killing unarmed protesters. Armed separatists have called for a boycott of local schools, contending that the French-language schools discriminate against English-speaking students. The fighting may lead to a civil war.
The United Nations rights chief has expressed 'deep alarm' at spiraling Cameroon violence, blaming the government and armed groups for a litany of abuses in anglophone regions during the unrest. It has displaced more than 180,000 people.
“We see the situation degenerating from a crisis to a conflict,” said Gaby Ambo, executive director of the Finders Group Initiative, a human rights group in Cameroon. “And if nothing is done soon, it will turn into a civil war with grave consequences.”
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| Quote by a fellow missionary in Cameroon |
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Psalm 37:23). God is never taken by surprise. While we may not understand God’s providences, we must rest in His Providence. We live in time; God lives in eternity. Endowed by God with a brilliant mind, Charles desired to do God’s will. One thing is certain. God is powerful enough to use the life and death of Charles Wesco for His glory, and He will. May the God of all comfort bring peace and His all-sufficiency to Stephanie and the family as they go forward, and may the Lord of the harvest use this perplexing turn of events to further His cause and kingdom." ~ John Van Gelderen (https://revivalfocus.org)
I know many of us remember the four missionaries: Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, and Pete Fleming, all of whom who were murdered in Ecuador in 1956. I wrote two blog posts about their story on the 60th anniversary of their martyrdom. You can read them here and here.
"Finish going out strong and faithful in His power and grace, and you will never regret it."
~ Charles Wesco (1974-2018), missionary to Cameroon
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