Three Week Mission Trip to Cameroon
Hello Dear Friends,
The Wycliffe Bible translators are a worldwide team of dedicated families who are selflessly giving their life’s work to the ministry of bringing the words of Jesus Christ into the heart languages of those people who still don’t have a New Testament of Bible in their own native tongue.
There are still 350 million people, representing over 2,000 languages and dialects, who cannot read the Bible for themselves. When a person is able to see that God is for all people, and not just a “foreign god,” it can change their life forever and for all eternity. This is the ministry of the Wycliffe translators.
Wycliffe translators do not work alone. They work with their families along side of them, wherever they may be, often at the risk of diseases and turmoil that many of us would never imagine. They need time for regrouping, for sharing, for encouragement, and for planning. Each year the translators themselves gather in training and strategy workshops that last from two to three weeks. In order for the parents to go, and for their children not to suffer the loss of schooling while they are gone, substitute teachers are asked to volunteer to come into the country, and teach or share their skills for a period of two or three weeks.
Through a series of happy circumstances, Walt Andreas and I were invited to share our backgrounds and abilities with Wycliffe. After careful screening, the Wycliffe people believe we are best suited to act as substitute teachers for the Rain Forest International School in Cameroon, equatorial Africa. The school has 200 students, of all grade levels, and we have been invited by them to come and assist them, so that the work of Bible translation can continue more easily. We are feeling very much that God is equipping us for this missionary effort. We do have to fund our own transportation, lodging, and meals during the trip. It is the prayer of the Wycliffe Translators and of ours as well, that we will be able to go.
We are sending this letter to you to ask you for your prayers for our health and well being and usefulness on this trip. We are also hoping that you would feel that this is a mission effort that you would want to support, encourage, and strengthen. Our expenses will be $3,401 per man. We are told that we should have enough support to make sure we get there and not be a burden on the Wycliffe people, but rather add to their help and succor. We would love to arrive as missionaries bearing gifts. Hopefully we will meet our funding needs well enough that we can ask the school in what other ways we can help provision them.
We are planning on a three-week trip, starting at Chicago, O’Hare on the evening of April 13th, and returning on May the 4th. For each of us it will mean a round trip journey of over 12,000 miles. We will have to have shots for yellow fever, DPT, and others, and take malaria pills going and coming. I do not mean to overly dramatize the trip, however, it is not every day that people can say, "We are hoping to help missionaries in the heart of Africa".
The Wycliffe team will be arranging our airplane trips, taking advantage of lower fares that are available to missionaries and charitable workers. We feel we will be good stewards of all that is entrusted to us on behalf of this trip to help these missionary translators and their families, who are embracing the Great Commission to go into all the world, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Our church has established a Cameroon team missionary fund, where you can send your tax-deductible charitable contribution. The church financial secretary will send you an acknowledgement of your support.
Walt will be taking digital pictures of our work in Cameroon, and we would like to send out a report with pictures to everyone who desires one, without regard to your ability to help this mission. Perhaps in the future you will want to support other Wycliffe efforts throughout the world.
We would recommend to you these websites to see more about this missionary endeavor.
For information about the Rain Forest International School
For information about the Wycliffe Bible Translators
http://www.wycliffe.org/wbt-usa/home.htm
For historical information about John Wycliffe
http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/john-wycliffe.html
If you would care to help, please send a support donation c/o Missions. Cameroon Team, at Indian Grove Country Church, 6970 Il Highway 75 East,
Rock City, Illinois 61070 Website: www.indiangrove.com
We are asking for your prayers, your help, and your assistance in making this small mission to missionaries a blessing to these dedicated families.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
James French and Walter Andreas