Religion
- Details
- Religion
The Cameroon Baptist Convention [CBC] has created what authorities say it’s a development pool aimed at gathering money for the raising to acceptable standards the conventions infrastructure and other projects related to it. All CBC institutions shall in turn after contributing a certain amount will qualify for a loan at a ``very low interest rate``. At the initial launching at the Etug-Ebe Baptist Church in Yaounde, where 30million francs was realized, the money which is expected at 1billion francs will go a long way to save the CBC from constant ``embarrassment``.
The exercise which extended to Mutengene, Bamenda and has continued in Churches and other major gatherings, officials say is on the foundation `` Building the work of God one each at a time``. Contributors to this fund shall include all CBC institutions and personnel alongside special members ranging from a 1% for workers up to 5million francs. The development fund whose activities have already gone operational will generate 800million from term deposits and another 200million will come in from donations to make up the 1billion francs target.
During the exercise in various places, there have been divergent opinions on contributions and loans. Of the 7 ministries in the convention, Communication, Children, Ministers [Pastors] and the Evangelism and missions will surely have a problem. Taking the case of Pastors, their monthly income depends on the number of sheep they shepherd. To make matters worse there are some churches whose offering and other income of the church hardly go above 15.000frs per month. From this amount, the institution will have to pay the Pastors salary and other running cost of the congregation.
Most of the church houses in rural areas have an identity. The Communications, Children, Evangelism and Missions Ministries is another case. They run mostly from donations and will be difficult for them to get a loan needless to talk of repayment. Others include the education Department that has to do with schools especially at the Primary level. A good number have closed because of infrastructure or personnel management. Many are of the opinion that the CBCDF should look into building churches and schools as a long term investment. As for churches in rural areas, its a wishful thinking for some of them to get a loan despite contributing to the fund. Elsewhere, the Evangelism and Missions department are organizing Bible conferences in her 33 administrative units [Fields] nationwide beginning November 11. Activities during these four days include conference of Ministers and their wives, Departmental meetings [men, women and youths], Bible lessons, Fund raising, singing, financial report and problems and possible solutions for a way forward for the CBC. The conference is holding under the theme, “Bearing the cross, cost of following Christ” drawn from Matthew 16.12-28
- Details
- Ngwa Bertrand
- Hits: 2341
- Details
- Religion
Cameroon Concord's Samuel Bantar reported today that the Cameroon Baptist Convention has created a development fund. This is good news and we of this publication are happy. However, we are saying here that what has already come in so far should be use to repair historic sign posts such as the one at the entrance to the Nkwen Baptist Church in Bamenda.
It is arguably the oldest in the North West region recently visited by Cameroon Concord Chairman and CEO Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai. The sign post reads "Bafreng Baptist School" and it badly needs attention from the Church hierarchy.
- Details
- Ngwa Bertrand
- Hits: 1628
- Details
- Religion
About 800 teachers from 54 Catholic Primary Schools in the Douala Archdiocese have called off the strike that started on Wednesday, November 11, 2015. The close to 250 teachers who gathered at the Douala Archdiocese yesterday, November 12, 2015, heaved a sigh of relief after hearing the fallout of a closed-door meeting between the Douala Archbishop, His Lordship Samuel Kleda, the Divisional Officer for Douala I, Jean Marc Ekoa Mbarga, and 20 trade union representatives.
After the close to three-hour meeting, Jean Marc Ekoa Mbarga advised the teachers to call off the strike action since their grievances had been heard and some measures taken to improve their working conditions. He proposed another meeting with the teachers, trade union representatives and Douala Archbishop in his office on Wednesday, November 18, 2015, for final resolutions.
One of the spokespersons of the trade union who attended the meeting said the Archbishop Kleda promised medical cover and longevity allowances, while a 1984 agreement will be discussed on November 18. Before the strike was called off, the teachers had a long list of grievances. These included low salaries, with some of them allegedly paid below the minimum wage, medical cover, transport, accommodation and research allowances, and registration with the National Social Insurance Fund.
- Details
- Ngwa Bertrand
- Hits: 1711
- Details
- Religion
Political and religious leaders in Central African Republic on Thursday sought to assure the Vatican that the pope would be safe when he visited on Nov. 28-29 as the United Nations also prepared to add troops. Pope Francis will visit the country amid intensifying violence in a two-year conflict that has pitted mostly Muslim rebels against Christian militias, killing dozens in the capital Bangui since late September. Francis hinted in a speech on Nov. 1 that his trip to Central African Republic could be canceled if violence worsens. He will also visit Kenya and Uganda. "The arrival of the pope will be a great blessing, and I want it to happen regardless of the fate reserved for us," interim President Catherine Samba-Panza told French radio station RTL.
General Chrysostome Sambia, the minister of public security, said the government had a plan to secure the pope's visit. "I will do my very best to ensure it is well-implemented." Deputy archbishop for Bangui Jésus Martial Dembele expressed hope that the trip would proceed peacefully. A U.N. official said its peacekeeping mission (MINUSCA) plans to add 750 troops and 140 police in time for December elections, set to end a transition period. "Some reinforcements should be in theater before the pope's visit," the official said, adding that MINUSCA was working closely with both the government and the Vatican. Former colonial power France said this week it has halted for now its drawdown of troops which once numbered 2,000 but have been scaled back as U.N. reinforcements arrive. But there was no abatement in violence on Thursday.
An internally displaced man seeking shelter at the Church of our Lady Fatima was killed when he returned to the mostly Muslim neighborhood of PK5 to fetch his belongings, residents said. Two other displaced people were killed in a camp in Bambari by suspected members of Seleka faction Union for Peace in Central Africa, following the deaths of seven civilians in another camp in Batangafo earlier this week. Central African Republic descended into turmoil in March 2013, when Seleka rebels seized power, prompting reprisal attacks from militias drawn from the Christian majority. Their rebel chief later ceded power to an interim government led by Samba-Panza but peace has proven elusive. On Tuesday, interim authorities said long-delayed presidential and parliamentary elections would take place on Dec. 27 with a second round, if needed, on Jan. 31.
- Details
- Ngwa Bertrand
- Hits: 1353
- Details
- Religion
Poverty, influx of refugees and vulnerable migrants from neighbouring countries is a major preoccupation for humanitarian partners. Correspondingly, the third meeting of Caritas Cameroon National Diocesan Coordinators that opened in Yaounde on Monday, November 9, 2015, with the theme, “Let’s Act Together", agreed that something has to be done and done in a hurry to remedy the situation.
The President of Caritas Cameroon, His Lordship Jan Ozga, said Caritas Cameroon must be strengthened in order to be efficient and remain a main player in the fight against poverty. He said this can only be successful if different Caritas branches work together. He announced that Caritas intends to carry out sensitisation to awaken the spirit of solidarity and compassion and get organised in order to ensure that assistance reaches people in hardship.
Caritas is an institution and charity that brings together all officials in Catholic dioceses. The present session aims at empowering and revitalising Caritas networks in Cameroon in order to improve its work among poor and vulnerable communities.
- Details
- Ngwa Bertrand
- Hits: 1892
- Details
- Religion
The coming of the Pentecostal movement to Cameroon and in the North West region in particular ushered in mixed feelings and confusion among folks as some ``men of God’` are benefitting from the culture of the people to ``preach the gospel``. Broken homes, teenage pregnancies and clash with the customs and tradition have characterized the activities of some of these churches in the North West region. The church usually begins with a few family members, then the people of the quarter and finally when things ``start getting better``, a megaphone or brass band is bought. It is common to get gospel music during all night prayers at the highest peak accompanied by shout of ``Holy Ghost, Fire, fire or Praise the Lord, Out, Out, Out`` repeated as many times as the announcer has the energy to do so. Moreover, the clash between some of these churches and the culture and traditional practices in the North West has remained a cause for concern.
On October 11 this year, heavy fighting erupted between members of a Pentecostal church, `` My Body Needs Yours`` and a traditional group in Ndop, Ngoketungia Division. According to what transpired, four members of the `Ngomba`` cult, stormed the church and were molested by worshippers of the congregation after sprinkling acid into the eyes of three of them. Unconfirmed sources say since the coming of the church in the area, disrespect for traditional institutions, blackmail, thievery, and prostitution has been the order of the day as condoms and mattresses were found in one of the rooms that house the church. When contacted, Pastor Komando, owner of Eglise Evangelique du Cameroun on whose mandate the controversial church is operating, refuted allegations by the traditional authorities.
In Ndu Sub Division, a Sub Chief burnt all artifacts in his Palace upon his return from Nigeria. He claimed he was told by a Prophet that the artifacts were the source of problems to his people. A Pastor in one of the villages in that locality was beaten on July 29 during the burial of a man who had long left tradition for the church. The ``Ngomba`` association members have noted that once a member, always a member and so they have the sole right to perform burial rites. In Bafut Subdivision, villagers are yet to come to terms with one of theirs who claims to be a prophet and cut down an ancestral tree at the entrance to the Palace saying God had revealed to him that all untimely deaths, sicknesses and other mishaps in the village were buried inside the mystical tree. Since then the problems of the people are far from being over.
The situation in Aghem, Menchum Division may be different but it is alleged that some Christians of yet another Pentecostal church sneaked into the Palace, collected all artifacts and burnt them saying they belonged to the devil. In Santa Subdivision, the CPDM government spent time and money to dig out the remains of a Prophet and his brother who were looking for Gold. The prophet said God revealed to him that there was Gold in their family residence. After digging a hole of close to 60 meters, the two brothers were covered by soil. In Bamenda, another Prophet after duping several people of their movable and fixed property, announced that every one should go back to his or her former Church. This was on the heels of threats from some young men whom the pastor had dispossessed their mother of valuable family property in exchange for would-be God blessings.
Despite government attempts to regularize the situation, the churches often develop new ways of operation. They either fuse into an authorized one or simply go underground and resurface when places are calm. There are numerous Bible Schools in town one of which claim recently that it will train 1000 prophets who will be able to dish out prophecy and interpret dreams by December this year. There is a church in almost every street hence Church Street and they also go by a variety of brand names; My Body needs Yours, Holy Ghost Ministry, Mountain of Fire, Miracle Assembly, etc. How some of these self made prophets became preachers of the Word is another topic for debate. However, a book, recently launched at the Nkwen Baptist church titled Drinking the Gospel in African Cups could be one solution to these crises but the question remains, how many Cameroonians read books.
- Details
- Ngwa Bertrand
- Hits: 4108
