One Thirst Ministries

The Waite Family to Cameroon ~ FAQ

In the near future, we will be placing a short video here of the Waite family explaining why they are pursuing a ministry in full time missions among the Fulbe. To be informed when this video is available, please join our Facebook Update page.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where is Cameroon?

What will you be doing in Cameroon?

Who are the Fulbe People?

At this time, how many churches exist among the Fulbe of Cameroon?

I have heard of planting churches, but what is a "Church-Planting Movement"?

Will you be the one starting all these new churches?

You mentioned that you would be starting "cell-churches". Is there a reason for this?

What qualifiactions do you have for this work?

How much support will you need?

That seems like alot of money for a third-world country. Why do you need so much?

How much support do you currently need?

Do you need to be fully supported to go to the field?

How large is your family?

How old are your kids who will be going with you, and are they in favor of this move?

How will you educate your children?

You mentioned that you have a sending church. Tell us about your church.

Why did you choose World Team as your mission-sending agency?

If we sense the Lord leading us to financially support you in this endeavor, what is the process?

Is there a set amount we should give?

When would be the best time for us to begin our support?

Do you have any other needs we should be aware of?

Are you available to come and speak to us about your vision for the Fulbe people?

What is the best way to contact you?

Where is Cameroon?
Cameroon is in West Africa just north of the Equator. It is bordered by Nigeria to its west and the Central African Republic and Chad to its east.

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What will you be doing in Cameroon?
We are going to Cameroon primarily to start a church-planting movement among the Fulbe people. To do this, we will move into a village or small town where we will share the Gospel, disciple new converts, identify and train qualified spiritual leaders, and then establish small indigenous cell-churches that will be able to reproduce themselves in other villages and towns.

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Who are the Fulbe people?
The Fulbe people are one of the largest unreached Muslim people groups in Africa. In Cameroon alone, they number over 1.6 million people. Throughout northern Africa, they number around 20 million people.

At this time, how many churches exist among the Fulbe in Cameroon?
There is not a single church in existence among the Fulbe people in Cameroon.

I have heard of planting churches but what is a “church-planting movement”?
Quite simply, a church planting movement is a rapid multiplication of indigenous churches planting other churches that sweeps through a people group. In other words, rather than having as our goal the starting of one or two churches among the Fulbe people, we desire to see many churches raised up all of which will have built into their spiritual DNA the priority to reproduce themselves in other villages and towns.

Will you be the one starting all these new churches?
No, our desire is to work with the Fulbe believers in discipling and training them to start these new churches among their own people. Once new churches are started, our emphasis will be on continuing leadership development, theological training, mentoring new churches, and continuing to help start new churches with the goal of extending the Gospel from Cameroon’s 1.6 million Fulbe deep into northern Africa’s 20 million Fulbe.

You mentioned that you would be involved in starting “cell churches”. Is there a reason for this?
Yes, since the Fulbe are a Muslim people group that is not open to Christianity the best means by which believers can gather for worship, teaching, and fellowship is in small groups that are not overly obvious. Since the Fulbe believers suffer persecution for their faith, there is a great need for deep safe relationships with other believers. Cell churches or small home fellowships best provide for these needs. In addition, cell churches tend to multiply rather than just grow large. In essence, by purposely keeping the churches small by forming new churches once a fellowship reaches twenty to twenty-five believers, we will see the church among the Fulbe grow large and strong.

What qualifications do you have for this work?
My wife and I are available, willing, and have a passion to see Christ made known and worshipped among the Fulbe. We have invested the last 24 years of our lives serving churches in the United States in pastoral ministry as well as are experienced church planters having planted our sending church over six years ago.

How much support will you need?
We will need $4,800 per month to live and serve in Cameroon.

That seems like a lot of money for a third-world country. Why do you need so much?
We certainly can live and will live on less than this amount. In fact, while in Cameroon we will live on less than $2300 per month. However, besides living in Cameroon, we will also minister there and this will cost more money than we need to live on. For example, we will be providing jobs for several believers and prospective spiritual leaders who have lost their livelihoods due to persecution for their faith in Christ. We will also need money to produce training resources as well as to travel with the believers we are training to villages and small towns to begin other works. In addition, in order to be a blessing to the people we are trying to reach; we will also be helping to fund community development projects such as digging wells to provide clean water to villages without a clean water source. Finally, there are various fees, taxes, and administrative costs required to enter and remain in Cameroon.

How much support do you currently have?
As of February 2010, we have $1500 per month in support. This puts us a little over 31 % of our monthly support need. Thus, we need to raise $3,300 more per month to be fully supported.

Do you need to be fully supported to go to the field?
Yes, our mission agency, World Team, requires that we be fully supported before we leave for Cameroon.

How large is your family?
We have seven children but only four of them will accompany us to Cameroon. Our other three children are grown and serving in the military.

How old are your kids who will be going with you and are they in favor of this move?
Our four kids' ages are 15, 11, 6, and almost 4. They can't wait to get back to Cameroon. We took a family mission trip there in November of 2009 and our kids fell in love with the Fulbe people and desire with us to go back and make much of Christ by serving them.

How will you educate your children?
The same way we do now—through home schooling.

You mentioned that you have a sending church. Tell us about your church?
Our sending church is a church we led in starting in Edgewood, New Mexico back in February 2004. Covenant of Grace Bible Church has a passion to see God glorified and worshiped among all the peoples of the earth. We are a small body of believers who have a great desire to be used by God in the worldwide proclamation of the Gospel for God's glory and people's eternal joy. To this end, our church has committed much of her resources, time, energy, and us—her founding pastor and family.

Why did you choose World Team as your mission-sending agency?
Because of World Team’s emphasis on proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and planting churches among the unreached people groups of the world for the glory of God and eternal joy of all who will believe.

If we sense the Lord leading us to financially support you in this endeavor what is the process?
One of the easiest ways to support us is to go to the World Team website at www.worldteam.org and go to the “giving” page. There you will find instructions that will assist you in giving online or by check. We also have pledge cards with envelopes, which you can use to send in your monthly pledge and support. Whereas, one-time gifts are certainly appreciated, our biggest need right now is for God’s people and churches to commit to supporting us on a monthly basis for whatever they are able to give. Support of any consistent amount per month will add up and ultimately be used by God to get us to Cameroon. All support checks should be made out to World Team and designated for “Mark & Nancy Waite”. All gifts and monthly support is tax deductible.

Is there a set amount of support we should give?
No. Any amount you are able to give each month will be welcomed, very much appreciated, and used to make Christ known among the Fulbe people.

When would be a good time for us to begin our support?
As soon as you are able to do so. The support that goes into World Team on our behalf from now until we leave for Cameroon is collected and saved in our account at World Team for our outgoing and passage expenses when we actually ship out. We have to save around fifteen thousand dollars to pay for our family’s move to Cameroon as well as purchasing and shipping the necessary equipment to live and minister there. The support that goes into World Team from now until we leave for Cameroon will be a big help in covering these expenses. We do not draw any monthly support from World Team until we actually go to the field.

Do you have any other needs we should be aware of?
Yes. We always need people and churches to pray for us and for the Fulbe people in Cameroon. In addition, we need God to raise up other believers to join us in this work. Currently, there is only one other couple serving with World Team among the Fulbe in central Cameroon. There is plenty of room for more workers. There is a great need not only for more church planters but also for literacy workers, women & children’s workers, medical personnel, community development personnel, mechanics, pilots, and short-term personnel.

Are you available to come and speak to us about your vision for the Fulbe people?
Yes, we would love to come and talk with you, your small group, or church about this great opportunity God is opening up among the Fulbe people of Cameroon. I am also available to preach, teach, and conduct seminars for your church, Sunday School class, Youth Group, or small group on a variety of subjects. Please let us know how we can serve you.

What is the best way to contact you?
Email is probably the best way to contact us. Our email address is bookmark59@gmail.com or you can call us at (505) 934-1694. We welcome your questions and interest. We will also pray for and with you concerning any prayer needs you would care to share with us.