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♫ I must go with my Lord to any length ♪ no matter the roughness of the road, ♪ I must go, I must go. ♫ These are the opening lines of a popular song Cameroonian Christians are apt to sing when riding together in a vehicle, plying one of the many bumpy roads in this land.
One such deplorable road is the little ring road that circles Nkwen Baptist Centre in Bamenda. This is the compound where I reside that is the headquarters of the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC). The compound hosts a hospital, church, radio station, printing press, administrative offices, bookshop, nursery, and primary and secondary schools. The compound road was paved in the 1980s. Over the years, some patch repairs were done with cement (which does not adhere to asphalt and therefore does not last long). However, for a good number of years, as much construction and development had taken place to the buildings, the road had been neglected.
One of the hats I wear, apart from missionary administration and accounting, is that of Nkwen Baptist Center supervisor, ensuring those who provide maintenance, security, and utilities to the compound are doing their job. I consider the compound as God’s compound and that it should be cared for with dignity. Yet, in recent years, whenever I drove onto the compound and bounced over the horrendous potholes, I cringed and was ashamed of the compound road. It was not befitting for a place in the community that represented relationship with God. Yes, the road needed major fixing, but the department’s financial position was in a deficit. How could these badly needed repairs be done?
Walter on the Nkwen Baptist Center compound road, currently being rehabilitated.
At the beginning of 2025, the then-new CBC executive president, Rev. Dr. Teke John, mandated that rehabilitating the road be a priority project. At morning devotions, the compound staff were asked to pray for the project and specifically for the means to be available. Interestingly, back in 2021, the local Bamenda government decided to widen the main road in front of the compound and seized some of our property without following appropriate expropriation procedures. Hallelujah, in November 2025, expropriation compensation was collected, and the CBC leadership earmarked a good portion of those funds to fix the compound road. Paving and drainage work began in January and is anticipated to be finished in March. We praise God for His provision.
The Church plies not only on physical roads but also relational and spiritual roads. These types of roads can also be very rough and difficult. Since 2024, the CBC has been on one such road, with legal cases between believers over disagreement about how the CBC’s constitution had been amended. This lack of peace stifles representation of the God of peace, evangelism, and discipleship. The CBC’s theme for 2026 is “Living the Gospel of Peace,” drawn from Ephesians 2:14–26. Pray that the CBC can indeed live the Gospel of peace and reconciliation between believers takes place.
If we are going down the road with the Lord, we are going the right way, no matter the roughness of the road. I am thankful to supporters and supporting churches who have chosen to go down the road of missions. You are a blessing. Thank you for prayers, encouragement, and support.
Sincerely,