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GEOGRAPHY

Area 475,442 sq.km. On the continental 'hinge' between West and Central Africa. Semi-arid in the north, grasslands in the centre, rainforest in the south.

Capital Yaounde 1,446,000. Other major city: Douala 2 mill. Urbanites 42%.

PEOPLES

Over 280 languages, maybe 500 or more ethnic groups; Africa's most complex country. Only the larger or noteworthy are mentioned here. Major language groups:

Bantu 58.5%. In south and west 116 groups: Bamiléké(20) 2m; Ewondo 1,353,000; Fang(3) 860,000; Bassa 421,000; Mum 415,000; Nkom 232,000; Duala 215,000; Nso 200,000; Widekum 168,000; Makaa 154,000; Limbum 141,000; Ngemba 128,000; Eton 133,000; Kundu 119,000, Kaka 119,000; Bassossi 117,000.

Chadic-Hausa 16.7%. In north, 61 groups: Mafi 416,000; Masa 284,000; Tupuri 251,000; Giziga(2) 162,000; Gidar 136,000; Musgum 129,000; Kotoko 116,000; Daba 100,000; Kapsiki 90,000; Mandara 61,000.

West Atlantic 9.4%. Adamawa Fulbe 1,437,000; Mbororo Fulbe 134,000.

Bantoid 6.5%. 49 groups: Mbo 150,000; Fungom 109,000; Bete 83,000; Tigon 66,000; Ejagham 64,000.

Sudanic 6.1%. In the north, 46 groups: Gbaya 241,000; Mundang 111,000; Fali(2) 66,000; Mbum 62,000.

Arab 0.9%. Shuwa (Baggara) 147,000.

Saharan 0.7%. Kanuri 103,000.

Kwa 0.4%. Igbo 67,000.

Adamawa (Pygmy) 0.4% Baka 48,000; Bayaka 5,000.

Other 0.4%. French 33,000; British 5,000; Greek 3,000.

Literacy 63%. Official languages French, English. All languages 279. Languages with Scriptures 18Bi 29NT 27por 54w.i.p.

ECONOMY

Largely based on agriculture and oil exports. Great potential for development with ample rain and minerals. Development has been slowed by decline in world prices for coffee and cocoa and widespread corruption. Unemployment is high. HDI 0.536; 134^th/174. Public debt 91% of GNP. Income/person $620 (2% of USA).

POLITICS

A German colony between 1884 and 1919, then divided between Britain and France. Independence from France in 1960, and union with English-speaking West Cameroon in 1961 as a bilingual one-party republic. Popular pressure forced the President to accede to multi-party elections in 1992, but opposition groups have not been allowed to compete fairly in elections. There are effectively two constitutions which are manipulated by the government to retain control. Cameroon has applied for membership of the British Commonwealth. There is a simmering secessionist movement in the Anglophone West.

RELIGION

Secular state which guarantees religious freedom. Islam is strong in the north – especially among the Fulbe.

Many of these statistics are estimates; few denominations keep records.

Missionaries from Cameroon
P,I,A 291 in 11 agencies to 35 countries.

Missionaries to Cameroon
P,I,A 613 in 60 agencies from 27 countries: USA 246, Germany 68, Canada 53, Switzerland 48, Nigeria 40.

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Answers to Prayer

1 Fast growth of Evangelicals in the 1990s through newer churches, Cameroonian missionaries and major evangelistic efforts – Reinhard Bonnke crusades, the JESUS film and CBN TV coverage.

2 Many significant leaders in the professions, army, police and politics have been converted – giving hope for changing society.

3 Freedom for private Christian radio and television broadcasting, granted in 2000. This will open many doors for Christian ministry.

Challenges for Prayer

1 Some claim Cameroon is the most corrupt nation on earth – and there are many 'claimants' for that title. Massive corruption in the government, administration, police, the legal system and business have debased living standards, crippled economic growth and brought despair and hopelessness to the great majority of the population. Pray that:

a) True Christians of integrity may be raised up to lead the nation and make the radical reforms needed to lift it from its sorry state.

b) There may be freedom for a national consultation that paves the way for a new era for the country.

c) The Lord might raise up committed and God-fearing Christian leaders to play key roles in national decision making in the public arena.

2 The spiritual poverty of the churches is the country's greatest tragedy. Nominal Christianity is a bigger problem in this land than in any other in Africa. The early pioneer work of Catholics, Presbyterians, Lutherans and Baptists was damaged by compromise and the arrival of liberation theology. These large churches lost spiritual life and opened their doors to millions who had no personal faith in Christ and with no one to lead them to Him. Tribalism, pagan practices, alcoholism and low moral standards are endemic. Most in these churches have no concern for the unreached of the north, nor do they have a prophetic voice to address the major ills of society. Pray for deep repentance, lasting deliverance and true revival, and a restoration of Bible reading, preaching and holiness among Christians.

3 There is a need for godly leaders well trained in the Scriptures. Today's spiritual disaster has its roots in a failure in theological training. Church leadership is more noted for pride, power-struggles, disunity, moral failure and misuse of funds than for holy living. Pray for the provision of born-again, godly national and expatriate staff for the 10 accredited denominational and interdenominational schools in Cameroon. Pray also for a spiritual revolution in these theological faculties and seminaries which will bring new life and biblical standards to churches so long deprived of these.

4 Newer evangelical churches have grown rapidly in the last 20 years after a late start due to the hostility of older churches. Pentecostal and charismatic congregations have multiplied. Pray for:

a) Greater spiritual unity and cooperation between charismatic and non-charismatic groups.

b) More effective discipling of those evangelized. The strong growth of recent years has caused a lack of trained leaders and discipling programmes. Pray for the formation of a genuinely evangelical association of churches in Cameroon.

5 Signs of hope to cover in prayer:

a) Greater evangelical cooperation to reach the unconverted. Specific initiatives:

i) Cameroon Mission 2000 for reaching the nation's unreached.

ii) Cameroon for Christ was launched in 1996 and involved many denominations and churches in research and evangelism of the 2,400 villages of the north. By 1999, 10,000 Christians had been trained and 1,000 villages reached with good local response.

iii) Mission BINAM is a network targeting the idol worshippers of W. Cameroon – especially the Bamiléké.

iv) Christian Missionary Fellowship International (CMFI) is a Cameroonian mission which has a remarkable ministry in prayer, missions and publishing with a global impact.

b) The growing involvement of Cameroonians in cross-cultural missions. Dozens of indigenous denominations and churches are sending out missionaries to the north and to neighbouring lands. The Evangelical Missionary Alliance is spreading the vision for world evangelization and the sending and supporting of workers. CMFI has sent out and supported 98 missionary couples in 35 countries.

6 Bible translation for Cameroon's 279 languages is an overwhelming task. The lack of indigenous, heart-language Scriptures is one of the contributory causes of spiritual poverty in the churches. Only 47 languages have a Bible or NT. Pray for:

a) Existing translation and literacy projects. Both the UBC and SIL (with 190 workers) have invested much in these. Cameroon is SIL's largest African involvement. This is bearing fruit in church life.

b) Surveys which are needed for a further 126 languages without the Scriptures.

c) The indigenous Cameroon Association for Bible Translation and Literacy with commitment to a growing number of translation projects.

d) The calling of more indigenous and expatriate workers for translation, literacy and support work. Lutheran Bible Translators have 10 workers committed to translation.

7 Young people are adversely affected by the national malaise. Education appears futile because of lack of employment, rampant cheating and bribery for passing exams and favouritism at all levels. Many turn to crime and prostitution. Pray for:

a) Effective Christian discipling in churches and by youth and children's agencies. Little is available.

b) The ministry of SU in schools and GBEEC(IFES). The latter has 3,100 members in schools, colleges and universities. There are 460,000 secondary schools and 125,000 tertiary students in the country.

8 Less reached peoples – a national survey in this complex nation is an urgent need. The Joshua Project listing has 16 peoples, all but one being targeted for church planting. The major challenges:

a) Muslims – a majority in 8 peoples and a significant minority in most northern peoples.

i) The Fulbe have long been the proud rulers of the area. Christians among them have grown from the 10 known in 1991, but are still few. Several agencies have ministry among them (AP, Swiss-German SUM, Baptists, Lutheran Brethren).

ii) The Kanuri and Kotoko; about 30 believers known.

iii) The Hausa, Fali and Mbum – a few believers.

iv) The Shuwa Arabs are nomadic, moving between Chad and Cameroon. Only one or two believers known with no direct church planting yet.

b) The many peoples of the Mandara mountains, 30% Muslim but mostly fetishist. Some church planting agencies are seeing the beginnings of breakthroughs.

c) The northern plains peoples – Giziga, Mofu, Kapsiki, Gude and Gidar among whom several missionaries and churches are at work (Lutheran Brethren, Baptists, UECC).

d) The Pygmies have long been neglected in the southeastern forests. About 7% are at least nominally Christian. There are now specific efforts by Pygmy and cross-cultural workers to plant churches and translate the Bible (WorldTeam, SIL, CMFI).

9  The missionary force. The largest agencies are Vision Africa (40), Norwegian Lutheran Mission (32), North American Baptist Conference (32), European Baptist Mission (25) and AP/SUM (18). Pioneer missionaries are needed to reach the Muslims and northern pagan peoples, and for Bible translation ministry. Evangelical missionaries could help bring new life and vigour to the more nominal churches – but this requires skill and gifting of a high order.

10 Support ministries for which intercession is needed:

a) Christian literature is a major need. CMFI run a publishing house that has already printed 3 million books and 10 million tracts. More literature workers, both expatriate and national, are needed for writing, publishing and distributing French, English and local language materials.

b) Christian radio programmes may be aired on local and private stations; but few workers have the skills or equipment to prepare quality material. Sawtu Linjilla is a studio run by the various churches and missions working in Cameroon, Chad and Central African Republic, which produces French and Fulani radio programmes, cassettes, and audio-visual materials. The aim is pre-evangelism among the northern Cameroon peoples who use Fulani as a trade language. More Christian radio and television stations and programmes are needed in Cameroon.

c) The JESUS film has become a major evangelistic tool. Maybe 63% of the population has viewed it. It was available in 10 languages in 1999, but 70 other language versions were in production with a further 28 needing research.

d) EHC launched a nation-wide literature distribution in 1996.

e) The Swiss-based Helimission operates a helicopter service for Christian ministries.

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