A US missionary has been killed in Cameroon in what the family says was a “targeted” attack.
An American missionary was shot and killed in Cameroon last week and his family says they believe he was targeted amid growing violence in the West African country.
Charles Wesco, his wife Stephanie, and their eight children had moved to Bamenda, a major city in Cameroon’s northwest province, less than two weeks ago.
After years of missions to Africa, the Wesco family had decided to permanently move to the country from Indiana after a visit there in 2015.
His brother Timothy Wesco – a state representative in Indiana told ABC News.”Their objective was to share the love of Christ with people in a very poor and strife-ridden country. That was their passion, and that was their life, to share Jesus Christ.”
But Tuesday morning, while driving into town to go shopping, Charles was shot. He was taken to one of the local hospitals where he was treated by Doctors Without Borders, Timothy said but was declared dead shortly after arriving.
“It appears that he was targeted,” Timothy said, adding later it was, “Quite probable he was targeted because he was a white, English-speaking American.”
Chief among the family’s needs right now is safety. Timothy Wesco said, “We’re very concerned about the safety of the family,” He hopes they’ll be able to get them out of Cameroon soon.
The family was aware of the risks in Cameroon but were undaunted writing on social media,
“Keep praying earnestly for a return of peace to the English and French sections of Cameroon!”