Silas in Cameroon

Silas’ story embodies the multiplying impact of the Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV). Our story starts with this background from Dan Duke with Wycliffe Bible Translators who first met Silas in 1994.  Silas was the cook for the Wycliffe Missionary Center when I arrived in Cameroon in 1994. He was remarkable in that he had more energy—entrepreneurial spirit—than any of the other Cameroonians I met. In addition to working as a cook, he had a catering service on the side, a little store, and his wife, Mary, had a sewing shop. We had an experimental idea: since we had these little businesses going anyway, why not intentionally use them to teach young people how to start their own Christian businesses, and to disciple them in the process? This is what became Victory Vision Skills Center, a cluster of small businesses which takes in young people (usually delinquents, orphans, and ex-convicts), feeds and lodges them, and trains them up to the point of being able to start their own Christian business, which they in turn will use for the Kingdom.

So, Silas & Mary have a very unique ministry which is primarily a network to help bring the body of Christ together, and to help bring over helpful ideas from the United States. Victory Vision Skills center is just a small, raw-hide organization, all crowded in one small compound. It is at the center of a growing network of Christian Cameroonian business owners, who are also trying to use their businesses for the Kingdom, both in principles like hard work and honesty, and in discipling those who they employ. Some of these guys are success stories who Silas took under his wing years ago. In some ways, Victory Vision started as an avenue to bring out ideas of “how to get out of poverty” to the urban poor.

Fast forward to Silas telling his story:

When Daniel Duke told me about the idea of buying a BUV, little did I know it would end up with me! My focus at that time was on my ministry – Victory Vision Ministries. In April of 2017, I purchased a used BUV, rebuilt it and turned it into a successful transport service. The BUV was the right tool at the right time. Little did I know the impact it would bring to my people. They call it ”Katakoh” meaning the most outstanding slow and steady machine ever seen.

The last two years have been a big blessing to the people of Ntaba of the Ndu area. The BUV has taken the lead and proven its capability in tough conditions, transporting ALL of our crops, even where there’s no road. The new paths are now called a new English name “Farm to Market“ roads because the BUV created the new road. My vision is to introduce BUVs to the whole country of Cameroon as I grow a BUV transport company. I will grow it by introducing its services to some pineapple plantations in Yde and some City Councils in the western region. Best of all, I will sell vehicles to go to the unreached places.

I am confident that BUV will sell like hot cakes in Cameroon. The last few years BUV has caused many drivers of 4×4 vehicles to realize that, in many cases, the BUV is the best vehicle for the job. Some were stuck for days in mud while the BUV simply created its own roads. In the rural setting, the BUV is the King of the bush (or path).

In much of the past year, we were unable to operate due to the conflict going on in our area. All the farmers really cried because we were not there to assist them. They had to go back to the old way of carrying crops on their head. Please join us in praying that peace will prevail in my area of the country.

Please consider supporting Silas and his dreams for a BUV transport business in Cameroon. We plan to send 10 BUV kits to Silas, a Christian entrepreneur. Silas will pay for the BUVs out of the income he generates from his business. This is truly a story of planting a seed that will continue to reap rewards season after season impacting God’s Kingdom every day.