Missionary Charles Wesco killed while working with family in Africa
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https://www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com/notices/Charles-Wesco
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Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Psalm 116:15
Charles Truman Wesco went home to be with His Lord and Savior while serving the Lord as a missionary in Cameroon, Africa on Tuesday, October 30, 2018 at the age of 44. Charles was formerly of Warsaw, Indiana.
Charles Truman Wesco was the firstborn of ten children, son of Virgil and Rebecca (Walter) Wesco of Mishawaka, Indiana, born on August 24, 1974, at K.I. Sawyer AFB in Michigan where his father was serving in the military. He was named after his grandfathers: Charles Walter and Truman Weco. He grew up as a Pastor’s child in churches in the Midwest.
As a boy, he loved reading, building forts, romping in the creek, and helping rake leaves and take down trees at his grandparents. He faithfully invested in the lives of his younger siblings as they were all home schooled together.
Charles also developed many construction skills as he helped his family renovate and add on to their home. His parents instilled a love for memorizing God’s Word in him at an early age, encouraging him to learn the book of Jonah to earn his first study Bible. He completed 15 years of Bible Memory in the AWANA program receiving the Citation Award. Beyond that, he committed to memory a large part of the New Testament and many large passages in the Old Testament. That love for learning and studying God’s Word lasted his entire life.
Charles accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior from sin at the age of 4. It was then that he asked God to forgive him of his sins and placed his trust for salvation from sin and hell in Jesus Christ. By the age of 8, he knew that God wanted him to serve in some sort of ministry, and at the age of 15, under the preaching of Pastor David Miller at First Baptist Church in Mishawaka, Indiana, he surrendered to go wherever God wanted him to go.
Charles loved working with children and was actively involved in his church’s AWANA program for many years.
When he was 12 years old, his grandparents gave him a tuning hammer, and he began tuning hammer and he began tuning pianos at Walter Piano Company. Because of the blessing of working in his grandparents’, (Charles and Barbara Walter) piano company, Charles learned how to tune pianos and worked and saved to prepare for a family. This also supported him when he served in ministry. He also attended Midwest School of Theology, Northland Baptist Bible College, and Baptist College of Ministry to receive Bible training.
At age 29, Charles fell in love with Stephanie Williams from Warsaw, Indiana. In God’s providence he tuned the piano of Pastor Don Williams who happened to be Stephanie’s father. Their piano apparently did not hold tune well, and his visits became very frequent and led to Stephanie becoming the love of his life and his loving wife.
They married on November 20, 2004 at First Baptist Church, in Mishawaka, Indiana. The Lord began blessing them with children which ended up being 8, with 3 babies also in heaven. They enjoyed almost 14 years of marriage together.Charles served as an assistant pastor at Fellowship Baptist Church in South Bend, Indiana for 10 years. He loved working with the young people and started a Bible Institute to help see them trained and equipped to serve the Lord. It was his heart’s desire to see young people have a walk with God and to be surrendered to Him. He also served at Believers Baptist Church in Warsaw, Indiana.
In 2015, Charles, Stephanie, and their 2 oldest sons, Daniel and Charles Jr. went on a survey trip to Cameroon, West Africa, believing the Lord was leading them to serve in mission work there. During that time the Lord confirmed their calling through direct answers to prayer, and they spent the next couple of years raising support to return to Cameroon. The Wesco family arrived in Cameroon on October 18, 2018. Charles was so excited. On October 30, 2018, Charles gave his life for the people of Cameroon, West Africa. He is with his Lord and Savior who he faithfully loved and served and has received the martyr’s crown.
He is survived by his wife, Stephanie and 8 children-Daniel, Charles Jr., Joseph, Hudson Taylor, Stephanie Joyanna, Samuel, Caleb and Emmeline. His parents, Virgil and Rebecca Wesco, and siblings-Jonathan, Virgil Jr., Ruth, Stephen, Timothy, Nathaniel, Karisse, Lawrence and Joel, as well as in-laws and many nieces and nephews. His grandparents, Charles and Barbara Walter. Also surviving him are his wife’s family, who dearly loved him: Donald and Wenda Williams, Faith, Grace, Stephen, Hope, Joy, Mercy, Mary, John, Daniel, in-laws, and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Truman and Zelma Wesco and 3 children, Hosanna, Peace and Rose. Charles loved all of his family dearly and desired that each one would love the Lord God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.
Halyaman said that Wesco, his wife and one of their sons were traveling with another missionary to go shopping on Tuesday morning when at least two shots were fired, striking the windshield and hitting Wesco twice.
I personally know the other missionary that Wesco was traveling with when he was murdered. I have no idea where he is or how he is doing right now - we last spoke a few weeks ago - but I’m sure that he and his family will also appreciate our prayers. Once I know how he is doing for sure and what their immediate plans are, I’ll post an update.
"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/Interna…
Travel Advisory
April 11, 2018
Cameroon - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Much more (mostly commentary, condolences but some gruesome) on Twitter
Cocoa Exporters Pull Buyers From Cameroon Region After Threats
https://www.wsj.com/articles/cocoa-exporters-pull-buyers-from-cameroon-…
Pictures from our church blogsite from March 2018 when the Wescos were at our church.
http://amomentofcharity.blogspot.com/2018/03/wesco-family-cameroon.html
Wally Morris
Huntington, IN
ABWE (none at this time)
Please be praying for these servants
The missionary with Charles Wesco.
I contacted his mission board and they informed me that he and his family are stateside
‘She Has No Bitterness in Her Soul’: Cameroon Missionary Widow Forgives Husband’s Killer
Pastor Randy King delivered the sermon at the service. He and his family have also served as missionaries to Cameroon, for 30 years.
“We’ve all lost a friend, haven’t we?” King asked as he started his talk. “Charles definitely loved the people of Cameroon. So do we, having lived there with those precious people for 30 years. We love the Cameroonians. All of them, including the person who killed Charles.”
“We love them because Christ first loved us and came to save us from our sins,” he continued.
“Sister Stephanie (Wesco’s wife) has accessed the grace of God,” King noted. “She has totally forgiven Charles’ killer. She has no bitterness in her soul against anyone.”
“She, her children and her extended family have been praying diligently for the man that took Charles’ life,” he said. “We do not know the name of that man. But I pray as a missionary to Cameroon that I or her brother Ben Sinclair might one day have the opportunity to meet Charles’ killer to express our forgiveness to him and in love, seek to lead him to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior that he might also receive God’s forgiveness for what he did.”
“Moments after Charles was pronounced dead, a Cameroonian Christian doctor bowed and thanked Stephanie for her and her husband’s willingness to come to Cameroon to die for his people,” King continued.
A Go Fund Me account has been set up to benefit the Wesco family. “The funds will go to aid the family in getting out of Africa, funeral expenses, living expenses, etc. Every little bit will help. The family sold all of their possessions here in the states to go to Africa and they will have many needs when they return,” according to the website.
There is also a mailing address included on the website for those who wish to mail a personal check.
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