Cameroon:Buea Mayor presented with Key of City of Mission, Texas as he’s invited to USA

By Christopher Ambe Shu

L-R:Mrs. Cathy Garcia hands  KEY to Mayor Mok

The Mayor of the City of Mission, Texas, USA Norberto “Beto” Salinas has  gladly presented to the Mayor of Buea, Cameroon, Charles Mbella Moki, “the KEY to the City of Mission “ and invited him to  visit their community as soon as possible.

   According to Mayor Salinas, who was represented at the key handing over ceremony, Thursday 15, 2011 in Buea, by City of Mission Ambassador Mrs. Cathy Garcia, the  key is “a symbol of Friendship, Goodwill and Kindness between Mission, Texas, USA and Buea, SWR, Cameroon, Africa”

    Part of Mayor Salinas’ letter of invitation, which was read in public to Buea Council staff and invitees by Pastor Penny Cruz, member of the City of Mission delegation to Buea, says:

“I would …like to extend a warm South Texas welcome to you Lord Mayor and invite you to visit our community. We have a famous saying here… “Mi Casa es su Casa” which translates to My home is your Home. Come savor the flavor of Mission, Texas”

Mrs .Garcia and co. were in Cameroon primarily for an evangelical mission and to assist an orphanage –HOTPEC I4, Buea realize a bakery project estimated to cost about 20 million Francs.

   The US delegation came to Cameroon under the canopy of Hope Outreach International Ministries, an organization led by Dr.Julius Esunge, a Cameroonian based in the USA.

Pastor Penny Cruz  reads Mayor Salinas' letter to Mayor Moki

It emerged that Mrs. Garcia is not only a caring pastor, but also an invaluable volunteer and respected leader in the City of Mission, presently serving as Chairman of the Board for the Mission Economic Development Corporation, reason why Mayor Salinas felt honored “to have Cathy officially representing my office as Mayor and the entire City of Mission during this visit”

   Mayor Charles Mbella Moki welcomed his visitors and made a presented Buea, the Town of Legendary Hospitality, to them.

“Just as the mayor of City of Mission, Texas, USA has invited us to community, so too we are inviting him; for we are ready to receive him in Buea”,an elated Mayor Mbella Moki  said, emphasizing on the hospitability of his citizens.

   As a token of love, Mayor Mbella Moki also handed to his visitors Buea Council fabric and brochure, wishing them a healthy and fruitful stay in Cameroon and a safe return to the USA.

   The Mayor showered praises on Dr.Julius Esunge, a native of Buea, for serving as a goodwill ambassador of Buea council in the USA and for his constant efforts to improve the lot of the underprivileged

Asked what the City of Mission Texas would benefit from their ties with Buea council, Pastor Mrs.Garcia, said “We can learn much from the hospitality you have given us. We could share development approaches...and a lot more”

Family picture after Key presentation

 “There can be exchange in the area of business, in economic development and education facilities. I would say things are on the table, and the extent to which things can go would depend on the level of cooperation and mutual understanding between the parties involved”, Dr. Esunge added.

Dr. Esunge told reporters that their activities in Cameroon also included: offering a Christmas party to targeted orphans, holding evangelistic meetings in Ekona, organizing medical outreach and the training of pastors.