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| WOW, I didn't realize it had been so long since I have updated this. Lets see lots has happened in the past month. I went to America for a Summit/Base Camp for churches interested in or who already are coming out to West Africa and adopting people groups. It went well and I got to see several friends I have not seen in a very long time, including one I hadn't seen since high school graduation! It also snowed the day before we left, now that was exciting, only I did not have the proper attire to keep warm. When i returned from Birmingham, it was time to go right back to work with a couple teams in country. We have been busy this month as we currently have 4 teams in country. I had to give up my truck for the week so that a team would be able to get out the bush. It has gone well though, not too many hiccups or anything. The teams have had a time out in the bush among their people groups. I think dealing with the heat has been tough though. Hot season is here and it has been up over 100 here on the plateau so that only means it is hotter when you come off it which is were the teams go.
Lots of traveling has been taking place and more to come. The Bowman's, Lovett's and Angel will all be traveling in the next few days and I will be left alone for a few days (the only Engagement Team member that is). All the teams will leave by Saturday or Sunday and then we will have about a week without any teams here.
It is hard to believe that I'm not into my last about 2 1/2 months left in Nigeria. Time has really just flown by and i know these next couple months will continue to fly by as well. Pray as there are many decisions to be made over the next several months.
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| Well, it's official, I'm the only jgirl left in Nigeria now. Took Katy to the airport last Wednesday. It is different now; I have moved into a new, smaller place and am getting used to being alone. I don't think it has really hit me yet though because I still just feel as though Katy is out in the bush or something, although it is feeling more and more like she is gone now that I have moved out of our house. I have also decided that I would rather move across the world than within the same town. I mean it is nice to not have to really worry about packing well, but it is just a pain. oh well, I'm getting settled in, but there is still a bunch of stuff to set up and currently it is sitting in the middle of the floor.
Life here is pretty much normal. We have plenty teams coming out in the next few months so we are going to be busy, busy until it is time for me to leave that is forsure...no time to really get lonely :) At the end of the month, I will be headed to Birmingham, AL with Angel and Clint for the Summit that will be there, so if your church is interested in coming to the Summit, there is still room and still time to sign up!
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| Last Thursday, Katy and I take off on what we think will be a routine trip to Gombe and back. Gombe is only about 3 1/2-4 hours away. Going there Thursday, coming home Friday. There are some friends there that Katy wanted to say goodbye to. We had our mechanic check out the truck Wednesday because it was making some weird noise after some Nigerians had taken it out over the weekend before. He fixed it and we headed out the next morning. We made it about 20 minutes outside Gombe and the fanbelt breaks. We call our friends in Gombe and he comes and tows up back to their house (not fun, I don't like driving like that) and he fixes it. All is going fine, we are enjoying our time with them and they take us out to their village. We get back to their house and eat lunch (this is Friday now) and start our drive back to Jos. We get halfway home when the fanbelt breaks....again! So once again we are stranded on the side of the road. By the time someone gets to us to fix it we cannot make it home because it is too late so we have to stay the night with a pastor friend that we know and work with. Luckily, Nigerians have no problem with you dropping in on them and needing a place to stay. We spent the night and then got up in the morning and finally made our way home. Just can't go anywhere without getting a good story out of it I suppose! :)
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|  Spending a week with my family and friends in St. Louis was just absolutely wonderful! It was a good time of encouragement for me to see everyone and know that so many people are praying for me and my ministry here. I was able to do many things in the short time I was home that I cannot do while in Nigeria such as ice skating, going to the movie theater, eating wonderful food, etc. I was also so blessed to have some of my aunts from out of town come in and see me! When I spoke at my church the first 2 or 3 rows were filled with my family members! Here are a few pics of my time home.
I have been back in Nigeria for more than a week now and little time to get ready for the next madness. I arrived to Jos on Friday and picked up my team from the airport on Saturday, took them to the bush on Sunday, had meetings all day Monday and then again on Wednesday. My team returned from a great trip to the K people on Wednesday and Clint and I did their debriefing, then Thursday I took them shopping and then out to the airport so they could head back home. Friday morning we got news that the daughter of our secretary at the office had died. She was only 10 years old, but had been very sick for a few months now. It is very sad but we are praising God that this little girl is no longer in pain and is now with her Heavenly Father! So Friday afternoon we headed out to the house of our secretary and spent time with the family. Please remember the family as they go through this time of grieving over their loss.
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| I have been trying to write this post for the last couple weeks now and have been unable to find the words that I’m truly looking for to explain what has been going on. In the wee hours of Friday morning, 28 November 2008, fighting broke out here in Jos. While it was not completely out of the blue, we all hoped it would not come to this. Local government elections were held for the first time in about 8-10 years (have heard different numbers). They had been put off and put off, so going into Thursday we were not even sure that the elections would actually take place; however, they did and everything seemed to run smoothly. Friday some of us were supposed to head to Senegal for a conference, but that did not happen. Instead we woke to gun shots and smoke filling the air. It is hard to stay what goes through one’s mind in the midst of all of this. I knew that I was not the focus of the unrest but I knew that my Nigerian friends were not all out of harms way. Many missionaries were evacuated out of their homes because they were close to the action. Katy and I even humored our boss and stayed at the guesthouse for a few days. Over the next few days, we heard stories coming in of churches, mosques, homes, cars, tires, and stores being burned and people being killed. We were under curfew, 24 hour one in some areas, in others it was 6pm-8am and now we still remain under curfew from 7pm-6am. In a matter of only a couple days, hundreds were dead with many more injured and thousands became refugees. While the election may have been the front for the violence, it was not political for no politicians were targeted; rather it was a religious battle. Before results were even announced, it was heard that the predominately Christian party had won and the predominately Muslim party was not happy about it. Revenge and retaliation became the feelings of many in the area. Christians were fighting, Muslims were fighting. Tell me, how are Christians to reach those who do not believe when the react in the same way? This is not the first time that crisis has taken place in Jos due to religious conflict. Jos sets in the middle of the country, most areas south are considered Christians; most areas north are considered to be Muslim. While most of the time we live in peace here, occasionally unrest happens. The Hausa (predominately Muslim tribe that takes up much of the north) have tried to conquer the Plateau State of which Jos is the capital, therefore, if they can take Jos then they can take the whole state, they have yet to achieve this goal. I am thankful we have a forgiving and loving and just Father! Only He can bring about good in the midst of a crisis. Friday, 5 December 2008, one week after the fighting began, it rained! Now as many of you know, December is right in the middle of dry season, it is not supposed to rain. I heard from someone that it has been 8 years since it has rained in December. This rain was not just a little sprinkle; it rained and rained and rained for a few hours. Maybe it was God’s way of washing away the blood so a new start can be made. | | |
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