A Sunday in Gembu and Kakara

by | Mar 18, 2012 | Devotional

Today was a beautiful day (again), the weather was warm, sunny, a cool breeze. We ate Christopher’s wonderful sweet rolls and caramel rolls and coffee for breakfast and headed out for church at 8:00. I wore one of my new Nigerian Cloth dresses (which I love), and Dorothy tried to tie a head scarf on me because women have to wear a head covering to church. Well……after laughing hysterically because I looked like Aunt Jemima, I opted for an extra hat of Dorothy’s!
We drove for about an hour or so. The roads here are so interesting, sometimes very flat and smooth, and then non-existant. Well, we got to the church in Kakara. The Kakara Baptist Church got a little stir, because they had guests. It was obvious who the guests were! Art and Dorothy are very familiar with this church, as it has been one of the most supportive for Village Meetings on HIV/Aids and testing and information.
They were singing when we got there, so we “snuck” in. They sang, danced up and put offerings in, sang, and sang some more. It was a wonderful, worshipful, loud joyous experience. The Pastor gave a wonderful message on Esther, and For such a time as this. He related this to the challenges currently facing Nigeria right now and that Nigerian Christians are here for this time.
The Pastor invited us to his house, and some of the church people brought some cold Maltex (cold is not easy to come by with only generators for electricity), and most places can’t afford that. Dan and I liked it and Jim not so much, and Pete kinda liked it. It kind of tastes like molasses, only different. Very high in B vitamins too!
We said our good byes and started back home, we got back about 1:00 and read for a while, and had a wonderful lunch that Courage fixed for us at 2:00. Then it was time for a Sunday nap! Laying on the bed, cool breeze blowing over me, hearing the bleating of sheep, a little laughing in the distance and the sounds of Gembu.
When we woke up we listened to the last part of the message that Pastor Bob preached at Edinbrook today, the prayer and last song, then walked back over to Art and Dorothys.
We are now talking with Art and Dorothy about how they first started here, and the huge way God has worked here in 8 1/2 years.  God is good!!

Saturday, March 17

by | Mar 17, 2012 | Devotional

Well, today was a great, yet uneventful day in so many ways. I met with Sam, a Pastor who I went through curriculum and resources that would be helpful for him as he goes about and does some evangelizing in the areas in and around Gembu.
Dan, Jim, and Pete and Art worked on tearing out some toilets and sink and put in a new sink in the Life Line Center today and found the water so that they could hook it up and it would work!!
The Hungs ( a sweet missionary couple from Toronto, originally from China) came over for a lovely lunch and it was so fun to visit with them and the ministry they do here at the Seminary in Nigeria for their Conference.
Dorothy and I visited and she helped me process some things and we walked the rounds around the compound this morning to see who was here and what everyone was working on, etc.
The wonderful tailor finished our clothes already! He did a wonderful job on my dresses and Dan’s shirts. I also got the cutest split skirt made from one of the materials Dan got a shirt made out of.
We had a great supper, of course, Dorothy is the best hostess ever and all the food here is so good. They grow their own vegetables in their wonderful gardens I took some pictures of and the fruit is fresh. The meat is “free range”, the bread HOMEMADE, as well as the most heavenly sweet rolls that we had black current ones for dessert tonight, and will have caramel ones for breakfast before church tomorrow.
I think my current philosophy right now that I believe God is leading me to, although Dan and I haven’t seen each other long enough to talk about yet today is that even though I don’t feel a strong YES, which could be an emotional thing, I need to continue until God says No and closes the door if the strong YES isn’t felt yet. We are willing, yet feel highly under-qualified. But, as Dorothy told me today as well as some other friends, It’s all God, and we are His vessels. She and Art are amazed at what God has done through them here at GECHAAN, and everything He’s brought them through and shown them how He works when you’re willing to do what you can.

An Emotional Day

by | Mar 16, 2012 | Devotional

We left at 7:00 this morning to drive to a VERY remote village to check children that have received meals in the past for their health and well-being and to deliver more meals for malnourished children.  These meals for starving children were packaged by a church in South Dakota and the shipping was paid for by our church, Edinbook Church, as part of our Service Sunday project last year.  We drove up, up, up, saw hills, lots of eucalyptus trees, cows, sheep, goats.  We finally arrived at the village and met with village leaders as to why we were there.  Of course we attracted quite a crowd as we were the only white people there and most of the children hadn’t seen many white people in the past.  I sat next to the guy that was checking the children that had received food last time and then some additional children.  About half way through, the tears started coming.  I very casually dabbed with the bottom of my skirt.  I tried to be inconspicuous.

These parents were pushing their crying children forward, eagerly wanting the best for their child.  There were some kids playing with sticks, some had made toys with pieces of trash they had found.  It seems that smiles and a little wave with an open hand are universal signs of love.  I just wish I was a Dr. or with some medical knowledge.  People asked me to check their children to see if they were sick, there was a very elderly gentleman who can not hear well and his stomach hurts all the time.  I was sad to try to tell them that I didn’t know and couldn’t help them with that.  One of the very little girls had pnuemonia and her mother was told she needed to go to the doctor, because we didn’t have medicine.  Another girl had a scaliness all over her body, and a little boy had polio with crippled legs.

My mother’s heart was crushed and I wanted to gather them all and tell them it would be ok.  I know that with God they have a better shot at being ok, but it is not going to be an easy life.  No education, no resources, and corruption abounding because of the poverty.  I looked at these little girls and wondered what their lives were going to be like.

A Response from Jim

by | Mar 16, 2012 | Devotional

To show that I bear no ill will being falsely accused by Pete, to have him arrested by the Secret Service. When we were given the opportunity to hold a 1x7x10 foot facia board (heavy) thirty feet in the air standing on a ladder. I was gracious enough to hold the ladder so Pete could climb the ladder with the board.