a great day

Today began with a visit to the Fulani camp “inside inside.”  I was giggling as the two Nigerians (our nurse and Pastor John) kept exclaiming how “this is far-o,” and “this is bush.”  It seems they hadn’t ever been so off the beaten path.  Pastor John started to envision becoming chief of all the area, since the land was unclaimed.  When they learned we are taking the bus out that rough road twice a day they were in disbelief.  Of course, a trip like that is no thing to Phyllis.  We think she may be more of an indigene than most Nigerians.  We spent about 3 hours doing a medical visit.  We played with some big dice, wrote in the sand, played parachute and looked at books with the children while Nurse Lucy administered love and care and Pastor John translated.  We are celebrating that he came out to a camp to minister!

 

We came back and about a half hour later, went down to have “Easter dinner” with the boarding students, Mr. Chukwuma’s family, and Baba Umaru.  Some travel home tomorrow, and the rest by Friday, for Easter break.    We splurged ($25) on a chunk of beef and had a wonderful meal of meat, rice and “stew,” or sauce AND “minerals” or Cokes AND cabin biscuits which are a staple cookie-ish type thing.  We used a Bible Big Book to tell the Easter story, adding a lot of detail, explaining a lot of words, and being translated into Fufulde (Fulani language) by Salihu, so that everyone could understand.  Then I very briefly told my journey.  I was a little girl when I first believed in who Jesus was, but as I study the Bible more, I am amazed at the perfection of God’s plan.  It’s because of this sharing of these truths and the amazing plan that I am even in Nigeria, I told them.  Salihu said “one thing I see about Christians, this I know… even if bad or sad things happen, it’s like Christians are always feeling happy.”  That let me talk about calling ourselves Christian vs. having so much trust in God and peace of the Holy Spirit that we don’t have to be happy to have joy.  It was so great.

 

Of course, it is 115 degrees…

 

So, we have an hour or so to cool off before we (missionaries and Pastors’ kids) get to practice for the Easter drama we are doing for assembly Friday.  I am having a great day!  Join us in praying for these seeds we are planting, please. 

 

But, so you know Africa, my little friend in the hall just told me that our little buddy ThankGod (that’s his name, and it’s a common one) lost his baby brother yesterday.  He was sick, they wanted to take him to the hospital, before they could reach Lokoja, he died.  Not even walking yet.  And I worry sometimes about the heat?  God help us.

 

 

Bride and Groom

Our Assembly Hall hosted a cake cutting ceremony for these newlyweds.

Jesus Film

We showed the Jesus Film in the Basa language last night.  Probably about 150 people showed up.  We love that!  40 or more stood up the whole time.

beating the weather

The Kennedy's sent us back with some "instant snow." It was AWESOME! I was
using the video camera to watch them slip and slide and throw - missed the
photo op. The clean-up was fun, too!

Hot day plus water

Making sidewalk chalk into sidewalk paint was fun (nobody had ever tried
that) but I think using the boys super soakers to clean it all up was the
better part :)

with Pastor Joseph from the Assembly of God church in Lokoja

Revival meetings last week Thursday through Sunday.

I now have a new favorite...

I think, before, that of all things I love about being here at the school, I most loved bringing out a new soccer ball!  The screams of delight and the dust kicking up – it’s just the greatest thing to see.  But now, I have a new favorite thing.  Something now has the boarding students happier than the sight of a new soccer ball.  My new favorite thing is…  announcing that “Stephanie is coming again!”  Talk about a delighted bunch of kids!! 

Jesus Film

having fun cookin' and cleanin'

Sweet Jesus

Sometimes God is just so good.  Today He made me cry again.  This morning before the sun came up I was so blessed to read through a testimony email I received from Don Shannon.  I couldn’t help it, I was a little jealous, I guess.  For the past months as I have been reading other stories about Burundi, I can’t help but feel a little sad that thanks is not expressed here.  There are rarely hugs from the adults, and definitely only from the Fulani in the camps.  Even when a boatload of goodies show up, there is not much of a demonstration.  We aren’t offered much from our fellow Christians (OK – three exceptions and we thank God for them!), but we are frequently asked, or even things are just taken.  We are always offered drinks and food in the Fulani camps, so I struggle with how we are showing Light.  We aren’t hearing wonderful stories of transformation.  It would be nice, tangible, fulfilling for ME.

So I was talking with God about it, and of course it isn’t news, but He’s just so sweet the way He got me to tell Him it just doesn’t matter.  Don’t these people who take, and don’t thank, and struggle with wanting more much of the time, still deserve His love through me?  Don’t these people who are Christians and claim cultural permission to erupt in anger, cheat the system, accuse each other and us, take what isn’t theirs, bend the truth… didn’t He die for them?  Didn’t people spit on my Jesus as He died for me in perfect love?  I was praying through a part of Ephesians, knowing that the moment of my need for anything from man had passed as I sat on the back porch with my monkey, watching the sun come up.

I knew some trouble was brewing this morning, so I jumped in the van and went way out the Fulani camp road to drive in with the kids.  I love that!  I got out and went to a close camp and delivered a bag of beans and my leftovers (I know – that’s weird – but it was liver and onions and greens, very healthy for a new mother struggling with anemia).  You should have seen her face as she thanked me.  OOPS, tears again as I write.  God, you didn’t have to do that.

Tears again in the hallway around noon after almost four hours of the meetings where the troubles were talked out.  Phyllis came back from the bank with GIFTS.  Very cool shirts for Devin and I and a table runner from a new teller at the bank.  He’s an Ethiopian man I haven’t even met, but his wife is Fulani, and he just really appreciates “all we are doing.”  Now, we’re just here, God’s doing this, it’s not our work, but that’s not the point. 

When I didn’t need thanks, I got it.  God is just sweet; that’s it.

 

Elaite

5:45

We are so blessed by our availability of water!!

5:15

Too hot to play in the sun on the field

What a mouthful

Can you believe this is Dekina's baby?

See our former post from the day she was born- she was white and skinny.
Not anymore.

Look what we got!

Why not give it a try for $10? Apparently the yellow ones are nice and the
"women" are nice, but he is a black "man." For now he is really nice :)

WOW

This Alhaji in brown has asked us to put a teacher at a structure THEY are
providing RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR CAMP. He really fought the school
initially. Pray with us! What an opportunity!