A prayer meeting and an MOU

I (Zach) knew that we needed to be praying with our partners more often.  So far, since returning to Nigeria, I had only been to the Nigeria Bible Translation Trust (NBTT) Wednesday prayer meeting once, and I hadn't even made it to the Calvary Ministries (CAPRO) Tuesday prayer meeting even once.  We had pinned "Start praying with CAPRO" on our teams "to do" bulletin board for nearly two months, but for one reason or another we hadn't been able to go.

Finally, we all were praying at the same tables.  Grace Ajaegbu, a surveyor, and I had entered a small three wheeled public transport vehicle (known as a keke-NAPEP) for the forty-minute trip skirting around town and now we were in the same circle as the CAPRO research team. These men and women are Nigerians who have joyfully given up successful careers to follow a calling to reach the unreached. Trusting God to supply all their needs, they pour themselves out, researching where the Gospel is most needed, evaluating ongoing mission, and training new missionaries how to do the same.

We sang, we thanked God for specific answers to prayer, and we began to lift up the needs of the CAPRO research team.  For about three years we have been trying to work and pray with CAPRO's research team, so that we both can help each other do our work better.  It was encouraging to lift these brothers and sisters and their work up to God, knowing with confidence that he will bring it to completion.  I was also surprised to hear about basic things in their ministry I hadn't know about, and their vision to work in an area where we had done a survey.  We should pray together more often?

"Why don't we make plans for how we can work together right now?"  Robert Simon, the CAPRO research team leader was about to take a new role, and he wanted to ensure that he left a sure footing for the transition in leadership. Grace and I had planned a meeting about three hours after the prayers started, but I knew this discussion would be important.  I phoned back to reschedule the meeting, and we stayed on.

Over the next hour we discussed how we might work together and Robert Simon drafted a memorandum of understanding that included how we might pray together, share information, and help in each other's training events.   Join us in praying that these plans become reality!

You can read about CAPRO at their website: CAPRO and CAPRO Nigeria.