A social gap

I thought I was just taking a picture.  I asked permission, got the permission and snapped a picture of a man selling cloth to women.   Some of the women held up the cloth for me to snap it.  It was a quick shot of normal everyday life.  End of story?

Then a Nigerian colleague who is spending a year with these people took another picture using the seller’s own phone.  When I saw the picture on his phone I thought it was quite strange.  He had cut out the people buying and selling and even the cloth completely.   All you could see was me with the man.  Was it a mistake?  When I expressed my surprise at how close the picture was, he explained.  “In this culture, men and women have a gap.”  

I realized it was true.  I only saw men sitting with men, and women at the borehole with women.  In another interview someone told me that a man and his wife don’t even share finances with each other.  Traditionally, they hardly even spend time with each other. 

Visiting and Training

Tomorrow, Sunday, we travel to a village first by road (to the river), then by motorcycle to worship with a good friend in his community church.  This is a first with our children, so please pray with us as we go!

On Monday, in the same language community, we (Christy and three Nigerian colleagues) will start a training the language community on how to use their audio Scriptures to lead audio Bible studies.  This is a three day training.

Please pray that the participants will come every day and be inspired and motivated to begin their own audio Bible studies.  Pray that God's Word in their language touches their hearts in new ways and bears fruit!

Please pray that Zach, Mariama, and Lydia will enjoy sweet times together in the village and make new friends and special memories during the training time! 

Spotted these sweeties on the road!

Four Hundred Kilometers

A teacher of many, both village children and the children of her colleagues. A light in several fields. Speaks French and studied German in Togo. Considered crazy for being 'Born again' and even crazier for living far from home. Escaped death in many exciting and some sad adventures. Laughs and cries, trusts God and presses on.

Last week she was just a contact in my phone. Now, after spending eight hours driving together, Sister Uche is an inspiring colleague.

Victory!

 I, Christy, looked around at four men representing those who have dug deeply and presented to God their time, energy, love, and ability for the young people of our community through the "New Year, New Life Football Tournament" during our debrief today.  Testimonies of how God worked at this four day camp in His grace and through their sacrifice kept coming.

 "This camp was not just for the kids, it was for me.  I learned how to control my temper, and it is something I'm carrying with me into this year," one of them humbly stated. They shared the comment of one participant who has been addicted to and selling drugs, "This is the first time in three years I've had three square meals a day." This guy's friend said, "I'm going to stop doing drugs when I get back home."  One mother calls Coach Adams every day since the camp saying her son has changed and thanking him for what he did before the son takes the phone from his mother and says, "Coach!  When are we going back to camp?"

Sports Friends International really pulled through with a strong team to run the camp!

 The Coach from Sports Friends International said, "I knew it was a success when no one wanted to go home." Another coach added, "The guys who I thought didn't want to be there, who showed no sign of enjoyment, on the last night were begging me for another week.  They want to keep training with me." Still another said, "I was amazed how these athletes from different backgrounds were contributing during devotions.  It was really great how they were really touched!"

As I see the participants in the community, I ask them, "How was camp?" Their broad smiles say more than their words do.  Their highlights include the movies (Queen of Katwe and Facing the Giants), exercising to music, learning new songs, and the food.  One camper responded when I asked him what he learned, "I learned to encourage my friends when they fall down and help them get back up." Another girl said, "We learned to exercise to music.  On the last day we were all just dancing!"

We praise God for his VICTORY!  He has shown himself so faithful, redeeming and multiplying the small effort we were able to put in.  He brought the busses, coaches, sound equipment, finances, Sports Friends, venue, and athletes.  He gave immense measures of grace, patience, and strength on the part of everyone contributing!  Seven young people gave their lives to Christ and many more recommitted themselves.
Pray for these young athletes.  Pray that the enemy would not steal what has been planted, and that God will send more people to invest in their lives and disciple them!  Pray for what we are supposed to do with the interest and relationships that have been developed!  Pray that the coaches that invested their time will get better trained to disciples these young athletes to love Christ and find their victory in him. 

Coaches

We prayed for coaches, we got four, 

Two with legs and two with doors, 

The two ladies will coach the girls teams, 

The buses worked well, it seems. 

All this happened, no work of mine, 

God has his way, he has his time!

More answers to prayer coming, I'm sure, 

As in prayer for these kids we endure! 

Day one of camp down, three to go, 

As the testimonies come, I'll let you know! 

 

Win and Camp!

Thursday, the 27th and Saturday the 29th proved to be more than I could handle, but I know God was not daunted by the 150 rambunctious athletes, gangs wandering by and through the field, the late start, people arguing about who was to play next, and the sun beating down in the dry heat. 

From the beginning of this tournament in late November until now, we've seen the hand of God in many ways.  Coaches showed up to train and disciple kids. God provided financially through a company in the US for 60 kids to go to camp with their winning team.  He provided the speaker system from the church.  He also provided Adams, who was willing to invest his time and resources in organizing, and Sports Friends International who will run the camp for the winners. God has done it, shown himself strong in our weakness, and we praise him for it!

The athletes said their memory verses before they were allowed to compete.

Ready to go!

Listening to the encouragement to follow Christ so they can win in life before the competition began.

Please Pray! We still do not have transportation for the 100 athletes going to camp tomorrow, Wednesday, the 2nd of January.
Please Pray!  That the children from different backgrounds will find Christ at camp, and be agents of change in their communities.
Please Pray!  That the coaches who attend with the athletes will be vigilant and wise, and that God will protect the participants spiritually, physically, and emotionally as they are at the camp from January 2nd-January 5th.  I am looking for a female footballer to accompany the girls.
Please Pray! For Sports Friends International as they disciple these young people to follow Christ. 

The Cheifs, Taxi drivers, and Children

"Why do we share what's happening on the field?"  I asked the regional managers of a large Nigerian mission organization yesterday.  "For God's glory and for the growth of the church," was my anthem.

I shared with them:

"People ask, "Why do we remain in Nigeria?"
For that taxi driver who finally got the audio Scriptures in his language and shared it with everyone around.
For that chief who kept telling the Nigerian missionary living in his village, "Maybe I'll believe in Jesus tomorrow," but years later when visited again by that missionary had forgotten the missionary who had learned his language.  The missionary turned to my husband and said, "When will tomorrow come for him...when will it come for his people?"
For the children who run to greet me and carry my bag to the church, sitting expectantly to hear the Word of God and sing, "Let the children come to me," and "The Word of God is powerful and active..." and "This is my son whom I have chosen, listen to him." That they would come, know his powerful Word, and listen to him.

We remain in Nigeria for all of the taxi drivers who keep the country moving, chiefs who can lead their people to the cross, and children who tomorrow will stand for Christ...that they may hear and know and respond to God's sweet gospel of love."

The managers applauded, and were then challenged to prepare four modules for our training in January.
Following the short training, the participants gathered around to find their language on the SIL language map and discuss dialectical variations in their languages. Animatedly, they explained the different names used by speakers of their language.

This sweet connection gives yet another answer to the question "Why do you remain in Nigeria?"  Thank you for praying.