Unexpected in "Bethlehem"

On sunday, the 11th, the congregants were more unruly than the 4-year-old sheep as they wanted to wander from the market road in “Bethlehem” and traipse through the market, but the sellers urged, shouted, “sold” on, and even got some contributions!

The star fell from the sky onto the manger which had been relocated for safety purposes when the ram wanted to live up to it’s name and sent me squealing down the hill.  I wonder if there were any charging rams among the shepherds that night and if the angels had to do some dodging.  


Oh, and the angels!  Daso signaled them to come running from all sides of the church yard after Gabriel’s initial announcement, and they came!  With victorious, celebratory cries of delight for the new born king before they broke into a Hausa chorus complete with lively dance.    The “Gloooo---oooo-oooo-ria filled the yard and they declared “Peace!” before returning to heaven once again with jubilant cries. 

As Bethlehem that night was too busy for their king, wrapped up in the social demands of the census rush, the congregants on Sunday dutifully carried out their social demands of greeting each other cheerfully, shaking hands with a heartily spoken series of questions through the majority of the short re-enactment.

The culmination of Mary and Joseph coming to the center of the church yard amidst a mob of children and “visitors to Bethlehem” singing in Hausa and English “Oh come let us adore him” was surprisingly worshipful.   For the first time that morning, everyone was focused and together, around the baby, symbolizing what the church is meant to be! Abrubtly, an upbeat “Emmanuel, Emmanuel, Wonderful Counselor” took us dancing and singing “Emmanuel” in call and response into the sanctuary where the 9 lessons and carols service commenced.

So God’s marvelously exciting story unfolded in our small neighborhood.  The unexpected happened, as did that original night in Bethlehem, for the author of this story is full of the unexpected!

Alright Is Her Name

“We are going to be alright,” the Father explained to me the meaning of “baby girl’s” name he had just spoken for the first time to the nurse for the doctor’s record.   When “We are going to be alright” would not take the bottle or the breast early last week, I called the doctor who said we should bring her in.  She was admitted into the hospital for three nights with malaria and sepsis at 4 weeks old, being released on Friday afternoon.  Yesterday the father told me she was eating better, and I have to take his word on it because between Mariama and my health, I have not been missing holding and loving her up close.  The mother of  “We are going to be alright” was released on Sunday from the hospital and is recovering well from an operation.  Let’s keep “disturbing” God like the persistent widow!  Plead with him for mercy and life, for he is the Author of Life. 

Feeling clay-y

Excited to see what God will do with this clay pot. (2 Corinthians 4)

Yes, at 1am, I need to go to bed now, so I've written a sloppy plea for prayer below!

Beautiful Me girls and mamas will be heading to town tomorrow for a couple hours of shopping, ice creaming, connecting, and reflecting on our beauty in Christ!

May it be more than a fun, memorable trip.  May it be joy filled, a crash course in communicating what we like gently and openly, a chance to be together in a different and fun environment where we delight in who God made us to be!

Oh Bethlehem!

Some sweet girls sewing angel wings today at the house

Chant this to a good rhythm:
Bethlehem, Bethlehem,
Mary, Joseph enter in
to Bethlehem, Bethlehem.
A baby king coming
to Bethlehem, Bethlehem.
No place for them,
no place for them,
in Bethlehem, Bethlehem
They go to sleep
with the cows and sheep?
In Bethlehem, Bethlehem

Now add to those words 15 children walking through a rusted metal gate into a spacious courtyard scattered with 50 more children children (a little distracted, twirling around, but mostly in their places and ready) to recreate that busy Bethlehem.  There are sellers of clothing, bedding, and common Nigerian foods. There is a registrar, tax collector, angels waiting behind buildings appear, shepherds by a fire near some big rocks, innkeepers inviting people to warm, comfortable rooms.  Our hope is that the visitors on Sunday morning will be bombarded by the business of Bethlehem, emboldened by the stinky shepherds making their way to the manger, and humbled by the wise men who recognized the baby king.

Tomorrow morning we have our last rehearsal... one of three. There's still a lot to be done.  Please pray for the children, me, our 5 helpers, and all those who will be attending Sunday morning worship both regular attenders, and those invited by the children as they go on their way through the streets of the small neighborhood to "Bethlehem." My greatest desire is to bring wonder back into this quirky, fantastic, history changing, heart transforming story and help people experience it again for the first time.  

No Name

Mariama is learning to share in a very personal way! 

It is 11:30 pm. Five minutes ago, a grandmother came to the door as the four-week-old baby girl in my arms, tiny and fragile, drank from the last bottle she would take from me today.  Five days ago I offered the same service I give Mariama because this little one's mama needed surgery, and her father (a Bible translator in his language) and grandmother would need to attend to the mama. I ask you to pray for this baby as I have had the joy and struggle of doing throughout the last five days and nights. She has no given name because they feel they don't know the outcome and culturally won't give a name to a baby who may not live. Mama will be discharged tomorrow, but baby girl still needs a lot of care.

Please pray that God would give her life, breath, help her body to accept both the mother's milk I'm offering and the supplementary formula.  Pray for strength for everyone as we fight and pray for life to win...and for a name to be given.

The angle told Mary to give this miraculous baby the name Jesus.
This baby may not have a given name on this earth, but I like to think that God knows the baby girl's name.
Here we celebrate the Christmas with our second advent candle lighting...and two baby's to help us remember how God became man and made his dwelling among us. 

Strategic prayer 3--Scripture Engagement Focus Projects

The Scripture Engagement Team--All but three of us

It is hard to believe it has been three months since my last "Strategic Prayer" post.  This series of posts is based on a list of things we felt we needed to pray that God would do so that our ministry would be successful.

In the original list we asked you to pray for "direction and unity in deciding 'anchor projects'--that is communities we will develop relationships with over the next two years"

Earlier this year that prayer was answered as we felt a great deal of unity as we chose to focus our energy as a team on languages near to the town where we live, Jos.  Some of these languages (Mwaghavul, Izere, Rigwe) not only have the New Testament already translated, but the Audio version is freely available! Others (Kuce, Iguta) are still in the early stages of translation--the best time for a community to start engaging with the Bible in their own language.

Since we chose these languages it feels like we have not been able to get "out to the field" and visit these languages much.  Thank God for the first two visits since we chose the languages.  Please pray we can get out and visit the people who speak these languages to help them get thinking about how they can use their languages for more effective sharing the good news and strengthening of the church.

Again, like "the twelve days of Christmas",  you can also continue to pray for the first two prayer items.

• Clarity and direction for us as an organization as our Nigerian Missionaries look for new Ministry Partners to pray for and support them financially.
  Related to this, pray for each member of our team to have all the ministry partners and the full support level they need. (Click here to for more information on how to pray!)
• Courage to step into opportunities, even if we don't know exactly how it will all work out. (Read about one new opportunity we have been stepping into)

Celebrating my innards and outards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starting with our review on how we interact and then a song about what we believe about ourselves, the 3 hour meeting started with joy. We moved right into celebrating our bodies by dancing to a Hausa song, and, with a LOT of energetic encouragement, we got everyone dancing, hands in the air, freezing and declaring to their frozen neighbor, "WOW, You are beautiful!"

 We started by celebrating our innards, with a skit split into four parts.  Each part represented a kind of personality and all the ladies decided which one they were and went to that side of the room, shouting across to each other.  "God made you well!" With each pair of personalities, it was clear that one personality was preferred over the other culturally, but we rejoiced as they realized that both were well made!

After celebrating our innards, we went to our outards, our bodies...our cycle and reproductive system! This is something that few talk about and few understand so, armored with a reproductive cake (pictured below), prayer, practice, and internet resources, I explained why us ladies have a cycle and how their bodies are changing now. The highlight?...a clip from a documentery my mom gave me called, "Nine months that made you."  Eyes were glued, there were "Oh's" and "Wow's" and lively conversation on the little one in the womb that came out right in front of their eyes.  The miracle of life in the womb, of how God knit them, was seen and explained in hopes to grasp a fraction of the wonder in this miraculous weaving together that God does in the womb. 

Going clockwise in the front starting from Daso: Daso, Lyop, Happy (1) , Precious, Miracle, Mama, Charity, Nandir, Happy (2), Jane, Asebe, Josephine, Ritanan
These are the 13 girls in the Beautiful Me program!  Yes, they ALL came with their mamas! 

  Lyop and Mumsy are a unique pair as Mumsy is an older widow and Lyop has been brought from the village to help her in her business. Out of all the mother-daughter couples, they have the most one-on-one time!  May God use them to bless each other as they grow in His love.

This dynamic duo is learning a lot.  Shopping, preparing meals, and Daso returning home from school has become an connecting event  and a time for asking a lot of questions and listening.  "Why do you think that boy acted that way?" or "What do you think we could put in this soup to make it really yummy?" or "Why do you think that about her?" It is a chance for me to learn to be creative in new ways, love my daughter in tangible ways, and also learn about me!

Each pair went on a "date" to their own private salon where they soaked, painted nails, and told stories. Please pray that these mothers and daughters (the term mother here is more inclusive than in the West.  It is any woman who feeds into your life, has more experience, cares for you, or is older than you) continue to take opportunities to connect.  

Jane is quiet and gorgeous. She also has come from a village to live with this mother and her 5 children.  Jane and Mama did not come to the last Beautiful Me, but to see the joy overflowing on Jane's face this week was more than worth the effort to get them here this week!  Please pray that Maman Jane will enjoy this little gem and build her up in Christ's love.

The girls headed home with the necessities: Homemade deodorant, new panties, sanitary napkins, knowledge, a healthier self-awareness, and a greater appreciation for their own beauty that will help them face the changes that are surely coming!

 A preview to next month...

On December 10, we will:
Visit a museum to understand better how God has "signed" us, his masterpieces
Shop for a new outfit
Go get ice cream (Some of them maybe for the first time)
And watch a short movie that is being created by a local male artist with a message to young women about their worth.  (Please pray for him as he prepares and us as we record.)

Thank you all for praying for us...we need it.  We are in a war.  These girls are fighting an enemy they have not yet identified in order to remain pure, confident, and close to the women in their lives.  Our team of four, battles to remain encouraged and have strength to carry on when we know that some of those we are pouring ourselves into will ignore, reject, and despise what is happening.  We are fully aware that we are four voices in a sea of people telling them opposite messages, and we need you to pray for us, and pray for the mother's that we will all be on the same team.  Also pray that the mamas believe these things about themselves so they can speak out of what they have, a love for God and for the way he created them, uniquely and beautifully.

From the couch of a woman who is also learning the power, beauty, and strength God has given to change the world