Day 29: Make Sure You Love As Best You Can.

The holiday(s) are over and it was back to work for Faith Alive and the rest of Jos. Adrie and I are both working on massive government books right now so it is actually easier for us to work at the flat in the morning rather than in the middle of an office. So we woke up, ate a good breakfast, and started our work in the living room. I don’t think I could ever work out of my home, but we were lucky enough to enjoy each other’s conversations and listen to some good music while we wrote and wrote and wrote.

 

            Lunchtime came and we took the quick walk downstairs where Jon and Baba were having a good conversation. The whole meal we sat and listened while our darling cook told us parts of his life story. He decided to be a cook when he was young and his first job was preparing meals for English diplomats when Nigeria was a British colony. Once Nigeria gained its independence (40 years ago yesterday) he decided he still wanted to cook for others and has made a living of traveling around Plateau State seeing who needs an extra hand getting food on the table. He has worked for Faith Alive for a few years now fixing food for visitors who don’t know the market system or necessarily have the time to get good healthy meals together. We are trying to figure out his age; he won’t give us a definite answer but we think he is 72! If his family didn’t live nearby I’m pretty sure we would take him home with us. He told us if he went back to the States he would want to cook for our families every night and learn new American recipes. I love this man.

 

            Adrie and I walked down to the Clinic after lunch for our weekly staff prayer meeting. Today was a memorial for Hannatu so we spent time singing praises, hearing stories about what she has done for others here at Faith Alive, and taking in what Pastor Ben closed with. I personally did not know this woman well but it was a joy to hear the positive things people had to say about “Mama” with her heart for fellow staff members and desire to keep them in prayer. Something I didn’t realize is that her husband walked out on her nearly twenty years ago (something almost unheard of in this culture) so she was given much honor and respect by her friends for raising her children as a single parent and still seeking the Lord after her church looked down on her predicament. Pastor Ben had a lot to say about his friend’s courage in the midst of struggle along with thoughts on living life to the fullest every day we are given. He challenged everyone to do the best they can with what they have. The whole experience was very encouraging, a big change from the normal culture of tying death with sin and God’s judgment.

 

            After heading back to work (at the apartment) we wrote until dinner, had a nice family chat around the table, and watched a really lame movie. Many nights there is nothing good on, but we are dumb enough to keep the television on despite crummy shows when we are lethargic. NEPA has been blessing us with power the past few nights so we are able to take our time getting ready for bed and are even lucky enough to read without the use of a flashlight. To Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy I go...

 

 

            “I hope when I die my voice doesn’t go with me. I want to keep speaking long after I have gone from this place.” - Pastor Ben