Day 73: This Is It. The Place Where It Will All Begin.

I love having a day to sleep in, but it seems that every week I wake up the same time on Saturday that I would have on Tuesday or Thursday. This particular time I woke up to Dr. Chris’ voice at the front door telling Biana some story with the word “arrested” and “bail”. I heard a bit of scurrying around and both voices left after a couple of minutes. Obviously it was going to be impossible to fall back asleep so I decided to make myself useful and used up the rest of my pancake mix for Adrie and myself. We had a good breakfast while we talked about our families at the table and tried to figure out what was going on at the Clinic. With no power and no desire to turn on the generator I spent the next couple of hours doing one of my final loads of laundry, cleaning my room, and figuring out what is going home with me. It was very relaxing.

 

            Biana came back just before lunchtime and filled us in on what had happened. Apparently a couple of people broke into Faith Alive last night by cutting away one of the steel bars on the back windows and shimmying inside. They went upstairs and broke into Joshua’s office where they stole three laptops, a digital camera, and some other tech equipment and came down through the ceiling into the accounting office where they took another laptop, checkbooks, and important financial documentation. Some other locks around the Clinic had been tampered with but unsuccessfully mastered. Thankfully they did not make it into the pharmacy where all the ARV drugs are stored (the most common thing stolen in health clinics. They can be sold for high prices to people who desperately need them.) and did not make it out with the cable modem from Joshua’s office. Biana believes it is someone who knows the Clinic layout fairly well since they knew exactly where to go to get the most valuable items. Other offices and store-rooms were untouched. The police also clued into that but unfortunately thought the two most suspicious subjects were the security guards on duty. Dr. Chris spent the morning bailing them out. I don’t know how much damage was done overall, but I do know that this will be an interesting last week of my trip. They are going to be making some drastic changes in regards to visitors, supply storage, and security issues.

 

            We got another knock at the door only this time it was Doris and Morning Star to brighten our mood! All the white women took turns holding the baby and talking to Doris. They are such precious people, I love it when they come over. Biana taught Morning Star how to click his tongue and he spent most of the time smiling and baby-babbling rather than fussing or eating. Pastor Ben came a little while later and thanked Adrie and I for our time here in Jos. It was really special to hear what he had to say about what we have meant to his personal family along with the Faith Alive family.

 

            After Ben and I had our talk last week we have been trying to find a time to get out to the mountainside that he prays on. So he hired a taxi and we all piled in for a ride to the outskirts of Jos. The driver pulled in to a large grassy field and we all got out to trek up to a large pile of rocks. (I cannot describe how good to felt to walk through grass, stickers, and weeds again. With the added bonus of climbing some massive rocks I felt like I was at home!) We made our way up to the top of the boulders and looked at our surroundings. It was one of the most beautiful places I have been. The big grey rocks sit in the middle of some beautiful amber fields with hardly a building in sight. A small house with a cornfield sat to one side and a few other buildings were off in the distance. A panoramic view of larger mountains are the distant backdrop wherever you turn. What really caught my eye though was the tree. I climbed down the rocks and walked through the tall itchy grass a way to sit on a large flat slab further away to get a better view. It is the most perfect tree I have ever seen; an umbrella of leaves, an L-shaped branch connected to the trunk, and an ample amount of shade. As I sat there looking the wind picked up and blew across my face and hair, making my skirt ripple to the side. Emotion welled up inside of me and I started to cry. Not because of anything sad, but because I know this is the place. Pastor Ben and I both know. Someday there will be a retreat center there and I have to believe the two of us are going to be a part in getting that done.

 

            After sitting and thinking and talking to God for some time I picked myself up and headed back up to the top of the rocks. Ben grabbed my hand and we walked for a bit before coming back together to pray and take a final look for a while. I know I’ll be back to that overlooked field. It has huge plans ahead of it.

 

            Returning home we were all very tired. Morning Star finally fell asleep so Ben’s family went back to their flat while we got ready for dinner. We ate and talked, one of our last meals together for a while, and headed upstairs. The colder weather has FINALLY set in so I decided to heat water for a bucket bath (rather than my normal mountain lake temperature) and got nice and clean. When I got out Naomi had shown up so we spent another good time in our living room with friends. She has some great stories about taking care of Dr. Chris’s kids and is always up for sharing funny moments in her life. I really hope she ends up coming to the States for grad school...

 

            I am now content with my typing, freshly bathed, utterly exhausted, and full of joy.

 

            I love this place.

Day 72: Could You Get Me One Of Obama’s Daughters?

This morning at the Clinic I took to my computer and Adrie was given the chance to learn how to draw blood. She got to have her first try on a patient and said she almost did it! (Biana told her that most American nurses aren’t allowed to draw blood until they have been through all their schooling. Nigeria has the right idea for hands-on experience!) Working on the discipleship curriculum has been a great chance to run through the Bible. I was having a particularly difficult time finding places where the Trinity was mentioned so Biana jumped on Google to find some scholarly advice. We found an entire article dedicated to this one topic and I realized I just don’t read Scripture as well as I should. Many things are not as straight-forward as we would like to believe. If I read things slower and discovered all the times God refers to himself as “we” or “our” then I wouldn’t have to use Google to prove why I believe what I believe! Goodness. It has been a fun and useful project for me.

 

            A tasty lunch and we were back at Faith Alive to get some more work done. Biana has been swamped for the past week with various tasks -- scratch that. Past year. -- and has been plugging away to get those things done. Adrie and I worked some more and ended up in Biana’s office later to be her cheerleaders. I wish there were things we could accomplish for her! Larry, the OBGYN from Fort Collins here with MCC, spent the afternoon with us while he got some things done on the computer. He reminds us a lot of my Uncle Norm so we all enjoy being around him. He is very energetic, incredibly happy to be here, trying to absorb as much as he can, and in the process of deciding if this is where God would want him to spend this next year after he retires.

 

            Around five Adrie, Larry, and I headed out to the Faith Alive bus and got on board with some other staff members to head out to the MCC Cultural Night. We weren’t sure what to expect but had heard rumors of tribal dancing and food. Sounded like a party to me! All the MCC team was trying out traditional Nigerian garb for the first time (of course Adrie and I didn’t get this memo and showed up in jeans. Cool.) and we were all anticipating a good night. Some of the missionary kids were with us, which made me really happy. I miss my third, fourth, fifth, and sixth graders! The event was held in a large hall on the same compound as the MCC guest house and there were quite a few people there. And it WAS a party. Four different groups did traditional dancing, which was pretty much the coolest things I have ever witnessed. They tied bells and shells to their ankles (one group of guys had chains!) and had various drums, body-painting, and feathers to perform with. Lots of booty-shaking and foot-stamping; think Shakira meets Stomp. I wish I only looked half as put-together when I try to do those moves! They served us rice, chicken, fruit, and traditional rice cakes for dinner and we enjoyed good conversation around the room.

 

            After eating I went outside to get some fresh air and was approached by one of the dancers. He introduced himself as Pius asked if I was an American and when I replied that I was asked if I knew of a way he could marry one of Obama’s girls. He explained that his plan was to marry one of them and someday become the president of the United States. After telling him that first, they are really young and second, presidential candidates have to meet quite a few requirements regarding living in America and that sort of thing he started laughing. He then told me he didn’t really care about Obama’s kids but wanted to get me engaged in conversation so he could ask me if I would be interested in being his wife. That’s when I started laughing. He made some good offers: he’s a young technician, would be fine traveling back and forth between the US and Nigeria, would provide and care for me and our family. Alas, I was not convinced. Adrie came and told me our bus was leaving so I said Goodbye (thanked God for a good excuse to run away) and got on the bus. Pius went back inside with no phone number, no wife, and no hope for marrying into the American presidential family. I think he’ll be just fine. 

Day 71: You Don’t Look So Good...

Only one week left in Jos and my body is giving up on me! I woke up this morning not feeling so hot so I spent the first part of my day doing my discipleship curriculum on my bed rather than in Joshua’s office. It actually worked out much nicer--it was really quiet and I didn’t have to worry about people walking in and out all the time. I am currently trying to correspond meaningful Scripture with certain aspects of the layout Pastor Ben and I worked on. This project has reminded me of just how much the Bible contains! Some topics are easier than others to address (much more on prayer than the Trinity) but it seems to be coming together quite well.

 

            Baba made chips for lunch, one of my favorites, before Adrie and I walked down to the Clinic to do our work there. It was still break time when we showed up so we decided to get on the internet earlier rather than later after work. Today is the one year anniversary of my Life List so we thought it would be a good idea to get something accomplished before the end of the day. Seeing as many of them cannot or should not be done in this setting we decided that learning Thriller would be the best fit! Unfortunately we have not found a way to download off of YouTube so, with our lack of internet outside the third story of the Clinic, we’ll have to wait. Oh well.

 

            . Pastor Ben had neglected to tell us that we were expected to speak today in prayer meeting until about fifteen minutes before it all started. My stomach was turning and I was feeling pretty dizzy when it all started so I quickly had to walk myself out to get pulled together. When I got back they were waiting for me so I walked in and shared in a bit of a babbling form of what my experience at Faith Alive has looked like. They prayed over myself and Adrie and I was sent down (Biana’s orders) to see Dr. Old School about what I could do. Seeing as I had already taken antibiotics, been drinking water, and had persistent stomach dysfunctions for the past twenty-four hours Biana thought I may need to talk to someone with more understanding. Bad idea. I love talking to Old School, which we did for the first few minutes in his office, but once he heard I wasn’t feeling well the questions started. Had I been taking my malaria pill? Had I eaten any fruit? Had I thrown up in the past two days? Panic set in as I realized that what I thought was normal upset stomach was in his mind transferring to e coli. He wanted me to have some tests done and I started to flip out.

 

            With all the emotions building up about leaving soon, anticipating things back home, and just being tired and feeling sick I made the poor decision of starting to cry. Right in the waiting room. In front of patients. With Old School holding my hand. I explained to him as best I could that “I--Am---Just---Emo-tion-al Right Now And---Need To--Leave.” There are a few moments in my life where I wanted to disappear just for the sake of having a few minutes to compose myself. At Faith Alive there is nowhere to escape to be alone. In fact, that is something I have found to be true even of Jos. I never realized my need for alone time to process and decompress until that minute. I have not had a true moment to myself the whole time I have been here. Even when I am in my bedroom by myself there are always people yelling outside, baby goats crying, and one of my flatmates in another part of our home.

 

            All I wanted was a sleeping bag, a big open night sky, and some fireflies.

 

            Back home from the Clinic I fell into bed for a little while and went down to dinner where I forced myself to swallow five spoonfuls of rice. I was a little worried of my own sanity at this point (stomach matters aside) so I did some laundry and listened to Denison Witmer. Adrie always knows how to help out so she suggested watching a movie to end the night. I chose Robin Hood because, well, it’s probably the best movie ever. Next time I run into someone who is feeling sick and completely overwhelmed I am going to prescribe them one hour with cartoon animals and folk music. That just seems to be the perfect mix! Feeling more like my normal self I had a yogurt, wrote my blog, and will crawl into bed to enjoy sweet dreams and proper healing. Tomorrow is a new day...

Day 70: Well, We Didn’t Solve Any Of Our Problems...But It Sure Was A Good Chat!

We had a longer staff meeting this morning, but it was a great way to start the day. Dr. Kanu spoke about being a vessel for the Lord; being willing to have God fill you in whatever way he saw necessary. it was neat to hear that since Chrissy had spoke to me this past summer about the same passage and how it spoke to her. The individuals with MCC were given an opportunity to introduce themselves after some brief questions and concerns about various aspects of the hospital and the time concluded with a wedding announcement that made everyone burst into laughter. I didn’t see what was so funny about Ezekiel getting married, but apparently he already has six children and a wife who he married in a traditional service. His church is asking that anyone who has not had an official Christian “white wedding” is somehow not married in the sight of God and so many couples in his congregation are tying the knot again in order to please the Lord...by which I mean their pastor.

 

            Adrie and I did not realize we were going to be asked to help out in the store again so we ran home to change into grungy clothes and came back to help Daniel. We spent the morning arranging medical supplies, moving boxes, and sorting through dusty papers to turn a pile of chaotic mess into a nicely arranged storeroom of supplies. Dan is constantly teasing Adrie and wanted her by his side the whole time so I was blessed to work with Musa getting things sorted out and put into proper places around the room. When we left for lunch it was nowhere near completion but we saw that we had made quite some progress. And, again, it showed on our shirts and hands.

 

            After lunch we all headed quickly back to the Clinic for various appointments and projects. Adrie finished her article about Blessing while Biana spoke with a couple of MCC doctors about training during their time here. Shola had asked me earlier if we could meet on his break so we found a nice spot in the waiting room to go over some Timber Mountain songs. It is really fun to be teaching another person who works with kids the songs that we use so much at camp. Last Sunday he taught his class Waves of Mercy and they loved it, so he promised to bring them some more! After belting out Spring Up Oh Wells, Take My Hand, and Pharaoh, Pharaoh for the entire Clinic to hear I was glad to see that he picked up on tunes quickly. We will have to find a less public spot to work on hand motions. Once he went back to the lab (of course, after a bit of conversation. It’s the Nigerian way!) I checked up on e-mails and headed back to the flat a bit earlier than usual. I am working on the curriculum Pastor Ben and I came up with for discipleship class and realized when I got to Faith Alive that everything I needed was left on my bed. Of course.

 

            Back at the flat I did a bit of work, enjoyed some mashed dan kali, and peeled an apple for dessert. Adrie, Biana, and I got comfortable in the living room and spent the next two hours having girl talk. It is so wonderful to be in a place with two women who are open to listening and giving their own stories. We talked about dating and how different relationships look here, the lack of romance in many marriages we have encountered. We discussed our personality strengths and flaws and how that plays a role in how we relate to others. From there we wandered down the trail to beach homes, decorating, friends at church, and guessing people’s ages. I love talking with these two! Realizing it was past our bedtime (almost 9:30! Night owls for sure!) we parted ways after finishing the dishes and brushing our teeth.

Day 69: Dr. Kanu Is ADMIRING Your Computer. Not Marrying.

Apparently I haven’t worked out my arms much here because I woke up this morning feeling as if I had been lifting weights in my sleep. I had bruises on my forearms where I caught boxes of Plumpy Nut being thrown at me and, even after trying to wash my shirt, decided it may be best to toss it. I hoped they wouldn’t ask us to hold signs or carry large babies at the Clinic--it just wasn’t going to happen.

 

            Thankfully I spent the morning putting my interview with Pastor Ben into article format, which takes a while with my writing habits. I read and reread things until I have picked a synonym for every word, rearrange every sentence, and then change it all back to the first thing I wrote. Luckily after a couple of hours I was satisfied with the outcome in time to leave for lunch. After eating I took my hour-long break to curl up on my bed and fall asleep. Hooray for Safari Snooze!

 

            Back at the Clinic I read through my article once more (just in case...) and e-mailed it to Fresno First. I spent the rest of my time working on the discipleship class curriculum in Joshua’s office with Adrie. Something that is fun about working in there is the fact that twenty minutes can’t go by without someone dropping in to talk to Joshua--and then being forced to talk to us since we are sitting in there. Dr. Kanu graced us with his presence today and was actually happy to see some extra people in there. He is such a sweetheart, we always have a good time talking with him. He asked to see my computer so I let him bum around on it while his laptop got an antivirus update. Joshua turned to me and said, “Dr. Kanu wants to marry your computer.” I thought that was pretty funny and told Dr. Kanu that he couldn’t marry it since I needed it for my homework. He gave me a weird look and Joshua tapped my on the shoulder. “Caitlin. Dr. Kanu wants to ADMIRE your computer.” My ears have gotten me into some interesting situations here--apparently I am no good at deciphering conversations in different accents. Or any accent for that matter.

 

            Back at the flat we took time to enjoy dinner and conversation and Adrie and I watched Empire Records on her laptop before we had to turn off the generator. I love 90s music! And fashion. Why don’t guys wear flannel shirts anymore? They’re so amazing! We were super tired once it was over, despite it being 9:15, and went to sleep. I have a fear my sleeping pattern is going to be thrown off for months once I get home...

Day 68: Vision. Exactly.

Waking up this morning I had no idea it was going to be such a monumental day. I got ready like I normally do, enjoyed some hot cereal, and walked down to Faith Alive to do some work in the pharmacy. It was a busy place this morning and for some reason there were about four extra people working in the pharmacy. Adrie and I counted pills before I worked with Isaiah to take inventory of and stock all the newly shipped ARV drugs. The two of us make a good team; he opens all the boxes and gets things out of the packaging while I organize them on the shelf. (We tried the other way for a while and it was quite a disaster) As much as I would have enjoyed spending all morning there I had a meeting with Pastor Ben just before eleven to interview him for an article I am writing for Fresno First Baptist’s advent season. He had an unexpected group show up that he needed to show around the Clinic so he let me know we’d have to meet a bit later. I wandered into Biana’s office and talked to her for a little bit until he was ready.

 

            Pastor Ben and I have had a strange connection during my time here but have not really had a chance to sit down and talk one-on-one. We found the conference room was open so we took seats at a table up front. I asked him if he would be wiling to share his testimony, which he gladly did, and I was amazed to hear his story. Ben grew up in a very poor family, the youngest of eighteen children, and lost both of his parents when he was young. He wanted so badly to get an education but, being raised by older siblings, realized he would have to work to get school fees. He did end up making enough for secondary school, worked some more for university, and graduated with a degree in microbiology. He always knew he had a passion for preaching and was found by Dr. Chris when he was working at a base camp nearby. He has been working at Faith Alive for three years now, married with a gorgeous son named Morning Star, and loves his life. After sharing all this with me he asked if I wouldn’t mind being late to lunch and share my story with him. I told him about my family, going to school, and about my ministry at Sugar Pine. He looked at me very strange when I told him about my job and pulled out a notepad and pen. “Repeat what you just said,” he told me energetically. “Um, I work at a children’s camp...” He scribbled something down and showed it to me: CHILDREN’S CAMP. “Cait, this is it.” I was a little confused but obviously eager to hear what he had to say. Turns out Ben has been praying for a while that God would send someone his way that knows about camps and retreat centers. The entire city of Jos and the areas around it have nothing like our camps back home. The closest thing to our week-long summer programs are yearly weekend conferences where kids from around the city meet at a large church and have worship and Bible study together. “This,” he said looking me straight in the eye and pointing to his notepad, “is what we are missing            All the while my head was processing what was going on inside of me. Some who are close to me know that for a few years now I have been trying to discover what God will have me do. During a trip to Mexico I spoke to Chris, Linda, and Uncle Norm about camps in other countries. I went home and had the same discussion with my parents a few days later. “If I could find something like that,” I told Mom and Dad, “I would jump right in. That would be a perfect blend of my two passions: camping ministry and other countries.”

 

            Could my seemingly far-fetched vision be understood as something that will be reality from one conversation? I think so. Because God can do that.

 

            Ben and I spoke for a long time before he was called back to the lab and I was called to fill my stomach. We prayed together and he told me that he wants to take me to a mountain about ten minute outside of Jos where he goes when he needs time for retreat and reflection. “The land is for sale...” he added. We both laughed as we parted ways and I realized this may be the reason God called me to Jos; to encourage Ben to get something started.

 

            I had a quick lunch, with my heart feeling a great peace, and changed into my grunge clothes to help move the store items from the second story up to the new room on the third floor. Two hours of heavy lifting, sweating, and dusty boxes was a surprisingly fun experience. We moved things in the Nigerian fashion--Joshua taught me how to carry things on my head--and made pretty quick progress. Our fireman assembly line was quite a workout. Musa grabbed the heavy box and walked up the first half of the stairs and handed it to me, who walked the second half of the stairs up to Yazi, who put the box on her head and walked down the hall to Adrie, who took the box inside to Daniel, who put it in the proper spot. My green Sugar Pine shirt was completely brown by the end of the day and my hands were filthy. We decided to end our work day early since we were all so exhausted.

 

            Back at the flat Adrie and I took much-needed bucket baths and had a good dinner. NEPA was off the better part of the last week and it has not been on at all today. Not having power means we go to bed earlier than usual (running out of fuel for the generator by running it so long would be ridiculous) since we turn off our generator-powered lights at 9:00. Thankfully, after the day I had, 9:00 sounds like the perfect bedtime.

Day 67: Suzuki? Are You Part Of A Wealthy Business Family?

            It never ceases that I wake up earlier than normal schedule on the weekends, but at least I don’t have to worry about setting an alarm. United Baptist’s service normally starts just after ten so I had some time to bum around this morning (read some of my book, a bucket bath, watch some miniseries about Mary Queen of Scots) before putting on my Nigerian outfit and grabbing my Bible. At Church this morning the pastor had asked Biana to pray for their mission’s offering so the two of us sat in the second row (as opposed to twentieth) and enjoyed being next to the older members of the congregation. Something that was extra exciting was a man who they seated up on stage with the pastors--and he was Japanese! Mr. Suzuki is the first Asian I have seen in over two months and I was so overjoyed to have some familiarity in the room. It turns out that he is one of the heads of Gideon International and travels the world distributing Bibles. He spoke for a few minutes and i honestly believe Biana and I were the only people in the room who understood his English through his thick accent. Oh, it made me feel at home. Thank the Lord I am starting to be able to pick up on the Pastor’s thick accent and was able to take a lot from his message on turning to God before turning to others. It seems that when I am in need, or frustrated, or confused it seems to be easiest to talk to a friend or family member before giving it all over to God. Of course I want to avoid contact with the only one who knows exactly what is going on. It gave me some encouragement though to realize that this is becoming a steady habit of mine and over the past few months have been making decisions based on God’s lead more than friend’s suggestions. I will always value the importance of talking to others; I just need to remember the order of the process.

 

            After church Biana and I wandered back to the flat where we each decided on a different menu for lunch. Biana fixed leftover rice and fish from dinner, Adrie made a tuna sandwich, and I made my awfully lopsided pancakes. We ate while we discussed missions, money, and Church; three topics that I have developed a lot of thoughts about during my time here. (I would write all these thoughts down now but will instead wait until I have the time to compose an essay...or novel) We spent a little time relaxing before taking care of some business back at the Clinic. Adrie and I got giddy with excitement when we found out Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are playing down the street from our hostel in London but that soon turned to disappointment when we found out the only tickets left cost around £40. Like we have that much money for one concert. Oh well, we are still making some budget-friendly plans for those few days and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for tickets to see Josh Hartnett in Rain Man. Not for the Josh Hartnett part (although he has gotten fabulous reviews in this. And he’s cute.) but for the fact that Charlie is one of my favorite characters of all-time.

 

            We ended the evening with a final trip to the Net Cafe for dinner and ice cream. I ordered what I thought was the dish I had last time, but it turned out to be something different...and weird. Oh well, the cinnamon gelato tasted like Christmas and that was reason enough for me to eat there. Back at home Adrie and I danced off all of our meal and had fun listening to each other’s music. My stomach is really upset from yesterday’s dinner (after two meals and two horribly upset stomachs I have decided that the Hilltop Station is not a good place for me to eat) so I am going to get to sleep early. Honestly I don’t know if that helps at all, but I figured being unconscious would at least get my mind out of my tummy.

Day 66: Ugh. My Brothers Are SO Frustrating.

This morning was the graduation ceremony for the social services computer, knitting, and sewing classes. Adrie and I arrived early to the Clinic to help set up but they had more people blowing up balloons than they needed, so we ended up bumming around for a couple of hours before the ceremony got started. It was really neat to see the normally drab Faith Alive waiting room decorated and flooded with extra lighting (and scrubbed down; the floors were sparkling!). The graduation surprisingly only got started five minutes late and turned out to be a great celebration. All the students were very dressed up, the sewing and knitting school ladies were even wearing matching fabrics in their original outfits. They were able to present each student with a certificate and the sewing and knitting school graduates got their own machines to use. Many people who have gone through these programs either get hired as IT support right after finishing or are able to open their own clothing shops. It is a wonderful way to empower people and enrich their communities! After everyone got their awards, sang songs, and presented their gratitude to the right people they served refreshments while everyone mingled. Adrie and I hung out with Joshua who enjoyed playing with my camera, taking “action shots” and “candid shots” of friends around the place. He was extra hyper for some odd reason and spent a lot of time dancing while he stalked people in the courtyard. I talked to Shola for a bit, who is very upset that I decided to go home right before his 26^th birthday, and made plans to see Blessing at her shop over the next few days.

 

            Joyce, a woman from Baltimore involved with Hope For West Africa, is here just for a couple of days meeting up with Biana and Dr. Chris. We enjoyed lunch with her and I realized after just five minutes with her that she is one crazy busy woman. Not only does she work full-time for the University of Maryland but she also “puts out fires” at clinics all around West Africa and supplies thousands of people with ARV drugs by hooking them up with proper programs. It was fun hearing her talk about her family, her three homes, and her constant traveling. I could never enjoy her life, but it seems to work well for her! She headed off to a meeting at an orphanage nearby while the three of us went upstairs for some needed R&R. My Saturdays back home are normally spent at Sugar Pine, which is where I want them to be, so I normally don’t find much time for pleasure reading. Saturdays here are my chance to sit down with a good book and listen to music. I am really going to miss that freedom!

 

            Back to the Clinic for computer time and then back home to get ready for another night out at Hill Station. Eliasar, the Lebanese restaurant, is the designated spot to take visitors from Faith Alive. We took Joyce but had a little different crowd from when we took Jon and Kristen. Mama Oshano brought her husband and son and Dr. Chris came with the kids. I was blessed to have Emily take the seat right next to mine so we enjoyed the time before our food arrived playing hand-clapping games, singing songs, and holding her baby doll. She was dressed like a princess for the night, a large red gown with plastic tiara and matching jewelry, and decided that since I was in my boring Nigerian dress it would be a good idea to spread the wealth and allow me to look like a princess for parts of the night. Second graders have the power convince you that wearing a plastic tiara in a nice place in a foreign country will help you fit in. The food was really good (this time there were spring rolls! Hallelujah!) and we all enjoyed each other’s company. Mr. and Mrs. Oshano brought their college-aged son along and were trying towards the end of the night to set him and Adrie up. I’m always the supportive friend in those situations who does their best not to laugh or egg everyone on; I thought it was a good idea!

 

            Back at the flat we enjoyed the blessing of NEPA for approximately seven minutes before the collective sigh and start of the generator. A large cockroach scrambled into Adrie’s room so we used our dynamic forces and killed the sucker before heading off to bed, tired and full.

 

             It really is going to be hard for me to leave this place--but everyone here knows I will be back...

Day 65: Our Only Option Is Mixed Gender. Lets Go For It.

Another Jos morning: roosters, conversation, sunshine, and the hope of another fabulous day. Adrie and I opted out of a trip to Bakin Kogi and Kafanchan for the day in order to get some of our projects done at the Clinic. I spent part of my day in Biana’s office printing finished documents and airline confirmations and another part speaking with Pastor Ben about discipleship curriculum. The printing went well but talking with Ben was better. We went over the outline for the flow of topics for the class and I was really glad when he told me he thought I did the best job possible. (Of course we ran into a few snags considering I misheard “Word” for “Work” and thought he was telling me to put a whole section dedicated to doing things. Instead he was talking about the importance of the Bible. Obviously.) He then went on to tell me that there was something he needed to speak to me about before I left Jos. Ben had spent time with my cousin Evan when he visited the Clinic back in April. Evan had mentioned to Ben that I was coming in September and that he believed the two of us would have a strong bond. Over the past few weeks I can definitely say that is true; Ben has been a huge part of this trip and my spiritual well-being here. What I didn’t realize is that I have been that same support to Ben since I arrived. It was a really neat conversation, saying Thank You to someone for being who they are! He told me that even though I was leaving early he knows we will stay in contact (“Bless the Lord for cross-country communication!”) and I assured him that I will be back in Nigeria at some point in my life. When doesn’t matter right now.

 

            After such a positive start to my day I was a completely thrown off when I walked into the middle of my first Dr. Chris rant. I tried to sneak past him into the Biana’s office to finish my work but he decided I needed to be a part of this outrage. Details aren’t important, he was incredibly angry at a situation from the day before, and just needed some people around to hear him out before he saw patients. I can’t say I was too thrilled to be one of those people but I think it is good to have a release with supportive friends before facing the rest of the world. When he went downstairs it was lunchtime and I was ready for some food and a rest.

 

            Power naps always bring me back to normal functioning so after getting up from some Jack Johnson and a little shut-eye I was ready to get back to the Clinic. With the extra hands from MCC and the fact that Fridays are usually less busy, Adrie and I did not have much to do. We decided to check up with people back home and get our hostel booked for London. We hoped to be back to our flat when the work day was over at 4:00 but realized that since the group was not back from Bakin Kogi we would have to wait in order to properly lock up. This all turned out to be ok since we ran into some problems booking our reservations and had to call Louisa to get things all worked out for our accommodations once we get to England. Thankfully after a couple phone calls, internet searching, and frustration, we got four nights at a pretty nice place in central London for about $100. Not too shabby! When we finally got our confirmation number we were twenty minutes late to dinner so when we got to the flat we told Baba to go home and got everything cleaned up in the kitchen ourselves.

 

            It is all night prayer tonight (first Friday of the month!) but we opted for a quieter time at home since we are getting up to help get ready for the sewing school graduation in the morning. Of course, with all the church loudspeakers that are set up in our neighborhood it may actually be easier to fall asleep upstairs in the Clinic... We watched Obama speak shortly on the financial crisis, talked for a bit about holiday traditions, and went to bed early with a book in hand.

Day 64: Nigeria Has So Much Money, Yet Its People Are Poor. WE Make Ourselves Poor.

I was shocked to wake up to another Thursday, where is all the time going?! During breakfast I went through the list in my brain of things that need to get done over the next few days and started on what is hopefully one of my last loads of laundry. Waiting for things to soak I sat with my computer and made sure that the discipleship class curriculum was in place with an outline and further suggestions. Hopefully it is helpful to Pastor Ben who is organizing all of it. We walked down to the Clinic once I was ready to print up my document and spent time in Biana’s office before lunch. (I am trying to make the most of every spare minute in an internet-accessible area to plan our few days in London. Yay for hostels and free entertainment!)

 

            Baba made chips, one of my favorite meals, and got us well fed before we met up with MCC again. Greg drove us out to the guest house where we were able to hear a local pastor and historian named Justin give a presentation on the history of Nigeria. It was incredible to hear where this country has been and where it is going--things sounded much better under military rule, that’s for sure. He spent a lot of time being candid about the corruption here, something that many are not too aware of in terms of political and economical ordeals. Nigeria has the potential to be one of the richest nations in the world; they make billions of dollars in their oil industry. But the money stays in the hands of a few and never makes it down to the rest. It is so hard to realize that millions of people here are living in unnecessary poverty: begging on the streets and dying of preventable diseases because they cannot afford food or proper care. And what is supposed to be done? Violent government overthrow has sadly been accomplished numerous times with no positive result. Organizations have tried to make a difference, but are many times uprooted due to lack of funding. The common person does not know their rights or else gets killed for taking a stand. It is such a different world here, and it is hard to see a bright future for this nation.

 

            But there is hope. All is not lost for Nigeria. Good things have already begun.

 

            We went back to Faith Alive for a short amount of time so Biana could get some online Christmas shopping done for her family. Dinner was good, I spent some time doing homework, and enjoyed some peace and quiet with a new book. Ahh, I am going to miss these moments where absolutely nothing is expected of me...

Day 63: What If I Have A One-Eyed Baby With A Tail?!

Adrie and Biana were awake to hear the election results (about 4:15 am Nigeria time) so once I finally got up to my alarm I was informed that Obama was our new president. My day started off on a good note! I watched a bit of his acceptance speech and thought it was cool how diverse of a following he has drawn. Many Nigerians have told me that they have been praying fervently that God will put the right person in power who can make reconcile America back with the rest of the world. Sometimes I forget just how much other countries think we are pompous, ungrateful, and lazy; thankfully I have been reminded of that by my friends here!

 

            This morning we were able to meet the group of doctors from MCC who arrived yesterday to spend the next couple of weeks in Jos. They are staying at a guest house in a different area of the city so we drove out to enjoy a morning seminar and lunch with them. It is a neat little group; about half Americans and half Canadians, most about my parent’s age, who are really excited about being here. After quick introductions we were able to listen to a man named Gopar speak on what peacekeeping looks like in Jos. He has an interesting story. A Nigerian native, he and his wife moved to Virginia for a few years so he could attend the EMU (Eastern Mennonite University) seminary where he took courses in conflict management and peacekeeping. Two days after their return to Jos, September 9, 2001, the worst religious conflict of this nation broke out. Christians and Muslims had allowed tension to build over decades and it all burst forth over a few smaller issues during that time. Hundreds of people were murdered, Christians and Muslims burning down each other’s homes and taking up arms against their brothers over the span of a few months. Gopar knew that God had prepared him for this exact moment but he was terrified what would happen if he tried to mediate this violent conflict. He spoke to seminary leaders who pointed the finger at Muslims and Islamic political figures who blamed the Christians. It became clear to him that God was going to transform on the individual level, so he began holding peacemaking classes at a local college. Interest grew and soon he was holding interfaith seminars where both Christian and Muslim individuals could come together and talk things through. People began to open up to one another and work to suppress hatred and intolerance, learning to coexist and make life better for everyone. It was a long and intricate process, but now in 2008 Jos has become a city where these two religious groups are living side by side again; engaging in trade, developing friendships, and moving forward to improve their communities. Faith Alive plays a huge role in this progress as a Clinic that does not look at a person’s religious or tribal background, only at getting a person’s medical needs met.

 

             Lunch was good and we got the chance to sit with two younger women from Toronto (a redhead and her younger blonde sister!) who are here for the first time. They are really nice and are looking forward to learning things here to take back home with them. I can’t remember everyone’s names right now, but I can remember some details. There is an OB from Fort Collins (connected with the same church as Jon and Kristen! Small world!), a pharmacist from the Niagra Falls area, Lois from Upstate New York, Jean from Denver, and an elderly man who recently visited FPU on behalf of EMU. It will be really nice getting to know these folks over the next few days--they are all so friendly!

 

            Back at the Clinic Adrie and I spent the rest of the day working on our current projects and checking up on e-mail. Naomi came in looking for her purse, and later informed us that Dr. Chris had stolen it from her office and hid it in the storage room. That man is insane! We got our final travel itineraries, found some amazing free things to do in London, and heard from friends and family. The best news came in an e-mail from my Aunt Sissy who let me know that prayer works: the doctors believe her cancer is gone!!!! I started crying with tears of joy and realized how seriously I underestimate the power of my God. He is so good--and knows exactly what each and every one of his millions of children need! I left today overflowing with joy and peace, my two favorite feelings.

 

            The rest of the afternoon was devoted to listening to music, organizing curriculum notes for Pastor Ben, and relaxing.  Baba made his famous curry for dinner and I enjoyed Adrie’s “I’m-So-Tired-I-Can’t-Function-Normally” thoughts. She talked about her sister’s pregnancy (yay!) but ended up wondering out-loud what she would do if she had a baby that looked like an alien. She then continued on a bit too seriously about scary doctor’s appointments and chocolate, so we collectively decided that getting to sleep early was needed. Badly. It gets dark during dinnertime now, so we always hope that there is something to keep us entertained for a bit before bedtime. We wandered upstairs just in time to catch my favorite movie on tv. A perfect ending to a great day!

 

            Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.

            Ain’t that right, Forrest. 

Day 62: Hot? That Place Is Goddamn Hell!

Last night was by far the worst night of sleep I have had in Nigeria. Possibly the worst night of sleep in the past year. I don’t know if I wasn’t comfortable or was too hot or because it was so loud outside but I was completely exhausted once I woke up. Luckily despite my lack of rest I was in a good mood so I enjoyed some corn flakes and walked down to the Clinic with Adrie to spend the morning with our friends in the pharmacy. We counted pills while we chatted with people wandering in and out of our workspace. Dr. Old School told us the warmest climates he had spent time in, Yazi snuck up behind us and made us jump, and Peju spoke to herself for a while when she realized she made a mistake in the registry. I met with Pastor Ben before lunch to see how I can help with the new curriculum the pastors at Faith Alive are developing for the discipleship classes. We talked for a while about what would be important to cover and how to go about doing so. That project should take up a good part of the rest of my time here!

 

            I ate lunch by myself today since Adrie had to get some e-mailing done before talking to Blessing and Biana was dealing with some crazy situation (as usual). By this point in the day I was ready to collapse, all energy I had mustered mentally from lack of sleep was wearing off, so I took an hour-and-a-half long nap at the flat. Adrie had Blessing over for an interview and I vaguely remember waking up for a second and seeing them peer in through my curtain to see if I was awake yet. Blessing has a really amazing story--Adrie was given her permission to share it with the people back home. Once I woke up (at 2:30) I walked back down to the Clinic for computer time; working on the curriculum and corresponding with people far away. (I even had a few extra minutes to find a good website on cheap hostels in London!) Finished with my tasks for the day I started home just as the school across the street was getting out. Because of my great timing I was able to enjoy the company of five kids in blue and white checkered uniforms and see that they made it home ok. The last child to be dropped off is our neighbor from across the street; so we said Goodbye knowing we will wave to each other in the morning.

 

            The afternoon was very relaxing. Adrie and I realized how dirty and calloused our feet are getting (sandals + dirt streets + broken glass everywhere = bad feet!) so we took matters into our own hands. Adrie had the brilliant idea to heat water, pour it into two buckets, and soak our feet for a while before attacking them with soap and pumice stones. Listening to Disney music helped, too. After a few minutes we had nearly normal-looking tootsies, hallelujah! Dinner, a strange movie on tv, and some chocolate ended the day on a good note.

 

            The days are moving faster than before!

Day 61: Don’t Forget The Lion King Songs! Those Are Probably The Most Important.

Adrie and I decided after breakfast this morning that we should stop by the discipleship class before heading to the Clinic. We walked over to the sewing school and helped set up the benches before everyone piled in. There was a good time of singing and praising, but I realized that I hadn’t seen Pastor Esther walk in yet. Once we stopped the music everyone took a seat. I was pulling out my Bible from my purse when I realized a roomful of eyes on me. I looked up to the smiles and Doris asked, “Why are you not up front yet?” They thought I was teaching! I asked where Pastor Esther was and they told me that she could not make it to class today, assuming that I had come as a substitute. Grabbing my Bible and saying a quick whole-hearted prayer I walked up to the front, took a seat, and started to talk. Recently I had read Matthew 5 and was able to bring up what it means to be salt and light on this earth. It was a brief discussion, not even fifteen minutes, but it seemed meaningful to think about: don’t lose your flavor, don’t lose your glow!

 

            The ladies are graduating from their class on Saturday so they informed me the rest of the time would be spent preparing a song they will sing. Leaving them to their music, Adrie was able to sit in on a counseling session and I headed upstairs to Biana’s office. She was quite busy this morning (ah, a typical Monday) but was able to let me know between people walking in and out that I was going to help Pastor Ben with the finishing touches on a curriculum for Discipleship Class. Jon and Kristen left me some papers with all the progress they had made, so I spent the time up until lunch reading over their materials and thinking through what questions still need to be answered.

 

            Lunch was good, as always, and all three of us headed back to Faith Alive for a full afternoon. I told Shola on Friday that he should stop by during break so we could start burning some music onto cds. Cheap or worthwhile music is hard to come by here, most cds are overpriced or burned from poor sources. Shola picked a nice selection of old-school Christian bands (AudioA, dc Talk, Newsboys) and a variety of Christmas music to add to his collection. I started the process but, since copying music takes time, he went back to the lab after three cds and I got looking for a good online curriculum to give us some ideas. I was successful in finding some helpful guidelines regarding discipleship topics, but a little annoyed that so many sites claiming to have discussion starters were all about buying expensive Bible studies! Adrie and I did some e-mailing, chatted with Joshua, and uploaded pictures before leaving when it started getting dark.

 

            Sweet potatoes for dinner were chased down with hot chocolate on the balcony, a good conversation about traveling, and more burning of cds. The final song has just been copied, so ten recordable cds later and Shola has a new music collection!  (I really hope these bands realize that I am not giving away their songs in vain!) I am tuckered out and ready for a good night’s sleep before MCC arrives in the morning.

Day 60: Just Give Thanks!

It was Thanksgiving Sunday at United Baptist so Biana told me to bring extra naira. I think that church is by far the most expensive thing to do around here... Because our service doesn’t start until ten I was able to make myself some gluten-free pancakes, which, although they were particularly ugly from the beat-up pan I used, were delicious. Putting on my Nigerian clothes and quickly brushing my teeth Biana and I headed out the door to walk down to church. We arrived just as the doors were opening and were escorted towards the front to sit near Mary and Fatima. Everyone was dressed up and there were many more people there than usual. Mary told me quietly before the service got under way that this was the Nigerian version of our American Church’s Christmas--everyone shows up! There was a lot of singing and dancing, and the guest pastor spoke about how we as humans will never fully understand how greatful we need to be for what God has given us. It was so nice to hear a Nigerian refuting the Prosperity Gospel and reminding the congregation that yes, there may be hard times, but God is full of grace. THAT is something to be thankful about! After he spoke they said the congregation would enjoy a “ten to fifteen minute” time of thanksgiving offering. They asked every person with the last name beginning with A to go into the foyer and, when the music started playing, dance on up to the front to present your offering. Mind you much more than naira was being given. Farmers brought forth corn and sugar cane, families brought up bottled water, one woman even danced forward with a very large live chicken! The pastor would then pray over those people and that offering before they found their seats. After A came B through G, followed by the kids, then guests,... Once it reached two o’clock Biana and I decided we should scoot out as quietly as possible. They called T as we ducked out the door.

 

            Back at home we fixed hot dogs and baked beans for lunch (Fourth of July in Jos?) and sat around talking about our home church. It is so cool to be living with two people from the Fresno First Baptist family; we never run out of things to discuss and enjoy about our home congregation. Adrie and I went for our daily e-mailing (which has gotten a little more intense over the past week. If only there were some other way to communicate with the necessary people without the use of wireless internet on the third floor of Faith Alive!) and returned in time for a hodgepodge dinner. We hoped there would be a good movie on tonight (seeing as it gets dark earlier now and we can’t do anything outside) but all that we found were scary movies and news channels. We pulled out Adrie’s dvd of Singing In The Rain and enjoyed a night of Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds: now there is what classy looks like! It made me miss tap-dance lessons as a first grader. In honor of the fabulous dance moves (and the Halloween parties we missed out on) Adrie and I kicked our dance party up a notch with costumes and pictures. You know you are tired when... That got us tuckered out enough to send us to bed, ready for another brilliant week at Faith Alive.

Day 59: I Heard Rumors That You Are Planning A Coup. Do You Want To Overthrow My Government?

After a terribly long and tiring week I was blessed to be able to sleep in knowing that we made no set plans for this Saturday. I was up for a good part of the early morning hours thinking, but got most things resolved enough to fall back asleep for a while before breakfast. Baba made us special chips and fried eggs, which tasted especially good. Biana set off after eating to get some work done at the Clinic while Adrie and I headed upstairs for some good conversation. We both needed to decompress.

 

            For lunch I used up the last of my corn tortillas for a not-so-Mexican version of quesadillas along with a bowl of corn flakes. We went down to the Clinic shortly thereafter for some more important e-mailing and phone calls all the way up until dinner time. Dr. Chris showed up for a bit and, after telling us he had heard rumors of us wanting to overthrow the government, went on to remind us that he wanted to find us husbands here and that instead of voting for Obama or McCain we should vote him for US president. I told him that had I gotten an absentee ballot his name would have appeared on the fill-in line: a vote well deserved. A supper of leftover stew and strange indie film about Brazilian cooking seemed a good way to officially end the week and bring in November.

 

 

            It has been a strange week for many reasons, but the most important is that Adrie and I have been waiting for a reply from God regarding if we need to leave Nigeria earlier than planned. Many things have come up both here and at home and we have felt quite uneasy about weighing our options. On the one hand I want so badly to stay the whole time to enjoy the company here and continue work at Faith Alive. But most of the reasons behind wanting to stay are very selfish: putting off some important decisions back home, fleeing the busyness of work and my social life, and mostly feeling like I should stay so people won’t think I am weak for needing to come home early. God has proven to me through the Word, good friends both here and around the world, and through my spirit that Adrie and I need to leave. So on November 21 we will fly out of Abuja, about three weeks before our projected date. I have a complete peace about leaving because I know that my priorities right now lie in Fresno, California. Ministry occurs at Faith Alive, but I have to remember that before God called me to travel and experience other people’s lives he called me to remember my own. My first ministry lies with my family, my friends, and central California. I’m glad it took me a trip halfway around the world to finally realize that.

 

            “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” - Proverbs 19:21

 

            This truly is a great adventure. And I wouldn’t allow my life to look any other way.