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.
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