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.
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