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.