Jos Crisis

We have been getting lots of questions being asked of us about the crisis here in Jos. Here is what is going on around us personally, and the city.

First, our family is good and safe and so are the Munafos. We are grateful for the close proximity in which we live to them (We live right behind them). There is currently a 24 hour curfew in place that started yesterday and at this point, we don't know how long it will last (I am guessing for the next couple of days). Usually after the initial 24 hour curfew, there will be in place a 12 hour curfew, 6pm to 6am.

On Sunday, there was a disagreement between a man and a hired worker on receiving pay. The worker did not receive his money; therefore, hired men to come and beat the other man up. All of that to say, is it led to other rivalry and havoc. There has been rumors (that I do believe at this moment) that men were brought in from the North to cause riots within our city. This is becoming more of a religious issue at this point. The muslims are attacking and the christians are defending. There have been deaths and injuries (we are receiving mixed reports on this at this time). It appears that a group of men made their way from central Jos toward the southern part of Jos (where we live) during the last few days. Yesterday morning is when it hit our specific area. We were never in danger (we live in locked/gated little neighborhood) but our neighbors down the street were. There were some burning of buildings and yelling going on. At 8:45am, it is quiet all around. At this point, no one in the Jos missionary community has been harmed. We are grateful.

Please know, as a ministry, we have plans in place for times of crisis that allow us to take the appropriate measures of safety for our staff and for any visitors that may be here. The greater Jos mission community also has a great communication pattern to communicate with all missionaries in the area that help us all be able to communicate in a way that is productive and helpful.

Please do pray for healing in this area. As we all know who live under Christ, that crisis can be such a tool for redemption. We believe, fully, that there is work to be done and we want to be ready in and out of season. The battle between muslim/christian has gone for generations and generations. We know this, and our heart is to not only be able to serve those who need serving in Christ (on both sides), but to protect the Fatherless who get caught in these crossfires. At the end of the day, there will be more orphans because of this crisis and we need wisdom and discernment on how to care for them.

Thank you again for all of your prayers and questions. I do hope this can help some of you better pray for us personally, for our ministry and for this area. God Bless.

a crucified life

It is funny to me that I am blogging right now. I just spent a half an hour writing to you all about the crucified life and with that means removing my own agenda and my own will for that of what Christ has, etc... And I was waiting for a picture to be downloaded when our internet went out. So, as I was just talking about times of frustrations and we have them, but being motivated by more than that. When the reality is I just got super angry over a wasted 30 minutes. I had thoughts of “Why Lord, I just spent 30 minutes sharing the reality of what is going on in my heart and the growth You are showing and then you let the internet go away!!”

So, I can only assume that Christ wants me to learn in every area, my time is His time. I have so far to go.

Let me just tell you about the picture, it is of some of the children in Kisayhip “A” that we minister to. It is for these children that we live here and it is through these faces that I learn that my sacrifices cannot compete with their hunger of food, their hunger for relationship and growth and their hunger for understanding Christ.

“My life has been crucified with Christ and I know longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” Galatians 2:20

Why do we live here? Especially when Jos is so unpredictable? People ask us these questions a lot, but the truth is we know we are called here and it is hard to explain, some reasons are tangible, like the children above. Some reasons are intangible, yet more motivating in the long-term. I believe that there is something here in Jos that God wants John and I to grasp so we, in the long-term, will be more able to bring Him glory in all circumstances. Because it is His will, not mine that we want, right?

my african rock

I wish every single one of you could at one point in your life, sit under this rock with me. It is, for me, the epitome of Africa. I sit under this massive boulder that looks like it could tip over at any moment and I overlook the village in which we minister. I feel wildly a part of what God is doing here and at the same time, I feel completely insignificant yet aware that I am a part, in a small way when I sit underneath the shadow of the african rock.

I have at different times seen village women seeking shelter under this rock during rain storms and also sitting under here seeking shelter from the sun. It is really beautiful in my eyes. When you come to visit I will take you to it personally, so you can experience it with me. I cannot wait!!

around town

Good Evening!!

So, I am excited to show you today's pictures because they are real life for me and very common. okay, the first picture on top is (and I promise I am not lying) where all of our furniture in our home was made. If you remember yesterday's pictures of our home, none of that was purchased in a shop, it all had to be created by us and made by this super kind believing gentlemen named Goliston. He actually mentors older boys in the skill of carpentry and he is just a neat man who loves the Lord. We are grateful for him and for the ability to send work his way. There are these type of shops set up all over Jos.

The second picture is of government housing. Not government housing that we would picture in the USA, but for anyone working in the government (police, etc...) they get housing, and people are usually put in apartment style homes.

The bottom picture is just a common road scene that I took on our way to church this morning. You can see a clothing stand where anyone can buy clothing if you don't get it made (which we get ours made - it honestly is just cleaner and easier). There is also street vendors in that picture behind, but it is kind of a far picture. I will get better ones for you.

Anyway, just more life for you. Blessings!

a little bit of home

The top picture is of our main room, the next two are our kitchen (you will notice our "store" is full of bins - to keep the mice away) and the last is the kids bathroom. Nothing fancy, but we call it home.

This is probably a traditional city home. The Nigerian kitchens are smaller, so much more than those in the USA. In the village, of course, they live in huts that you might picture when you think of Africa. I will get some of those pictures on a different day.

Sorry to be so short, but I am helping the kids with their science projects. Ughh.... not my specialty.

Blessings!

some close by pictures

These three pictures just represent our street right outside of our gate. Actually one is of one of our guards (Hosea) and the guard shack they stay in while they are working for us. It is of meager means however they like that it has "light". They are grateful.

The other two pictures are right outside of our gate, one is as if you were looking directly to the left and the other is as if you were looking directly to the right. It can kind of give you a feel as to what our neighborhood looks like. It is not uncommon to see random cattle and goats feeding off of whatever remains (garbage and weed/grass) are in the road.

Enjoy a virtual (but not really) look into our road area....

I am going to try tomorrow to show you pictures of inside our house so you can imagine sitting at my kitchen table.

See you tomorrow.

Welcome Back to Nigeria, Africa!!!

Welcome Back to Nigeria, Africa!!

So, being away and back again has caused me to realize that our blog may be some people’s only avenue to experience and see Africa. So, one of my resolutions will be to daily (as long as we have power) post up a picture of things we see on a day in and day out basis. I did have many people tell me they wanted more pictures, so in an effort to do this, I will start doing one a day.

Now, I am not saying I will remove all spiritual insights that the Lord shows me, but I am saying that I will try to get you followers a bit of life here while at the same time adding other things too.

So, here is our first blog entry since we have been back to Africa and I hope you can start to get a feel of what life looks like living in Jos (the town in which we reside). My friend, Laura, asked me what is the first thing you see when you step outside of your front door. So, I thought I would start with that as my first picture. And, I tell you what..... it was a good day to start....

The bottom picture is literally what I see when I walk outside my door. The trash can to the right that is brown is where we have to burn our trash. You can imagine that when it is burning, it pretty much comes into our windows. Yes, that is fun. Okay the top picture is of a rat that was killed last night on our property by one of our guards (have I mentioned how much I like them?). As John and I were thinking yikes this is the biggest rat we have seen, he and the other guard were telling us that they were going to skin it and cut off the head and make "pepper stew" out of it. What was most interesting to me is that I have seen pepper stew offered on different menus here and I have almost ordered it thinking it sounded good. Thank goodness, I have learned what that really is now.

I hope you enjoyed this picture and a little bit of what life looks like. I am excited to show you more and more what we witness and experience. Oh, by the way, Gus could not have been more excited to see it and watch them skin it and put it up on our roof to dry. Our guard also said he killed it with a slingshot and that they are, and I quote, "these are found like the sand in our village, they are everywhere."