Sannu church, family and friends, (this means 'hello' in Hausa)
Rachel and I have now settled into the CRC compound, been orientated to the city of Jos, met most of the missionaries and CRC staff on our compound, started to adjust to the heat (its about 32'C) and recovered from our jet lag. In our typical fashion we've also already done a once over clean on the house including the bathroom, kitchen cabinets, fridge, our rooms and the hall cupboards. It must be our role as eldest daugthers and training as nurses which comples us to obsessively clean everything! lol
Our compound is called Mountain View and is located a short walk from the Hillcrest campus (which the the center for many ministries here at the CRC compound). Hillcrest is a school (K-12) that was originally set up for missionary kids but now teaches Nigerian children as well. Many of the people living on the two CRC compounds teach at Hillcrest and send their children to the school.
So far we have learned that there are many different organizations working together here in Jos. Although it has been a bit confusing meeting so many people and trying to sort out where they all work, it is a really testament to the idea of cross demonination partnerships. It helps encourage the idea that we are all one in the body of Christ working together for a common goal. A couple examples of this team approach are...
1) both Hillcrest and the two theological seminary schools here are managed by several different demoninations in Jos and the organizations
2) although we are living on a CRC compound our three female house mates are all from Mission Africa but live here as Mission Africa does not have their own compound
3) on Friday night our house mates invited us to the City Mission weekly group meal where we meet a ton of people from around the world working and volunteering in Jos under the City Missions umbrella
Some of the highlights of the things we've seen or expereinced so far....
1) Saw a taxi packed with people and chickens who were all pressed up against the windows
2) Learned how to make home made yoghurt from a couple of ladies on our compound
3) We've had two wonderful lunches with Phil and Stephaine Beck where we got to try local Nigerian food (masi - rice padies and suma ;- grilled beef) and some Lebanese food (lots of Lebanese people here in Jos...not sure why). Oh and by the way, thanks again Melinda and Patricia for the donated nursing textbooks as they are a much needed addition to the 1970s textbooks they currently have.
4) We went to a village church planted by the CRC of Nigeria with the missionary family the Van Der Dyks. The service was almost entirely in Hausa except for the sermon which the Pastor graciously did in English because of us. :) The church building was about the size of an average North Amercian bedroom and there were about 15 people there. But the power of their voices filled the entire space and their natural rhythm and melody made instruments unnecessary. Two men gave their testimonies, one through song and then the pastor offered (with a giant grin on his face) for Rachel and I to give our testimonies through song...lol...which we politely declined as to not subject their ears to our singing.
This coming up week our orientation to Evangel hospital begins. We've also become aware of a couple of medical outreach and teaching oppertunties which are in the process of being sorted out. We will of course update you on these events in our future blogs.
Until that time, thank you again for your support and prayers.
Love,
Lisa and Rachel
Follow along with us as we serve in Jos, Nigeria for 3 months with Christian Reformed World Missions.
Jeremiah 29: 11-13
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Dynamic Duo
About Me
- Rachel and Lisa
- Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
- It is our greatest desire to make ourselves open to the good and perfect will of God and to be used by Him to fulfill His plans here on earth. Our interest and participation in this mission is our response to the gentle promptings and passions He has placed within our hearts.
Followers
Women are amazing...It’s Biblical! by Jean Garland
In the last few weeks we have reflected deeply about the meaning of the death and resurrection of Jesus and we have rejoiced at the triumph of Easter. One little verse in the Easter story that amused me is Luke 24:22 where it reads: “Some of our women amazed us!” I believe that Nigerian women are more amazing than most and I will tell you why.
This past weekend I held the hands of hundreds of amazing Nigerian women. Have you ever seen acres of women? Yes, you read correctly. Acres! On Easter weekend our ECWA (Evangelical Church of West Africa) AIDS Ministry team did HIV counselling and testing at the National Conference of ECWA Women's Fellowship, on the outskirts of Jos.
The women of ECWA own a campsite. Don’t envisage a grand place with many facilities. It is just a big field. Twenty thousand amazing Christian women came to Jos from Thursday to Sunday and cooked, ate, performed other indispensable bodily functions, and slept outdoors in the field. One luxury was that water made accessible for cooking and bathing.
On Easter Saturday the women all dressed the same. It was a remarkable sight. The uniforms are dark green (wrapper, top and head tie) and have a printed verse of scripture in the various languages which says “It is the Lord Christ we are serving.”
The programme contained teaching, preaching and of course enthusiastic singing and dancing. There was a carnival atmosphere at times, and at other times serious discussion and teaching relating to the Scriptures and family life. Judging by the noise level and merriment it was obvious that the women were immensely delighted to be at the conference. Often I would see women running to embrace, greeting at length and then sitting on the grass and basking in the joy of being together again.
Nigerian women find sustenance, in times of joy and sorrow, from other women in the fellowship. They understand how to endure and survive together. They rally round each other through challenging times. Often I feel that these women are the moral fibre of the church in Nigeria. They are a big part of what is good and vibrant in Nigerian Christianity.
Our AIDS team set up some tables and displayed a banner (on the side of my car) offering free HIV testing and counselling. We tested more than 1000 women. It was a first-rate opportunity for many to find out their HIV status for the first time. And I held many hands.
In the Easter story Thomas doubted whether Jesus had resurrected. Jesus appeared to him and said: “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see.” Our Lord’s scarred hands bore the marks of the crude nails that had pinned him onto the cross. Those scars represent something precious to Christ. I like to think that the scars are ways you and I have been engraved on His very hands and feet (Isa. 49:16).
As I grasped these women’s hands and drew blood, like Thomas, I learned much from handling and observing each hand. Each hand imparted its own story.
A very few hands were manicured and smooth. Those ladies did not do much manual work in the farm or in the market. They were the hands of the privileged. These few had someone else bending their backs and providing the food for them.
Most hands were calloused and tough. It was tricky to get the lancet through the sturdy skin. Those ladies had used their hands as tools in preparing their farms for planting, now that the rains have come. When I looked at their faces many were very dark, wrinkled and weather beaten and it was evident that life was mainly made up of manual labour out in the tropical sun.
The palms of some worn hands were very colourless and it was challenging to get red blood from them. Those ladies probably had a very poor diet with little iron. (I am always amazed how Nigerian women can function with such low haemoglobins!)
Some hands were more pigmented and discharged their blood effortlessly. Those women, unlike the majority, probably knew what it was to eat meat, green vegetables and a balanced diet.
Some few hands had painted nails and were spotlessly clean. But many fingers needed plenty of cleaning to produce a patch clean enough to safely draw blood.
A few hands were painted with elaborate henna decorations, bringing a certain delicacy to them.
Some hands, like Jesus, had scars which told their own story of injury. Farm accidents, knife accidents and others mishaps have left their mark. One lady was missing part of a finger and it was still a festering sore. She needed to see a doctor.
As we tested and counselled these amazing women, and prayed with those found to be HIV positive, what joy to point them to the Man with the scars in his hands. One of our HIV positive team members wore a T-shirt that day. On the front it said, “Know your Status. Fight HIV Stigma and Discrimination.” On the back it read. “Positive and Negative are all the same in Christ Jesus.” How wonderfully true.
On the first Easter Sunday, women were the first to see the resurrected Lord, and amazed the disciples with their report. This Easter Sunday we sang "Isn't it fun to see Satan defeated. Jesus is the Winner Man!" In style, this song was a definite contrast from "O Sacred Head Sore Wounded" but no one could question the joy of the resurrection as many amazing women sang and clapped and swayed and did it with all their hearts as they praised our Saviour with the scarred hands. He said “Blessed are those who have not seen me (and my scars) but believed.”
I am so excited to read all your updates. God bless you heaps. Sasch. (worked with Rach at RBWH).
ReplyDeleteThanks for your descriptions, they really help us see and hear (and taste) with your senses what you are experiencing. Keep it up! Make sure you bring greetings to Phil & Steph on behalf of Living Hope congregation (in case you didn't do that yet :) Any chance of a video clip we could show the congregation? "coming to you live from Jos, Nigeria ..." :)
ReplyDeleteWe are keeping you in our prayers.
Pastor Colin
Great to you hear about your experience. The chicken- and people-packed taxi is quite an image.
ReplyDelete