We're Back!

After a 24 hour trip from Abuja through Kano, Amsterdam and Detroit we arrived safely in Lansing on Friday afternoon. We were greeted at the airport by family and friends. Hugs all around. We are all a little travel-weary, but alert enough to be processing all that we did and sharing it with others.
Thanks be to God for blessing our trip: for bringing Christians from a world away into our lives and into the sphere of River Terrace Church. Pray that God will lead us as we seek to be partners.
We are eager to share our experiences and thoughts with the congregation. See you on Sunday.

The Ambassadors

Historic NKST sites in rural Tivland

Monday morning we started our day standing up eating scrambled eggs and bread on the street corner in Wukari. We traveled to 2 sites where Dutch Reformed missionaries started churches and schools in the early 1900's. In Zaki Biam, the site of the 2nd NKST station, we visited with the pastor, went to the yam market (our saying of the day: "I yam what I yam"), looked in on a secondary school and visited a very functional hospital. Over lunch we talked with another HIV/AIDS support group. At Sev-av, the site of the 3rd NKST church we were entertained by a dancing women's fellowship group (how do they move like that?) and treated to a late afternoon snack. Isla had brought some jewelry as gifts and this was a thrill to share with the women.
On our way to Makurdi, our stop for the night, we took a wooden ferry across the Katsina river--just barely enough room for our vehicles and us. This area is the bread basket of Nigeria; the grapefruit are soccer ball size. It took some searching to find a place to stay for the night; we are eager to return on Tuesday to our "home base" in Jos.
This will be the end of our visit to the heart of "Tivland." The NKST church is a positive presence throughout this area; in addition to their churches they provide for schools, hospitals and clinics. And importantly for us, they provide a Christian support to people living with HIV/AIDS.

HIV/AIDS Counseling and a Historical Church

On Saturday in the Mkar region we observed HIV/AIDS support groups called PLWHA (People Living with HIV/AIDS). We had the opportunity to see first-hand the impact of the disease on people in the church, including those in leadership. Part of our group talked with a church elder who was HIV positive and had told his church that he was. We now understand better how HIV/AIDS permeates the whole society and how this is different than our experience in the U.S.A.
Saturday afternoon we gathered in the chapel on campus. 42 young people gathered to learn about HIV/AIDS and to be tested. Rather inexepensive (~$1 each) test kits are available for initial testing. As part of this workshop a Christian Reformed World Missions missionary named Gerald Holtrop gave an impassioned educational talk about AIDS and the importance of being tested. One person in the group tested positive and he was counseled by a NKST pastor trained for this by Beacon of Hope
Sunday morning we traveled to Sai, the site of the first NKST church built by the Dutch Reformed Church in 1911. Clay preached an excellent sermon (no surprise!) which was then given in Tiv by Pastor Saamo, a NKST HIV pastoral counselor. Pastor Saamo had taken notes during Clay's sermon and then summarized it in Tiv (or so we assumed). We were proudly shown a Tiv school where we signed the guestbook, visited a hospital and then had lunch (pounded yams!) at the home of a Sai church official. Sunday night we are in Wukari.
A very busy day. What hard-working, dedicated people! They are making progress but have very few resources. Please pray for them.

Professional visits and a denominational conference

We continue to stay in Mkar at the University of Mkar. We live in guest houses, each with our own rooms. The weather continues to be very hot (we're almost at the equator) but that has not stifled our enthusiasm. Over the last two days we have been meeting leaders and members of the NKST church and visiting programs and departments here at the University, including the Mkar Hospital and the Reformed Theological Seminary. Clay was happy to find a library.
Mkar is definitely the center of the NKST church and it is a very large denomination--larger the the CRC. We spent Friday in a conference and workshop with denominational leaders from 3 local classes (pl. of classis). There were speeches by several people including the Secretary General of the NKST, Clay and Grace. We brainstormed on what it means to partner--our small church with their very large denomination. We also observed how they do HIV/AIDS training and this reminded us that we need to be focused on Embrace AIDS.
Some of us have had a few of the "discomforts" associated with traveling in a different culture but we remain in good health. One week is behind us; in some ways it feels like we have been here for months, but then it seems like we just arrived. Our hosts continue to be wonderful to us and we are humbled by the warm reception we receive everywhere.

Under a mango tree

We traveled by car and van from Mbaagi to Mkar, the "headquarters" of the Tiv and the NKST church. It's very hot here (~100 degrees F); they say that we are experiencing weather that is characteristic for March. On the way we had a chance to stop by the side of the road at a typical Tiv house compound-4 or 5 small round huts- and rest in the shade of a mango tree. A lovely way to spend some time in Nigeria.
We arrived in Mkar and will be spending the night in a guesthouse on the Mkar University campus. We each have our own room--quite a luxury! Tomorrow we will be breaking up into groups of 2 to visit various programs associated with the church and the University.
We've been here only 4 days and so much has happened. Our African hosts are wonderful and they are keeping us busy.

Travel from Jos to "Tivland"

On Tuesday, we traveled from Jos to Mbaagi, the village home of John and Esther Orkar. On the way we stopped in Makurdi where we were treated to a true West African welcome by a women's club choir. Some of us found ourselves dancing in the aisles.
Once we arrived in Mbaagi we were entertained by a boys group from the local NKST church. More dancing, music and drama. We spent the night in the Orkar's compound. Some of us shared beds, so we are getting close and building group cohesiveness.
We don't have internet connections so we cannot share pictures right now. But keep watching, they will be coming, but maybe not until next week.

Monday - Orphans and Vulnerable Children

This afternoon we went to the church in Mangu, about 1 1/2 hour drive out of Jos. We were greeted by 3 pastors, ~9 women's fellowship members, ~ 16 AIDS orphans, and 16 caregivers of orphans. After formalities, we broke into 4 groups to learn and share lives and experiences.

Most of the caregivers had taken in from 1-3 orphans when a family member and their spouse had died. CRWRC's Beacon of Hope (BOH) is working with the Women's Fellowship to identify orphans in the church community who need help with school fees. BOH provides school fees and training to assist caregivers to raise orphans in positive ways that engender hope. Caregivers, who also had their own children to care for expressed gratitude to BOH and us for this assistance. The pastor’s were interested in differences between US and Nigeria in AIDS epidemic. They related supporting HIV awareness and stigma-reduction activities in their churches.

Attached are representative photos of the pastors and woman’s fellowship groups.

Sunday and Monday report

Greetings from Jos, Nigeria.
As the plane landed in Abuja, all I could think was 'so this is really happening, we are here.' God is blessing us with all things. The schedule is allowing us to adjust to Nigeria gradually. The people with CRWRC are treating us very well. We are blessed.

We had very safe and comfortable travels and were greeted at the Abuja airport by the smiling face of John Orkar and and his co-worker Gideon. They took us to the Sudan United Mission guest house in Abuja, where we spent the night and woke up to lots of finely dressed Nigerians going to the church in the compound. They were singing familiar hymns.

After breakfast we visited the CR World Missions 'Daniel Center' offices and enjoyed a tour of modern capital of Abuja by Sheila Dykstra from CRWM. About 4 hours later we arrived in Jos and went straight to the evening service at the English NKST church, where Clay preached. Dinner was at the home of John and Esther Orkar. We are staying at the Mountain View guest house, which is part of the CRWRC compound.

Today, Monday 2/2/09 we are having an orientation to the ministries of the CRC in Nigeria, the NKST church, and affiliated programs, such as Beacon of Hope. In the afternoon we will visit the HIV-AIDS work in the Jos area. The plan is to visit a program for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).

We are all in high spirits and feel your prayers and support. I must close as it it time to get back to the orientation. Hope to make one more post before leaving for Tiv-land where internet connectivity is promised to be minimal if at all.

Safe Arrival

The group arrived safely in Abuja, Nigeria. All is well.

Departure

The eight ambassadors were commissioned in church services on Sunday, January 25. Pastor Delianne Koops prayed with the group asking for safe travels and fruitful interactions with our Nigerian brothers and sisters.


The group departed from Lansing airport on Friday evening, January 30. Flying through Detroit and Amsterdam, the group expects to arrive in Abuja, Nigeria on Saturday, January 31 at 8:15 p.m. Nigeria time (UTC+1, 6 hours later than EST--that's 2:15 EST). After preparing and praying for months about the trip, everyone was eager to get on the plane. Pray for a fruitful trip!