Yes, you guessed it! We are back. The Abts gang writing another email-o-gram. "If you're happy and you know it ... read along!"
Seriously, we trust that you are doing great and staying focused - to something!? We have been busy getting back into the swing of things here in Nigeria. Rains have almost completely stopped and the dryness is settling in...for the next 6 months.
ZION & GABRIELLE They are both in the same school (Hillcrest) in the same class (kindergarten). Zion loves being the big brother and showing his sister "the ropes". Gabi is just happy to be with her age-mates on a regular basis in class. They both love to sing along with whatever comes on the radio, play imaginary games and draw whatever their eyes tell them.
ANN & KYLE Ann celebrated another year of life in mid October. She enjoyed luncheons and special moments with friends, kids and Kyle. Ann will travel to Amsterdam and the States from Nov 13-29 to attend a conference and stick around for a good old American Thanksgiving meal. Kyle has been traveling - as usual - and is presently in the USA for two conferences (Oct 22-Nov 5). We both have great opportunities to network and discover more of our gifts.
TIDBITS [Ann wanted something to replace the "Utility Saga"] * Ice Cream - we can hop to the "supermarket" and pick up a pint of 'Blue Bunny' for $12.00 ! * Gasoline - we can get a gallon of gas for $1.90 ... hey we're not complaining!
JOY AND SORROW Since our return, we have celebrated the with good Nigerian friends the birth of their first child. Then very unexpectedly we lost a dear Nigerian friend, Priscilla Tyokighir, when she went into cardiac arrest during preparation for a routine surgery. Please pray for her husband, David (Kyle's direct supervisor) and the three children who are trying to make sense and move along. She was such a bright reflection of Jesus' love and is deeply missed by so many.
PRAYER 1 - Kyle & Ann's travels to and from (and within) Europe & the USA. 2 - Zion & Gabi as they grow in the knowledge of God. 3 - Nigeria (& the world) as the fasting period of Ramadan comes to a close (Nov 3). 4 - Comfort for those who loved and miss Priscilla so dearly.
AUGUST 2005 Hello from wet Nigeria
That's right we are back in Nigeria and it has rained everyday since we returned. What a stark contrast from America where it was hot, humid and dry! Here, the days are dark and it takes clothes a few days to dry, but the farmers are happy.
Zion and Gabrielle hit the ground running. Zion started school the day after we arrived in country and Gabrielle started a week later. We were planning on sending her to her Nigerian school, but when there was an opening at Hillcrest she was asked what she wanted to do. She chose to be in the class with her friends and brother in the same kindergarten class - Zion is everyday and Gabi is 3 days.
Being back for 3 weeks it is like we never left. Our work keeps us busy, but many friendships have been renewed. We also returned to our smiling Nigerian friends saying "you look fat". That is a compliment here, to be large, and we take it in stride. We attribute that to our family and friends who fed us well!
We truly appreciated seeing as many of you as we could during our whirlwind time. Of curse, we would have loved for more time and opportunities to share in your life. I guess that is what email is good for - please keep in touch!
PRAYER 1 - Continued strength as we settle back into Nigeria. 2 - Those living a life inspired by Christ to be encouraged. 3 - Niger (country north of Nigeria) is dealing with the drought and combatting the famine.
JULY 2005
"The Return is Near!" Whew! Since leaving Nigeria we have been in 13 airports, 10 states and 12 churches. All for good, but a little stressful. Our time in the States has been hectic, but also productive.
We have been able to renew friendships, reacquaint with family and meet many new friends. Highlights continue to be time with family and friends. Our children have played in so many bedrooms, parks, and backyards that they identify people by their possessions. Zion asked me yesterday, "Are we going to visit those people with the super-soaker water gun, again?" Sorry for those that we have been unable to meet with, but please know that you are important to us.
JUNE 2005
Wow, it is nearly July and we are just writing you all! Hope that your lives are not as hectic as ours. If they are you can relate with us and no that time does fly.
We hope that your summer is off to a good start and that you are enjoying some "break". Any vacations or holidays planned? Or is this the season to "get things done" around the house?
Since leaving Nigeria we have been in and through 13 airports. Our days have been filled with family & friend reunions, meetings, reports and some good family time. We still plan to many more as we are still in the USA until July 30.
Some highlights: Witnessed a Texan wedding as my little brother Toby married a lovely woman named Alycia. Amazed by Zion's transformation from barely touching the pool-water to an active swimmer - diving in, going under water, etc! Impressed at Gabrielle's ability to fit in with strangers, sing songs and love being a part of a Vacation Bible School in California. Met some new and old friends in Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Dallas, Orlando, San Jose, Fresno and Phoenix.
There were so many others that we could fill this email with - perhaps we'll save them for another email!? Please continue to keep in touch and we will attempt to be better at ourselves!!!
We are surviving here in Nigeria. How are you? Did you travel anywhere for the holidays? We took a break from our travels and enjoyed the company of friends in our community. Zion and Gabrielle are also on an extended break from their respective schools and we've enjoyed keeping them busy. We enjoyed having the men's and women's basketball team from Moody Bible Institute around as they played games, conducted clinics and shared their personal stories.
EASTER & HOLIDAYS The team took 2 weeks from their Easter break to share their time with Nigeria. Holidays offer us time and opportunities to get caught up. We catch up on lost sleep, catch up on projects, or catch up with relatives and friends. Rarely do we actually look at the holiday itself - Christmas for the birth of Christ, Labor Day for solidarity of laborers, or Valentine's Day for the loved one in our life.
Of course, this being the Easter holiday we confuse a Bunny and Christ. I tend to enjoy the treats of the former while neglecting the treatment of the latter. I'm sure there are history buffs out there who can explain how &/or why the Bunny got involved with Jesus Christ on the same Holiday - but that would not quiet the children. Whatever we celebrate - dying eggs, egg hunts, giving up something for Lent, black Friday & white Sunday or any combination - we need to understand the Cross of Christ in history, but more so in our present life.
FAMILY Apologies for those who have been waiting for an email update (for those who read 'em, in our Jan '05 email we said we'd write more in a few days) - well here it is 60 days later.
Zion will be tested on Friday to see if he is ready for 1st grade. Either way (if he stays in kindergarten or goes to 1st grade) we are happy that he enjoys going to school, what he's learning and his friends. Lately he's been waking up before us, preparing breakfast and then occupying himself with coloring or playing.
Gabrielle (she knows herself as "Gabi") loves her school and her kitties (before we gave them away). One day Ann found her bouncing on the trampoline (on all fours) with a baby kitty in her mouth - acting like a mommy. She enjoys singing her own compositions, playing "family" with her dolls/stuffed animals and climbing any obstacle she can touch.
Ann has been busy with her friends. Weekly Bible studies, afternoon tea-times and good conversation all add up to encouragement and quality friends. She is also volunteering at Hillcrest School in the finance office each morning. Finally, she is doing all this while trying to set up our house - remember we moved into our new home in January and are trying to merge our Jos and Makurdi homes.
Kyle still busy with Urban Ministry (projects in Lagos, Abuja, Makurdi and Jos), Vision Conference (printing & translating discipleship materials) and Sports Ministry (coordinating a high school league and the Moody Team visit). Oh yeah, his traffic offence (he hit a moped that was driving at night without lights) was finally dropped after 5 months of court appearances.
USA BOUND It's that time again, we are returning to the States. April 12 (after our Mission Spiritual Conference) we go to Israel for a week (to see our friends in Bethlehem). We'll arrive in Chicago on April 20. We will be home for 3 months and hope to see as many of our friends as we can. Also, we'll go to Texas where Kyle's younger brother will get married in May (Toby & Alycia). We'll see our parents in Wisconsin and Florida and hopefully all our other family members (brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins). Of course, if you have some spare time we'd love to see you, too! Email us to make plans to hang out, sooner is better.
PRAYER * Last minute things - projects and people empowered for our 3 month absence. * Toby (Kyle's brother) & Alycia as they prepare for their May 15th wedding. * Sanity as we continue to settle in our new place & prepare for our trip to USA.
FEBRUARY 2005 Busy, busy, busy ... what else is new.
Trust that you are doing fine and staying healthy and spiritually sound. We had a good beginning to the year but we knew that it would get stressful. In mid January, we merged our two houses (Makurdi and Jos), Kyle was gone in Kenya for meetings, and Kyle's office moved to the same compound where we will be living.
Our move to the new compound has been the mixed. It is great to have electricity and water, but difficult to say good bye to our friends on that compound. Moreso, it has been difficult sorting through all the stuff we have accumulated/collected through the years.
KIDS Thankfully, our children have been staying healthy and happy. Zion continues to enjoy his kindergarten at Hillcrest School. Gabrielle also loves her playgroup - which we have since called, by her urging, school. Ann thought she could enjoy the "free" mornings setting up our house while the kids were out of the house - not! She was asked to help at Hillcrest School in the financial department.
Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!
JANUARY 2005 Whoa, it is nearly February!
Hope that your New Year is off to a great beginning. We wish to express our deepest appreciation to each of you for your continued support throughout this past year. Because of your prayers and financial gifts we were able to remain in Nigeria - expanding and encouraging the local churches.
Of course, our thoughts and prayers go out to the thousands who lost their friends and loved ones in the tsunami. It was unbelievable to watch this tragic event unfold in our media. I'm sure many of us wanted to get on a plane and help (as we're sure many of you did pray and donate to the relief efforts). Our struggles seem insignificant in light of these tragic events.
We will send lengthier email in the next few days updating our life here in Nigeria. Also, watch out for our paper AbtsTRACT that we will mail out in early February (if you have not received one of these and wish to please email us your postal address).
The last few thunderstorms are dropping their payload on the Nigerian land. Soon, the green grass will turn to brown and the soft ground will turn a hard red ... dry season. We hope that you are doing well and gearing up for whatever changes of weather you will be experiencing.
FAMILY This email can include a report on Grandma & Grandpa Schaafsma (Ann's folks). They arrived in the early hours back in September and nearly four weeks later are still active in taking it all in. They have been kept busy by visiting ministry sites and being swamped by Zion & Gabrielle. Ann's Aunt & Uncle (Rev's Ed & Jan Dykstra) also came for a few days on their way to South Africa. Her uncle even officiated the "solemnization" of two Nigerian friends. Zion is slowly accepting that he will go to school after Christmas. He says, "after Hunter (his friend) comes back to Nigeria I will go to school". His latest infatuation is brushing teeth (a good one, eh). It seems he was scared by a comment we made about sugar attacking his teeth :).
Gabrielle still loves drawing on whatever she can. We definitely think she is a left-hander. She resumed going to playgroup and still comes back with a new song or phrase that she learned. Ann has been busy with her Bible Study, International Tea time, and Member care meetings. Of course, she often finds time to take those visiting from abroad shopping - is this a gift!? Oh yeah, she celebrated her 40th birthday on October 18th. As we've discussed in previous emails driving here is an extreme challenge. Kyle recently hit a motorcycle who was driving without a headlight at 8PM - very dark. The short of it is ... after a month of going back and forth to the hospitals and police station Kyle was advised by his Nigerian lawyer to allow the matter to go to court. Although this is a learning experience for us, we pray this will be finished soon.
FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY (FH) We continue to implement the Vision of Community (see www.fhi.com for more), but more specifically the practicing of the Discipling Nations (by Darrow Miller) and hosting of Vision Conferences (VC is a Harvest and FH initiative). Recently, we have been focusing on the Nigerian capital of Abuja. It is a strategic city where we can aim at reaching politicians, lay leaders, and denominational leaders with a wholistic approach to Christian worldview. Also, we remain steadfast in our determination to reach the middle and northern areas of Nigeria and we are doing that through translating the VC material into the Hausa language.
CHRISTIAN REFORMED WORLD RELIEF COMMITTEE (CRWRC) Since becoming the National Director of Urban Ministry (UM) Nigeria the days have been full. The first task was to unify whatever we could with all four zones and that was initiated by reviewing (and amending) the Constitution. On September 15th, Joseph and Michael came from thed USA as CRWRC Interns specifically for Urban Ministry. They are doing great and will be helping in the efforts to unify UM until June 2005. RAMADAN October 15 was an important day in the lives of millions of Muslims around the world - it marked the beginning of Ramadan, a month of fasting and reflection for members of the Islamic faith. What does this mean for Christians? It's an opportunity to learn more about the Islamic religion, and a chance to compare and contrast Christian and Muslim beliefs. You can look up some websites for more info: www.rim.org/muslim/islam.htm or www.answering-islam.org
UTILITY SAGA We apologize for sounding negative about the Nigerian utility situation. When we said "bad" and "sad" in this section previously, it was referring to us writing about it. We, like most Nigerians, are upset that the infrastructure is here, but improperly maintained - or exported to surrounding countries. This past month the water was mostly "off", due to major problems. Also, the electricity has literally been "on" and "off" with a full 2 days "off" to over 10 million people due to a "fault" somewhere in the middle section of Nigeria - it's common here so it won't make the international news!
YOUR FAMILY PHOTO We asked in the previous email to send us a photo. Only a few of you responded thus far. Please take a moment and send us a picture of yourself, your family, you and your pets, etc., but send us something so we can be reminded of you and share you with our children and friends. Send it to us directly in Nigeria (address below) or to Ann's folks in the USA (email us for the address). You should have a family picture of us - if you don't then write to us in Nigeria (email or snail).
PRAYER POINTS 1 - "Sanity" in trying to balance our schedule of activities 2 - As always, safe travel as we go about our work 3 - For the 30 day Islamic fast, called Ramadan (Oct 15-Nov 15) to be observed peacefully. 4 - For Nigeria (and the world) to continually look to their Creator
SEPTEMBER 2004 Hello again from Nigeria
I guess we knew it was time to write when some of you said, "we have not heard from you in a while". Wow, we are grateful for friends to care and want to read our lengthy emails!
FAMILY Zion and Gabrielle continue to keep us excited. Each morning, afternoon and evening we see how God is bringing them up and we are so thrilled to be a part of it. They interact with each other quite well - of course they have "tiffs" but they are few and far between.
Zion is fixated on observing the level of security as we drive around. As we pass places he comments on walls, policeman and the military. When he plays with his toys (or with friends) it often includes security and defense. We know this is a result of hearing about break-ins, witnessing armed robbers, and just the general lifestyle here in Nigeria. Ann will homeschool him again this semester - he likes this, but does not want to discuss going to school.
Gabrielle decided to see if a plastic craft bead could fit up her nose ... well it did! We tried to get it out but had to take her to a missionary doctor who was able to help. She continues to be our little "risk taker" and hopefully learns some lessons along the way. She often follows her brother around, but likes to find a playmate who she can "boss" around. Oh yeah, she's looking forward to her playgroup starting.
Ann is sorting through the two houses that we merged - our Makurdi home into our Jos home. Hey what a glamorous life we lead - two houses, no snow, sunshine everyday, fresh fruit & veggies ... ooh la la! She continues to take photos, shop with anyone who needs help, but her biggest task will be Zion's homeschooling. Kyle is busy with site visits, grant obligations, and training.
Kyle's parents were spared from the wrath of Hurricane Charley - they live near Orlando. They volunteered around the area where many folks lost nearly everything. They are grateful that they only lost a few trees and the loss of electricity for almost 4 days ... they experienced a bit of living in Nigeria.
We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Ann's parents (and Aunt & Uncle). Her parents will stay for almost 4 weeks and we hope to see as much as we can. They are busy now preparing for themselves, but spending alot of time and energy shopping and packing for us! Maybe a break from America's 24hr electricity and water is just what they need! Zion and Gabrielle pray for them daily and have tried to count down the days!
BUSY, BUSY, BUSY On the road again ... never a dull moment. Kyle's already spent a week in Lagos, few days in Abuja and a week in Port Harcourt. He'll have some training in Jos, then back to Abuja and then he's scheduled a training week in Makurdi, Maiduguri and possibly Bauchi! We are expecting the arrival of two university interns from the USA who'll spend a year with Urban Ministry (UM). Kyle's appointment as national coordinator of UM has been slow, but busy. He's attempting to formulate the training process (materials, presentation, etc), incorporate useful reporting, and just know more about each site.
TRAINING, TRANSITION & SPORTS The work of UM is first and foremost, but there are always little projects on the side that are interrelated. We use the Vision Conference (VC) material and Darrow Miller's "Discipling Nations" book, which is based on understanding Worldview. We use it to train UM members, sports ministry members, Youth With A Mission (YWAM) classes, and whomever asks about it.
New roles and new opportunities all can wreak havoc on a schedule. As we get settled back in Jos we have to say "Yes" to the important things and "No" to the others. Ann believes that Kyle is quick to say "yes", but encourages him to think and pray about "offers". He continues to move the Sports ministry forward - through encouraging youth development, small business training and being a complete youth (as opposed to just an athlete).
UTILITY SAGA: PART II That's right ... it's back ... it's bad ... it's sad ... it's life in Nigeria! We ceased writing about the struggle for water and electricity because it was more reliable. Get ready .. the saga continues! We have been without electricity for over 10 days and it could continue for some weeks. Apparently, when the transformer blew this time it was on government property - they are stating it is the fault of NEPA (the national electricity company) and NEPA is saying they don't have the money for a new transformer (read "give us $7,000 and we'll find one"). And without consistent electricity in the area the water utility can't pump consistent water!
YOUR FAMILY PHOTO We do not have a complete photo album of our friends. So please take a moment and send us a picture of yourself, your family, you and your pets, etc., but send us something so we can be reminded of you and share you with our children and friends. Send it to us directly in Nigeria or to Ann's folks in the USA (email us for the address). You should have a family picture of us - if you don't then write to us in Nigeria (email or snail).
PRAYER POINTS 1 - Good adjustments to our new "routine" 2 - As always, safe travel as we go about our work 3 - Our basic utilities (electricity & water) will be stable 3 - For Nigeria to continually look to their Creator
Thanks again for your prayers and support. Thank you for partnering with us in our endeavors here in Nigeria. May God continue to bless you as you seek Him
JULY 2004
Wow! Where has the time gone? Again, thanks for checking in on us. Here is a brief "flash" of our lives ... Pictures, stories, links to other websites, etc. May and June have come and gone. We have been kept busy by traveling but this time our of Nigeria. We visited Kenya for 3 weeks - some conferences, visitations, and a little R-n-R on the Coast. It was great to see how Food for the Hungry (FH) and Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) are doing in East Africa.
In June, we were asked by CRWRC Nigeria to coordinate all the Urban Ministry sites (Lagos, Jos, Abuja and Makurdi). That means relocating back to the city of Jos. We are excited at settling down in Jos (again) and optimistic about the challenges of uniting the work of Urban Ministry in Nigeria. We will continue to assist with the work of Partners for Christian Development, CityNET, Vision Conference and Sports ministries.
Family life is never dull and we love building relationships as a family - with each other and all those in our community. We appreciate your thoughts, prayers and support!
Well it is quickly moving into mango season here in Jos and that makes many happy. Mangoes are yummy and the season doesn't last too long so people are already picking and eating what they can reach and pits are seen around on the ground. There is something reassuring about this I just realized - for me it represents some kind of stability, something to look forward to and expect here.
With some many unpredictables (when will we have electricity or water and will we get from point A to B without any "disruptions" are just a couple in Nigeria) in life, I am grateful for God's unchanging presence in our lives.
So I hope this finds you healthy and encouraged. The kids and I are eagerly awaiting Kyle's return from a conference in Kenya tomorrow. We have been on our own mostly in the past couple weeks and miss him much. Still we have managed to "hold down the fort" in Jos and have stayed quite busy in the process. I thought I would take this chance to write an update to you all.
What has been going on with us lately you may wonder. Well, Kyle has been busy with a wide variety of activities. He is currently in Kenya for a PCD (Partners for Christian Development) conference. Before that he traveled north to Maidugari to facilitate a workshop for leaders - Vision Conference.
Sports ministry has been exciting because there are a number of
Nigerian guys who are moving along and Kyle is able to be involved in some clinics and trainings as well as encourage these young men along in evangelism and sports. Of course when he is in Jos, he takes every possible opportunity to play basketball himself with Nigerians and other missionaries (several nights a week). He continues to enjoy his
church involvements which are: music with the youth for services and a recent appointment as elder.
The last is quite a major thing because the church just held it's inauguration in February and appointed it's first elders and deacons. Why it is so major is that it is the first English Speaking church in
it's denomination which historically is only in the Tiv language, which
has made it virtually impossible for people outside of that tribe to be
involved in the church. So, it was an exciting event to be part of and
an honor for Kyle to be elected into this office. I am sure I am
forgetting some things and haven't done justice to explaining but that
is okay.
Zion and I have begun to "do school" together. Last week I enrolled
Gabi in a playgroup so that Zion and I could really focus in the
mornings. It has been really good for all of us. For me it has helped
force some much needed structure in my day. Zion is very eager to learn
and work with me but whenever someone mentions "going to school" he is
adamantly opposed.
That is okay especially since he is still four. He is perfectly happy
to sit for a couple hours at a time reading a book with me, cutting and
pasting, etc. and even will say "when are we doing school?" if I don't
get started right away. That is good for me. He seems particularly
interested in knowing how everything works and he definitely likes
order, even in his artwork ... He continues to love being with people
yet he also can keep himself entertained (with Legos or dirt) for long
spells.
Today he wanted to do everything with me and said he'd go with me
rather than play with his friends...that was until they arrived. Then
he ran out to greet David, excitedly grabbed him by the hand and
dragged him off to see something. He also remains very conscientious
and will always report to me any wrong that he has done. It's the first
thing he will greet me with if I have been gone - "Mommy I pushed Gabi
down cuz she wouldn't let me have my car."
Gabi likes to go to her own "school" which is just down the street in
Jos. It seems that I can customize her time there according to our
trips to Makurdi. A British woman runs the place and is really lovely.
Has we been in Jos, I would have enrolled Zion in the preschool there.
Gabi has done great with potty training and no one could be happier
than me (and maybe Grace who washed all the diapers!). She is quite a
sensitive young girl - it is amazing how "in tune" with Mom a 2 year
old can be. She can be a bully with her brother at times but has been
intent on showing the world what a big girl she is. Today though she
confessed she pushed the neighbor boy down because he called her a
baby. well he is younger than her and he only says about 4 words so I
think she may have misunderstood him but she is a bit sensitive about
that. Lots of people will still call her baby and she really takes
offense to that. She loves to draw and look at books. She can turn
anything into a family: rocks, spoons, carrots ("this is the mommy,
this is the daddy, this is the small boy", etc.) Zion on the other hand
turns the same things into bad men fighting.
I have been in Jos with the kids since the wonderful visit from the
Elmbrook basketball team left the country, early Feb. What an
encouragement they all were to us! We have gotten some good feedback
regarding their visit and personally I have realized how many things I
am grateful for and I will share some of these things in closing.
* Stability and security that God has given us in ever-changing circumstances.
* Nigerian friends that make it possible for us to be here - so many ways that we are being "taken care of" by them.
* Faithful family and friends who give us so much- emotionally, financially, spiritually and physically.
* Women in Jos with whom I can be real and have fun with too.
* Health of our family since we have been here - no major sicknesses and anything that does hit us is infrequent.
* Safety and protection that God has afforded us especially with all the road travel we have done.
* Almost constant and very strong electricity for the last couple days.
Well, I will end on that note. We would be glad to hear about what you are thankful for too, even though it isn't Thanksgiving.
February 2004
Happy New Year!!!
Well, it is a few weeks since the official start of 2004, but many here in Nigeria are still greeting us with "Happy New Year!"
We're sure that your new year has begun with a bang and that all your
"resolutions" are going according to plan. Who needs resolutions anyway?
TEAM USA: D.U.N.K.
Our 8 male visitors from Elmbrook Church made it to Nigeria and had a
great time (we think). As you recall, they were here to train in
basketball, a one-night business seminar, play in two tournaments and
assist in HIV/AIDS awareness training.
D.U.N.K. stood for Declaring Unto Nigeria Kauna (in Hausa means "love")
and despite not one of our team being able to dunk we did succeed in
making an impact. They were introduced to a little heat of Abuja and
Makurdi, but were actually cold in Bauchi - that is amazing considering
they left freezing cold of northern America (State of Wisconsin).
They were also introduced to the way "things get done" in Nigeria. I
heard them saying with all the potential, people and possibilities
Nigeria has it is a shame that corruption is what it is most famous
known. Our entire family did appreciate that they were able to
encourage us and see our way of life.
In addition to the 8 Americans, we had 5 Nigerians join us in logistic
and basketball skills, plus Kyle was able to play with the team. Team
USA did put up a good fight (our team even took one trip to the
hospital for a minor injury to prove we were tough) and took 3rd place
in Makurdi and 4th place in Bauchi - of course Bauchi's 1st place team
comprised of 4 from the Nigerian National Team ... they were younger
and bigger.
The HIV/AIDS training was successfully presented to over 230 youth
(mostly secondary students).We utilized Mr. Bitrus from the Urban
Ministry program Beacon of Hope to conduct the training. Now the work
begins in conducting follow-up in Makurdi and Bauchi.
FAMILY
Zion and Gabrielle both had a blast with the 8 Americans and really
warmed up to them calling them "visitors". It was nice to be together
for the entire trip. First, hosting them in our home in Makurdi (we
kept the 5 Nigerians while the Americans stayed a nearby hotel) and
then we were altogether (our total grew to 20 people) staying with them
in the Bauchi Games Village.
Zion is honing in on his "dictator" skills. He constantly gets kids to
do what he wants them - younger and older. He doesn't get them into
trouble, but if he wants to play "soccer's ball" they do ... if he
wants to "borrow" their toy he does. Gabrielle is non-stop running here
and there and trying to keep up with Zion. She has finally embraced our
potty-training. She still wets here and there, but she is having fun
climbing the big toilets and squatting on the side of the road - sorry
no rest stops.
Ann did her first inter-city driving while the team was here (by
necessity) and found that it did remove some of her traveling fears.
Thank God for safety during many hours on the road.
PRAYERS
1 - Praise that our visitors from Elmbrook Church came and left without hassles - leaving behind fertile ground.
2 - Praise that our family has maintained good health.
3 - Prayer for the future as we continue to find a schedule that we can commit to - between Jos and Makurdi.
PLEASE - if any one wants to receive our snail mail "quarterly"
ABTStract - or haven't received one in over 6 months, then please send
us your current mailing address.
Also, we love getting all your snail mail (sent to address below) full
of news, kind words, and family photos - of course powdered cheese
packets could fit in there, too.
Well it is quickly moving into mango season here in Jos and that makes many happy. Mangoes are yummy and the season doesn't last too long so people are already picking and eating what they can reach and pits are seen around on the ground. There is something reassuring about this I just realized - for me it represents some kind of stability, something to look forward to and expect here. With some many unpredictables (when will we have electricity or water and will we get from point A to B without any "disruptions" are just a couple in Nigeria) in life, I am grateful for God's unchanging presence in our lives.
So I hope this finds you healthy and encouraged. The kids and I are eagerly awaiting Kyle's return from a conference in Kenya tomorrow. We have been on our own mostly in the past couple weeks and miss him much. Still we have managed to "hold down the fort" in Jos and have stayed quite busy in the process. I thought I would take this chance to write an update to you all.
What has been going on with us lately you may wonder. Well, Kyle has been busy with a wide variety of activities. He is currently in Kenya for a PCD (Partners for Christian Development) conference. Before that he traveled north to Maidugari to facilitate a workshop for leaders - Vision Conference.
Sports ministry has been exciting because there are a number of Nigerian guys who are moving along and Kyle is able to be involved in some clinics and trainings as well as encourage these young men along in evangelism and sports. Of course when he is in Jos, he takes every possible opportunity to play basketball himself with Nigerians and other missionaries (several nights a week). He continues to enjoy his church involvements which are: music with the youth for services and a recent appointment as elder.
The last is quite a major thing because the church just held it's inauguration in February and appointed it's first elders and deacons. Why it is so major is that it is the first English Speaking church in it's denomination which historically is only in the Tiv language, which has made it virtually impossible for people outside of that tribe to be involved in the church. So, it was an exciting event to be part of and an honor for Kyle to be elected into this office. I am sure I am forgetting some things and haven't done justice to explaining but that is okay.
Zion and I have begun to "do school" together. Last week I enrolled Gabi in a playgroup so that Zion and I could really focus in the mornings. It has been really good for all of us. For me it has helped force some much needed structure in my day. Zion is very eager to learn and work with me but whenever someone mentions "going to school" he is adamantly opposed.
That is okay especially since he is still four. He is perfectly happy to sit for a couple hours at a time reading a book with me, cutting and pasting, etc. and even will say "when are we doing school?" if I don't get started right away. That is good for me. He seems particularly interested in knowing how everything works and he definitely likes order, even in his artwork ... He continues to love being with people yet he also can keep himself entertained (with Legos or dirt) for long spells.
Today he wanted to do everything with me and said he'd go with me rather than play with his friends...that was until they arrived. Then he ran out to greet David, excitedly grabbed him by the hand and dragged him off to see something. He also remains very conscientious and will always report to me any wrong that he has done. It's the first thing he will greet me with if I have been gone - "Mommy I pushed Gabi down cuz she wouldn't let me have my car."
Gabi likes to go to her own "school" which is just down the street in Jos. It seems that I can customize her time there according to our trips to Makurdi. A British woman runs the place and is really lovely. Has we been in Jos, I would have enrolled Zion in the preschool there. Gabi has done great with potty training and no one could be happier than me (and maybe Grace who washed all the diapers!). She is quite a sensitive young girl - it is amazing how "in tune" with Mom a 2 year old can be. She can be a bully with her brother at times but has been intent on showing the world what a big girl she is. Today though she confessed she pushed the neighbor boy down because he called her a baby. well he is younger than her and he only says about 4 words so I think she may have misunderstood him but she is a bit sensitive about that. Lots of people will still call her baby and she really takes offense to that. She loves to draw and look at books. She can turn anything into a family: rocks, spoons, carrots ("this is the mommy, this is the daddy, this is the small boy", etc.) Zion on the other hand turns the same things into bad men fighting.
I have been in Jos with the kids since the wonderful visit from the Elmbrook basketball team left the country, early Feb. What an encouragement they all were to us! We have gotten some good feedback regarding their visit and personally I have realized how many things I am grateful for and I will share some of these things in closing.
* Stability and security that God has given us in ever-changing circumstances.
* Nigerian friends that make it possible for us to be here - so many ways that we are being "taken care of" by them.
* Faithful family and friends who give us so much- emotionally, financially, spiritually and physically.
* Women in Jos with whom I can be real and have fun with too.
* Health of our family since we have been here - no major sicknesses and anything that does hit us is infrequent.
* Safety and protection that God has afforded us especially with all the road travel we have done.
* Almost constant and very strong electricity for the last couple days.
Well, I will end on that note. We would be glad to hear about what you are thankful for too, even though it isn't Thanksgiving.
Well, it is a few weeks since the official start of 2004, but many here in Nigeria are still greeting us with "Happy New Year!"
We're sure that your new year has begun with a bang and that all your "resolutions" are going according to plan. Who needs resolutions anyway?
TEAM USA: D.U.N.K.
Our 8 male visitors from Elmbrook Church made it to Nigeria and had a great time (we think). As you recall, they were here to train in basketball, a one-night business seminar, play in two tournaments and assist in HIV/AIDS awareness training.
D.U.N.K. stood for Declaring Unto Nigeria Kauna (in Hausa means "love") and despite not one of our team being able to dunk we did succeed in making an impact. They were introduced to a little heat of Abuja and Makurdi, but were actually cold in Bauchi - that is amazing considering they left freezing cold of northern America (State of Wisconsin).
They were also introduced to the way "things get done" in Nigeria. I heard them saying with all the potential, people and possibilities Nigeria has it is a shame that corruption is what it is most famous known. Our entire family did appreciate that they were able to encourage us and see our way of life.
In addition to the 8 Americans, we had 5 Nigerians join us in logistic and basketball skills, plus Kyle was able to play with the team. Team USA did put up a good fight (our team even took one trip to the hospital for a minor injury to prove we were tough) and took 3rd place in Makurdi and 4th place in Bauchi - of course Bauchi's 1st place team comprised of 4 from the Nigerian National Team ... they were younger and bigger.
The HIV/AIDS training was successfully presented to over 230 youth (mostly secondary students).We utilized Mr. Bitrus from the Urban Ministry program Beacon of Hope to conduct the training. Now the work begins in conducting follow-up in Makurdi and Bauchi.
FAMILY
Zion and Gabrielle both had a blast with the 8 Americans and really warmed up to them calling them "visitors". It was nice to be together for the entire trip. First, hosting them in our home in Makurdi (we kept the 5 Nigerians while the Americans stayed a nearby hotel) and then we were altogether (our total grew to 20 people) staying with them in the Bauchi Games Village.
Zion is honing in on his "dictator" skills. He constantly gets kids to do what he wants them - younger and older. He doesn't get them into trouble, but if he wants to play "soccer's ball" they do ... if he wants to "borrow" their toy he does. Gabrielle is non-stop running here and there and trying to keep up with Zion. She has finally embraced our potty-training. She still wets here and there, but she is having fun climbing the big toilets and squatting on the side of the road - sorry no rest stops.
Ann did her first inter-city driving while the team was here (by necessity) and found that it did remove some of her traveling fears. Thank God for safety during many hours on the road.
PRAYERS
1 - Praise that our visitors from Elmbrook Church came and left without hassles - leaving behind fertile ground.
2 - Praise that our family has maintained good health.
3 - Prayer for the future as we continue to find a schedule that we can commit to - between Jos and Makurdi.
PLEASE - if any one wants to receive our snail mail "quarterly" ABTStract - or haven't received one in over 6 months, then please send us your current mailing address.
Also, we love getting all your snail mail (sent to address below) full of news, kind words, and family photos - of course powdered cheese packets could fit in there, too.
Hope
that your holiday preparations are in full gear and that your home is
looking a lot like Christmas - whatever that means to you! We have
decorated our house as best we could ... skimpy tree, little tinsel,
few lights, and of course, "Jim Reeves Christmas Songs"!
FAMILY UNITED
Ann and Gabrielle made it back safely on the 4th of December. Zion and
his father were glad to see them and enormous smiles were on all of our
faces! All of Ann's boxes made it without damage or having to be
inspected by Nigerian customs ... which can create problems. They were
both happy to see familiar faces of friends and colleagues, but still
struggling to get back into full swing of it all.
The girls shared stories of family and friends they caught up with (Ann
does want to say "sorry" for those she was not able to call or visit)
as well as all the things they did and food they ate! Time with family
in 3 different states was really enjoyed - even got to see all the
aunts and uncles which was an unexpected treat. The boys shared how
they traveled from east to west of Nigeria and all the fun they had
with problematic vehicles. Anyhoot, we are thankful for your thoughts
and prayers of during our separation and appreciate them as we
continue to work here in Nigeria.
NEW YEAR ... NEW CHALLENGES
As we all head into a new year there are always new "things". Either
new ideas we may have, new obstacles we may face or new opportunities
to embark upon.
We are excited about the team coming from Elmbrook Church in January
and all the new contacts and possibilities we will have because of
their coming. We are hopeful that our living and working arrangement in
Makurdi will improve (housing woes and accountability issues amongst
the groups we're working with).
We are excited about the possibilities that the New Year brings, but also asking for your prayers.
PRAYER REQUESTS
1 - Past ... we hope the work that we've done over the past 3+ years in Nigeria is making an impact.
2 - Present ... we want to persevere in our relationships with local residents, groups, agencies and churches.
3 - Future ... we need direction in our efforts and life as we continue
to be in disarray as we go between two cities ... which means two homes!
4 - Always ... we appreciate your thoughts, support and prayers as you "partner" with us in Nigeria.
5 - Finally ... may the truth of Christmas continually give you joy and
that your New Year provide you new hope and opportunities!!!
How are you? Hope that you are keeping encouraged in these days of
uncertainty. Once more we are back to share with you our recent updates
and news.
FAMILY
Gabrielle and Ann have made it to America and are keeping busy. They
had a great flight and were warmly welcomed by family. They just
concluded a missions conference at Elmbrook Church and a visit to
Brookfield Christian Reformed Church. She said it was great to meet up
with friends and make new acquaintances.
Gabi
is having fun with her grandparents and cousins despite being in a
strange land (she is 2 but has only spent 3 months previously in USA).
Ann and Gabi are excited about visiting Kyle's parents in Florida for a
week - hopefully for some r & r. They'll return in time for Ann to
attend another conference (missionary member care) in Indiana, before
returning to Grand Rapids, MI for Thanksgiving and their return trip to
Nigeria.
Zion and Kyle have been doing fine in Nigeria. Zion
has been fortunate to "tag along" with Dad on a few trips. They
traveled 8 hours to the west of Nigeria for a visit to some rural
projects that involved a unique partnership (see below) of drilling
wells and church planting.
In
one visit to missionaries we had to park our 4 X 4 and cross a river on
foot (due to the steep incline on the other side), Zion loved it and
splashed around in underwear with the other local children. They both
miss their women and pray for a safe and quick return.
UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC), Christian Reformed
World Missions (CRWM) and Partners for Christian Development (PCD) have
combined efforts to reach a group of people in western Nigeria, called
Eastern Kambari Area (EKA). They are nominally Islamic, but are
interested in Christianity. There has been work there for over 10 years
and a need that arose early on was access to clean and safe water.
This partnership encourages each entity to focus on their strengths -
CRWRC & PCD in water development, CRWM with health, literacy,
church planting and translation. Together trying to make an impact into
their lives wholistically and allow for the truth to be presented. Our
role with project is limited, but as staff of CRWRC and PCD here in
Nigeria we are assisting in the facilitation and communication of
"outside" assistance.
VISITORS
As we always say, "You are invited to stay with us in Nigeria". We had
a friend from USA stay with us for a week, just as Ann & Gabrielle
were leaving for the USA he was helping to train and encourage pastors.
Then, we hosted two men who are PCD representatives from USA, who were
here to see the work that we are doing on behalf of PCD (as told above,
but also in Jos, Makurdi and Mkar).
We are excited to be hosting a basketball team from Elmbrook Church in
January 2004. We will go to Makurdi and Bauchi (predominantly Islamic).
LIFE IN TWO WORLDS
No, this is not about the women being in the USA while the fellas live
it up in Nigeria. Rather, it is about our life & work in Makurdi
and our life & work in Jos. We are still involved in many things
that keep us coming back to Jos - meetings, conferences, trainings,
etc. Yet, we are still active in developing our projects in the Makurdi
area.
Both
houses feel like home, but we are torn as to where God will have us
"stay put". This is all confusing because Zion will need to start
schooling soon and we have to decide to home-school or send him to a
local school (with our travels the latter is not conducive to learning).
PRAYER REQUESTS
1 - Work in EKA area to continue and to be productive and beneficial to community members.
2 - Ann & Gabrielle to have an enjoyable time in the USA with family and friends - and a safe return.
3 - Kyle & Zion to persevere without their mom and sister!
4 - Our living arrangements and work roles to become clearer in the next year.
5 - Continued peaceful Ramadan month here in Nigeria
BACK & FORTH
Hope that you are well and enjoying the change of season. As you are
now aware we are in our Makurdi house and enjoying being able to call
it "home". The children still are not willing to call it their home,
but they are warming up to the idea that this is where our heads will
rest the most! Of course, it does not help that we continue to return
to Jos (again, we are keeping our flat in Jos as we'll need to be in
Jos one week a month).
FAMILY
Zion and Gabrielle are still having fun with all their friends in
Nigeria - both Jos and Makurdi. We are thankful for their ability to
adjust to our schedules as we shuttle from Jos and Makurdi - knowing
that we will need to limit our traveling to begin some schooling Zion
in the next couple of years.
Ann is gearing up for her return to the States on October 26th. Her
& Gabrielle's schedule is filling fast with Elmbrook Church Harvest
Fest, a member care conference, trip to Kyle's parents in Florida and
of course going out to dinner with you! She had an enjoyable time with
other missionary women at the Women's Conference in Abuja - Kyle thinks
she just liked getting away from the house for 2 nights.
Kyle is still trying to keep up all his activities and relationships
while trying to keep his family life growing - he loved the 48 hours
with the kids without mom! He is excited as he plans to welcome a
basketball team from Elmbrook Church in January as he is busy working
out details.
TRAVEL
We thank you for continued prayer as we travel the Nigerian roads. Last
month as we were traveling down to Port Harcourt (from Makurdi about 6
hours south) we encountered a group of armed/masked robbers. One man
jumped into the road at a particularly rough part of the road and Kyle
floored it as he ducked. No shots were fired at us but we later saw
that a car that had earlier passed us had been shot in the windshield.
A bus that we had been following for miles prior to the robbery attempt
had a picture painted of Jesus and below read "Thank You Jesus". We are
grateful for your prayers and the protection of our Father.
WORK, MINISTRY & DEVELOPMENT
As we strive to be useful and creative we sometimes step on toes. Our
purpose by being in Nigeria is to serve the development of individuals
and communities. We endeavor to see literacy levels increase, healthier
lives, ability to make a living and formation of Christian values.
In Makurdi (and environs) we have nearly 50 cooperative groups that we
are working with by encouraging sustainability - this is through Urban
Ministry (UM) and Partners for Christian Development (PCD). In Jos, we
have several organizations that we are trying to network and
understand one another. Meanwhile, we still are trying to bring the
Vision Conference material into strategic areas (trying to train lay
leaders, indigenous missionaries, pastors, etc).
So .... where is our passion? Good question! We want to be effective
and useful, but at the same time feel a bit stretched and awkward. Pray
that we are doing what we should be doing, not just what we want to do!
One of Ann' passions is going to the market - she loves going out with
others to find bargains and "greeting" along the way.
PRAYER POINTS
1 - Continued adjustment to life and work in Makurdi.
2 - Ann & Gabrielle as they return to the USA. For good interaction, conferences, and a little relaxation.
3 - Vision Conference (VC) -- local leaders assisting in planning and catch the "vision".
4 - Vision Conference (VC) translation -- praise that the translation
of VC manual in to Hausa language (strategic language for reaching
northern Nigeria) ... now we need to seek funds for printing.
5 - Direction of UM & PCD -- members and staff will see the need of being united in purpose.
SEPTEMBER 2003
Greetings from somewhere in Africa ... well,
specifically we know that we are in the nation of Nigeria. What we
don't always know is what city, town or village we will be in as you
are reading this webpage.
August and September have been busy months (as
you can see from below's August 2003 report) and October and November -
hey December, too for that matter - prove to be busy as well. We have
enjoyed it because we have been able to travel as a family.
The first week of September we were back at the
YWAM (Youth With A Mission) base in Port Harcourt teaching a week long
course on Community Development. Then the parents each had a retreat
(Women's retreat was in Abuja and the Men's retreat was in Miango), but
between retreats and other things we spent some quality time in our
newly remodled home in Makurdi. Encouraging times none-the-less!
As we gaze toward October we are busy preparing
for Ann and Gabrielle's trip to the USA. Ann will be participating in
Elmbrook Church Harvest Fest for missions. She will also be attending a
workshop on Member Care for missionaries. This will once again seperate
the boys and girls but this time the other continents!
You can pray for us as we prepare for October
and as we still travel around Nigeria. Roads are not always safe and
can be dangerous in poor maintenance and thieves. We were protected
from armed bandits on our way to Port Harcourt at the end of August.
Since it has been nearly a month since you last heard from us, you may
be wondering what is happening? Or perhaps, you were hoping that we'd
forget to write for a few more months! Regardless, here we are back at
the computer typing another letter.
Thank you for the encouraging comments stemming from our last
email-o-gram that Ann wrote. She did not know what response she would
get, but thank you for your words and prayers! Unfortunately for you,
Kyle is back in Nigeria and he is writing this one! Ha, ha!
MOVED TO MAKURDI
That is right we have moved to Makurdi ... at last! We were forced to
do so because of a prior commitment to host a team of 8 college
students (from North American and Nigeria). They spent two weeks with
us in Makurdi enduring the heat & humidity and participating in
several programs. Those programs included Vacation Bible School (VBS),
outreach into communities, fellowshipping with local university
students, hosting seminars, and encouraging our family (see below
SMPers HEAT THINGS UP)!
Since April, we have been gearing up for the move, by buying items from
departing missionaries or getting things made in Jos or Makurdi. Kyle
took 2 Nigerian friends (very "handy" men) from Jos and worked on the
house and bought basic items (mattresses, curtain rods, towel racks,
etc).
A day before the team arrived to stay in our house the entire family
went down to finalize things. Then on Sunday July 21st, our first
guests arrived.
Of course we had problems, but at least we were there to work them out.
Water was freely flowing everywhere because the pipes were never
tested. We hired a tanker truck to deliver water (we did this twice) to
our tank because we were unable to install the pump in the borehole (no
small task). So after a week the pipes were not leaking as much and
everyone was enjoying a cold shower!
Electricity was not freely flowing despite having a connection to the
city main line. In fact, electricity has been completely off in 5
states for over a month due to sabotage. Yet, our neighbor (and our
landlord) has connected us to his large generator and it was on for a
few hours in the evening (7pm to Midnight).
SMPers HEAT THINGS UP
As stated above, we were privileged to host Summer Mission Program
(SMPers) from the Christian Reformed Church of North America (CRC-NA)
for 2 weeks (in addition to hosting our friend from Elmbrook Church,
Andrew Poppe). We were told to plan for 11 students, 6 from North
America
and 5 from Nigeria, but in the end it was only 2 from Nigeria, 6 SMPers
and Andrew = 9 college students. This was a unique opportunity for
everyone as they interacted and discovered how the universal church can
work together.
They endured the heat and humidity of Makurdi for 2 weeks. Sweating
during the day (sometimes at night) was washed with a cold shower in
the evening. They worked in 2 local churches by hosting a VBS program -
first location saw over 250 children ages 4-14 and the second location
saw over 50 children ages 2-12. The SMPers also were able to interact
with youth groups from the community - attending a fellowship, working
around the church, outreach into the community, hosting a seminar on
Careers and HIV/AIDS, and just attending functions. Oh yeah, we took
them fishing on the Benue River, but only one person caught anything
(we were told there are big fish somewhere out there!).
FAMILY
Apart from the move to Makurdi and hosting the SMPers we have been
unable to do anything else. Zion and Gabrielle enjoyed the SMP
"visitors" and had fun playing with our new neighbors - Zion always
attracts an audience. Ann was in survival mode as she tried to monitor
our kids and also get the house organized as best as possible. Kyle was
with the SMP group as chauffer and VBS "crowd control".
We all were affected by the change in temperatures: increased sweat,
body rashes, longing for cold water! Yet, we truly loved opening our
house to the team and enjoyed getting to know each one.
WHAT ELSE!?
Well, as I said before, since we have been out of Jos most other
projects ceased to get attention. There are 4 Vision Conferences
(remember what these are?) we are planning for in the next 3 months.
Also, we are trying to translate the Vision Conference manual into the
Hausa language so that the literature can be more effective to those
who speak English as a second language. Also, we are trying to
encourage members and motivate the national structure of Partners for
Christian Development (PCD)
throughout Nigeria. Too, we are attempting to do the same with Urban
Ministry (UM) in the existing 4 cities of Jos, Lagos, Abuja and Makurdi.
Then, Ann is still trying to keep up with the Member Care Team here in
Nigeria. She attended a meeting with members from Nigeria and some
facilitators from Ivory Coast. She is looking at attending a conference
in Indiana in November this year. She has talked about traveling home
with Gabrielle for 4 weeks (I guess it is the "girls" turn to go!) and
we appreciate your prayers with this -- timing, finances, etc.
PRAYER POINTS
1 - Praise that we have moved to Makurdi.
2 - Appreciation to the SMP Team (and Andrew Poppe) for sharing in our lives
3 - Vision Conference planning -- that local leaders will assist in planning and catch the "vision"
4 - Direction of Partners for Christian Development (PCD) -- members will see the need and
potential of implementing the vision.
5 - Direction of Urban Ministry (UM) -- members and staff will see the need of being united in purpose! Back to top
JULY 2003
Words from Ann
Greetings
to you in this "cold", rainy season - cold for us means below about
70F. The rains are needed and refreshing but I have found it can get
very chilly at times. No,
I am not complaining especially in light of our move to the apparently
ever-hot-and-humid Makurdi.
One of the recent changes I've noticed once
the rains come is that plots of land are being tilled and planted all
around. I
have been inspired by many of the families on our compound who are
working hard at farming - all the neat rows that will soon reveal the
planted crops.
BUSY DAYS
Our days have been full of activities (Gabrielle mostly playing) that
have brought exhaustion at the day's end. I can hardly account to
myself what all my time and energy has been spent doing. So maybe this
is a good time to reflect.
Let's
see...there have been trips to the market for anything from the usual
food staples (rice, veggies, fruit but no meat since the guys left...)
to curtain fabric to candles (back to that later) to just pricing
things we will need for our Makurdi home (water filters, pillows,
fridge...).
I
am grateful for the departing missionaries who have sold us things like
shelves, freezer, wastebaskets, waterbed and cooking pots/utensils
among other things. This has really been a blessing since the whole
task to set up another household has been rather overwhelming (as I'm
sure many of you can relate).
TIME APART I
have been a bit scattered lately - without Kyle around to help me focus
- so this writing may reflect my state of mind. I will say that our
separation has not been bad - I can definitely see positives, along with the tough spots. For instance, I am learning lots about the computer since he isn't here to deal with the problems.
Technical
things are his area so my appreciation for him has grown! We both miss
Kyle and Zion in our home. Over the past few days Gabi has expressed
this more, especially verbalizing in tears "I want my Daddy" when she
is having a bad time or excitedly saying "that's Zion!" as she points
to his picture.
Generally
she has been very happy and seems pleased to be "running the show"
without her big brother to give her directives. She is less of a
self-entertainer than he, though maybe just in a different way.
She
loves the neighbor girl, Eunice (about 6 yrs. old) and makes herself
quite "at home" in their house. Lately, I have heard her telling the
kids adamantly "I will tell my mother" as she makes her way up the
steps to our place. She enjoys going to playgroup, down the street and
usually goes a few times a week
We
have had some very good mother/daughter time together reading books,
taking a stroll or going together to church, etc. She has surprised me
with some of her recent observations. She is very caring and will
immediately say "sorry" if someone bumps their head, drops something or
even if I get frustrated while driving (never happens, right?!) which
leads to ...
ROAD ETIQUETTE
I
have been wanting to write about this for a while. Maybe since our near
accident months back and especially since my recent accident in town.
Anyway, I just can't stress enough the need for prayer on this whole
topic. If there is only one thing you ever pray for us, let it be this
(being safe on the roads)
On
one trip back from Makurdi I decided to count the number of vehicles I
saw on the side of the road either disabled or demolished and I counted
27+ in just 20 minutes time.
Some
were burned, rusted from the years or looked to be like only a miracle
could have brought any survivors. I began to make notes things that
might cause these accidents: buckled road in places, bad potholes
(worse when full of rain), free-range animals (goats, chickens, cows,
dogs), govt. vehicles escorting someone with their sirens blaring,
overloaded vehicles (taxis, trucks and cycles carrying too many people
or "goods") and people walking on the "shoulder" in most places (rural
or urban)
Things
get much riskier when it is "night-time". There are no streetlights and
many vehicles don't have proper lights and some with no lights at all.
I guess it is difficult to get a clear picture visualized in your own
mind but maybe you can imagine
The
concept of "overtaking" (or "passing" for Americans) is not too
well-defined. It's done anyplace and on both right and left sides and
often the oncoming car will have to slow or make space for the car that
is passing. Most intersections are not "marked" by lights, stopsigns or
traffic directors so it's often not clear who has right of way. Lately,
I have been less than eager to drive and want you to know your prayers
are coveted. (Since I wrote this, I witnessed another accident - van
hitting a motorcycle right in front me and it hit a police woman!)
UNEXPECTED GOODBYE
My heart is also heavy because last week I went to the funeral of a 9
year old girl who was hit by a car on her way home from school. This
road passes directly behind our compound. You may recall Anna (a widow
working for Almanah Rescue Mission) who was remarried to a widower,
Danladi. The girl was Danladi's daughter
It
seems the car veered onto the shoulder of the road and she died within
a day from severe head injuries. Danladi's wife had died two months
after the girl was born and then years later his only son died. Again,
I was struck by how death pervades many lives here. It was the first
funeral I have attended since we have been here. You can remember this
family in your prayers.
MAKURDI TRIP I
guess there are many other things I could write about since Kyle is not
hovering over me. We had the joyous occasion of attending another
marriage celebration. Dr. John Orkar, CRWRC Nigeria Team Leader, had a
traditional celebration in his village for his daughter and son-in-law
who were married last year in Chicago
This
celebration was held in a village 20 minutes from Makurdi and we sure
did enjoy being present with the family and friends. Gabrielle and I
took the trip down with our good friend Carolyn and daughter Jessica
(driven there by a driver). It was a good time for Gabrielle to get to
know Jessica and we really had fun, in spite of the heat and some road
frustrations (local tax roadblocks). God kept us safe and we ended up
making it back safely.
UTILITY SAGA Didn't
I say I'd get to this? Maybe someday it won't seem necessary...we can
only hope. I am feeling discouraged by the lack of electricity we have
had lately - especially in the evening hours. Our power has been worse
than usual.
Since
Kyle left three weeks ago, our house has had it's own electrical
problems three times. That means while everyone around us was enjoying
electricity our place was powerless. Nothing to be done until we found
an electrician who was able to fix some contacts or flip a switch. BUT
let me say again that God has shown me light in the midst of darkness
so to speak. In my discouragement, I was reminded of how God cares for
me personally.
Our
electrician/handyman/friend Jacob has made it a priority to see that I
am taken care of while Kyle is gone and has come several times at odd
hours to do what he could to get light in the house for us.
A NICHE
I'm sure I'm not the only one struggling to find "my place" in this
world. After three years I am still trying to figure out how I fit in
to God's plan for me here. Maybe that is cliché and yet the frustration
is still real. In many ways I feel I have failed and yet I have been
asking God to show me how HE sees me. Our whole time here has been so
transitional and I am eager to feel a bit more settled. (Maybe we will
be moved fully to Makurdi by July's end...)
Being
involved in the Missionary Member Care group has been very positive and
I am just trying to encourage or assist where I see needs - whether it
be family, friends or strangers. It is good for me to remember that we
are each unique and God created us with different strong points and
talents.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY Although
moving and making preparations are not as smooth or fast as I wish, I
realize that what matters most is ... relationships. While Kyle has
been away, I have come to realize many things he brings to our family
and marriage. I guess absence can help to bring a good perspective.
He
and Zion have been cared for greatly by our parents especially, as well
as brothers, other family members and friends. Gabrielle and I haven't
been alone in the house either - did I mention our resident mouse?
Seriously, I am very thankful for every one of you who have taken time
to send greetings while the guys are gone and for prayers on our behalf
as we are apart. There are those who have assisted in helping to fill
their return luggage for which we are sincerely appreciative.
For
Gabi and I, we have really relied on neighbors and friends in Jos for
support whether it be just to sit, to take a shower (ours has trouble),
to use a phone, to drink a cup of coffee with or to just be around for
a while. On Sunday several families met together in our neighbors home
for a "home church" over the summer months when Hillcrest Chapel is not
meeting. It was a neat time of fellowship and then we visited over a
potluck. We are thankful for the open homes and hearts that are the
arms of God to us.
Prayer Points: 1.
Safety on the roads and in the air here and anywhere- Kyle and Zion
will be flying out of US on Sun and back in Nigeria on July 1)
2. Friends who are like family and family who are great friends
3. Transitions: to Makurdi house, weather and new friends who will surround us
4. School issues as Zion turns four in July
5. Hosting a college grad, Andy Poppe as well as another group of college-age kids mid-July in Makurdi.
JUNE 2003 Greetings from Nigeria and the USA!!!
Kyle and Zion arrived safe and sound in the USA on June 4th. Kyle is in
the States to attend a conference at Fuller Seminary in California.
Zion is there because his grandparents were gracious enough to buy him
a ticket and take care of him - actually taking him to all the
playgrounds in SE Wisconsin!!!
Ann and Gabrielle are remaining in Nigeria. They would have loved to
come but money is not always as available, but perhaps at a later date.
Ann will also try to get our house in Makurdi in order so we can
finally move there in July!!!
Thanks for your emails, letters, prayers, thoughts and support!
We
are still here and doing well! Hope that you are, too. For those of you
in the Northern hemisphere Summer will soon be upon us! I don't know
what the weather has been like in your area but Nigeria has been
experiencing rain in only a few places. Limited rain always affects
farming so many are praying for more rains fast or else they'll lose
what they've planted.
FAMILY
Kyle
and Zion are getting ready for a trip to the USA on June 3rd. Kyle is
participating in a conference (Partners for Christian Development) at
Fuller Seminary. Zion is going because of his gracious grandparents,
but the girls will be left behind in Jos, Nigeria. They will be in the
States til the end of June and will accept any mail or small goodies to
tuck into their return bags... Mailing address is: 4525 N. 74th St., Milwaukee, WI 53218 and phone: (414)462-7972, {Ann's parents}.
Gabrielle
is doing great and continues to keep us busy as she taunts her brother,
or sings a song as she shuffles through life! Gabrielle has been going
to a play group here and there, but Zion has been going quite
regularly. It is a preschool/playgroup operated by an English woman
(married to a Nigerian) who offers it to the entire community. Zion
& Gabi love it and it's just around the corner from our place in
Jos so we'll miss this when we get to Makurdi.
Ann
has been busy with many things. Her monthly member care meetings,
bi-monthly international tea group, and her weekly bible study. Along
with that and keeping the kids busy around town she gets involved doing
other things, like shopping with expatriates and those visiting to
Nigeria. She got in a minor accident last week when she hit a moped
taxi. The driver and the moped were fine, but the passenger was
slightly injured and needed stitches (Ann brought him to the hospital
and paid for the "fix up").
CHRISTIAN REFORMED WORLD RELIEF COMMITTEE (CRWRC)
As
stated above, I will be attending the PCD conference in the USA. The
conference will help as we develop our membership here in Nigeria. Our
members range from farmers to medium-sized businesses which relate to
each other through developing morally sound business practices and
community development.
Our
work with Urban Ministry (UM) has also been developing. Several
cooperative groups have begun implementing their projects: small
businesses, literacy classes, and health seminars. We recently
conducted an evaluation for UM, which involved all four existing UM
sites (Lagos, Makurdi, Jos, and Abuja). Evaluations are done every
three years to assess the effectiveness as well as addressing areas to
change.
FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY (FH-US)
FH-US
has been supportive of us as we develop our relationship with CRWRC.
The staff stays in touch with us regularly (thank you!) and despite not
being fully involved with FH programs, we are fulfilling their vision
and mission through our work with CRWRC. We have been actively involved
with planning several Vision Conferences (FH-US sponsored) scheduled
for later this year. We've initiated the translation of the training
material into the Hausa language because our goal is to reach more
pastors, church officials, and lay leaders in the northern areas of
Nigeria.
ELECTIONS & THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY
As
reported in our last email the 2003 Nigerian Elections went on
relatively peacefully. Of course, it was far from "free and fair", but
there has not been any rioting or hints of widespread trouble. Many of
those who lost have pursued legal avenues, but as of yet it hasn't
changed any results.
On
May 29th, the President will be sworn in and all other winners will
follow within a few weeks. There have been newspaper articles stating
'this-and-that' about corrupt activities certain incumbents have
engaged in, but as of yet nothing verified.
MOVE TO MAKURDI
Again
we had hoped to write that "we've moved", but we are still waiting for
the renovation to be completed. It is nearly done and probably by the
time Zion and Kyle return from the USA we should be able to move. We
have alot to get done in the meantime ... sink a pump into the
borehole, make some basic beds, shelves, curtains etc. Ann will be
doing alot of the pre-move work while Kyle is gone to the USA - all
from Jos! We will be having a group of young people staying with us in
Makurdi, within a week or two of Kyle's return from US. I think many of
you can appreciate what all this can entail...
UTILITY SAGA
What
email report is complete without the Utility Update! Electricity has
not been good and we may get up to 12 hours a day - 2 hrs here and 2
hrs there, etc.- but much of the time it is half-current, making it
hard to keep any food in the fridge. They claim it is because of the
low water levels, as Nigeria generates most of it's power from dams.
Lack of electricity affects the lack of water and fuel because they
need electricity to pump from station to station. So, you can imagine
that our fuel situation is still "not good" and although we can get
fuel it is usually double the subsidized government rate. Fuel lines in
town remain blocks long. Water has not been a problem as we are located
in a part of Jos that has good public water service. Unfortunately, we
even waste some water because our overhead tank currently leaks.
April 2003
Nigeria
went to the polls for most of it's political offices (the local ones
are still coming). Most notably the Presidential election drew the
biggest attention on April 19th.
The
incumbent, President Olusugen Obasanjo (a Christian from the South),
beat out the other 20 or so candidates. The closest contender was
General Buhari (a Muslim from the North) who did not accept the
results. There was ballot stuffing, vote buying and rigging, but
all-in-all it was more peaceful than anyone had anticipated.Both
Obasanjo and Buhari are former military rulers of Nigeria and neither
is "the best choice" for Nigeria. Yet, even those areas are disallowed
or forced to re-cast their vote, Obasanjo would still be victorious.
Thankfully,
the elections were not seen as religious battlefields, rather
campaigning was "your candidate is corrupt and it's time for a change".
In fact, some "Christian" areas were voting for Buhari because he was a
symbol of change. Along with the President staying in power, most
incumbent State Governors also won, but there were a few upsets here
and there.
The
swearing in of Governors and President will come up at the end of May.
Buhari and other defeated candidates have taken legal action, but they
are saying "we hope that things will be peaceful after the swearing
in". People are praying those statements do not have any "coup"
tendencies.
We
are still doing well as we expect to move to Makurdi Town hopefully in
May. We've all been a little sick (3 of us had "pink eye") but nothing
too serious. Thanks again for your thoughts, prayers and concern for
Nigeria.
January 2003
FAMILY
All
is well on the Nigerian front. We had a "bad spot" when someone got
into our truck and stole a CD walkman, money, and credit cards - we've
since recovered the CD player and some investigation is in process as
to the actual thief. We had a great week out at Miango, a retreat
center (30 min outside of Jos) and enjoyed Christmas with other friends
- some old some new! There were stockings made for all the kids (over
50!) and daily kids hour which Zion really got into - first time really
doing group craft stuff. Gabi would have loved to be "let loose" with
the glue, paint, etc but had fun in spite of close "hands on"
supervision. Both kids had a blast romping about with other kids all
day long and seemed to enjoy the extra time with their parents (or at
least the parents' loved spending time with them). The retreat center
had two constants: electricity and excellent food! We enjoyed both
along with the fellowship. Ann was able to read a bit and Kyle smashed
around a tennis ball with some other "big kids" (aka: male
missionaries). It was a nice break to stick around town - first year we
haven't done major travel during the holidays.
BIG MOVE
We
are doing well despite not knowing where home exactly is! We are in the
midst of moving out of our house of two years into two new locations.
As we said before, we will be moving to Makurdi (some 4 hrs southeast)
and will still maintain a presence in Jos (having a "home" that is
shared with other CRWRCers). So, it looks as if we'll move across the
town of Jos first (because the place is ready) and then gradually move
down to Makurdi (as that is not quite finished). We are looking forward
to finally living in Makurdi because that is where the work is and we
won't have to be traveling on the roads so often.
CHRISTIAN REFORMED WORLD RELIEF COMMITTEE (CRWRC)
Again,
our main work is with CRWRC in the area of community development,
specifically called Urban Ministry. The work in Makurdi has been slow
because we have not been really "present", but we pray that things will
go well as we become "indigenes". The main thrust is to form
cooperatives amongst overlooked people: widows, unemployed youth &
adults, poor, orphaned, etc. We have started by asking the local
churches to share groups from in/around their respective churches. We
aim at meeting their needs through a variety of programs such as:
literacy, health (which includes HIV/AIDS), micro-enterprising and
spiritual. Then we are also assisting a business-to-business program
called Partners for Christian Development (PCD). This is aimed at
medium to large businesses that need a "boost" to expand their business
with the intent of employing others and giving back to the community.
FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY (FH-US)
Our
sending agency remains FH-US. We are thankful for the arrangement that
we are in because we get to be supported by friends like you and do
God's work. We have never received less than the designated monthly
support level and for that we are grateful. As we move into the New
Year we see many possibilities of collaboration of FH-US and CRWRC -
notably in the area of training people via the Vision Conference &
Samaritan Strategy. We will travel to Port Harcourt on Nigeria's coast
to conduct a week long session at the Youth With A Mission (YWAM)
Nigeria base. Should be exciting!
HOLIDAYS (RAMADAN, CHRISTMAS, & NEW YEAR)
As
the 25th of December passed many celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ
(the Orthodox church celebrates later). This of course is added to New
Year celebrations and also Jewish (Hanukkah) and Islamic (Ramadan) holy
days. Nigeria celebrated on many occasions for it's various faiths -
mainly Islam and Christianity. Thankfully, they all were peaceful (the
Miss World rioting was not a holiday!).
UTILITY SAGA
Maybe
it is because of the Holiday season, but we have had good electricity
over the past two months. Yes, it still is off here and there but
mostly it is "on". Our water supply has been great, too. Of course, we
have to pump every 2 days or so from our well, but at least we have
electricity to do that. Fuel for our vehicles remains the hit-or-miss
struggle. If we want to wait in line for two hours then we'd have it
every time, but time is not a commodity that I have to spare. So we
either buy it "black market" for a bit more or go out-of-town a ways
and fill our tanks. Once in a while we can pass a station just as it
opens (never are times known) and get in with the first comers for a
short wait and that is a big cause for thanks!
PRAYER POINTS
* Thankful that we are healthy and happy!!! We are blessed with some dear friends here as we miss family and friends in US.
* Prayer for our renovation work in Makurdi to be completed soon and well.
* Prayer for peaceful elections (the date is set for April 19th) & campaigning (already going on).
* Prayer as we pass the due date (Jan 1) from our miscarriage in July.
As
always, you are dear to us and often remembered in our thoughts and
prayers. Thanks for Christmas cards and greetings that were sent our
way - we sure do love to get mail and to hear news from your lives
during this time is especially cherished!
Trust
that you are staying safe and sound in whatever part of the world you
may be reading this! Thanks for so many of your emails of concern. Yes,
we are safe and sound despite the recent turmoil in Nigeria. This is a
mini update -- mainly discussing the recent events around the Miss
World rioting. We will add a bit more family news and ministry update
in the next few days.
MOHAMMED & MISS WORLD WILL NEVER MARRY
Many
of you wrote when you heard the news of the Miss World event that was
to be hosted here in Nigeria, but when opinions were shared tensions
erupted. An article was written in a national newspaper praising the
event and offering hope to Nigeria's tarnished image. Yet, one sentence
referred to the Islamic Prophet Mohammed taking a fancy of some of the
participants. Well, the mere mention of Mohammed's name is always
followed by a "Peace be upon him". As the founder of the Islamic
religion and the highest human in the Muslim faith, any defamatory
remarks of the prophet's name are not taken lightly.
The
newspaper is based in the predominately Muslim city of Kaduna and owned
by Muslims. The article is allegedly written by a Christian woman, but
many Christians are wondering if the article was a set-up and written
to cause anarchy. Whatever the case, the newspaper did not apologize
enough and the Islamic youth set out to demonstrate. Their
demonstration led them straight to the Christian area of the city and
at least 4 churches were burned (some for the 2nd or 3rd time in the
last 15 years) and at least 100 people lost their lives.
The
demonstrations spread to two other towns in Bauchi and the capital of
Abuja. These were mere burning of cars and offices and reportedly no
loss of life. There was swift action across the country by the military
to contain any further demonstrations or retaliation by Christians,
including "on guard" army officers in Jos. The loss of life and
property is unfortunate and so is the loss of confidence in Nigeria's
democracy. Many were hoping that hosting the Miss World event would
prove to the world that they are on the "road to recovery", but it has
proven just the opposite.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
For
those of you in the USA we say "Happy Thanksgiving" and that we'll be
joining you in the consuming of turkey. We were able to spend the day
with some friends here in Jos, Nigeria and they had found a live turkey
to offer up on the special day of giving thanks! They are our friends
-- she is an American and married to a Nigerian and they have a total
of five girls and share their house with three other Nigerian boys who
are in their care. Overall, it was an exciting day and definitely one
to give thanks over despite not having the parade or football game
broadcasting live on the TV.
IMMEDIATE PRAYER
1
- For peace to be enforced and tensions settled as the loss of the Miss
World pageant and the property and lives are mourned and dealt with
appropriately.
2
- For those living and working in areas where the Ramadan (Islam's holy
month of fasting) is being observed - peace and opportunity of outreach.
3 - For our housing situation in Makurdi - renovations need to begin soon and be completed in good time.
October 2002
We
are doing well and hope that you are doing well, too! Our past few
weeks have been busy but we have our health and Spirit. God has been
our source of strength and we hope that He is yours, too!
I know
many of you are concerned with world events and are keeping your eyes
on the middle east. Some may have heard of the coup d'etat in Cote
d'Ivoire (where we both served prior to Nigeria) and are aware of the
need for peace there. Yet, as this email goes out to you we are still
experiencing some skirmishes in and around Jos city (we won't move to
Makurdi until Dec/Jan). Muslims and Christians are still fighting over
small matters that take on a political flavor.
FAMILY We have
been safe and in good health except a few minor coughs and runny noses.
Zion seems to have one important aspect of potty training down but we
are still working on the messy part. He is showing us how he takes care
of his sister, often by giving us blow by blow commentary on her
misbehavior, as well as what our response should be. She is in constant
attunement with her brother and his activities so I guess it is no
wonder she says "Zion" in response to a variety of questions ranging
from "what is your name?" to "who is that little girl?" Anyway, she
is doing great in language development and I'm sure she told me "I
don't know" the other day when I asked her something.
Kyle has
been consumed by last week's Vision Conference (see below for more
details) and we are thankful for the ways that God did work things out,
so many details and even some painful things. Music continues to find
it's way into Kyle's schedule - he meets weekly for practice with
university kids at church and has been helping out a couple young men
as they record some music. Basketball remains priority for Tuesday and
Friday afternoons, a good way to relieve some stress at the end of a
week. On Friday, we often enjoy pizza with friends after the guys "play
ball".
Daily life continues to present challenges and
frustrations but I am not feeling so overwhelmed as I initially did.
Getting back into a bit of a routine has helped, along with time to
settle. So many friends are willing to get involved in my "trials" and
for that reason this past week (which has had more than it's share
of rough times) has been a time of encouragement. Kind of ironic but
neat to see how God works things out for good.
Kyle here ... I'm
sure many of you are aware that Ann has a Birthday in October (the 18th
to be exact). Well, she does appreciate all the emails and cards that
those of you have sent reminding her of "arrival" into this world! She
seemed to have a great day with two cakes - one shared with two other CRC women who were born on the same day!
CHRISTIAN REFORMED WORLD RELIEF COMMITTEE (CRWRC) We
are getting more grounded in our new role with CRWRC. Again, we are
developing an urban ministry program in a city south of Jos, called
Makurdi. We are making progress at renovating a home and even have an
office. The aim of the Urban Ministry program is to develop
cooperatives from the local community. To do this we are beginning with
various churches in the locality and from there it will branch out,
hopefully making it available for the entire city. These cooperatives
will focus on either a income generating project, a literacy project,
health education, or any combination of the three. Yet, at the same
time we will be teaching, sharing and aiding in spiritual value
formation within the groups and individuals.
FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY As
we have written to you in the past we have been planning over the past
year plus some months a Vision Conference for Nigeria. Well, if you
have been following our emails then you would know that October 7 to 11
were the dates for the conference. We did not know what to expect
because another event was stealing our "thunder" -- a crusade being led
by a church from New York. In the end, the Vision Conference was
attended by 84 key leaders from the middle to northern parts of Nigeria
representing a wide-range of agencies and church denominations. In
fact, they were so eager for the training that we added 3 sessions
which we had dropped from the initial program. All in all it was great
to see and discuss with the participants in how they will take what
they learned and apply it to their work and ministry. Also, the
potential impact this training could have is enormous and we are
planning for extensive follow-up, not only here in Nigeria, but Togo,
Benin and Ghana.
SPORTS As Ann mentioned earlier, I am still
trying to keep active by playing basketball. Along with a local
Nigerian sports ministry team, we host the Tuesday afternoon program
and occasionally host tournaments in Jos. Yet, they have the vision to
reach local schools by sharing skills training and providing
maintenance on equipment and their courts. Next year they will be busy
with the All African Games (hosted in the Nigerian capital of Abuja)
and we plan to host a team from Elmbrook Church.
VILLAGE EXPANSION Some
time ago we informed you of our visits to a village to Gandi. If you
recall, we are connected to the work there because the young men who
are active in planting a church were from Almanah Rescue Mission (ARM).
In fact, we have hired one of the young men, Moses, to help in our
garden while he goes back to school. Gandi's church is still developing
and with the arrival of a borehole, water flows freely just outside the
church doors. In fact, other village heads nearby have called the young
men to share the Christian message with them. After explaining that
you don't get benefits just from having a church in your village they
truly listened to the message (not just hoping that wells and money
will flow into there).
The news just recently arrived that these
villages may benefit from the provision of boreholes. Previously, they
were trekking long distances to get water, but now will have clean and
fresh water right in their village - plus a church to fellowship and
share the joys and problems of their village.
UTILITIES Ann
again ... I first made the typo of "FUTILITIES" which made me laugh.
Three weeks ago as I was getting breakfast for the kids I heard some
"fireworks" out back and saw some power lines sparking all over.
Shortly thereafter I heard a loud "pop" and when I looked out our
front door I saw many of the students "looking" as if something just
happened. That "something" turned out to be a blown transformer for our
power source. We have experienced three solid weeks with no electric
power from Nigerian Electric Power Association (NEPA). It is not that
we "need" electricity, but when a country has the infrastructure for
such utilities then one comes to expect to make use of them.
Unfortunately,
our generator has also not been reliable so there has been much
frustration and no refrigeration. Once again we were reminded how much
"light" can do for a person's attitude and disposition. Very
thankfully, we were able to book into a guest house, along with the
conference speakers, and enjoy much NEPA and a reliable generator for
backup, including a definite 4 hours at night, guaranteed. The other
blessed thing was that we could sign up for meals and they were yummy,
along with getting to meet different guests who were staying there.
Because
NEPA was out we were not able to pump our well-water and so hauling
water has been the way to do it. A friend allowed us to "borrow" a
small generator but it allowed only lights to be powered (no fridge,
iron, water heaters etc.) - still we are very grateful. The rains have been heavy and strong as the rainy seasons draws to en end.
PRAYER POINTS 1 - Praise for the successful Vision Conference and the potential impact it has in Nigeria.
2 - Our move to Makurdi - housing, work and family
3 - Sports team as they desire to serve and share.
4
- Peace in West Africa - that fighting will come to an end in Ivory
Coast and that peace can be realized in Jos and throughout Nigeria.
September 2002
Well,
here we are back to the email and very pleased to be doing so!!! We
have been in Nigeria for almost two weeks ... it's great to be back!
Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.
On
our return flight we had 15 hrs of flying time and 16 hours of layover
time. Thus, we had to do some quick thinking to keep the kids from
wreaking havoc. At Chicago O'Hare we had access to a play area, but in
London we decided to take a train and find a park. Fortunately, it was
a beautiful day and the kids had fun (Dad even got some fish'n'chips).
All
that to say we arrived in Nigeria early in the morning after almost two
days of travel. So we had a four hour car ride to Jos (with a flat tire
along the way), but it was nice to finally settle back into our house.
We were warmly received by Grace and Moses (our househelpers) and
several of the seminary students.
AMERICA
We were truly blessed to have the opportunity and the time to see many
of our family and friends. We began with lofty plans of trying to see
all of you (even plotted a trip to West Coast & Canada), but much
of it remained just that ... plans. Yet, in the end we were amazed to
be able to see as many of you as we did.
We enjoyed the 24hr electricity and eating some our favorite ethnic
foods (Indian, Chinese, Italian, Greek, and even Nigerian) - oh also
some good old fashioned sausages (aka bratwurst). We know that we
enjoyed it because our Nigerian friends made it a point to say that we
"are looking fat now!" (that is to be taken as a compliment). Our
parents really looked out for us (special thanks to Ann's parents for
opening their home and to Art & Anne for use of the car!).
RETURN TO NIGERIA
We came back knowing that things would be hectic, but ... whew ... we
hit the ground sprinting! Kyle had to go drive back to the
International airport to retrieve our lost baggage - only 4 of the 5
lost pieces were "found". We had a steady stream of friends and fellow
missionaries welcome us home. It has been good to be back.
The mood in Nigeria is mixed. Many are tense with 2003 being an
election year. Already mud-slinging, riots, and killings have been
noted but all involved are calling for a peaceful election process. The
difficulty is that political parties are drawn up along religious lines
(Muslim, Christian) as well as ethnic (majority people groups like
Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo). Yet, we are confident that peace will
outweigh the chaos because "all eyes" will be on Nigeria as she
continues down the path of democracy - especially with
the second consecutive "free & fair" elections.
A FEW PERSONAL WORDS FROM ANN
Many of you know that we received unexpected news our first week back
in the USA - yes that we were expecting child #3. We became excited
after we heard the news and began thinking in terms of expanding our
family. The heartbeat was strong at my first checkup and an ultrasound
showed a well-formed baby but at about 12 weeks the doctor was unable
to find a heartbeat and an ultrasound showed no movement. We were
saddened to learn that I had miscarried a little boy that appeared
perfectly formed. Only God knows why this happened. I have spoken to
many women who have also lost babies in utero and each story is unique
and grief takes on different facets, depending on personalities,
circumstances etc. I have found sadness hits me at different unexpected
times and I just try and allow it to happen and appreciate
opportunities I have to talk with other women who have experienced
miscarriages too.
Our time back has been good but I have had a rather difficult
transition. While I am happy to be back, there has been plenty of the
day to day challenges it takes to run a household, especially with the
variables of running water, electricity, rain, all subject to momentary
change. Getting into a routine with the kids is a constant challenge
for me, given their ages and high energy levels... Those who met
Gabrielle know that I am on constant duty when she is up and "running"
- a blink of the eye can find her dumping water all over, throwing
things into the toilet, slopping through puddles, etc. I am very
grateful for friends who have watched the kids while I try to unpack
and "get set up" again at home.
Right now I am at a friend's house to type this while Kyle is at music
practice for tomorrow's church service. Gabi has gone to sleep in a
pack 'n play and Zion is watching a video with the girls. What a
welcome break! I haven't had a chance to write anyone since arriving
back due to circumstances, getting used to a different computer, etc.
Thanks for praying and continuing to pray as I go through emotional ups
and downs. It is good to be back in Nigeria, but always a challenge.
FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY
Our sending agency was gracious to us while we were in the USA. We met
our new field representative and solidified things with Christian
Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC). That support will help us as
we begin full-throttle with CRWRC programs and to host the Vision
Conference (October 7-11).
URBAN MINISTRY & CHRISTIAN REFORMED WORLD RELIEF COMMITTEE (CRWRC)
As we get back into the swing of things we are thrown back into our
project. This is in a different town (Makurdi) and involves working
with local groups and churches to develop them with programs like:
literacy, health/hygiene, income generation, and discipleship. We left
the groups (7 of 'em) with some basic projects and when we returned
only half had done their job. So, things are beginning slow, but that
is OK for us at this point - especially as we arrange our living
situation.
ALMANAH RESCUE MISSION (ARM)
We are leaving our work with ARM - slowly. We will never be "finished"
with them, but our involvement will diminish as God provides capable
hands to carry them along. We returned to Jos to hear great works that
they have been doing. They've continued to put the emphasis on the
zones spread around town, increased training, and strengthened the
computer school from a few students to many - more on a waiting list -
all that with only 4 working computers. We were so warmly welcomed
back by widows and orphans alike and we are grateful for their love.
PRAYER POINTS
1 - as we adjust from USA to Nigeria.
2 - our work in Jos to wrap up and begin to focus more on the work in Makurdi.
3 - Nigeria in the election year 2003 - so that peace will be offered and observed.
August 2002
USA or Nigeria!?
We
left America and arrived in Nigeria (hopefully). We trusted everything
to God ... that is our check-in, flight and arrival would be
hassle-free!
The
flight had us leaving Monday from Milwaukee at 3:30PM CST and arriving
O'Hare 4:40PM CST. Then departing O'Hare at 8:15PM and arriving
Heathrow at 10:15AM GMT (6 hours ahead of CST). Then after a 12 hour
layover we were off at 10:15PM to arrive in Nigeria at 5:00AM GMT ...
on Wednesday!
We
are writing this from the USA prior to departing so we can't say what
the kids were like, nor if all our luggage made it! As we said in the
first paragraph we trusted it all to God!
On
a more somber note. Some of you know that when we arrived in the USA we
discovered that Ann was pregnant. An unexpected surprise got us
preparing ourselves for child number three. Then, about 11 weeks into
the pregnancy, after not showing any signs, we discovered we lost the
baby.
It
was tragic because we truly became excited to expand our "tent", but we
thank God that everything happened here in the USA. Mainly because of
the moral and spiritual support of our family and friends. Thanks for
your prayers.
Again, we hope that you will email (kaz@hisen.org) and let us know what you think of the website.
JULY 2002
Hey there !!!
Trust that you are still doing well and keeping physically and
spiritually fit. We are ... as you are aware ... back in the USA. You
ask, "Has anything struck you as different?" Our answer is an emphatic
"YES!!!" The first thing we noticed as we drove around and even watched
TV was that there is an overwhelming sense of patriotism. We see
American flags everywhere – on cars, in yards, on uniforms, windows,
etc. It is a bit "overwhelming" because we just came from Nigeria where
there is a limited sense of being united (even more so now that Nigeria
is out of the World Cup).
FAMILY
It is good to be back and we are enjoying the time with our families.
We are staying with Ann's parents in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The first
three weeks saw many opportunities to see all our brothers and their
families. What a sweet reunion to introduce Gabrielle to her
Grandparents (including GREAT Grandparents), Aunts, Uncles and cousins
and to meet our newest niece (Libby) and nephew (Owen). It was neat to
see the growth of the other nieces and nephews but it also really
magnified our time away and felt like a big time warp. Ann has one
brother living in Milwaukee but the other three are living in Michigan.
Recently we headed over to visit them and some other friends from
Africa. Kyle has one brother in Milwaukee and one in Texas (the latter
flew up just after we arrived to hang out with us for a week). So far
we've been able to share time with our various families by going to the
Zoo, a professional baseball game (although the Brewers aren't looking
too "pro"), a Military Air Show, and cooking out (missed those brats!),
but the biggest highlight for Zion was celebrating Gabrielle's Birthday
at Chuck E Cheese.
We thank Ann's brother (Art) for not selling his car until after we
leave so we can use it during our stay!!! Mostly, we are very fortunate
and grateful for Ann's parents as they put up with us at their house -
grandparents are great. We are trying to get Zion & Gabrielle to
spend as much time with both sets of grandparents even if that means
dropping them off while we go running around town - nice excuse, eh?!
INTERESTING TO NOTE
We have noticed that water runs daily and that the electricity has not
cut off once! Although the price of fuel is more, there are little or
no lines.
Doctor visits were on our priority list and while we are grateful for
the excellent medical facilities here, we are also dealing with the
many frustrations of advocating on insurance issues. Zion was feeling
ill before we left Nigeria and we thought it was just his nerves, but a
stool sample (gross as it sounds) revealed Shegella. That is a
bacterial infection that he probably picked up eating or drinking
something in Nigeria. He was treated with antibiotics and is doing much
better and we are awaiting the "all clear' from the State Health
Department. That's right we were celebrities down at the Health
Department as all contagious illnesses had to be reported to them to
avoid further spread (which meant the entire family having to donate
stool samples - yuck).
WHILE WE'RE HERE
First, we are trying to finalize things between Food for Hungry (FH-US)
and Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC). Under a new
arrangement we will be faced with more changes - accountability,
workload, and living situation. We will hopefully meet with as many
representatives from each agency as needed.
Secondly, we are trying to see as many of you as we can while we have
this opportunity. Our time will pass quickly and we long to "reconnect'
with those of you who are in the area send an email if you haven't
heard from us (try this one first acsch@milwpc.com then if we don't
respond try abtstract@yahoo.com). We know everyone is busy but we are
fairly flexible in our schedule and would love to see you. We have been
fortunate to spend great worship times with our three main fellowships
(Nigerian Christian Fellowship, Brookfield Christian Reformed Church
and Elmbrook Church) and look forward to many more before we leave.
Third, we have some work while we are here. Kyle has several projects
to complete and people that he is trying to maintain contact with.
Email has greatly aided in communication while here. Of course, it can
be slow for some things in places where his work is not accessible to
email -- he has to send an email and have it read as a short-wave radio
message and await reply. There is always room for error in this
scenario and the message usually gets mixed up as it passes through
many different people.
Finally, we are spending some good time as a family and also shopping
for our Nigerian lifestyle (you know the necessities: M&Ms, root
beer, Starbucks coffee, etc). Naw, we are just buying some items that
we can't get in Nigeria like: electronic equipment, lanterns,
toiletries, M&Ms, etc. Also, we are hovering between the two
children as they meet family and friends. Zion has been the most
homesick as he told us "I want to go in the plane and go back home to
Nigeria". It is hard to explain to his nearly 3-year-old mind why we
are here and when we are returning to Nigeria.
PRAYERS
1 - That we could see who we need to see while we are here - and have quality time with them!
2 - For the children as they adjust to this environment and face new people ... almost daily.
3 - For the work we left behind in Nigeria that it will continue with God's strength and timing.
4 - For us as a family as we run around to doctors, make purchase decisions and structure our time here.
5 - For those who've been affected by the scourge or HIV/AIDS in
Nigeria (especially since we left we heard of the death of our
househelper's oldest
daughter).
