A big big man- part 3

Last weekend I made a preaching excursion to Gombe State about 3 hours from Jos. I had many African adventures, but those hopefully will be for another blog post.

The big big man I have mentioned previously is also from Gombe State and when he learned that I would be traveling to his state, he wanted to bless me, so he arranged for my overnight accommodations… putting me up in a new hotel with AC and TV! He also arranged for all my meals. What a gift. And when we arrived in Gombe by commercial motor car the big big man personally came to pick us up and bring me to the hotel.

I learned too that since it was a new hotel, he personally went and viewed the rooms and checked on the services before booking my room.

What an incredibly wonderful gift from a man I barely know.

Unfortunately he had to leave after taking me to the hotel because he had official business in another part of the state that his job necessitated his presence.

He even arranged for an associate to check on me after worship on Sunday to make sure that everything had been okay… what I kind gesture.

A big big man, with a big big heart for God and God's church… My life is richer for meeting him.

A trash mentality

I still cannot get used to the just-toss-your-trash-on-the-ground mentality I see all around me here in Jos. A student opens a package of crackers to munch on during break and when he finishes he tosses the wrapper out the class window. Another does the same with an empty plastic water bag. I don't get it.

The classic occurred when they installed a satellite dish at the guesthouse where I am staying. Workers left the cardboard carton, packaging and various sundry papers and pieces of wire strewn across the guesthouse front yard. It rained that night soaking everything. I was flabbergast that they considered their job completed with all this trash lying everywhere. It was the toss-your-trash-on-the-ground mentality on steroids! I see it everywhere I go in and around Jos.

There are few refuse bins and I have seen no garbage trucks to collect trash. If trash is disposed of, it is by creating piles and burning it… the acidic smoke burns the eyes… cough, cough, cough!

To the Seminary's credit, they have refuse bins placed around campus and someone came by the following day to pick up the trash left by the satellite-dish installers. And on the local TV the other night there has a big story that Lagos has purchased a number large garbage collection trucks to deal with the refuse issue in the city…  maybe the mentality is changing?! I surely hope so.

It’s a small world after all… it’s a small, small world

Years ago when our two oldest children were tots we went to Disney World. The favorite ride for our kids was "It's a small world." There were times when we got off one boat and walked to the head of the line and got in another to go around again. By the end of the 3-days the song was stuck in my head!

Little did I know then, how true the song's message really is…

Here I am in Jos, Nigeria, thousands of miles from home.  Jos has no international tourist draw… and is a 4-hour drive from the nearest international airport. It is not a place many people come to.

The other night I attended a dinner of international missionaries in Jos. There were probably 50 people from a number of mission agencies in the west. Part of the program was to encourage connection so before we could eat we had to speak with at least 2 others we didn't know. Not hard for me, I didn't know anyone. The first woman I spoke with was from England teaching orphans and setting up a training center for the children to supplement the local school which is inconsistent at best. The next person was a young mom with an infant daughter. As we shared our stories we were both stunned to learn that we had lived in the same town, Mason, Ohio at the same time. Although we never met in Mason, here we were talking about the town, our churches and all kinds of connections… go figure ¼ of the way around the world and we lived in the same town in the US.

      Then on the desert line I met a woman from the CRC (Christian Reformed Church of Canada). Again we shared our stories and knowing 1 or 2 CRC pastors I tossed out the name of a friend who serves on a ministry team with me for a renewal ministry. It is a small world; my friend was a classmate of this missionary woman's husband in seminary 15 or so years ago. We chatted up a storm before the evening ended.

Driving home that night I thought yes it is a small world, and getting smaller I venture to say. And connections within Christ's body make the world even smaller.

It is a small world after all…

A big big man- part 2

Rereading my last entry, I want to add a follow up. I hope I didn't convey some kind of subtle negative or pejorative about the big big man I observed. Noting could be further from the truth. He is a fine man, friendly and polite not condescending in any way. He regularly stops to greet me and others and he is dedicated to the Lord. He is taking personal time and using personal money to attend seminary. He knows that the world in which he lives and works can be difficult and that there is a strong pull away from the Lord. Not only that many opportunities arise for him to speak about his faith in Jesus…

--By the way, talking about what one believes here in Nigeria is very comfortable and common place. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the other regarding faith beliefs, each will listen civilly and ask inquisitive questions. The climate to discuss faith is very different here than in the US, where religion is seen to be a personal and private matter. with whom you are sharing faith discussion-- I digress, back to my primary point.

My acquaintance the big big man is at seminary in order to develop his faith so that he can speak well of Jesus when opportunities arise and live well for Jesus in the face of the pressures of his profession.

Being a big big person or a small small person is merely a station in life in which we live. It is neither an indicator of good or ill… how we live in the station to which God has placed us is what matters and my acquaintance is both a big big man and a good good man.

I just wanted to clear this up…

A big big man…

I am a bit of a people watcher and I have watched with interest the man in the room next to mine at the guesthouse. He is what Nigerians refer to as a 'big big man.' He is an Advisor to a State Governor. He is a wonderful gentlemen who is taking personal time and using personal funds to study at seminary. He wants to build up his faith, especially for the job in politics he has. As a big big man, he lives differently than the average Nigerian.

His 'bigness' shows in the clothes he wears. He generally is wearing a full Nigerian suit, neat and pressed with none of the usual signs of wear most Nigerian clothing displays.

He is traveling with an assistant, a young man who stays in separate room (remember this man is paying for everything personally). The young man carries his bags, books, etc , I wonder if he young man sits in the class with his boss???

The man owns a nice Toyota Aveno; fairly new in good condition – very fine by Nigerian standards- which he drives each morning to class, maybe a 5- minute walk.

What I first caught my attention was that young aid who washes the car every morning. Even today when for some Nigerian reason there is no water, the aid uses his wash rag dry and wipes the entire car down. A nice car is something, but a nice clean car is clearly a status symbol here in Nigeria!...

Interesting isn't it… every country, every area has its own ways to display your 'bigness.'

I guess some things are the same no matter where you live…

God does provide…

The other day I visited with the woman who cooks for me. She is a student at JETS and works for the Guest House for scholarship. Most students do jobs around the seminary to help pay their fees. I got the scoop on school fees and heard a great story of God's provision. But first the scoop:

• Tuition is 3500N per credit hour. A regular load is 6 classes or 18 hours/semester, which translates into 63,000N tuition per semester
• Housing or Hostel fee is another 15,000N per semester. My cook lives in a small 2 room apartment with her husband and 2 year old daughter.
• Then there are sundry fees for computer usage & internet, typing, books, etc. and don't forget food.

Costs add up…

Last semester my cook was 62,000N short even after her scholarship of 20,000N plus some money she was able to pay towards her fees.

The last week of classes she went to the Provost to see what could be done and he had to tell her, "If you don't have the fees don't bother to write your exams."

She was devastated, she had no idea what she was going to do (a full time monthly wage might be 15000N). She only had 1 or 2 days to find that kind of money. Leaving the administration building she ran into a woman she new from her time as a missionary in Gombe state. The woman was a successful business woman who would donate her unsold clothing and merchandise to the mission… that's were the national missionaries got their shoes and jeans and things. They hadn't seen each other in 3-4 years. The woman said she wasn't sure why but she told her husband we must go to JETS today. As they chatted and woman learned of my cooks troubles she took out her checkbook and wrote a check for 62,000N on the spot. "I guess this is why God brought me to JETS today," she said with a smile.

My friend ran to the bank cashed the check, paid the Bursar, who said "I have been praying for you." She wrote her exams with a glad and relaxed heart. Praise the Lord!

Praise God for his mighty provision.

Life’s frailties and God’s GRACE…

My student returned to class on Tuesday and his daughter if getting much better. I learned that her health conditions were worse than he initially told me. She has problems with an extended soft-spot on her head and an abdominal infection and other "issues." They were able to take her to a special hospital and she is improving… Thank you Lord, for doctors and prayer!!!!

And the older woman in my church… she is home and fine. Apparently it was just too much heat.

I am reminded by these that yes, life is frail, but God grace is greater than our frailties…

Life’s frailties…

Arriving for class on Monday, I take attendance and notice  one student is absent. This is highly unusual. The others tell me that he traveled home for the weekend and stayed there because his young daughter is ill. We pray for her healing and for him. I recall that the first day his prayer request was for his 8-day old daughter with and 'abdominal infection.' I don't exactly know what's happening, sounds like she might have been taken to the hospital this weekend? O Lord I pray that you will show mercy to this family and heal this young child.

My student's situation is a potent reminder to me about the frailty of life here in Nigeria… much more frail than in the US. My heart weeps… Whatever her situation you can be certain that the medical care she is receiving is not nearly what she would receive in my country.

During my break I call my assistant in the US to check in and learn that an older member of my church family went to a picnic Sunday and ended up in the hospital. After getting her phone number I called to learn from her that, by God's grace she was fine, but that and I quote, "she stood too long in the heat for an old person." Another reminder of life's frailties.

We live by God's grace and God's grace alone…