Simple Gifts

This video is a glimpse into our upcoming Advent program at Church of the Nativity. This Advent we're looking at how we really can do Christmas differently: worship fully, spend less, give more, and love all.

Join us this Advent and learn how you can be a part of our Advent challenge, to approach the holidays in a new, relational way while providing clean drinking water to our mission in Nigeria.

Shegun & The Angels

On the days and weeks after my trip to Nigeria; people were constantly asking “What did you do?” Puzzled and overwhelmed at the thought of such inquiry my response would always be “Not Enough”

This statement still holds true today. I could never do enough, because when you find love in the truest and most pure sense, you can never do enough…

From the moment we landed in Nigeria until the day we left I was completely surprised by love.

In the poorest of nations, where people are suffering and dying from lack of food, clean water, and disease; one would think that you would be met with despair and heart break, but is stead we were met with love…the unconditional kind.

Nothing was ever asked of us, all they wanted to do is just give.

Never in my life have I experienced such an outpouring of generosity; it was quite stunning. Yet what surprised me all the more was the abundance of faith. Our friends were joyful, alive and thirsty to know how God transform lives, of their own and of those who have traveled so far to meet them.

They wanted to know “our stories”, who we were, where we came from, and how we came to know Christ. This longing to know us was critical to them; and as the days passed on our visit to Jos, we found ourselves facilitating their desire by leading worships services and prayer meetings. As the requests for us to do more of this type of Evangelization grew, the more we became transparent. For some of us, this came quite naturally and for others, opening up in such a fashion was different. Yet everyone managed to rise to the occasion and again, we were surprised by love. For not only were we sharing about our faith and our lives; we were creating relationships and building intimacy through our love for Jesus.

After the prayer meetings, the staff and many of the patients would come up to chat. I cherished those moments because it was in those moments that bonds of friendship were formed. We will never truly realize what kind of impact we had in those moments. It is a secret that only our Creator will know for sure, yet I am blessed for the glimpses He reveals, as they are a gift of knowing how His love works though us.

A gift…

His name is Segun [ Shegwin] Adeyanju, and in a crowd of small children, you’d never recognize him. He is a tiny little man, with a big heart and a humble spirit. Segun works at the Faith Alive Hospital in the Administration Department as an advisor of Children’s Services. He is the kind of person who gets lost in a crowd, small, quiet and shy. Segun accompanied us on visits to the Hwol Yarje School and the orphanage. On those first trips I didn’t even know who he was…he never said a word until after a prayer meeting at the hospital one rainy afternoon.

He came up to me and said “Are you Marina?” Surprised that he knew my name I said “yes”. He replied and said” I need your help.” Feeling as though I could never do enough, I fervently agreed to help. We set up a meeting for the next morning to discuss the details of a project he was working on.

Segun was working on a children’s outreach program that would provide support and counseling services to children who are affected by HIV and AIDS. The Faith Alive Hospital had received a donation of materials and supplies from AIDS RELIEF to launch the program but it lacked structure. The resources allocated to them for this program were very scarce and limited. Through quick thinking and organization, together we were able to develop a program that would increase the demographic to include teens and utilize the small resources that were given to be sustainable and renewable.

Dr. Chris named the project” The Faith Alive Angels” The program launched August 30^th and on September 3^rd I received an email from Segun. The program was a huge success with over 300 hundred families enrolled in and around Jos. He mentioned that other hospitals were coming to Faith Alive to learn and received training about the program so that they can implement the curriculum in their locations.

His message to me was filled with enthusiasm and gratitude and as I read and download the photos he attached, I was filled with so much joy and so much love. I had no idea what an impact this program would have and that he thought of me to share the success was humbling.

I often felt like the “Little Drummer Boy” in Nigeria….repeating the mantra in my head, “What can I bring to them? …What can I give?” and always feeling that it was never enough.

Upon returning all I could think of is how much I was blessed by the people I met. My friends in Nigeria changed me and they changed the way I look at life and living. They poured mortar on my foundation of faith and changed the structure of my path, narrowing the road towards home.

They never asked for anything only friendship and what we received in return was nothing but love. A love that was reciprocal.

And when you love unconditionally, you feel responsible to support and nurture that love and in doing so you can never give enough…..

Daniel

Free to Dance

It was our first day in Nigeria and we were absolutely overwhelmed by all the love we were already receiving from everyone we met. We spent a good amount of time just exploring that day; taking it all in. One person who really stood out to us was Daniel, one of the calmest two-year-olds any of us had ever seen, who just stared up at us from his stroller with his beautiful brown eyes.

Daniel has spent his entire life at Anawim- his mother came to the Missionary Sisters of the Poorest of the Poor when she was pregnant with him. In a moment of desperation she had tried to end the pregnancy on her own, and when she was unsuccessful came to Anawim as a last hope. After Daniel was born, his mother went back out into the world to move on with her life, leaving her son in the care of Sister Oresoa and the others at the Anawim Home.

Because of his mother’s attempt to end the pregnancy, Daniel was born with a deformity in his legs that will prevent him from ever being able to walk. We didn’t even realize this at first- it didn’t occur to five Americans who had only been in Nigeria for a few hours that seeing a kid in a stroller was out of the ordinary. But while all the other kids at Anawim spend their time moving freely and running around together, Daniel will never know what that is like.

That doesn’t stop him from being playful and even from dancing, though. We all derived so much joy from watching him during times when the group would meet as a whole to sing and pray- often someone would lift him out of his stroller and put him on the floor so he could show off his dance moves, moving himself around the floor with this arms. The other young boys, Kasimir and Generouse, even mimicked his dancing at times, demonstrating what can only be described as a sort of heartwarming solidarity between them.

The entire experience in Nigeria was absolutely humbling, but seeing Daniel dance was really something. I got pretty emotional watching a toddler who had something that we all take for granted every single day taken away from him before he ever knew he had it- I couldn’t help but wonder what would lie in the future for him. But then I reminded myself that sometimes all you can do is just be in the present. For now, Daniel is dancing, and that is something we could all take a lesson from.

Hwol Yarje Children

A patient of Faith Alive named Dada Ezekiel Azi donated a plot of land to Faith Alive a few years ago to show his appreciation for the Staff and the care he received at the clinic. The land is on the outskirts of west Jos, in a large agricultural community.

Dr. Chris, along with key staff and a few visitors from the U.S., went to inspect the land given. Upon arrival, they were greeted by over 100 young children ages 2-12, who were not in school. When Dr. Chris made inquiries about the children attending school, he learned that the closest school was well beyond walking distance for the small children, upwards of 8 kilometers or 5 miles.

Dr. Chris and his staff, along with the support of the Americans, were able to coordinate the use of a local church (close to the plot of land donated) as a temporary school for these children. But as word spread and more children came, the church proved to be inadequate for over 200 children. The staff of Faith Alive understood that they needed a more permanent site.

The local community allowed Faith Alive to use a small piece of land for a temporary school structure. The structure was built and funded by parishioners of the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Collins,Colorado, that has sent numerous a small church missionaries to Faith Alive, and generous labor from Midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy, who poured the concrete floors last Summer. The current temporary structure includes three small classrooms, into each of which about 75 children pack in to learn everything from math and English, to religious education, social studies, and science, five days a week, and at no charge to the families. Two years ago, none of the children spoke any English. When we visited, they welcomed us with songs, and answered our questions, happily speaking with all of us.

The community has shown generosity and pride in donating the land right next to temporary school for a permanent school site. They see the value of this school in helping these children build a better life for themselves while growing in their faith of Jesus Christ. Dr. Chris hopes to build a 13 room school, supported by walls to keep cattle out, and a faculty "lounge", and a well for the children, teachers, and community in general.

The community itself , some 500 people in all and growing, is in dire need of a clean source of water. The only source is a shared stream that runs through the land. It is about a kilometer walk to and from the stream for the villagers. Everyone carries as much as they need for the day back and forth from the stream that is also used to water their livestock. The stream is used for all daily living needs, so someone might get drinking water downstream from another villager washing clothes, or bathing.

John Bosco

John Bosco is a tough little boy who lives at the Anawim home in Nigeria. He is built like a little linebacker for American football. I didn’t realize how tough he was until Sister Orsoea told us his story. John Bosco’s mother is one of the mentally ill at Anawim. His mother was at the orphanage when she gave birth to him. When he was born, John Bosco’s mother wouldn’t let anyone touch him or get near him. His mother is also a very strong woman. As an infant, his mother would take John Bosco down to the river to wash him. In freezing cold water. The sisters at the Anawim home feared for John Bosco’s life, but could do nothing physically to stop her from doing this. She apparently didn’t let anyone else touch John Bosco until he was old enough to walk. Now when the other children at Anawim get sick, which happens to children from time to time, John Bosco doesn’t. Sister Orsoea claims that he never gets sick. She thinks his immunity was built up as an infant. He is so full of energy, one day while playing soccer he was playing goalie. He did cartwheels to pass the time when the ball was on the other side of the field. He is a very kind little boy that doesn’t say too much at times, but is chocked-full of life. John Bosco has lived at Anawim his entire life.

Ashom

A former HIV patient himself, Ashom is a Home-Based Care Team member who brings Faith Alive services to families and communities, who otherwise will not have access to this medical care and spiritual support



"Lotti" has tuberculosis (TB) and AIDS, and lives with her brother and sister and their families. Her sister first took her to Faith Alive Hospital when she was so sick she couldn’t even walk. She is now able to stand up, and is getting better. But she cannot come in to the clinic so the Home-Based Care team brings the clinic to her, providing medication and spiritual support. To get to her house, it was a bumpy unpaved but scenic road and probably very muddy during the rainy season. We had an opportunity to pray with her for healing, comfort and strength and the health of her family.

The other patient we visited was an older gentleman. We passed through a Muslim community and there was a herd of kids just excited to see us, following wherever we were going and just hovering around. This man was sitting on a concrete ledge just outside his room. He seemed to be pleased to see us and shook our hands as Ashom, a HBC Team member, introduced the group. The patient was quite thin for a tall man and I noticed that his feet were swollen. Ashom tells us that he is much improved from his previous status. He has been able to take his anti-tuberculosis drugs, has a room by himself (which he needed being inflicted with TB), and someone helps bring him cooked food. He proudly reported that he has been able to walk and move around much better. That was reassuring since he still looked pretty frail and sickly. After the group said a short prayer, we said our good-byes and he expressed his gratitude for the care he has been given. Even the kids were cheering “Nagode, nagode, nagode!!” which means “Thank you!” It was heart-warming to see that even they appreciate what it means when there’s a Faith Alive jeep pulling in their street.

We were all moved. We are seeing God and so many miracles. If it weren’t for the Home Based Care Program, these two patients would not have been able to get the continuing care they needed. It would also be a huge burden to the family members to bring them to Faith Alive Hospital. These home visits allow team members to reinforce the good progress they have made and to encourage the family members in the care for their sick loved ones. In the spirit of FA’s mission, it also gives them spiritual support as they pray together with the visiting team.

Ashom is one of this team members who has been diligent in his work and took us for a ride for these home visits. Thirteen years ago, he himself was seriously sick and being treated for ulcer, typhoid fever and malaria when he found out he was HIV positive. Like other patients, he could not afford the N40,000 ($275) to pay for his drugs. How can they when the minimum wage is N5000? He also has a family of 5 kids to support. It was then that Dr. Chris visited him and encouraged him to come to Faith Alive. As he was being treated for tuberculosis, he was placed on the waiting list for the anti-HIV medications. This was also the time that his HIV-positive wife passed away and he became a single Dad. Despite this overwhelming grief, he found strength to help others in a similar situation. Under the wing of another HBC Team member named Ezekiel, Dr. Chris offered him a job, realizing his need and knowing the huge responsibilities of a single parent of five.

Ashom is also a member of the Faith Alive Support group and is a living example of what it is like to “live positively” despite the HIV diagnosis. He and the other staff members remind patients that this is not a death sentence. This is quite difficult to do in a culture where people with AIDS are sometimes still treated inhumanely and left to their deathbeds. He is literally a face of this program and you can see him on the HBC posters and pamphlets. He is very grateful what this hospital has done for him and proud to share his story so that others can find hope the way he did when he was given a chance go to Faith Alive. This is his own way of giving back and helping carry out their mission of “investing in and infecting lives for Jesus Christ our savior.”

Francis

Francis is a smiling boy of 15 years with a heart of absolute gold. Francis is one of the original Anawim kids; he has been living there for almost his entire life. From when Francis was born to when he was about a year old, he was living in a small group-living hut with about 20 other people. Sister Oresoa, founder of Anawim, came to this group home and saw the boy lying on the ground, emaciated, sick, and in desperate need of help. Sister took Francis from these terrible conditions and has given him a new home and a new life. Over the course of 14 years, Francis has grown into the happy, caring boy he is today. When he grows up, Francis hopes to enter the military and defend his country. He is funny, loving, and very energetic, and he always puts a smile on our faces whenever we see him!

Amos Toye

Amos Toye. You’ll see his name inscribed on a concrete plaque as you enter Faith Alive Hospital describing the hospital as a temple. He was instrumental in re-designing the architecture of the three-story building after the big fire in 2006 which gutted it all. Recovering and rebuilding from such devastation is always daunting, and even more so for this organization, considering they rely purely on donations. On the other hand, they are also blessed with people like Amos who offers his services for free without expecting anything in return.

Amos is an architect by trade. He also teaches at the local university in Jos, although during the time we were there, the professors were on strike which apparently is a common occurrence due to undercompensation of their work. He lives in the faculty compound where Dr. Chris and his family live too – very humble and simple housing facilities.

Our team first heard about him when we visited the farming community in Hwol Yarje. We learned about the school site where they were planning on building a permanent structure for the children who live there. When we asked who we should talk to about the physical plans, the staff said, “Ask Amos, ask Amos. He’ll give you a better vision.” As we come back to the Faith Alive premises, who do we bump into at the front gate but this tall friendly man with a distinct deep voice… it’s Amos! We were introduced by Erika, one of the American missionaries who have been there before. He graciously accepted our invitation to join us for lunch at the guest house and before we know it, he was sharing his story with us.

Several years ago, Amos was involved in an accident that left him with more than half of his body burnt. You can still see the scars and contractures in his hands. But he survived. Not just physically but spiritually. After miraculously coming out of another horrible accident as the lone survivor, he has since offered his life to God. He has surrendered himself to praise God and work for his glory. He has offered his architectural expertise to different churches as they build their own temples of worship. He is very grateful that he has been blessed with life and talent and he is able to continue God’s work through his hands, albeit scarred. As he shared his past, he showed his passion in what he does and for whom he does it. We are all humbled by the commitment he has to his work and to God and were inspired by the vision they have for the Hwol Yarje School – 13 classrooms to house primary to secondary levels, a courtyard as a center of activities, a teachers’ communal room, or perhaps even a dormitory for the kids. They envision a ten-year plan of building a temple of learning where the youth are afforded a good Christian education for a better Nigeria. It’s great to be able to dream big and be blessed with people to help them pursue it. With God’s grace, as they say, it can be done.

Blessing

A Faith Alive Success Story “Blessing” her name says it all…

During the planning stages of our mission’s trip to Jos, I got to know Blessing through stories others have shared with me. Before our departure; I would often go the Faith Alive website and submerge myself with knowledge of the hospital and people who were affected by the hospital’s services. Blessing’s story intrigued me; so of course, I could not wait to meet her.

It was our first full day at Faith Alive hospital and for most of that day, we traveled as a group touring the facility and getting to know the staff. As our day came to an end, we all looked forward relaxing and sharing a meal together.

Tired, dirty and jet lagged, we headed down Zik Avenue toward our flat for supper. As we traveled along this trash infested route, my heart sank, for in every direction we turned; we could not help but notice the poverty and the desperation of the town’s people trying to support themselves by selling anything and everything they could.

The entrepreneurial spirit was alive and well along Zik Avenue and every block had a small business of one kind or another.

In the midst of all this commerce, there was one small business that stood out in particular. It was the Faith Alive Sewing School Annex and this is where I first met Blessing.

Her name says it all….

She has a smile that lights up a room and wherever she goes; her radiant light goes with her. From leading discipleship classes to mentoring young women at the Faith Alive Sewing School; Blessing’s faith and joy for living has inspired those who follow in her footsteps. Her spirit is infectious and her willingness to give and change the lives of women and children at Faith Alive is nothing more than beautiful. It is truly an example of God at work.

Her past is tragic, but her come-back is triumphant. After losing her husband to AIDS, Blessing became an example of the stigmatization of AIDS in Nigeria. Alone with two baby boys, she was exiled from her family and was left for dead on the streets to survive without means of support.

Blessing traveled to Jos which was about 4 hours away by car, to seek the help of Faith Live and Dr. Chris.

Upon meeting Blessing, Dr.Chris knew there was something special about her. After several weeks of treatment, Blessing was enrolled in the social services sewing school program.

Faith Alive’s approach to treatment and healing is holistic; it embodies the whole person, mentally, physically and spiritually. From before and after faith-based counseling for HIV testing; to job training and transitional housing, every need of the patient is addressed. The life change for the patients at Faith Alive is overwhelming. And the gratitude they express as a result of spiritual change is evident from the moment anyone steps foot on the hospital floor.

Blessing is a shining example of that kind of gratitude. Her faith, her appreciation and her strong desire to give back was noticed. After several months of treatment and job training; Blessing was chosen to be the first Faith Alive patient to participate in transitional housing program. After one year of living in transitional housing center, Blessing graduated from the Faith Alive Sewing School and now runs her own shop where she employees other graduates of the Faith Alive School.

During my visit at Faith Alive, I got to know Blessing in a very special way. There wasn’t a day that passed that we did not see each other. I would walk down Zik every afternoon, and would pass her shop. I can still hear her voice calling my name in “pigeon English” …”Hello, Marina” come and see what I have made for you”….I would stop in promising myself to only stay for a moment, but those moments always ended in hours. We talked about our lives, our children and about our faith in Christ.

As the days got closer to my departure back home, I could see the sadness looming in her eyes, she would say to me” If I came to America, you would be my best friend and if you moved to Jos, you would be my best friend.”

On our last day, she and her two boys made a special trip to our flat to say good bye. While she was there, she had given me a small gift, a necklace…she had said to wear it and always remember her love and friendship.

Tears filled my eyes as I write and for many reasons. Easily, I could conclude this little story with a litany of things that I taught and educated the women of the sewing school on, but to me, what happened with building a relationship was much more profound.

I traveled to Jos, with the most sincere desire to give and what I got in return was so much more than I could have imagined. I have a friend named Blessing, who I pray for every day and who in turn, prays for me. Knowing that I have inspired hope and touched a life in friendship is just a taste of the joy my savior has for me.

It goes without saying, Blessing is a blessing and the joy that I have received as a result of our friendship will be with me for always.

My prayer is that this simple little message will inspire others to support the Nativity Nigeria mission and all its efforts to improve the quality of life for the women and children of West Africa.

Give and rejoice.

Christianna

Christianna came to the Anawim home in Gwagwalada in the spring of 2009 when she was pregnant with her baby, Joseph. She is one of triplets, and it was her two brothers who helped her to make the decision to come to Anawim. Christianna’s faith and spirituality are truly remarkable. Watching her during Mass, daily prayer, and simple daily activities can be described in no other way but moving. She does everything with God, for God, and by God, and she does it with conviction.

At age 19, Christianna is a single mother who sees much hope for the future, for both her and Joseph. Her thirst for knowledge about anything and everything is apparent after only a short conversation with her. She aspires to go to school and finish her education, and she also has hopes for her son to become a priest.

Her numerous remarkable qualities do not end there. She is also a source of strength to the other young mothers and all who meet her- she is intelligent, well spoken, and incredibly loving. She has a way about her that makes all who come in contact with her feel welcomed and appreciated. Her presence in this world and in our lives is a truly gift from God.

Sister Oresoa Selo Ojeme

It all started in the year 1994 when Rev. Sr. Oresola Selo Ojeme, or as we called her Sister Oresoa, saw the need to attend to the hopeless and helpless. She saw a need to help the poor, the elderly, the orphans, and the homeless in her local community. She helped people regardless of their sex, class, race, color or religion. The Anawim homes that she leads, aim to restore the human dignity of the poorest of the poor in their society. Sister also helps the destitute and young women with unwanted pregnancies. This process includes clothing them, feeding them, sheltering them, nursing them and rehabilitating them to be productive work force in the society and reconciling them with their families and with God. They also try to settle orphans and abandoned children in homes that can foster them, with the goal of adoption. These people are driven to the street not only by the economic situation of the country that is getting harsher and harsher but also by other factors which includes disabilities, death of their families, and frustration of many to educate themselves. Sister is quite a firecracker, which helps her to get a lot accomplished. She was extremely kind and welcoming to us during our visit and left quite an impression on those that went. She has a vision to help as many people as possible, and now leads three Anawim homes in Nigeria. She gives, and gives and gives all in the name of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Chris Isichei

His Nigerian name is Ogoegbunem Isichei. His first name means “my kindness will not destroy me”. But we all know him as Dr. Chris. Dr. Chris is the founder of Faith Alive Hospital and the Faith Alive Foundation. The meaning of his name does describe him. He is very kind and he believes his kindness in serving has made him stronger by bringing him closer to God.

Dr. Chris is a small wiry man, who would not be noticed in a crowd. But once you get to know Dr. Chris, you will never forget him. He has a huge heart and a smile to match. Our whole team fell in love with him. Dr. Chris is married to a wonderful woman named Mercy. She is not only his marriage partner; she herself is a surgeon and serves at Faith Alive Hospital. They have three children – Emily (9), Prince (7) and Joseph (5). They live in a simple house just like their neighbors. They do not ask for comfort for themselves.

Dr. Chris’s story is a powerful one. He was born into extreme poverty. His father was a carpenter and his mother a housekeeper. When he was a young man, Dr. Chris made a vow to God to help his people out of poverty. He believed that by being a doctor, he would be able to reach the most people. From the poorest of the poor to the President of his country – all of his people at some time would need medical care. He thought this would be the best way to accomplish the mission he knew he was called to do, and that was to tell people the good news of Jesus Christ. “There are people who never go to church,” he says, “but most people need a health care institution even if it is where they will die.”

He struggled through medical school and upon graduation; he decided to give free counseling and medical care to his people. He visited the U.S. and was very inspired to follow through on his plan. He tried fundraising and only raised $330. He thought what would this do? He says he heard God answer him, “I have given you all the resources you need.” So Dr. Chris obeyed. In June 1996, he literally put a table and chair in the middle of an empty space – he sat down – and people started coming. At first they came to him for any problems they had and he did everything he could to help them. Mostly, he believes he told them about Jesus Christ and prayed for them. Eventually his dream of a hospital grew. He inspired many of those he helped to become volunteers and help build his dream. Hope had been given to those who previously had none.

The Faith Alive Foundation uses scripture (NEH 2:20) to help explain what happened: “The God of heaven will give us success, therefore we His servants will rise and build”.

Faith Alive Foundation funds the Hospital (now a three story structure) and a Social Services building for counseling and job training. There is also a home-based care unit that reaches out to those who can’t get to the hospital. And now there are three satellite clinics that also reach out to the more rural areas. HIV has now become the most common disease of his patients. Dr. Chris says that these patients are usually the poorest and most vulnerable in that society – women and children. All of these services are provided free of charge and are funded completely by donations. Their motto is “Investing in and infecting lives for Jesus Christ our Savior”.

Dr. Chris believes in treating the whole person with compassion and loving care, both physically and spiritually. He is amazed himself at how fast Faith Alive has grown. He says he is humbled before such an awesome God, for how could any man do this? For him, to see Faith Alive is to see God at work.

Showcase

Starting this weekend, at Church of the Nativity, we will be sharing parts of the stories of some of the people we have met and formed relationships with during our time in Abuja & Jos. Small pieces of their stories will be shared at Mass, but we will be presenting their full stories here for you all to read and share. Also, we will be including pictures and stories from other people who we weren't able to showcase. These will start this weekend and continue at least through the end of October! Also, all of the current and previous profiles will be able to be seen in the bar on the right entitled "Showcases" as they are posted.

The Right Path

I was blessed to receive an invitation to a dinner that Dr. Chris was attending this past Monday night. He was only in town for one night and had spent the day at a conference held in Washington D.C. The conference is a yearly one for the Conrad Hilton Foundation humanitarian award. Dr. Chris was nominated to receive the award last year. There are only 200 organizations around the world who get nominated for this. The award is a VERY large monetary one. He was told the only weakness in his organization, that needs to be corrected for it to be the recipient of the award, is a better tracking device. They want to know success in numbers. This was really hard for me to understand at first. His remarkable story alone is not enough. Dr. Chris needs help with his stats. If he had better stats he could be receiving certain monetary awards that would be amazing for Faith Alive. I like to write stories. Is there anyone out there who could help Faith Alive with some type of tracking device for their patient success stories?

Where are you Paris Hilton? If she would just visit one time. Don't laugh. It could happen. It might happen. Okay prayer warriors I have a job for you. And to my fellow writers please keep posting. It is a battle in this world. We have so much to do. We are so easily distracted. It is hard to stay on the right path. I have my family responsibilities and so much more. My family has to come first. But if I always put them first it seems there is no time left and I'm actually unemployed right now! God is putting so many opportunities at my feet in this one direction. All I know is that it is Him. I have to keep trying to follow His will for my life.

I have been reading Psalm 25 this week.

O Lord, I give my life to you.

I trust in you, my God!

Do not let me be disgraced,

or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.

No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,

but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.

Show me the right path, O Lord;

point out the road for me to follow.

Lead me by your truth and teach me,

for you are the God who saves me.

All day long I put my hope in you.

Remember, O Lord your compassion and unfailing love,

which you have shown from long ages past.

Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.

Remember me in the light of your unfailing love,

for you are merciful, O Lord........

Turn to me and have mercy,

for I am alone and in deep distress.

My problems go from bad to worse.

Oh, save me from them all!

Feel my pain and see my trouble.

Forgive all my sins.

See how many enemies I have

and how viciously they hate me!

Protect me! Rescue my life from them!

Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge.

May integrity and honesty protect me,

for I put my hope in you.........

This Psalm says it all perfectly. So often scripture has a way of doing this for us. His word is the way (path). It's all about asking for God's help to stay on the right path.

TP

Angels All Around Us

A reflection upon her time at Anawim Home from Becky Zawodny:

What does it mean to be an angel? Maybe that seems like a silly question- we all know what angels are. Angels are God’s messengers. He sends them to protect us, to show us the way. Angels are sent here for us.

There has not been a day so far in my life that I did not believe I had a guardian angel watching over me. On good days and bad, normal days and the days when I feel like I’m lucky to have survived, I have always believed that it wasn’t just me by myself. Some days it comes from my family, other days from friends, sometimes strangers, and often just divine providence, but always from somewhere. This is something I have never doubted. I never doubted it, but I also never looked at it from the other angle.

Then I went to Nigeria. It was Sunday, August 2, our first day there. We had just arrived at the Anawim Home in Gwagwalada. We were tired, it had been quite a while since any of us had showered, and we had no luggage. Things had been a bit of blur so far; getting from the airport back to Anawim, talking to Sister and taking in the scenery, thinking to ourselves, “Wow, this is it. We’re here.”

Our first stop once we arrived at Anawim was a small sitting room at the front of the complex where most of the nuns live. We sat down, and Sister opened our visit with a prayer. I don’t remember the exact words, but she said something along the lines of: “Lord, thank you for sending us these angels.” Angels. She called us angels. I have always believed that there were angels watching over me, but never in my life had it occurred to me that anyone thought of me that way, especially someone I had only just met an hour before. Immediately I asked myself if she had really just said what I thought she said. Angels?

I went on this trip because I believe in justice for all people. I believe that we are all human and deserve to be treated with dignity, and it is through this core belief that I find my faith and my spirituality. I see God when I serve. It’s as simple as that. And, as much as I do go into every project, every mission, with the goal of service in any way possible, I also always go in realizing that those whom I serve are angels in my life. They show me God.

I don’t know if it’s humble or selfish that I never thought of myself that way—sure, there is humility in not thinking highly of yourself, but had I put myself in the shoes of those I was serving, wouldn’t I have realized, or at least wondered, how they thought of me and my role in their lives? I guess it doesn’t totally matter now. What does matter is that now I do know. Now, hopefully, we all realize what we are to these people and what a huge responsibility that is; a responsibility and an honor.

The Nativity : Nigeria mission has grown over the past few years, from a little sprout of an idea, to something that is bigger than any of us. Water. We have set a goal to provide the people of Nigeria with water, the source of life. Does that make us angels? Who knows? I freaked out a little bit when sister first called us that—like I said, it seems like such a huge responsibility. God sends angels to protect. He sends them to save. And someone called us that.

Now that I’ve been back for over a month and have really had time to reflect, though, I have realized that whatever you want to call us, we have had that very same responsibility ever since we took up this mission. Ever since we decided to adopt these people into our lives we have made their welfare of concern to us. Now I guess I just see it more clearly. Now being called an angel isn’t quite so scary.

The people I got to know in Nigeria, both the ones I met there and the ones I came with, are all angels in my life in some way. And when I think about what that means to me, I now cannot help but to become absolutely overwhelmed with joy at the realization that maybe I, too, have affected someone the way so many have affected me. Angels are all around us.

A Grateful Mom

Gin Gin & Team E

Christy, Gin Gin, & Funmi

A reflection on a day at Faith Alive Hospital by Dr. Gin Gin Diokno:

At Faith Alive, they have come up with a very good system in taking care of HIV patients. Once a person is “enrolled,” aside from getting all of the necessary demographic information, hospital record numbers, lab numbers, etc, etc, he or she is assigned to a Team. It consists of a doctor, a nurse and a TSS or treatment support specialist. He then follows up with this team on a regular basis, depending on the severity of his condition. When the staff found out I have a background in pediatrics, they immediately welcomed me to join Team E, the kids’ team, although I found out later that they see adults and out patient cases too to share the load.

There is a stark difference between medical care in Nigeria and underdeveloped countries versus the U.S. Lack of financial resources and technological advances are real challenges they face daily that impact the quality of care they receive. By the same token, this environment demands the health care providers to become even more resourceful and practice “practical medicine”. A lot of unnecessary tests are avoided. I saw somebody with low back pain and another older woman with shoulder pain, both of whom would probably earn prescriptions for Xray and MRI if they were seen in my sports medicine practice. This time, it was back to basics.

Another hurdle is the patients’ awareness of HIV and AIDS. A common theme in the team approach is continuously educating them about these conditions. Telling a 16-yr old new bride how not to contract the virus. Going over medication compliance with a mother who has left it up to an 8-yr old girl to remember taking her 3 anti-retroviral drugs. Explaining to the recently diagnosed mother that her newborn is healthy but was exposed and that you can’t tell for sure if the baby is HIV positive until she’s 18 months old. How they deal with these struggles day in and day out give me pause on how much impact they have in the communities they serve.

I do believe that they even have more lasting impact due to the population they serve - the children - the future and hope of Nigeria. It was an honor to be embraced by this team realizing they know much more about HIV than I would in my lifetime. As much as the staff was very proficient in the English language, most of the patients I encountered weren’t so. After one language-barrier-laden visit, this Mom got up after tying her infant to her back. I thought she said “thank you” but it sounded more than that. She told our nurse that she was very grateful; that even though I did not speak Hausa and she did not speak English, we still understood each other and she thanked us a second time. We exchanged smiles and I gave her two thumbs up; clearly she understood and she gave me a nod of appreciation. That was a rewarding Team E day for me.

All Kinds of Water

When both teams came back last month, there were tons of ideas and things that we decided we wanted to complete in the near future. However, it became apparent that there was one pressing and immediate need. The toilets and some of the plumbing at Anawim Home were direly in need of repair. It had become a sanitation issue and it was clear that action needed to be taken soon. The teams came together and decided that this was something that they wanted to tackle internally. Today, the final details were figured out and the project should begin early next week. It was awesome to see the team come together to fund and complete the preparations for a project that will make an immediate, healthy and significant difference in the lives of those living at Anawim Home. Thanks for all of your support!

The Little Girl in Us

She says she is my friend. She calls me her "sweetie". I can't tell you her name because she asked for her story to be confidential. Dr. Chris said to us, while we were standing with him - "You have a friend in her" - pointing to each of us. Then he told her,"Teresa is a prayer warrior. Tell her your difficulties. She will pray for you and share your story in the U.S. on her church's blog."

She had been trying to find me to talk to me all week. I kept seeing her but I didn't understand. "Teresa! Teresa! You are back! Do you remember me? I have your card that you gave me last summer and I have been looking for you." She is a counselor I met at Faith Alive last summer. We first started talking because she said she was new to Faith Alive. She had just been hired. I told her well, I'm new too! I had never visited Faith Alive before. We hugged when we saw each other this summer and she cane running to see me with the card in her hand. "I'm going to come visit you at counseling" I said. She said "Okay". I said "What time tomorrow?" She said "Okay God's time". This happens a lot there.

One time she was standing outside of social services, actually looking for me, as I was going in. "Teresa, there you are! Where are you going?" I said "I'm going to discipleship class". "Okay, come see me after". "Okay", I said. But this wasn't God's time. Some of my teammates, when they heard me saying 'I have to get with her,' said "Why don't you just make an appointment?" Over there, after a while, you realize this is very "American thinking". Of course, there are actual times set for certain meetings. But mostly, they are for patient/staff devotional meetings. Pastor Ben let everyone know one afternoon at the daily (3:45) patient/staff prayer meeting what he thought about staff who were missing - let's just say it better be an emergency. So much of FA daily activities has to do with kind of being ready for what might be around the corner. If you have too much planned you will miss out on a lot. That doesn't mean they don't work hard. They DO. It means that the personal relationship part (and I mean in person) of their day is always very present and important. Therefore, no cell phones are allowed to interrupt. However, if someone knocks at an office door, it is answered. Even if that staff person is talking in person with someone else at that time. I know this because it happened to me many times. It can seem annoying! The door kept being knocked on and the staff person would just say "yes, come in". When the person would enter and make a request or statement, the staff person would answer "Yes, of course, in just a minute". But it would not happen. And then another interruption - another "Yes, come in" - another request - another "Of course" . I can just hear all of you protesting as you read this about how disorganized this seems. I'm not saying we should adopt this entirely! But FA has taught me a lot about personal relationships. Anybody at anytime can come around the corner and a whole conversation can start that is really incredible! They want to tell you their life stories and how important Jesus Christ is in their life. They are practically giving testimony constantly. Only to them, it is not really giving testimony but its just how they live their life. They just don't talk about it either - they live it. Every day is about people - welcoming, befriending, kindness, helping and of course healing. At one of the special prayer meetings for patients and staff (called Support Group) which are held on Sunday afternoon, Pastor Esther told a new patient something great. The new patient had stood to tell everybody she had just been diagnosed as having HIV and how much FA had helped her. She said it was hard to tell people she was HIV +. That was when Pastor Esther said "Don't worry, we are all positive (+) here". "Everyone is positive." This drew applause.

So my friend who calls me "sweetie", I am praying for you. May you overcome your current hardship of illness as you are trying to be a faithful worker, a good wife and a great mom to 5 children. Please, all who read this, pray for my friend. She does so much for others. Her troubles have to do with the enormous poverty she and her family live in daily. She lives in a compound with four other families that share one bathroom facility, no refrigerator and little food and water. I will not forget how you finally ran to the FA guesthouse in the rain to finally talk to me. God's time had come. I still see you perfectly in your beautiful purple dress. You had your hair done that day by the social services salon and you were proudly wearing the bracelet I made for you. The first time I had met you, I was so touched by your soft ways. We recognized something in each other right away. Somehow we knew about our similar childhoods. The afraid little girl in us peeked out at each other from behind the curtain. We do not have to be born in the same country, or what even seems like the same world, to share the similar story of feeling like we don't belong. I never forgot you after the first trip and I will never forget you. It was so hard to answer your question "Will you come again next summer?" I don't know whether I will ever see you again. But I know it is true what Dr. Chris said to us "You have a friend in her".

Teresa Pompa

Little Ways

Here we go into the fall season. I love every season - except winter here is a little too long. All this rain reminds me of Jos, Nigeria. August is part of their rainy season.

OK, fall or school starting, it all begins - parent/teacher nights, beginning of year parent class parties, start of fall rec leagues and all that good stuff. Of course a new church series and tent weekend. Is it really mid-September already? It's a rainy Friday night and I'm just happy to be home with my family. Today, my son had his picture day at school. First dress day for a coat and tie - the whole works. He is a 6th grader now. And at his school - an all boys private school - this is a big deal -new rules, new building. Big guy stuff. The other night he was so upset because he had his hair "cut" for the picture and plus it was pretty close to the "not below the collar of your shirt" rule. Big upset until all his classmates assured him his hair was still "cool". My daughter started 6th grade too (they are only 10 mos. apart). Who is my daughter? Long legs and long blonde hair flying by me. Where has the time gone? All I can think about lately is children and trying so hard not to miss my kids' moments.

I pray every day for my children as I'm sure every parent reading this does. What I pray for them is to know God loves them and for them to know that Jesus Christ is their Savior. If I know they kind of know this, I will be able to feel I have done my job as a parent. Because, if they know that, then they will be able to face their problems easier and to know that He is always there for them.

What I learned in Nigeria at Faith Alive this summer is that they want this for their children. For most of the two and half weeks there this summer, the focus was mainly about children. They have started a new discipleship program for children. They have had one for young adults, but they hadn't done one for children yet. They want their children to "get it" as soon as possible. If they can save their children - for them to know what is possible for them instead of a life of knowing what they don't have and a life of only desperation, then they think maybe that will save their country too.

Leaders there walk around saying "Be confident in Jesus Christ. Do you know your name?Do you know the name God gives you?" There is no talk of self esteem or self confidence. It is - do you believe what He said? It's all about Him.

This so hit home for me in a personal way. I've had a problem in this area all of my life. I never had even thought about life as they talk about it, until I started coming to the Church of the Nativity about four years ago. All of my life I kind of let a lot of people reflect their negative view of me and what unfortunately became a negative view of myself a lot of time - not all the time. But I know I'm starting down that road again - the wrong road when the voice is saying "you can't do that, you are not smart enough or basically not enough. Or, one person can't make a difference or that feeling that your life is set somehow. Take the easier road. Take the easier road? There is no easier road. As they say at Faith Alive - without Jesus Christ you are in crisis. You are just going the wrong way. I've spent much of my life going the wrong way. And so one thing about age is it can allow wisdom. Doesn't have to, but it can lead to some wisdom ! :-) Patterns aren't patterns until there is a pattern! We all have a story. Until we know our past and where we've been, I don't think we can know where we're going or supposed to be going.

I'm feeling happy, content and safe at home with my family. I had a great morning with great friends who encourage me and show me God's love. I'm thinking I kind of know my name. As I told the Faith Alive staff ( I had to stand in front of them and lead a prayer devotion meeting) - this would have been an absolute terror for me in the past. There was a room full of people, paying full attention, waiting to hear what I - the returning American lady - had to say. And now, in front of these loving people I wasn't afraid. I told them I don't know what my given name actually means, but my mom prayed to St.Therese for intercession when she was pregnant. She decided to "order me". She prayed - "may she have blonde hair and green eyes like her father - but most of all may she be kind". She named after St. Therese as she is the saint of "little ways" She is called the "little flower". I've decided it's kind of a good name. I'd like to live up to the kind "little ways" part. "Little Flower" give me your childlike faith to see the face of God in the people and experiences of my life and to love God with full confidence. My mom honored me with this name and her prayer. I didn't like it growing up - too Catholic school girl proper. And yes, my mom chose the "other" spelling of the name. I still get "is that with an h or without?". And she would not allow for Teri. I know this is not really about our literal names. Do you know your name? My mom has been telling me this St. Therese story all my life. It just didn't click until recently. Nice mom story. But then this church - then Nigeria and then today there it was on my friend's kitchen table - the St. Therese prayer card. So anyway, here's the novena prayer. I would like to offer it tonight to all our children here, at Anawim Home and at Faith Alive.

O Little Therese of the Child Jesus, please pick for me a rose from the heavenly gardens and send it to me as a message of love.

O Little Flower of Jesus, ask God today to grant the favors I now place with confidence in your hands.............

St. Therese, help me to always believe as you did, in God's great love for me, so that I might imitate your "Little Way" each day.

Amen

Teresa Pompa

God Knows Our Name

I can still clearly hear Dr. Chris' voice when he was speaking at the Faith Alive Community School site - "Church of the Nativity", it would be wonderful if you can partner with us on this". Partner - an interesting new term - they certainly don't want pity or even donations just thrown at them. No they want a partnership. A different idea - can we share a vision, care about the people and educate ourselves about their lives - help them in many ways, but in ways that helps to sustain their vision and values. The Faith Alive Hospital, which also includes social services, and now is branching out to even more services, calls itself the Faith Alive Family. They believe in having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They do not in any way refuse to serve people with other beliefs. But they say who they are and share their faith. They let us know that they believe God knows their name.

The song our team shared with the children was "I Am Not Forgotten", one that fellow team member, Marina Lynch and I learned from the Time Travelers Children Ministry at Nativity. "I am not forgotten...I am not forgotten...I am not forgotten...God knows my name", was sung by our whole team and Dr.Chris and the teachers sang along and danced with us. It was a joyful moment even though we were in such a "poor place" and saw how much they needed. Their hope and faith that God will help them was so inspiring.

I have been thinking of the Faith Alive team and have been a little bit emotional about all that we experienced together. I am still trying to get over my bronchitis - so maybe it is a little too much cough syrup! The return home is great but so much is going on with school start up and end of summer events. Labor day weekend for us is so busy. But it is a blessing to have "so much" - people who want to see us and celebrate with us.. I wanted to take a moment to just let all of the emotions come together and share with you.

I was very excited to read the blog posting stating it looks like an OK for the water and school projects in both communities for Advent. Wow! I didn't think Faith Alive was going to be a part of the Advent program. None of us knew what was going to happen. But God heard a prayer and I believed He showed us His will. This is not an easy thing to discern. I am not an expert - but it is what I and our team believe. He always has a bigger and better plan than we do. But we have to be open and searching. And that is exactly what happened. Our church was open and had a vision of helping a community with maybe one well for clean water and God showed us two communities, which not only need clean water, but the wells would be attached to schools. I feel the match of the Faith Alive Community School and the Church of the Nativity is a "match made in heaven". Wonderful things are going to happen out of this partnership for both of our communities. I really feel, as our whole team does, that this is the real reason we all went to Nigeria this summer. It wasn't easy for any of us. But somehow we were put together and we all felt moved to go on this trip. We went through hardships (lost luggage, very high humidity, lots of sweating, no running water, a broken generator for four days, stomach aches, headaches) that weren't really hard because we laughed a lot. We needed to learn how to communicate as a group so we could get anything done together. Thus the "talking stick" was invented. It was actually a glow stick (there was a lot of darkness) that had to be handed to you before you could speak at our meetings. Because of everyone's enthusiasm, we all talked at the same time, until we used this process. This is a team in which we all have different gifts and we had to learn to work together. A special thanks to Ed, because you were our leader - you put up with us when we weren't at our best and we felt discouraged. Yes - this happens. I'm letting everyone reading this blog know we are not saints! ED, you are a good man and I hope we will be lifelong friends.

The leaders of these two communities know God knows their names and they were actually teaching on this while we were at Faith Alive It reminded me of how our church discussed this during our series on Foundations last January - to know our identity in Jesus Christ. These leaders help to educate their communities but they also have much in common with what we're being taught at our church. We can help each other learn. They want us to share our stories with them and to hear about us and our faith's journey. Much of our time there was set aside to meet their requests for praying and sharing our faith with them. I believe there can be a relationship formed between our church and these two communities that will not only change their lives, but our lives as well.

This all got started three summers ago, a story was brought to our church, our pastor made a commitment to seek and send four courageous young people to Nigeria and the story goes on. Now we are being asked by our church to do more in a certain direction. I think we're all going to look back and see this coming Advent as special. We are going to learn things as a community that we can't even possibly know yet. But I know this - this team is not at an end of a trip, but a beginning of a journey. Thank you so much to the Home Team for your support and all the parishioners who have supported and prayed for us. And thank you to our pastor for the wonderful opportunity to be just a part of this story, for your faith in this ministry and your devotion to the divine mission of our church.

Go Team & God Bless Our Church!

Teresa Pompa

Love & Water

This video about water was made from the footage shot by both teams this year in Abuja & Jos, Nigeria. In it, you will see many of the men, women, and children we worked with during our time there. You will see the places in which they live, work, and play. Also, you are able to see the water in the stream where the people of the village near Hwol Yarje school drink and bathe.

Love Story

Gin Gin barely towering over the children at Hwol Yarje School.

Artwork at Hwol Yarje School outside Jos.

"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me."

Newly built Faith Alive Community School at Hwol Yarje.

A reflection from Gin GIn Diokno of the Faith Alive Team:

They say when you fall in love, you think about that person day in and day out. You can’t wait to see him again. You only want to do things to make him happy. If that’s the case, then I have fallen in love.

I’ve fallen in love with a special place called Jos and a farm called Hwol Yarje. This is our story.

People in this farming community do not have access to clean potable water. Yes, that is still the grim reality even in the outskirts of the city of Jos. Children did not have access to school. Dr. Chris and Naomi, later joined by Amos, the architect, told us about the history of how the temporary school structure came about. We entered the three classrooms adorned with simple posters of alphabets, letters, and drawings hanging on the aluminum walls. We walked a few paces further, and there it was: an empty lot full of promises.

In front of us was a football field of grassy untended land, surrounded by a low hollow brick fence, waiting to be dug and built upon. This is where 200 plus kids can comfortably sit on their desks learning not just about Science, Math, Reading, Social Studies, English but also their Christian Faith. This is where girls and boys will gather to sing to their visitors at the top of their lungs in unison:

You are welcome to Faith Alive Community School

You are welcome to Faith Alive Community School

You are welcome to Faith Alive Community School

You are welcome….

This is a place where they can play in the courtyard during their recess breaks. This is where they can have a library and read to their hearts’ content. This is where young girls like Blessing can pursue her dream of becoming a nurse someday, and her classmates can dream of becoming a judge, or a doctor or a pastor. They will learn that with the efforts of their community hand in hand with Faith Alive partners and their hard work studying their lessons, nothing is impossible. This is where children will dream big and pay it forward.

This opportunity fell on the Faith Alive Team’s lap and everybody embraced it. I felt this was our higher purpose. No commitments were made except the ones we made to ourselves that we will make it known that this is a special place. We can make a big difference in this community, in the lives of these children and their future. We saw hope in those children’s eyes. A clean well will meet a basic human need for these people. A school will further feed their minds and their souls.

I joined this trip with an open mind and an open heart. I guess you find love when you least expect it. God works in wondrous ways.

Bringing Everyone Back Together

Last night, we got all three of the teams together for the first time since they have returned from Nigeria. It was awesome to get everyone back in the same room and the reminiscing started almost instantly. Charles even brought his kids. Pictures were passed around and everybody had some awesome stories. We also started to delve into the projects we will be working on in the future. It looks like we will be focusing on some water and possibly school projects at both Faith Alive Hospital and Anawim Home. This ties into the larger Church vision and the relationships which we have continued to build with both organizations and communities.

Also, this weekend at Church of the Nativity, there will be a short video during all Masses compiled from footage shot this year in both locations. Also, we are hoping to post it on the blog as well after this weekend. Team members will be out and about at Nativity this weekend and are more than happy to chat about their experiences. Thanks for all of your support.

Reflecting on an Emotional & Insightful Day

A reflection on some of the people she bonded with at Faith Alive Hospital from Teresa Pompa:

The first story I would like to share with you is about a touching experience form this trip. Many people touched my life and inspired me once again. But this day of our trip stands out in my mind.

I consider it a blessing that I was able to return to Faith Alive this summer. There were events in my personal life that could have deterred me. But I prayed and persevered. I’m so glad I did because of the amazing experience. I learned much more about Faith Alive, got to know some of the people better and mostly was able to experience this trip with the Faith Alive team. It was special to see them fall in love with the Faith Alive Family like I did last year. I feel privileged to be part of this team.

The most special day we shared together was when we went back to the Faith Alive Community School, Hwol Yarje – which is in a temporary structure. Even though school was not in session, the teachers gathered all of the children to greet us. Some were dressed in their “Sunday best” clothes. They were so excited about our visit. They sang songs to us that they had practiced. There was such hope in their eyes. This village had nothing before Faith Alive came (read Rob’s previous posting for details) – no school, no health care, etc. Even though these things are in a primitive state – it is something, a start and Faith Alive is striving to improve the quality and provide even more. High on the priority list is a source of clean water. Most of the children wear the donated clothes from the Faith Alive “clothes bank”. The children live in mud huts in the surrounding area. One little boy was all dressed up in an American outfit, from his cap all the way down to his shoes. He kept following me and touching my blonde hair. Another boy was dressed up in a suit that was way too big for him, but he was proud nonetheless. There was a look in the eyes of these children. Yes, they were joyful that they now had a school, but there was something else that I can’t quite name. Their eyes seemed older – wisdom was reflected. I’m sure it’s hard for these children to trust. Some of us cried when they sang to us. Dr. Chris was with us and I saw him get emotional.

Our team experienced something unique that day. We all shared a passion to help the water situation and make a permanent school happen. This was real – not some article in a magazine. We hugged the children, played with them and listened to their dreams. It was a very emotional day for us.

There’s a story within a story on this day too. Initially, Greg Strouse, a young man on our team, was not sure he was going to be able to be a part of the mission. But fortunately he worked things out. He works for a building company, so he was excited about the future of a permanent school site, because at first he thought they were ready to start construction. He thought he was going to be able to get his work boots in the mud and build something – but that was not the case. We were told there was an architect working on the project but he was not around. After we had returned to Faith Alive, Erika, Greg and I were standing outside the hospital. A man seemed to just pop up next to Erika. Erika introduces him to us – it was Amos the architect! He visited the guesthouse for lunch and told us amazing stories.

So, we not only saw need in this situation, somehow we think we saw God’s will in it too. The children have come back in my mind since I have returned home. As I’m so happy to be home and I’m getting my children ready for their wonderful schools, I will pray for the children of the Hwol Yarje temporary school:

Dear God,

Please keep the children of Hwol Yarje safe.

Strengthen them as they go through their daily struggles.

Comfort them when they cry.

Give peace to their families.

Let them know You are always with them.

In Jesus’ name, Amen

Refreshing & Harvesting Ideas

Well, all of the luggage is back! I've heard that there was some mixed sentiment about being given back a 50lb bag of dirt laundry; as one team member put it: "delta can just keep it." Both teams are taking some time this week to readjust to the lives they left two weeks ago as well as refresh themselves physically and emotionally. Most of the team has either returned to work or are preparing to go back to school in the fall, but there is a great fire and passion coming from all of them. Everyone seems to want to tell their story and the stories of the people they met and worked with over the last few weeks. Also, the ideas are flowing. Big ones and small ones. Look for some awesome stories and pictures to be posted in the next few days on here. Also, the teams will be back at Church of the Nativity this weekend and are more than willing to chat about everything that they did and saw. The week after, there will be a larger presentation welcoming them home and planting the seeds for some huge projects we are going to be doing this fall!

Back in Baltimore

Rob Devereux with his family.

Danny & Becky with Mrs. Sue.

Family mayhem!

Ed King & his grandchildren.

Both teams flew back into BWI this morning. Although a little tired, all were excited to see their families. The rush to make the connection at JFK was described to me as "something out of Home Alone" by Rob Devereux. Although none of their bags made it due to the quick turnaround in New York, everyone was thrilled to be reunited with their families. Although, there was certainly some sad sentiment about leaving Nigeria as well. As one person said "I kind of just wanted to sneak away and stay longer." As we said in the previous post, stay tuned for huge and awesome things that are going to be coming from this team this fall.

Return to the States

After speaking to both teams, they were both given great sendoffs from their communities in Nigeria. The Faith Alive Team in Jos was treated to Chinese food and The Anawim Home Team was given traditional African clothing. Apparently there was dancing as well (video to come). Both teams will be traveling back tonight to JFK and then back to BWI in the morning. Look for updates and photos tomorrow. Thank you all for your generous support and stay tuned for updates on the next steps we will be taking now that the team is back. There are going to be big and awesome things happening this fall that we want all of you to be a part of!

We All Walk to the Same Place Called Home

From Marina Lynch of The Faith Alive Hospital Team in Jos:

It is so hard to believe that we are near the end of the most amazing spiritual journey. We have experienced so much that I am finding it difficult to express my thoughts into words. From the noises of children playing in the streets, to the sounds torrential down pours clanging on tin roofs - nothing could have prepared us for what we have found... and what we have found will impact our lives and the lives of those around us always.

Since we arrived at Faith Alive Hospital, our schedules were jam-packed. We spent most of our days working on projects that suited our talents. Dr. Gin Gin and her medical expertise pulled her in every direction imaginable, including health talks, surgeries, and a trip to Kafanchan to speak to local tribal leaders on the HIV and AIDS Epidemic.

Our rocket scientist Rob Douglas became the Faith Alive Technical Support Specialist, assisting with updating computer systems and giving talks about computer viruses at staff meetings. But don't let this computer geek fool you, Rob has led prayer meetings and has become the most fluent of our team in the tribal language of Hausa.

Our team leader, Ed has been our saving grace, making sure everyone was accounted for and has making sure that we spent our time here wisely. He has been our Nativity voice when speaking to officials at Faith Alive and even had the opportunity to sit down with Nigerian Catholic Relief Services representatives to discuss the roles between CRS and PEPFAR. I had the honor of being a part of that discussion myself which provided both Ed and I with a wealth of knowledge and insight into this partnership.

Teresa is our team's angel. She has used her time praying for patients, leading prayer meetings, counseling the sick, and offering encouragement to those around her. I have caught her several times journaling and I can not wait to see what she will contribute to this blog when we return. I have a feeling we are in for a treat.

Greg, our carpenter has been our "surprise story". Our first impression of this young man was one of a quiet and focused person. He has managed to surprise all of us and I think even himself. His love for life and his passion for Faith Alive have gotten him appointed here by locals as the "Mayor of Jos." His outgoing nature and his drive to make difference is seen by all. Keep an eye on this young man, he has much to tell you in the days and weeks to come.

As for me, I have spent most of my days doing what everyone else has done, leading prayer meetings and discipleship classes, and teaching new sewing skills to the women in social services. I even had the opportunity to help develop a new children's outreach program here at Faith Alive. The program is called "ANGELS" . This program is designed to educate and offer support to children who are infected or affected by HIV and AIDS. Being asked to help develop this program is truly an honor for me. I can not wait to see how God will move this program in this community.

As for our down time, well, there hasn't been much. After dinner, the team would gather around our make-shift coffee table reviewing the days accomplishments and planning for the next days events. We coined this our "debriefing time." These table discussions proved to be challenging at times....imagine a room full of extroverts and talkers planning out the next day's events. It was difficult at times to get anything done, but thanks to Ed, there was always a plan and we ended our talks by praying a decade of the Rosary.

This has been the most amazing journey. We have all been moved. We have all shed tears. We have all grown humble. And we have all gained a new and deeper level of faith. What I realized most of this journey is this: That we have one faith, one God, and one Salvation. There are many paths to this destination, but we all walk to the same place called home, to our creator who sees us all as beautiful and worthy of his grace.

Final Days at Anawim

From Alex Sidlak & Becky Zawodny of The Anawim Home Team:

Just spoke to the team, which is stuck in "crazy Nigerian traffic." The team traveled out to a monastery in Ewu and provided food for the destitute yesterday and today, which was described as an "intense and emotional experience for all of us." Also, they will soon be traveling back to Abuja for their departure on Sunday evening. In fact, Ed & The Faith Alive Team will also traveling to Anawim Home early in the day on Sunday to spend the day with the Anawim Home Team and Sister Oresoa. This should be an awesome way for the two teams to spend the last day or so together in Nigeria.

A Part of the Large Picture

From the Faith Alive Hospital Team in Jos:

On Wednesday evening, Dr. Gin Gin and Greg headed out to a remote city called Kafachan, where we were last Saturday. They traveled with Dr. Chris and key members of the Faith Alive Staff for a 2 day conference on HIV/AIDs being presented to tribal leaders from villages all around the area. This is about 2 hours away from Jos and we heard back from them last night, via text message:

"The people we spoke to today represent half a million over Nigeria. Pretty cool."

We are so proud of them, but can't wait to reunite the team. We expect them back around 4:00 today.