My Eyes Have Seen Holy

One part of our everyday schedule at Faith Alive was called "projects". This was the time you could help in the area in which you were interested. I used to like spending this part of the day walking around trying to meet people. There is a counseling unit that is part of Faith Alive's social services. The counselors help patients with how to prevent spreading diseases and how to cope with having a disease

One day I met a counselor named Rhoda. She was a pretty woman wearing a beautiful purple African dress and matching headdress. She was sitting at the desk in her office and waved to me to come in. After noticing an article on her desk by Rick Warren, who wrote "The Purpose Driven Life", I knew she was someone I wanted to talk to. "I am new" she told me. "You are new?" I asked. "Yes, I am new at this . I said "I am new new too! I have never been to Africa or any mission trip before". She said she was nervous. I reassured her. I told her about our church and how most of us had read "The Purpose Driven Life" together. She said "I know my life has a purpose now". She then told me her story.

Her husband had contracted AIDS. She took care of him and her three children. It was very hard for her to watch her husband get sicker and sicker and eventually die. Somehow despite her best efforts, her youngest child caught the disease and died. She cried to God how can this be. She felt guilty and ashamed. She felt like she didn't want to live anymore. She told of how the Faith Alive Family helped her regain hope and how they showed her God's love.

She said she had always had religion In her life. Her family took her to church as a child. But something was different now. She now knew Jesus Christ was her personal Savior. All she wanted to do now was to share her faith and to help other people who are suffering like she had been herself. She said He did not mean for us to be alone. We have to go out, share our faith and try to help people.

I was amazed by her story. As I walked back to the guesthouse that afternoon, I thought of how the AIDS disease leaves women and children alone. There is still a very strong stigma in that country concerning AIDS. So most of the men who get the disease do not seek medical help. Then sometimes the wives get it and also the children who have weaker immune systems then also get the disease. They have nowhere to go. There are no shelters or clinics run by government agencies or non-profit organizations. There are no nearby wealthy neighborhoods for donations or handouts. There is only Faith Alive - an oasis in the desert. And they depend on the mercy of other countries'donations. I wondered how would that feel to have to depend on the charity of another country for survival - that it would not come from a surrounding neighborhood, community, city or state - but another country.

As you walk down the street you see storefronts and houses that are little more than shacks. The Nigerian people wave to you, children run up to you. Everyone is saying "you're welcome" and "thank you so much". They are so grateful for the help they receive from America. I would have to just stop sometimes and catch my breath to keep from crying. They do not want pity. They need support and encouragement. They look up to our country. I think I was so blessed just to be born in our country.

After a few days you know the path very well from Faith Alive to the guesthouse. As I looked down the street before entering the guesthouse, I saw some children playing in the street. I remembered when Fr.Emmanuel(born in Nigeria) celebrated the mass at our church and gave the Nativity Nigeria team a blessing a few days before we left on the mission. During his homily he said "...when you see a dirty little boy playing in the street, will you be able to see Jesus Christ or will you only see a dirty little boy?"

Well, I saw Jesus Christ everywhere at Faith Alive - in all the wonderful children, in smiling welcoming faces, in staff's caring eyes and the mercy and love that is given to Faith Alive by Dr. Chris. I had such a strong feeling that my eyes were seeing Holy.

I played this song a lot on my CD player while I was there: "My Eyes Have Seen Holy" by Bebo Norman. Here are some of the lyrics:

...Mercy, weep over me.
Let your tears wash me clean.
Majesty, be merciful with me,
For my eyes have seen Holy.

Teresa Pompa

To the Ends of the Earth

Our team piled into a Jeep one day to go on a Home Based Care visit. Faith Alive has a team which takes medical care and reaches out to the sick who cannot get to the hospital.

It had been a day of pouring down rain. We did not know where we were going or how far it would be. After leaving the town of Jos, we suddenly were driving down dirt roads. It became very bumpy and muddy. The rainwater was rushing down the roads. We were going through country roads that then turned into fields. We were actually going through crops. The Jeep was bouncing all over the place and I began to get scared. I thought for sure we wouldn't make it. Me and another team member who were - let's just say a little older than the rest of the team - were holding on for dear life and praying. The young team members thought it was a great adventure. Our team leader, Jason, kept calmly reading his book! He had gone through this adventure the year before. The Home Based Care team was used to this. They just said "...we will get there".

After calming down, I began to really notice the countryside. It was beautiful. The rain had stopped. The sky was full of huge, billowy, low-hanging clouds. There are certain trees in Africa that have a distinct shape. They have very wide branches but are not very tall. There were hills in the background. We saw different fields and crops. It really was beautiful.The Jeep pulled over on the side of the road. We looked at each other like "are we here?". All we saw were fields and trees again. Yes we had arrived safely at our destination. The patient's children were waiting there for us. We then walked with them down a long, winding, rocky path to the patient's home.

It was a mud hut. It was so shocking to see this. Yes I had seen documentaries of this type of situation, but here I was and this was real. The hut was practically empty. They had very little belongings. As it turned out, the patient wasn't there. She was feeling better so she went to visit her sister. This was good news. But the mud hut roof was leaking badly, so the Home Based Care team and Jason put a large piece of heavy plastic on the roof. The children watched as they did this. Their clothes were not in very good condition. I was touched by their quiet dignity as they watched the roof being repaired.

As this was happening, I just kind of looked around. I thought to myself - how did these people live in the middle of nowhere, in a mud hut with nothing. A few bowls and some blankets were all we could see. Me and a couple of team members walked around to the back of the hut and realized we were on a rocky cliff. We all just kind of stood there. The view off of the cliff was shockingly beautiful. It was of a hilly countryside. This mom and her children had nothing materially. I tried to imagine if they would sometimes come and sit back there and just take in the view.

We walked down the rocky path to the Jeep to leave. The children walked with us. A member of the Home Based care team, I believe her name was Florence, stopped under one of the trees. It had started to begin pouring down rain again. Florence put her arms high in the air and began to pray. She gave thanks for us. I thought to myself - what did we do? This is one of the pictures that remains strong in my mind. Florence, with her hands held high, praising and thanking God. I can see our team standing there with bowed heads under this wide African tree. All of us in the middle of nowhere in the pouring down rain.

And I was thankful. I was thankful to God for letting me be in Nigeria, in that moment, to witness what real faith is all about. I was filled with awe how this Home Based Care team did this kind of work every day. They would help in any way they can even if it means repairing a roof. Sometimes all they can provide is a small task and some hope. They do everything they can even when it is extremely hard to get there. I felt like I had gone to the "ends of the earth" that day. It brought to mind the scripture verse our team was given by Father White before we left:

"And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Sumeria, and to the ends of the earth"
Acts 1:8


Teresa Pompa

2009 Application

Please see the above application for the 2009 NATIVITY:NIGERIA ministry at Church of the Nativity. Simply click on the image and a larger, more readable version will appear. A hard copy can be received at the Information Desk at Nativity. A digital copy may be received by emailing nigeria@churchnativity.org

Please return all applications by April 26, either via email or to the Information Desk at Nativity.

Also, please note the Information Session on March 30th to answer any questions you may have.

Spring Forward Information

Well we have aligned some of the stars and have begun the application process for the 2009 Nativity:Nigeria trip this upcoming August. Applications will be made available on this site within the next few hours and may also be received at the Information Desk at Nativity. They may also be received in digital form by emailing nigeria@churchnativity.org

For anyone interested in more information about the program, getting questions answered, or just wondering how they can get involved on a variety of levels, we are hosting an Information Session at Nativity on Monday, March 30th at 7PM. Please take a look through the blog to see some of the stories and experiences of past participants.

Again, please do not hesitate to email us at nigeria@churchnativity.org

Blessing

Not long after arriving in Jos, our team met a wonderful woman named Blessing. It is common in Jos to be named after virtues - Comfort, Mercy, Joy, etc. Imagine having this kind of name being given to us. I know it would be inspiring to me to be reminded by others everyday of the love God has for me.

Blessing is a tall, statuesque, beautiful woman. She walked into the Faith Alive Hospital guest house where we would have our meals everyday. You could not help but notice Blessing right away. She wore an American outfit of jeans and a t-shirt. She had stylish hair, make-up and nails. We would find out later that the job training program at Faith Alive included a salon. The women who worked at the salon helped Blessing and other women in the town with their pretty hair and nails. You could tell she was excited to meet us, but also a little anxious. There was something about her. She seems to have a light around her. She was sweet and caring. She wanted so much to be our friend. She would ask us ladies for "girlfriend time" after most of the work was finished in the late afternoon. This usually would mean a trip to the salon to have your nails painted.

Blessing is a gifted seamstress who has her own shop. She makes most of the gorgeous traditional African dresses as well as the traditional male outfit. She gets much of her business from the Americans who come to Jos to help at Faith Alive. First you pick out the fabric that you want from the town market. Then you just tell her what you want. She takes a couple of measurements, even guesses for your spouses or children. Then she does her unbelievable work. I myself bought a dress, two wrap skirts, two outfits for my daughter and shirts for my husband and son!

Blessing's husband died of AIDS. He was a man of reputation in the Nigerian government. Because of this, she had a fairly good life materially by Nigerian standards. While he was being treated at Faith Alive the staff befriended her. Her sons stayed well but she contracted the disease. She became very ill and she watched her husband die. After her husband died she was left with two sons and no way to support themselves. Her in-laws wrongly accused her of causing her husband's illness. They came and took everything out of her house claiming it was their right to do so. She came to not only know financial desperation but horrible persecution. She was isolated, lonely, scared and depressed. She does not know what she would have done without Faith Alive Hospital. The staff and other patients helped her find hope. After the good medical care she received, she became well again - not cured - of course there is no cure.

Faith Alive Hospital is called the Faith Alive Family. This is a big part of Dr. Chris' vision. He believes in the importance of befriending people, all people. Faith and love is shared with one and all. Blessing will testify to anyone how her life has been saved without even being cured. The faith, love and hope she received was every bit as important as the medical care.

On my last day there, I took a picture of her with her younger son. We embraced and exchanged email addresses. If you visit Jos you will be sure to meet her. She will be waiting for you to make you lovely clothes, but most of all to be your friend.

Teresa Pompa

My Personal Nigeria Experience

As Easter approaches my thoughts turn to Nigeria and the Faith Alive Hospital in Jos. I have never forgotten Nigeria and its people. They are always in my thoughts and prayers. Faith, hope and love has been a theme of my heart since the trip.

A homily on this subject was given on Ash Wednesday that touched my heart and I would like to share:

“Often times, when we are paralyzed with fear, with doubt, with discouragement, with confusion, with seemingly no way out, it is then that friends, mentors and family, symbolically signed with the cross of ashes for us to see, lift us up by reminding us that faith, hope and love will get us through any suffering and death to resurrection”

My trip to Nigeria was life changing. I look back and remember the people so well. I have thought of them every day. I remember arriving at the airport in Nigeria. We (our team of 11) were all very tired but excited. Dr. Chris met us there. He is the person who started Faith Alive Hospital and is the head doctor there. I had first met Dr. Chris when he visited the Church of the Nativity last April. He is a small, wiry man with a huge smile and bright eyes. He seems to be in constant motion. Upon arrival, I dropped my black shoulder carry on bag to the floor when we were at a stopped position. It was so heavy! What a mistake it was to bring it! So when it was time to move on, I forgot to pick it back up. Dr. Chris looked back and noticed the bag. He said “Stop – wait a minute – who does that black bag belong to?” Jason, our Nativity/Jos team leader said “Oh , Teresa”. Dr. Chris’ response to Jason was “You are going to have to put her on a short leash!”. Dr. Chris turned out to be a prophet. I lost my bag 3 more times before I returned home to the USA.

Dr. Chris’ faith is huge. He inspired many people to get the hospital built. He made a pledge to God, that if God would help him through medical school, he would build a hospital for his country. This hospital would provide free care and help his country with many diseases but mostly the growing problem of HIV epidemic. He had a huge vision. It was a Godly vision. God came through for his faithful servant and the hospital was built. It still depends 100% on donations to provide free care. It also provides clothing, food, shelter for orphans and social services such as counseling and job training. It is amazing what people can do when they work together and all have a passion for the vision.

Being in Jos, Nigeria was like being in another world, not just another country. I have so many memories. Some are like huge still photographs in my mind. Walking down the street of the village, anyone would be moved by the extreme poverty. There are so many vendors lining the streets, trying to sell their wares. The housing is very substandard. But there are bright color images too. The beautiful African fabrics. The bright blue sky (when it was not raining!) and deep pink sunsets. If I close my eyes, I can see the ladies who carried big amounts of peanuts or colorful fruits on their head. They had such poise and dignity. The many mopeds driven caused the outsides of the dirt roads, when dry, to raise a brownish yellow dust in the air. The driving there is quite crazy and honking your horn is a very popular thing to do. It seems to be done constantly! The people have such large smiles and are so joyful. Their greeting is “You’re Welcome” – which means “I’m so happy you are here!”. It is said often.

And the best – the children. There were children everywhere. They wore USA donated clothes with labels from The Gap, Old Navy, etc. They waved and yelled to us. Many would run up to us for hugs and to be picked up. There are children at the social services job training area. The women learning to sew bring their children with them. All the mothers help out with each other’s children. The building formed kind of a courtyard where they play. A little boy named Suna and I became friends. He loved to play with my long “yellow” hair. On my first day, I sat with him on a bench. So on my return visits, he would run to me and say “Sit! Sit!” – pointing to the bench. He asked “Will you play with me?” Of course I said yes. My son was eleven at the time of my departure. This little boy brought back the memory of my son’s daily, almost hourly pleading, when he was young - “will you play with me Momma?” We played silly games and laughed. He touched a special place in my heart. I could not say goodbye to him. There is an African phrase for “see you later” and that is what I said to him.

I would like to post more stories as we go through Lent. I do this in honor and respect for the Nigerian people. I will always remember Dr. Chris’ words to me – “Pray for us, Teresa. Please pray for us.”

To the Nigerian people – I will continue to pray for you. God Bless you and may God have mercy on all of us.




Teresa Pompa