First Fruit Farms

Each year, our teams serve together for a day with one of the local nonprofit organizations in our area. This allows the team to bond together, learn more about the needs of our own community, and support a cause central to our Baltimore brothers and sisters. Teams always find this to be a fun and formative experience, in preparation for our time serving with our Nigerian partners.

This year, our team served with First Fruit Farms, a local nonprofit ministry dedicated to growing fresh vegetables and fruit to help feed the hungry of Baltimore. The farm, now stretching over 100 acres of rich farmland, relies on volunteers each year to provide 1.4 million pounds of fresh produce annually to Maryland food banks. Our team had a great day, paint the farm's cattle fence with a preservative tar coating and preparing the farm for this summer's harvest.

NATIVITY:NIGERIA Serving at First Fruit Farms

Painting First Fruit's Cattle Fence

N:N Local Service Day

Megan & Katy

Kelsey & Jess

2014 Missions Kickoff Meeting

Church of the Nativity kicked off its Summer 2014 mission programs last night. It was a fantastic night, filled with worship, prayer, and preparation. The teams all enjoyed the chance to get to know one another, to engage in vision casting for the mission, and to celebrate the beginning of this new experience. Nativity is excited to be sending over thirty missionaries this year to Kawira, Kenya; Labrande, Haiti; Abuja, Nigeria; and Jos, Nigeria.

This marks the eight year of Nativity's partnership with both Faith Alive Hospital in Jos, Nigeria and Anawim Home Orphanage in Abuja, Nigeria. Our teams will spend the next three month preparing for their trip to Nigeria and growing as a team.

Stay tuned to the blog here and the Nativity Missions Facebook page for the latest information regarding this summer's exciting mission trips.

Brian Crook (Church of the Nativity's Director of Missions)

2014 Mission Teams Kickoff

2014 Mission Teams Kickoff - Worship

Mary's Story

We received this beautiful story today of Mary, a longtime resident of Anawim Home in Abuja. It serves a testimony to the restoring and life-giving work of Anawim Home. We join our Nigerian partners in celebrating the wonderful work that God is doing through their community, and continue to pray for the provision and protection of our brothers and sisters there.

Mary was an orphan, and had struggled her whole life to have access to even just the basic necessities. She had a baby girl out of wedlock, in 2006. Her boyfriend, and the father of her child, denied Mary and her baby, and she was left to raise the child on her own. After just two short weeks, she could no longer cope with taking care of the child. Mary decided to drop her baby outside of Sacred Heart Parish, hoping that someone would see the child and take her into their home. She hoped that someone would be able to care for her child, in ways that she could not. The Missionary Sisters for the Poorest of the Poor worship at the parish, and heard the baby crying as they left morning mass. Luckily, other parishioners of the church caught Mary as she was attempting to run away. The sisters brought Mary and her daughter to their community, and cared for them both. At Anawim Home, Mary was taught tangible skills and was soon enrolled in school. Today, Mary completes her education, and receives her certification as a qualified school teacher. Her daughter is enrolled in the Anawim Infant Jesus Academy School. Both are doing well, and are living example of God's eternal mercy.    - By: Rev. Sr. Elizabeth Okwoli

Mary Celebrating With Sister Elizabeth and Her
Daughter After Receiving Her Teaching Certificate

Mary and Her Daughter, 2013

Mary's Daughter, found by the Anawim Sisters in 2006

Borehole Project - Update

The borehole project continues to move forward, as construction at both the Fobur and Andaha site near completion. The wells have now been drilled, the house for the borehole and the tank stand were completed, and now the electrical wiring and piping will be done next week. Check out the pictures below which the project team at Faith Alive Hospital have shared with us. We keep our strategic partners at Faith Alive Hospital in our prayers, as they embark on this exciting new chapter to provide medical services at satellite facilities in the communities of Fobur and Andaha.

Well Housing Structure, May 17th

Construction of the Well Housing Structure

Borehole Tank Stand

Fobur Borehole, May 17th

Borehole Project - Update

Construction of the two boreholes located at satellite facilities for our partners Faith Alive Hospital is progressing well. At the Fobur site, the well was drilled last week and construction of the tank stand is almost complete, as the pictures here depict. Next the pipe casing will be installed so that the borehole can begin extracting water, and the permanent well figure will be erected. Meanwhile, surveying has commenced at the Andaha site and the construction team expects to begin drilling there this week. Both projects should be completed in the next few weeks, and we expect the wells to be operational by the end of the month. We are thrilled to be part of such a meaningful project, and share in the joys, nourishment, and improved-health that this project will provide to our Nigerian partner communities. To read more about NATIVITY:NIGERIA's support of water projects, check out some recent posts here. We will continue to post updates as the borehole project moves towards completion, and ask that you continue to pray for our partners' steadfast resolve to rise above the unrest in their region and seek God's peaceful blessing over the communities of Faith Alive Hospital and Anawim Home.

Construction of the Fobur Borehole Begins

Construction of the Tank Stand at Fobur

Drilling the Well at Fobur

Easter Wishes from Anawim

Last week we received the following Easter message from Sister Oresoa and the community of Anawim Home in Gwagwalada, Nigeria. We continue to pray for our strategic partners, seeking God's protection and provision for their communities during the Easter holiday. Please join us tomorrow in participating in our monthly water fast. All day tomorrow, join us in drinking only water, in support and remembrance of our Nigerian partners.                

Happy Easter! Happy Easter!! Happy Easter!!!

The kids and everyone at Anawim Home wish you all 
the best that Easter blessings have to offer. May God's 
light and hope continue to lead you all in the right paths 
of fulfillment. You are all in our prayers, as we know 
that we are in yours. Take care and remain blessed.

Love,

Sister Oresoa, on behalf of The Anawim Children

Members of the Anawim Home Community, March 2013

Borehole Project

NATIVITY:NIGERIA is blessed to be supporting a project with our partners at Faith Alive Hospital to construct two new boreholes. These boreholes will enable the communities of Andaha and Fobur, Nigeria to readily have access to a supply of water, and specifically enable the staff of Faith Alive Hospital at these two satellite locations to better provide for the areas' medical needs. The boreholes will be constructed by installing a vertical pipe casing and well screen to extract water from the ground and prevent contaminants such as sand and sediment from entering the water when pumped. Although readily accessing water is a convenient and simple process for us here, it often requires Nigerians to walk several hours to a well or river which is miles away. These boreholes will make a huge impact in the lives of hundreds of people within the communities of Andaha and Fobur.

The borehole project began this week, and is already making great strides. The team at Faith Alive Hospital plans to finish the project in the next few weeks, completing both the construction and dedication of the two boreholes before the rainy season begins in Nigeria next month. Stay tuned to the blog here for updates and pictures as the project progresses.

To hear more about boreholes we have sponsored at our partner communities of Faith Alive and Anawim Home in 2009 and 2010, check out the videos and posts linked below.

Clean Water in Hwol Yarje, a water well constructed in 2009 in Hwol Yarje, a village outside of Jos, Nigeria where Faith Alive directs a school for the community's children

Clean Water in Abuja, a water well constructed for the Anawim Home community in 2010

N:N team member Adrienne Brooks using the borehole at Anawim Home

Shagali: A Night of Worship & Prayer

In death, In life, 
I'm confident and covered by the power 
of Your great love.
My debt is paid, 
there's nothing that can separate my heart 
from Your great love.

These are the words that rang out in song last night, as members of the NATIVITY:NIGERIA mission team joined together in worship and prayer in support of our Nigerian partners.  As we lifted up our brothers and sisters there, and humbly asked God to protect them during this time of widespread strife and conflict, we were encouraged and reminded of God's great love. In times of turmoil, unrest, pain, and suffering, God's love never fails us, it never gives up, it never runs out. Whether here in the States, or oceans away in Jos/Abuja Nigeria, God's love meets us in our needs. He abundantly and faithfully provides for our physical well-being, protection, and sustenance. It is that same love which connects us to our partners, joins us to their needs, and unites us through the universal providence of Christ.

"Shagali: Partners in Prayer" - March 2013

 

 As we closed our gathering last night, we joined in praying through God's own words. We share those words with you here, to continue your own remembrance, prayer, and solidarity for our Nigerian partners.

May the Lord bless you and keep you;

May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

- Numbers 6:24-26

Partners in Prayer

NATIVITY:NIGERIA will be gathering together next Wednesday, March 6th, to remember our partners in Nigeria. Join us for a night of uplifting worship and nourishing prayer, as we continue our season of solidarity. All are welcome!

When: Wednesday, March 6th

            6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Where: Church of the Nativity, Theater

Fast With Us: February

This week, we continue our commitment to fasting on the first Thursday of the month. Join the NATIVITY:NIGERIA community in a water-only fast this Thursday. (Water only means you still eat whatever you want, but refrain from drinking beverages other than water for the day.) The fast provides an opportunity for us to prayerfully reflect on God's goodness, and seek His protection over our Nigerian brothers and sisters, while they experience continued violence and strife in their country. Similar to the past few months, our strategic partners at Faith Alive Hospital and Anawim Home will be fasting along with us this Thursday too.

Please join us on Thursday (February 7th) in a water-only fast, as we prayerfully seek peace for our partners in Nigeria.

To read more about our fasting efforts, and hear why we are fasting - check out other blog posts here.