Gerry, Ulric & Annabel - Nigeria
Prayer Letter December 2007 (click here for pdf version)
Greetings from Nigeria. We are doing well. Here is our latest news:
LICENCED: Since our last newsletter, I finally managed to see the famous Archbishop Peter Akinola., who very kindly granted me licence to minister here, so I am now 'legal'. I wondered what sort of man he would be, after all one reads in the press; however he comes across as a very warm smiley man, full of energy and with a great commitment to mission and planting churches. One possibility is that I get involved next year with training local lay readers. Meanwhile please pray for the Archbishop and the worldwide Anglican Communion.
CHURCH: The "Abuja Ark International Community Church" is now going well. We are running it jointly with an American Methodist Pastor, who is also working with the local Methodists church out here. We are getting 30-40 people on a Sunday, mainly Westerners, but a few Africans, including a young man from our University service in Dar Es Salaam - what a small world! As a church we have been helping out at a couple of orphanages, doing practical things and spending time with the children. The owner of the orphanage (who had started it after having several dreams from God) said that was impressed him was our humility in 'people at the top' getting paint on their clothes and putting up shelves. Please pray for more musicians and more importantly that we can witness Christ to the wider community.
NIGERIA: The main public event this year was the election, which went relatively peacefully, in spite of chaotic computer registration system (no power and too few computers) The new President is a devout Muslim, who was a good State Governor. He has already reversed a number of the corrupt decisions of the previous administration, but it is a tough job. Please pray for Nigeria especially that they spend their increased revenues from the current high oil prices wisely, begin to tackle corruption, and end fighting in the delta.
CULTURE: Nigerians are very loud, colourful and flamboyant, and this is reflected in the capital city, which has broad roads and amazing buildings. However - and this is not meant as a criticism - enthusiasm and
precision in work don’t always occur together. The result of this is that things (like traffic lights) are always breaking down, and we are often without power, telephones, water, internet etc. Apply this culture to healthcare, education, administration and general infrastructure for poor Nigerians who do not have the privileges we do, and you get an idea of life out here. This is such a shame as Nigeria could be a prosperous first-world country.
FAMILY: We have all been generally well, although I was flown back to the UK and was in hospital in London for a week after I got cellulitus (an infection under the skin) from a small graze, which was all very exciting. Otherwise we give thanks that Meriel (4) and Caitlin (4) have settled very well into separate classes at school and both found some really good friends this year. Iona (3) is as ever full of life and laughs; her nursery school motto is "Primus inter Paris" (their spelling!) "first to Paris"?
Ulric, Annabel and Caitlin, Iona and Meriel.
Gerry
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