Merry Christmas

Snowflakes drift gently outside and I wear a warm sweater and corduroys as I listen to Christmas music. How different from Christmas in Nigeria, and how very different from that first Christmas in Bethlehem.

The weather would have been cold and dry, with a dusty wind blowing. Instead of balsam fir and cinnamon, the holy family would have had the smell of hay and manure and animals in their nostrils. Instead of carols and bells, the bleating of goats, the cries of labor, and the soft squalling of a newborn baby. No home with candles burning and the happy faces of family and friends and the tastes of too many delicious foods; instead the overcrowded houses and barns, smokey with lamps and cooking fires.

In many ways that first Christmas resembles Christmas in Nigeria more than the cozy celebration we have made of it. In many ways, a spare and weary Christmas highlights better that Greatest Gift ever given, the Gift wrapped in swaddling clothes, surrounded by controversy, gazed upon by wondering faces of shepherds and livestock.

God bless you and have a Merry Christmas!

DeVoe update

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

What joy it brings to a father seeing his children walking in truth. Today Sarah headed to school early, which is rather surprising considering that she is really bothered by many of the other students behavior and talk of drugs and immorality. Sarah left before 7am so she could participate in a nationwide program involving students gathering at their flag poles to pray, asking God to work on their campuses among students and staff. We also need to be praying for our Christian students to be unified, for them to stand strong in their faith and for them to have the courage to share Christ.

This past weekend was also filled with joy as it was the opening weekend at the Word of Life Bible Institute. 10 years ago I responded to God's call on my life by moving my family to Schroon Lake and attending the BI. Unsure what He had in store for us we moved forward one step at a time and He showed Himself to be faithful again and again. From selling our house in VT in only 2 weeks, with no real-estate agent to both Meredith and I receiving Bachelors' degrees while remaining dept free. He also raised up the financial and prayer support that allowed us to move to Nigeria as a family in 2006 which enabled us to serve in an incredibly fruitful ministry. To be at WOL for Ryan's opening weekend brought back a flood of memories which stirred my heart and mind with anticipation as to what God has in store for Ryan. Pray for his coming year to have a lifelong impact and for wisdom in deciding what the next step in his life will be after a year at the BI.

We were also blessed this past Saturday evening to be part of a sell-out crowd for a concert by Mark Schultz & Point of Grace hosted at our Church, First Baptist of Johnson City. Sunday followed with an open house and Dedication service of the new building which is now home to a church that is over 100 years old and stands testament to the faithfulness of God. Before we left for Nigeria in 2006, we had been part of a prayer walk that moved about an open field which had been marked out for what we were asking God to bring to a reality. Now to the glory of God an incredible ministry center stands which purposes to provide new ministry opportunities for a group that abounds with people that live their faith, give sacrificially and serve unconditionally. Pray along with us to meet up with the stewardship of such a building and that God will raise up an army of individuals to serve in every aspect of ministry where there is a need so that First Baptist of Johnson City will be all that God expects her to be.

Our furlough is almost half over and we are so thankful for the many individuals that have provided meals, housing and encouragement in many different forms and for the many opportunities we have had to share about what God is doing in Nigeria. God has answered your prayers for our safe travels with over 9000 miles logged since the 8th of July and we would ask you to continue to pray for safety as we travel to the many missions conferences and speaking engagements that we have coming up over the next 3 months. Please continue to pray for the Verkaiks and the ministry staff in Nigeria as the work goes on in our absence only with less hands to accomplish it. We also ask you to pray for an increase in our prayer and financial support base before we return to Nigeria.

To God be the Glory, great things He has done.
Bob & family

Top Ten...

Top ten things I miss about Nigeria:

1. "Sannu! Ina kwana?"


2. Our friends!!


3. The most-always pleasant weather


4. The colorful clothing


5. Dancing in church


6. Reggae music


7. Rice, beans, and red stew


8. Hillcrest School


9. Jerry (a five-year-old who lives in our compound)


10. Mangoes

Top ten things I don't miss:

1. Achabas (motorcycle taxis)


2. Trash strewn everywhere


3. Public urination


4. Diesel fumes


5. Marriage proposals for my daughter


6. Corrupt police and officials


7. White-knuckle driving everywhere


8. Crashed and burned-out cars


9. Razor wire


10. Potholes

Top ten things I am appreciating about the USA:

1. Blueberries, cherries, apples


2. Safe driving


3. Open lawns and gardens, farms and woods


4. Thrift Shops


5. Libraries


6. 24-hour electricity


7. Drinkable water


8. Clean air


9. I am not an object of curiosity everywhere I go


10. Most everyone is actually wealthier than me

Top ten things I wish about the USA:

1. That people were grateful for the enormous blessings they enjoy from God every day


2. That people would spend less time mowing lawns and more with each other


3. That people would dress nicer-- not jeans and t-shirts ad nauseum


4. That people would loosen up and make some noise in church


5. That people would buy less and make more


6. That junk food was not so ubiquitous


7. That SUVs would go away, especially Hummers


8. That they would turn the air conditioning down


9. That people would protect the unborn AND the Alaskan wilderness


10. That Christians would make Christ known so the world will see and turn away from false gods

Finishing Well

In just two weeks we will be headed for the US for 6 months. Already our Nigerian friends are warmly telling us how much they will miss us and how they hope we enjoy our "holiday". I laugh when I tell them we will likely be more busy in America than we are here! But we are enthusiastically looking forward to seeing our family, friends, and the churches who have helped us so greatly.

Please pray for us as we prepare for our furlough schedule. We expect a full roster of speaking and sharing what the Lord has done in the last three years-- How can we tell it all?-- as well as taking classes, working part time, keeping house and traveling extensively. God will give us the strength to do all we need to do.

We are thankful for all He is and all He has done and will continue faithfully to do.

Finishing Well

The month of May has ushered in the rainy season and brought with it much activity for us as a family and in the ministries of Word of Life Nigeria. As a family we have been very busy making many plans for our upcoming furlough to visit friends and relatives, along with juggling the many activities that coincide with the end of a school year for a teacher and students. Even with being far from the United States Ryan enjoyed a very traditional High School Graduation with all the festivities that one might expect. He has also enjoyed getting his Nigerian drivers license, and some of the privileges that go along with yet another step towards maturity and independence.

The First picture shows Ryan and his classmates with Ryan standing while they gave a synopsis of his 2 years at Hillcrest.

The Born Again to a living Hope Drama Ministry presented in Jos at the Police Barracks and at the Air Force Base as well as traveling to the area of Kafenchan to give another 11 performances. These 13 powerful presentations ministered to 5704 individuals with 755 trusting in Jesus Christ. We may never fully know the impact of this ministry this side of eternity, but the Lord gave us a glimpse this month. After the Performance at the Police Barracks I began working with the Chapel leaders to start Word of Life Bible Clubs and the Pastor told me how the week after we were there 4 more people came forward telling how God used the drama to impact their lives and convict them of their need to trust Jesus Christ as their Savior.

The second picture shows the Police Barracks Chapel with those that came forward to trust Christ the day of the performance.

We also have been incredibly busy with the Bible Clubs this month visiting the far north city of Sokoto at the beginning of the month. We trained many leaders and began Word of Life Bible Clubs in this predominantly Muslim City where Church growth is limited by the fact that no one will sell land to Christians for a Church; and even if you did somehow manage to get some land you would never be granted permission to build a Church. This past weekend we were in Mina for a leadership Conference weekend and had a great time with Bible Club and Church leaders spending time on the subjects: The Key elements of a Student and Olympian Bible club, Commitment, How to get more out of your Quiet Time, and How to most effectively use the ClubDiscipleship time.

The last picture is of Sam Dodo our Southwest Area Missionary doing some of the teaching.

With a very busy month of May behind us I am asking that you would all pray for what is shaping up to be an even busier month of June. I have been diligently working on our furlough schedule and am thankful for the Pastors and many missions committees that have had a part of this process and hope to finish it up in the next few weeks. The 1st will be our staff meeting followed by visiting a retired Nigerian Missionary that will be a part of the Missions Conf. that I am coordinating for our Local Church from the 8th to the 14th. The 2nd thru the 4th I will be in Abuja doing the set up trip for the Born Again Drama ministry that will hold the 3rd week of June which I will be leading. The 5th & 6th we will be giving Bible Club orientation at the police Barracks in Jos. The 9th we will travel as a family to Abuja and ship Ryan to America. The 11th thru the 14th the Club guys and myself will travel to Igbe and provide Bible Club orientation to begin Clubs in over 20 of the Local Churches there. The 21st I will be speaking at our Church and the 23rd will be in Abuja again dropping off our Short Term helper Heather Johnson and picking up the Verkaiks. The 26th and 27th we will hold another Leadership Conference in Kaduna. Then, Lord willing I will be ordained at our Local Church, along with Peter Verkaik, on the 28th. The 30th Meredith, Sarah and myself will head for the States and begin yet another season of life and Ministry.

Again, please pray that this last month in Nigeria we will all finish this first term well.

God Bless and look forward to seeing you all soon.

Bob and Family