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