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School Teachers for Nigeria 2010

October School Teachers for Nigeria

“Thanks, Iowa, we have been registered and are deeply into school activities and are trying our best to ensure that we made the best of the results possible by the grace of God” are words of thanks from our four Nigerian students studying at Africa University. Jacob, Francis and Doris are third year students while Cletus is in a second year of a Master’s Degree. Cletus is doing an internship at Christian Care in Harare, Zimbabwe until the end of December. His emphasis there is conflict resolution with particular focus on Christian methodology. His second semester will be to prepare and write a dissertation requiring him to travel to/from Mutare to Harare for interviews, then write the paper, have 5 copies printed for presentation to his professors and then present an oral defense. He estimates these costs to be about $900 as printing and binding are extremely expensive. What can we do to help him cover these costs?

At Banyam Theological Seminary (BTS) in Bambur, Revs. Arleon Kelley and Donna Meinhard, are teaching classes and acting as mentors to students and faculty. They are learning to ride a motorcycle five miles to the communication center to send e-mails. Arleon and Donna will be part of the faculty until classes end the middle of December. Pray for them as they adjust to academia and “roughing it” at the guest house.

At BTS approximately 75 children of the students are enrolled in a day care and nursery school held in a small building. They range in age from 2 years old to 5 years old. Older children attend the local government school. At the BTS School Helen, Harri and Clement work with the children in crowded and dark quarters. The 2011 Iowa Nigeria Partnership priority project is to renovate, remodel and paint the interior to make it a cheery place conducive for Christian teaching and learning. Plans are to provide a small library with books collected from the InGathering. Helen would like to have play ground equipment built for the children. If anyone has designs or plans for such equipment, please contact me (bnmedical@aol.com). The cost for this project would be approximately $2,000.

EmpowHer is a new program targeting Nigerian women who study at the Women’s Leadership Training Centers. It is a micro-loan program to move a selected group of women from poverty to productivity. This new project is being implemented with the directors of Women’s Leadership Training Centers in Nigeria. Brittany Atchison, a recent Cornell College graduate, along with Rev. Hannatu Robinson, a Nigerian clergywoman, are organizing the plan to be presented in Pero, Bambur, Zing and Sibre over a nine month period.

Women in rural Nigeria basically live on the barter system so learning how to manage and bank money, how to write a business plan, go through an interview process and then produce a marketable product to pay back the loan will be a steep learning curve for them. This win-win program offers an evangelism tool for the UMC of Nigeria.

A slide projector is requested for the Junior Secondary School for use in the computer lab. If anyone is willing to donate one (with cords & bulb) please let Beverly (515 266 4186, bnmedical@aol.com) know. It can be taken to the Nov. 6^th InGathering.

Iowa United Methodists can make a huge difference in the education of children, young adults and women by offering financial support. Contributions for any of the above mentioned concerns may be sent through your local church to the conference treasurer, marked INP, #230, and name of designation.

September 2010 School Teachers for Nigeria

The school bells have rung for the United Mehtodist Teachers in Nigeria and for our Nigerians students at Africa University (AU).

Jacob Tahiru, third year student in Management and Administration at AU in Zimbabwe, upon receiving notification of tuition payment for the upcoming academic year writes, “My eyes are full of tears because i don't know what to say and the kind of words to used to express my feeling for the kind of love you are showing me which my own relation could not show to me. Blessed is the Bishop of Iowa Conference and all the members, may God Almighty put smile on your faces, peace in your heart and blessed you with His blessing that you can not measured.”

Doris David, a third year student in the Faculty of Humanity and Social Sciences at AU says, “Achieving our dreams is one good thing that keep our mind at rest. In most case, people struggle to make it through with God being their help and giving them the wheel to carry on. Mine could have been so hard without the entire conference for all your support. I want to thank you all for taking up such huge task of seeing me through my studies. It is my prayer that God almighty will bless you and everything you do.”

Eldina Umee is the Nursery/Primary Director at Pero. Her students were invited to make a presentation at the 20 Year INP Celebration service on June 26. She loaded 20 of them in the back of a truck, drove over the horrible rock road for two hours arriving in Bambur for their presentation of a playlet and singing. These little children, dressed alike in their identical uniforms, had been so well rehearsed that their performance was flawless. They each knew their part, articulated it well and sang their hearts out for those of us in attendance. After a quick lunch they climbed back up into the truck, this time also loaded with suitcases of 4 Iowans going to Pero and then headed back over the rock road to their home. What a memorable time! Funds given by Iowa churches for teacher’s stipends are presented to N/P teachers in five of the church schools.

What Happens to a School Kit?

Those who put together a school kit in Iowa probably envision some student in Africa receiving the bag containing 3 notebooks, 6 pencils, crayons, scissors, eraser, etc. Well, in most cases this is not true. These bags may be shared by several students. Such was the case as we distributed school kits at Sibre Nursery School. One box of 10 kits was taken to this school where there were about 40 students. As we began passing out things one student might get the bag, one might get a notebook and eraser, one a package of crayons and scissors, one the ruler and a pencil ---get the picture? Each child got one or two or maybe three of the items in the bag and 10 kits were stretched to accommodate 40 students. And they were very joyful and thankful to get them. They then lined up, thanked us, sang to us, sang their National Anthem and went back to school. Written by Linda Rowe of Bloomfield

Teacher’s stipends, Hausa Bibles, funds for the Lit-Lit (literacy) classes, student scholarships at all levels, funds to help in construction of faculty housing, seminary chapel and installation of solar panels on building to provide light for study or living are some of the ways funds are utilized by Iowa donors for educational purposes. Your gift helps provide educational opportunities for young minds, for illiterate adults, for potential peachers, for women eager to learn, for teens who want to excel in life. You make it happen! Bravo!

August School Teachers for Nigeria

The school bell rings for the Africa University students. In Nigeria Martins David and Kenneth Yerima still wait with bated breath in order to first get their Zimbabwe visas, then be issued a one way airline ticket from Nigeria to Harare, Zimbabwe to arrive by August 9 for orientation.

Doris David, Francis Adamu and Jacob Tahiru are completing their vacation assignments and now preparing for classes to begin at Africa University. Cletus David will begin his internship either in Harare or Nairobi, Kenya.

Jarama Filiya, Principal at the Junior Secondary School in Jalingo, has enrolled at the University of Maidurugi, about 3 hours from Jalingo. He plans to get a Master’s Degree in Counseling so will attend classes during the summer break and on weekends over a two year period. Jarama was in Iowa several years ago itinerating in the former Dubuque District. If you wish to support him in his academic pursuits, money may be sent through the channels listed below.

An InGathering book related story was that a woman from Lanesboro had attended the Webster City InGathering site where she unintentionally laid down a pile of music books. Youth quickly picked them up and packed them in a box marked “books.” That evening Dan Corrow called me asking if I might be able to find these music books. Well, with 745 boxes who had time or inclination to look through all of them for the missing books? They were part of the shipment sent to Nigeria. When the boxes were unpacked in Jalingo, books were taken to the high school where our two young volunteers, Emily and Chelsea, were sent to sort through them separating elementary from secondary school books. Enroute to Didango, I went to the book room and was rummaging through boxes when I came upon these music books. So, putting them in my suitcase, these books were brought back to the Lanesboro woman. Who would have thought we would find the needle in the haystack!

Books are highly prized by everyone in Nigeria. Kids don’t read for pleasure as books are not available and the teaching curriculum doesn’t allow time for reading. The Junior Secondary School Library shelves are becoming full with about 500 + books from Iowa being catalogued and now line the book cases. Several times while visiting the library, I found students studying with World Book Encyclopedias, finding pictures and stories from National Geographics for their reports or just continuing to read a book for fun. Books open up a whole new vista for Nigerian children while enhancing their knowledge of life in general and the wide world in which they live.

Speaking of books, Hassan Audu, Communication Director for the Pero Conference in Billari, has submitted a manuscript which has been accepted for publication by Dorrance Publishing. It is entitled, “The Agony of the African Women” and will be available on Amazon.com in early 2011.

The Iowa Nigeria Partnership accepts any donations related to providing education for a student, teacher or church related school in Nigeria. Money may be sent through your local church to the conference treasurer marked: INP, #230 and designation (if any). Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.

July School Teachers for Nigeria

The four Nigerian students at Africa University are all employed by the school during their vacation period. They work in the library, at the farm and in the dorm to earn meal and housing credit.

Their GPA and CGPAs ranged from 2.7 to 3.55 for Cletus David the highest scorer. We can be proud that they try so hard and are rewarded with good grades. Cletus is currently waiting for his internship to fall into place allowing him to go to Nairobi, Kenya next semester. In the meantime, he is working with the American Friends Service Committee in Harare.

While in Nigeria, we learned that four potential students could be nominated to attend Africa University and would be partially funded from AU Development’s office. Two of these students, Martins David (brother to Cletus and Doris) and Kenneth Thomas Yerima, came to the guesthouse to meet us, tell of their plans for getting a Zimbabwe visa and of their request that we/Iowans help them get a one way ticket from Nigeria to Zimbabwe. We have agreed to do this for them since they have been accepted and will be partially funded by AU. The cost per traveler is $890 USD.

It started with graduates, staff and invited dignitaries, garbed in choir robes from Iowa, marching in slow step down a hill onto the center of the “stage” surrounded on three sides by chairs placed under tents where guests were seated. This procession was accompanied by drumming and clapping at the Kakulu Theological Seminary graduation. Bishop Kulah and Bishop Trimble were present to make speeches congratulating the students who had completed a two year course allowing them to be lay pastors or lay evangelists to serve in rural, remote areas of the UMC of Nigeria. As each graduate was called to the stage to receive their diploma from Bishop Trimble and Beverly Nolte, family members would come up to the person with a wad of small naira bills which were thrown at them as a way to honor them. Sometimes they tried to stick the money to the graduate’s clothing or head. This was followed by typical African cheering or warbling. The thrown money was quickly collected by members of the Girls and Boys Brigade to be given to the school. Throwing money away…no! Simply a way of congratulating the new graduate African style.

Our group also attended the graduation at the Beverly Nolte Communication Center at Bambur. This event was held out under tents with the centrally located podium under the Nigerian sun. Students who had studied computer programming for a year with Mr. Davidson Adams were presented certificates by Bishop Trimble and myself as their name was called. Clad in neon yellow shirts and matching caps, they were plainly visible. Our Iowa team was presented Nigerian garments and the hot yellow shirts. Thanks to donations of 11 Iowa laptops the school received a shot in the arm allowing for an increase of students in the upcoming year because of the donated laptops (carried in our luggage). Several speakers commented that at BNCC both Christians and Muslims study side by side in complete harmony.

As a member of the Iowa work team LeMars resident Barb Johnson’s assignment was to work with the Nursery/Primary (N/P) School staff in Jalingo as renovations were undertaken on one of the three classroom “blocks”. The building were the first built 20 years ago and had developed structural problems, leaking roofs and droopy ceilings…a sad sight! With Iowa funds the entire roof was removed from one of the three classrooms, replaced, new ceiling installed with Barb coming along to paint the interior and exterior complete with pictures and the lettering of Bible verses. Emily Brown and Chelsea Albus picked up paint brushes to help paint pictures, signs and symbols as well as play with the kids. With a suitcase full of educational materials, games, songs, crafts and her boundless energy, Barb provided in-service training which motivated teachers and offered encouragement to them.

The Ronald and Meriele Wilmot Library, with shelves filled with elementary books gathered at the InGathering, was dedicated on June 23^rd. The ribbon cutting was done by both Iowans and school staff. This special event was attended by our Iowa team, government dignitaries, parents, Bishops Kulah and Trimble, and former students who have formed an alumni association to help upgrade the school. The kids entertained us with music and a playlet! What fun!

Funds are needed to help provide tuition funds for the Africa University students as well as teacher stipends at all of the UM Church schools including the N/P in Jalingo. Monetary gifts may be sent through your local church to the conference treasurer designated INP #230 and the designation. As Doris David says, “I appreciate all the efforts of Iowans to support my education and I continue to pray I will be worthy of your support.” Education is a forever commodity, something learned is retained forever!

June

On June 16 twelve Iowans will depart Iowa, spend about 24 hours traveling from Des Moines, to Minneapolis, New York, touch down in Dakar, Senegal and fly into Abuja, change terminals and fly on to Yola before driving to Jalingo. A killer of a trip! Upon arrival we will have a light meal; get unpacked enough to fall into bed at the UMC Guesthouse in Jalingo. Here Linda Rowe (Bloomfield) and Barbara Johnson (LeMars) will meet us after their trip to Nigeria on June 2.

Plans are to unload the sea container on June 18 with distribution to the various programs including the books to the seminary and high school library. Emily Brown (Guthrie Center) and Chelsea Albus (LeMars) will help organize the books at both libraries, play and do crafts with the kids at the Jalingo Nursery/Primary School and help paint the school classrooms. Barbara Johnson is overseeing the renovation project at the Nursery/Primary School and providing in-service training.

Christine Anders (Des Moines/DM) and Dianne Fagner (DM) along with Jeremy and Kristen Poland (Urbandale) will travel up to Bambur where Jeremy will teach theology classes at Banyan Theological Seminary. Christine, Dianne and Kristen will work with the female students at the Women’s Training Centers and offer assistance to teachers at the preschool.

Bishop Trimble (Norwalk) and Karen Dungan (Indianola) will lead a School for Ministries for approximately 60 Nigerian District Superintendents for 3 days while Arthur McClanahan (Des Moines) captures the event in pictorial form. These three will then teach/film in Bambur.

Judi Buxo, (Des Moines) will be stationed in Bishop Kulah’s office working with staff and offering support. Beila Lugo (Fredericksburg, VA) plans to offer craft ideas and seminar training to women and teachers. What will I do? Just try to keep everyone on target, paint, do crafts with the women, work at the communication center and pitch in where needed! Linda Rowe and I will meet with agricultural directors, Village Wells staff and leaders from the Women’s Training Centers.

Dependent on the rains and conditions of the roads we will all journey to Bambur on June 24 for a Worship Service on June 26 to celebrate the 20 years of mission ministry between Iowa and Nigeria. Sunday will find 4 of our number preaching in Bambur UM churches before the team scatters to Pero, back to Jalingo while others remain in Bambur until we all depart on June 30 for Yola and the return trip back to Iowa on July 1 and 2^nd.

Linda and I are presenting a new idea—micro-loan or what we are entitling “EmpowHer” to women’s directors with the idea of setting up a micro-loan program to lift women from poverty to productivity.

Much of the work we plan to do is teach, train, mentor and encourage church leaders as they continue their specific ministries within the framework of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria. The team covets your prayers as we travel, as we work and worship in Nigeria.

Cletus David will be planning his internship in Nairobi starting in August. Doris, Francis and Jacob, at Africa University, are working in the library, as part of the dorm staff and on the farm for their meals and housing during the vacation period. They still need financial assistance for their final year at Africa University.

Any funds for Nigerian UMC educational programs may be sent through your church treasurer to the conference treasurer, designated INP #230.

May School Teachers for Nigeria

School Teachers for Nigeria

Graduation at the Junior Secondary School (JSS) will be July 17 in Jalingo. We, Iowans, have printed the graduation certificates and hand carried them with us when we went to Nigeria. It was an honor to actually hand the certificates to the first graduating class in 2007. This year we print 37 certificates to be delivered to Jarama Filiya, Principal, since none of us will be present at the graduation. Thanks for the faithful support of the 212 students and faculty at JSS.

Theft is a big issue in Nigeria as elsewhere around the world but the Nursery/Primary School office was broken into yesterday with several items taken. Ande Emmanuel, Principal, asked for help to put a metal door or iron rods over the door to protect it from any further break-ins. The N/P buildings were the first ones built in the 1990’s so are being renovated now by having roof repairs and ceilings replaced in time for our Iowa work team to paint the interior walls in June.

A mission dinner opportunity awaits persons who attend the Iowa Annual Conference. The Iowa Nigeria Partnership is hosting a 5:30 PM dinner on Monday, June 7 with Bishop Arthur Kulah as the guest speaker. The dinner is at Staves UMC, 2747 E. Madison Ave on the northeast side of Des Moines. Kulah will be a guest and speaker at our Annual Conference. Bishop Kulah is the interim Episcopal leader of the UMC in Nigeria. A Liberian by birth, he served the UMC in Liberia for 20 + years, retired and was then tapped to care for the Nigerian Church until a new bishop is elected in 2011. Tickets are $8.50 with prepayment preferred. Checks may be made out and sent to Beverly Nolte, 5221 Village Run Ave., Des Moines 50317, phone. 515 266 4186, e-mail: bnmedical@aol.com.

Cletus David still needs funds to do his internship in Nairobi, Kenya starting in August 2010. His round trip airline ticket and meal costs are $2,000 for this three month stay. Cletus graduated from Africa University and will be in his second and final year of a Master’s Degree program in Peace, Leadership and Governance. On his term papers for this semester his average grade was an A-. In a recent e-mail he says, “Thank you Iowans for granting me the opportunity to study for which I am most appreciative.”

Education is important to us in Iowa and we agonize at having budgets cut, teacher’s let go and programs discontinued. In Nigeria only the basic education is provided. As a token of our love and appreciation to staff at the UMC run schools, we offer a small monetary stipend to both academic and non-academic members. You are welcome to help support the Nigerian teachers so they are not weary in well doing. Galatians 6:9

Any support of any Nigerian church educational program may be sent through your local church to the Conference treasurer designated INP, #231. Let’s invest in providing a quality Christian education for Nigerian youngsters!

April School Teachers for Nigeria

Nigerian educators have asked for the following books or equipment for the 14 Iowans to take in their luggage to Nigeria in June. If you could provide the following please let me know:

The UMC Book of Worship (could be Pastor’s Version)

Books including: Using Information Technology by Sawyer & Williams, 4^th edition

Comdex/Computer Course Kit by Vikas Gupta, Comdex Computer Programming Course Kit, Comdex Desktop Publishing Course Kit by Vikas Gupta

Books on Excel

Camera tripod for small camera

Screen for use in power point or for projector

Panasonic Digital Camera Battery: SDR-S7P, Model #VW-VBJ10, MH27866/84VN

At Banyam Theological Seminary (BTS) a much needed multi-purpose building is being constructed to house classes, to hold chapel and events like graduation. New buildings have not been built at BTS for many years so this facility is a welcome addition to the campus. A borehole/well was dug about 6 weeks ago but the small drilling rig didn’t have a large enough drilling bit to pound through the rock strata they hit although the water table was found with a small amount of water being pumped from the well.

BTS will be the teaching destination of Revs. Arleon Kelley and Donna Meinhard of Elgin, IA starting in September. Arleon and Donna plan to spend a quarter teaching Biblical studies, social ethics and Methodism while living on the BTS campus. They have purchased and are donating 100 New Interpreter’s Study Bibles to present to each of the students. If you wish to help with this educational gift, please call 563 426 5989.

Our Africa University students in Zimbabwe have completed mid-term exams and are counting the days until they finish their class work in mid May. They have applied for jobs around the campus to help pay for their meals during the school break. Of course, all of them would like to have laptops for their personal use allowing them the ability to study at their leisure rather than having to line up at the computer room waiting their turn to use the computer to connect to the internet. Our support of them for their final year of studies (2010-2011) continues so financial assistance is requested for Jacob, Francis and Doris.

Ten boxes of elementary reading books were collected at a recent book sale in Des Moines. These books will be divided among the nursery/primary schools at Sibre, Pero, Bambur, Jalingo and BTS. Nigerian kids love to look at the bright pictures and to read the stories just as children do here in Iowa. Your collection of books to be taken to the InGathering is a wonderful way to supplement their reading skills.

Our main work focus is the renovating of the Nursery/Primary School in Jalingo which needs roof repairs. Funds are still being collected to help with this necessary project. As always, any gift made to the Iowa Nigeria Partnership may go through your local church to the conference treasurer noted: INP #230.

Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, than the raising of the next generation. Deuteronomy 11: 19-21. Iowa United Methodists are helping raise a generation of Christian, productive and successful Nigerian students! WOW!

March School Teachers for Nigeria

Our Bishop Trimble just returned from Nigeria where he was one of four bishops from the Council of Bishops to meet/greet Nigeria UM Church persons. While in Nigeria Bishop Trimble was impressed with the educational program at the Junior Secondary School. The new boy’s hostel/dorm is being utilized by 30 boys. Plans are to install solar panels (in the sea container) on the roof to allow for brighter lights enabling students to study in the dorm.

Cletus David, our Master’s Degree student at Africa University, is thinking ahead to his last year on campus. He is expected to complete a minimum of three months internship to an organization that will expose him to the practical side of the issues he has been studying in class which for him is Peace and Governance. It is recommended that he travel to Nairobi, Kenya and work with the Nairobi Peace Initiative-Africa during the internship. BUT he has no money except what can be provided by the Iowa Conference. The cost of this internship would be approximately $4,500 to include airfare to Nairobi, housing, food and medical insurance while there. Shirley DeWolf, Intern Coordinator, says of Cletus, “He is one of our most enthusiastic and hard working students and this means we want to get him into one of the better internships where he can give the host institution good service and learn as much as he can. Cletus would be perfect working with the Nairobi Peace Initiative. Can the Iowa Conference help make this happen for him?” I personally will make a financial contribution to this internship for Cletus. Will you help support him in this opportunity as well? He will return to Nigeria to be one of the leaders to help reconcile the Nigerian church.

Fourteen Iowans will travel to Nigeria in June with several of them working at the Nursery/Primary Schools in Jalingo, Pero and Bambur. With their many skills, Iowans will help mentor children through individual attention, help with studies and reading, set up games and sports activities, provide craft items for them to make, offer in-service training sessions for the teachers as well as have fun with the kids and faculty. Your prayers are needed as the team travels June 16 – July 2.

This is the hot season of the year with little rain and winds blowing from the Sahara Desert. The harmattan wind is brutal causing sand storms with dirt flying through the air and low visibility. It is difficult for children to sit in hot, crowded classrooms with teachers trying to keep their attention. Continue to remember your counterparts as they teach under some adverse conditions. With the coming of the rains in April, the weather will modulate and become more bearable.

Doris, Jacob and Francis are busy attending classes, writing papers, taking tests and vying for the computer to research study assignments at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. Their usual time to write e-mails is after their church on Sunday! They continue to be grateful for the education made available to them by all of you, members of the Iowa Conference.

So what is the educational priority for 2010? The renovation of the Nursery/Primary in Jalingo which needs TLC in the replacement of the roof, ceiling and then a fresh coat of paint. Your support of this project would be immensely helpful for conducive learning by these little students and a morale booster for their teachers.

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February School Teachers for Nigeria

The heart of this month is Valentine’s Day…a day to express sentiments of love! When I taught elementary school way back when, the children would bring pretty Valentine handkerchief’s to show their love. Why not show our love to the United Methodist Church school teachers by offering them a small monetary stipend? Teaching in the church school the pay is not on par with that of government schools. Teachers consider working with the church as a labor of love in the name of Jesus Christ. As money comes to the Iowa Nigeria Committee coffers designated for “teacher stipends”, we count both academic and non academic staff at all six Nigerian educational institutions. Then the donated money is divided among them to be given as a “love gift” from their Iowa friends.

After the Iowa Nigeria Partnership was formed, the Nigerian Government gave the UMC in Nigeria permission to restart their educational program. The Nursery/Primary buildings (N/P, Grades 1-3, 4-6) were constructed, have withstood the Nigerian weather but buildings now are in desperate need of TLC. Imagine sitting in the classroom with water pouring down on your head during the rainy season or dust swirling overhead during the dry season? Sections of the roof need to be replaced and repaired, a new ceiling installed with classrooms painted. The approximate cost of this is $15,000 which we hope to raise by mid May 1^st so that Sabudah Mangey, our building constructor, can have work completed in time for our Iowa work team to paint the classrooms.

Doris, Jacob, Francis and Cletus have all started their second semester with heavy class loads. Their GPA’s for the first semester were all above 2.5 which is very good. These students study hard and are involved in doing community service. Jacob and some friends went to the Fairfield Orphanage about 15 minutes from Africa University. He says,

“I visited them on 23rd Dec .2009, we played with them and saw there is need for their hair to be cut. We organized ourselves and went back on 24th Dec 2009 and shaved them. Today 9^th Jan. 2010 we still went there to shave them in preparation of their school which is opening on Monday 11^th January 2010. About 65 children that we shaved.” Jacob also says, “Without you/Iowa my future in school would have been blurred and uncertain. Your coming in has indeed rescued me and I am grateful.”

Your gifts and prayers for fellow school teachers in Nigeria are gratefully received. Let’s keep the kids in school, through providing scholarships. Let’s motivate and encourage the teaching staff by offering small gifts of love. Educating child or adults is the key to the betterment of a family, a village and of a nation.

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January School Teachers for Nigeria

The new boy’s hostel on the Junior Secondary School campus in Jalingo was dedicated on Friday, Dec. 18 prior to the students leaving for the holidays. For the first time ever, there was money left over from the building construction to purchase 30 metal beds for the dorm. This new facility will relieve overcrowding and eliminate problems for the male students.

Doris, Francis, Jacob and Cletus, our Nigerian students attending Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe, were able to get jobs during their Christmas break. Working in the library, school office and, with Iowan Larry Kies at the school farm these students received meals as payment. Classes will resume the week of Jan. 11.

Cletus is looking for an “attachment” or internship this year before completion of his Master’s Degree in 2011. He is interested in church planting and would like to travel to a neighboring country for observation and research. The travel cost to do so would depend on his destination but would roughly be about $1500.

Ronald Mangey, a 46 y/o layman from Jalingo, arrived in Omaha on Jan. 1 to experience our snow and cold. He was thrilled to see snow as he said he had only seen it in books and pictures so he began “snapping” pictures to send back to his family/friends in Nigeria. He will be attending Western Iowa Technical Community College in Sioux City getting an advanced degree in Computer Programming and Information Technology. Most weekends he will be with Meriele Wilmot in Akron, IA. Ronald has been invaluable in preparing and laying the ground work for well drilling, installation of solar panels, etc. If you would like to schedule him in your church or with your church group, let me know. He was an interpreter on the NW District in May, 2008. Pray for his adjustment to the academic world and to the icy, dicey Iowa weather.

He writes about his trip to Iowa, “When we left the air space of Senegal in Africa and headed westward into the American air space, temperatures started to change from 30 degrees Celsius (80 Fahrenheit) to lower temperatures, drifting downward until I came into reality with snow at minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit) in Akron, with a layer of snow so deep that it reached my knee when I made my first attempt in life to take a walk in the snow field. Everywhere is white, the fertile and black Iowa cornfield which I saw two years back are covered by white snow. I read about snow in books and behold today I am in contact with it. What a wonderful experience! To my friends in Africa who are reading this, you may not believe it, but it’s real. The below zero-degree cold and chilly whether may last for some months. You may be wondering how are people able to survive, however God in his extraordinary way is able to give mankind wisdom to be able to make things that enable him live comfortably in this situation. I thank Meriele, a loving mother, she had already prepared ahead of time, for a first-timer in snow, warm clothes for me.
My first night in Akron was another experience, with 5 layers of clothes on me and a thick woven wool cover on me and a room heater, I enjoyed the sweet night sleep. However I had one interruption in the 10 hrs sleep. My foot touched the strong cold wall which was lined up by 18 inches of snow heap from outside. I quickly covered my foot and immediately fell asleep again.”

Funds are needed to do roof repair on the old Nursery/Primary building in Jalingo. Built about 18 years ago, these buildings need some TLC on the roof and then replacing ceiling tiles inside. The last project will be to give the classrooms a coat of colorful paint! We have Iowa team members going to Nigeria in June who will help provide in-service training for the teacher and mentoring for the students. Renovating the N/P School is our TOP PRIORITY for 2010.

Kalberi Baleri, Principal at Didango Bible Institute, a two year course in Hausa for lay evangelists and lay pastors, was thrilled that eight persons graduated in December. These graduates will move to rural, remote villages to bring the word of God to unreached Nigerians. Rev. Baleri noted that funds were not available to pay the staff for the past four months. Prayers are needed for dedicated staff who continue their role as educators with no pay!

The Iowa-Nigeria Partnership continues to support the education program of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria. When the covenant between the two conferences (1989) was signed, Iowans were asked to aid the Nigerian church in developing Christian education. The opportunity to educate persons is Biblical as well as critical to raise the standard of living for God’s family in Nigeria. Thank you for your prayers and financial support in the past which we still need now and in the future. Gifts may be sent through your local church to the Iowa Conference designated INP, #231.