Trip to Nigeria II

Backtracking now, we arrived in Abuja airport when we landed in Nigeria, spent a few days in Enugu, Port Hacourt,and Jos. Before we went to Osunu village we went to a local university in Godfrey Okoye University Enugu where Uncle George (missionary leader, pastor, and biotechnologist) delivered a lecture on Genetics. He also taught a group of Junior Biochemistry majors about basic Genetics and one of our missionaries (Chioma) taught them basic lab techniques such as DNA extraction and Gel electrophoresis. The governor of Enugu state and the president of the university stopped by the lab. It was amazing to see the transformation over 2 days. The first day they could barely hold pippettes {lab instruments} and the next day they knew how to perform PCR {polymerase chain reaction} (fundamental lab technique) on their own. This was an awesome opportunity to minister to the college students. Two people gave their lives to Christ!

Later on that weekend Auntie Ude (missionary Leader, wife of uncle George, and Nurse practitioner) delivered a lecture on Breast Cancer. We left Enugu and traveled to Port Harcort where we visited some family and stayed at a friends house. From there we flew back to Abuja and then drove to Jos. Recently Jos had some Christian-Muslim conflicts where they were bombing churches and killing Christians. Although most people pleaded us not to go we confided in the Lord and had faith that the Lord would protect us from all harm. Our missionay leader was bold and lived a lufe for God: it was total self denial. The Lord literally delivered us form teh mouth of a Lon at Jos we had the blessed opportunity of touring the Faith Alive Hospital: A Non profit organization founded by Brother Chris who studied and Case Western and went back to Nigeria to serve. The organization offers free medical care for the surrounding community in Jos. They have a free HIV clinic, social work, pharmacy, surgery, OB-GYN and regular general physicians. I was fortunate enough to witness 3 surgeries:2 herniographies and 1 herniotomy! It was amazing because patients prayed before their surgeries and the doctors did as well! The faith the patients demonstrated was startling! They barely had local anesthesia to use for the patients. So they numbed the area and sometimes the anesthesia would wear off and the patients would feel the excruciating pain and scream! There were no big lights and no machines to detect the vitals except a blood pressure cuff. In addition there was an aluminum bed tray that the patients layed on with a cover for the patients body and that was it. The resources were scarce but the surgeon was a woman of God and she operated with so much grace and seemed so happy to serve her people. She inspired me to give back to a developing country when I become a trained medical professional! So then we left Jos and went back to Abuja!

We went back to Abuja and attended a youth conference on Saturday which was really cool. Uncle George preached a sermon, His kids and Idara (other college student and aspiring Physician assistant) sang a song, Idara ministered a solo spoken word, and Chioma delivered an exhortation (minisermon)! The youth seemed really engaged and some went to the altar call and accepted Christ! I pray and hope that the Lord touched their hearts! The last day(Sunday) before we left we went to an orphanage in Abuja I believe. The orphanage housed orphans, mentally ill, HIV patients, street boys and street girls(young teens that run away from home and live in abandoned buildings). Nuns ran the orphanage and you could see ghe love of Christ in them. They really cared for the orphans. We brought toys and other gifts for the orphanage. I would have loved to spend more time in the orphanage but the schedule did not allow! Then we visited Pastor Gary's house (college friend of Uncle George). After that we went back to the mission guest house and got some rest before departing in the morning!

The vision Uncle George is to help Nigeria expand their exports by genetic engineering and cultivation of certain crops. He also wants to teach his community and the country of Nigeria how to sustain themselves, train Nigerian professionals that will travel to the US and establish themselves, come back to Nigeria, help rebuild the country and spread the vision of redesigning Africa! We traveled from Nigeria to the UK and from the UK back to the US. During the trip back home I meditated on the journey and was convinced that I would never forget the experience and that no experience I ever had either home or abroad could compare! It was truly an eye-opening experience that made me realize all the amenities and resources I have in the US. In addition it proved to me that God brings hope to those who are in despair, he transforms people, and that he is powerful, mighty, majestic, performs Miracles whenever he wants to, and He will protect in you in your darkest hour and when you are most vulnerable! I want to thank all the saints (Christians) who helped us while we were in Nigeria, gave us shelter, food, love, and warm welcomes! I will never forget any of the breathren I met while in Nigeria and you will remain in my prayers! God Bless you and may the Lord continue to prosper you until we meet again!

Ruth 2:12
May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done