Hope for the Children of Africa
After a six year hiatus I recently returned to Nigeria. This time as a member of a team sent by the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church. The team consisted of three Bishops (California-Pacific, Iowa, and Sierra Leone) and three Conference Lay Leaders (California-Pacific, Sierra Leone, and Liberia). It was most humbling to be a part of this international team. Ours was on a mission of unity to assist the UMC Nigeria (UMCN) to RETHINK how they are organized and working the mission shared by all United Methodists – To Make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World. Bishop Swenson provided leadership to the team. Although much remains to done we departed confident that our trip had been a success!
Our travels took us to the most remote sites of the United Methodist Church. The roads are poorly maintained and laced with potholes; cars, vans, and trucks at speed all make the drive difficult and sometimes dangerous. Most places we visited are not on maps. We traveled in the mid-band of Nigeria – hot and dry. It reminds me of many areas of our West and Southwest. As we traveled to the various areas covered by the UMCN I was a again reminded of the expanse of the country and needs of its people. Nigeria is about the twice the size of California, with a population of 150,000,000! (Nigeria is the most populated of all African countries – it has half of the population of West Africa. The personal product is about $1/day – try living on that. Safe water and education are among the top needs.
The biggest change that I saw was the cell phone. In 2004 there were about 8000 – today there are 80,000,000! Communications is possible even in the most remote area. We also an increase in the boreholes.
The church is rapidly growing in Nigeria and all of West Africa. It is a common site to see SRO (Standing Room Only) worship services. Windows are full of faces of those outside listening and the church is ringed by worshipers in chairs under the eves listening to the Word!
I spoke with many I had met on previous visits. I was touched as some had traveled from distant villages to come and greet me. A layperson from the Arewa District traveled some distance with three bottles of water from the borehole in Gomu. He wanted to share and thank North Hollywood 1st for providing the borehole that has been located next to the church in Gomu. It is the only safe water in the area – available to all who will come.
I hope others with share and participate with the Hope for the Children of Africa!