Only in Nigeria

Running water and reliable electricity are two of things that make daily life a lot easier. We haven't had mains water since August 28th. For a while we were in a state of hopefulness that work was being done on pipes and that soon the water would flow again. Today we've been told that the reason the water has stopped is that the water board hasn't paid its electricity bill, has been cut off and therefore has no power for its pumps. As we've received only one water bill since we moved to TCNN two years ago this is hardly surprising but it does mean we've lost hope of anything happening soon.  Thankfully the rains at this time of year fill our water butts fairly regularly.  However, the schools are scheduled to reopen on Monday after being closed as a precaution against ebola and an avoidable water shortage will not help. The first line of defence is hygiene - disinfectant soap and clean water to wash hands: it doesn't look as if this'll come easily.


On a happier note we have additions to our family. In the spirit of community relationships I bought three hens from the man who brings them to the BRICC office on a tray on his head. They now have a donated rabbit hutch and live in a corner of our garden. The dogs think they're the new in-garden entertainment and we've had a couple of eggs already.
 

 InReach is progressing well.  As we were waiting to start a new group in Miango we were entertained by the skilful tyre-running of the local children.
  That is until they noticed we had cameras and crowded round to get their  photos taken. 

Extreme pruning

 Ever since last March when a tree crashed down and narrowly missed our car and house I've been slightly concerned when the wind blows strongly in the regular storms we experience this time of year.  Now I don't need to worry as the tree fellers have done their work, drastically pruning the eucalyptus which threatened to do damage to life and property.  There were no hard hats, no ladders, no harnesses and thankfully no accidents.  As we're out in Nigeria under the auspices of an Irish mission it also provided some harmless amusement when the tree fellers turned out to be "tree fellas".

We've been back here a month now and InReach groups are starting up.  Every Friday Toby and I go to the ECWA Bible seminary at Kagoro, an hour's drive from TCNN, to lead InReach conversations.  It's been very encouraging to see some of the students who went through the sessions last year and hear them tell new participants how Inreach has affected their thinking, attitudes and actions.  As Nathan said, "I started InReach thinking it would teach me stategies for evangelism. I found it first taught me about myself."
Another encouraging thing is knowing that we're in step with what God's doing in many places throughout the world.  At the Keswick Convention this year I came across Rebecca Manley Pippert for the first time.  She's been teaching about reaching people by living out Jesus' love to them where they are for many years; exposing non-believers to Jesus rather than insensitively/aggressively imposing our arguments and beliefs on them.  What she's written books about is what Toby and I feel God's been leading us to do with InReach around Jos over the past year, separately yet together within God's great plan. The wonderful thing is that wherever you are, whatever you do, you can still live Jesus love to your neighbours in simple yet efective ways.
Have a look at our website to find out more: www.inreachministry.wix.com/inreach.