Police Encounter

For the past few weeks there's often been a police vehicle waiting at a quiet spot on the road from TCNN to Jos.  The armed Nigerian police do not have a good reputation amongst their countrymen.  The conversation I had with the officer who stopped me this afternoon could give you a clue why, although I've never before encountered one as blatant.

Me: Good afternoon.
Policeman: I'm going to chop your money.
Me: Are you?
P: Give me lots of money.
Me: No.
(Incredulous look from policeman)
P: I'm going to chop your money.
Me: No you're not. That's not your job.
(Second incredulous look)
P: What's my job?
Me: To protect and serve.

At this point I think he gave up as he smiled and asked after my family before waving me on to black looks from his comrades who, with guns slung over their shoulders, were busy requesting money from the other vehicles they'd stopped.

"Do your job well," was my parting shot. "Honour God."

I await my next encounter with interest.

BRICC Retreat

Some people called it a retreat, others a day away, to some it was a picnic but whatever you want to call it, yesterday we took BRICC (Building Relationships In City Centre: www.briccjos.com) teachers and co-ordinators off to a beautiful spot some miles from Jos for a time of fun and re-visioning.  It didn't start too auspiciously for me as I sat outside the BRICC office wondering why the place was deserted and muttering about how people who live miles away in Bukuru could arrive on time whilst those who live in Jos were late.  It was only when one of the teachers knocked on my car window and said he thought we were meeting in the Plaza building (where the ladies' skills programme and most classes take place) that I realised that I hadn't actually paid much attention to the letter of instructions.  Together we drove off to the right meeting place (yet another argument in favour of a single building for the BRIC family) where there were at least a few others waiting. 
By 10am we'd packed (literally) everyone into cars and set off.
The aims of the day were to have fun, get to know one another better and consider our identity in BRICC.  All three aims were achieved with games, a very amusing time of 60 second speeches on random topics (if you want to know how doughnuts are connected to peace just ask), good food and time together.  We are a family in BRICC and that's what makes a difference in so many lives.

Take away food Nigerian style - it arrives in large insulated containers on women's heads and then is served out in situ.  Here it's jollof  (spicy fried with vegetables) rice, two large lumps of beef and coleslaw.

Toby explaining how to play "Corn Holes"

 There was a lot of fun.  Veronica declared she enjoyed herself so much that she forgot she was a wife and mother and was just herself.  Alhaji displayed grace and accuracy, unhampered by his flowing white outfit.

InReach

One of my favourite times of the week is Thursday at 4pm when I go to the InReach group at ECWA Bishara 2 church.  Joshua, the junior pastor, attended the first InReach sessions for ECWA pastors and since then has been a great supporter.  He lets us use his church and has put together lively and thoughtful groups for subsequent Inreach meetings.  These meetings have added excitement as the church where we meet is still very much under construction.
Previously we've given thanks that even in the rainy season we've never got wet.  Yesterday we were thankful that we didn't have huge metal roof supports dropping on our heads.  In the UK no one would be allowed near the building, all the workers would have hard hats and the scaffolding wouldn't be made of wood. In Nigeria it's perfectly acceptable to hold meetings on the first floor whilst large pieces of metal are being manoeuvred above (there was another floor in between). The whole breezeblock-built building did shake a few times but only one girder can crashing down near us.
It was an eventful session. Not only was there the excitement of the roof but the Boys Brigade were having a marching practice on the football pitch by the church.  You can't march alone so soon they (and we) were accompanied by a marching band - those trumpets and drums that I appriciate so much some Saturday mornings between 5am and 6am at TCNN but in far greater numbers.
Despite all these distractions we had a great discussion though we might have to show the dvd again next week when people can hear it.

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.

Like all the houses on the TCNN campus we get our water from storage tanks which are filled at the whim of the person who operates the mains switch. Sometimes they get worryingly low as mains water doesn't come.  That was the case for us at the beginning of the week so we did what we've learned to do during our time in Nigeria, we included it in our weekly email of prayer requests on Tuesday.  It might seem a small thing but our God is faithful in the small as well as the large.  Only our lower tank receives the water which we then have to pump up to the higher one which supplies the house.  A full lower tank and electricity to power the pump do not always coincide but this morning we woke up to find the lower tank full and the electricity on.  You can't hang around to use electrical things at your convenience here so before breakfast I was pumping the water.
It was a bit of a concern that the low tank was almost emptied as the higher one filled but at least we'd have water through the taps.  As soon as the pump was turned off I heard the welcome sound of running water - the lower tank was being filled up again.  Coincidence or answered prayer from a loving God?

Back at TCNN

We've been back at TCNN for a week now.  School started on Thursday complete with anti-ebola handwashing stations and anti-terrorist car checks and security measures.
Mosque and preachers in Bukuru are still very keen on the 4-6am slot and unfortunately their loudspeakers are working fine.
Jos is still overrun by serious roadworks with roads closed without warning (you don't know until you get to the barrier and have to u-turn). On the positive side though, if you get confused and end up driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway no one bats an eyelid and the road workers, instead of telling you off, greet you most warmly and stop traffic on the other side to let you get through.  Getting a new sim card requires photographs, fingerprints and passport numbers (think of that when you pick up your next one at Tesco checkout).
Our dogs are settling back in and so are we, although it might take a little time to get fully back into the swing of things.