Nigeria-Ijaw Mission
West Africa Outreach of Faith Christian Church
Reaching the unreached people of the Ijaw Tribe

Dear Friends and Supporters of Nigeria-Ijaw Mission,

Since our last report on the progress of our church planting mission among the Ijaw People Group (June 10th, '03) there has been much progress. At the time of the June 10th Report we had 3 established churches in the Ijaw villages of Ajakurama, Ogbugbubudu and the church planting I initiated last November in Abere. The June 10th Update is posted under Ministries & Missions on the FaithChristianChurch.net website. This report includes Wilson Okotie's repoprt to me along with progress pix. NIM (Nigeria-Ijaw Mission) has undertaken the sole responsibility for planting churches and building facilities among the Ijaw. It's an awesome vision to evangelize an ancient people group 15 million strong. Why God should bless such a small group with such a great task is wonderfully Christ-like to me. At the end of this report is a copy of Wilson's recent reports to me, along with progress pix. This entire report will be posted on FaithChristianChurch.net

The Fighting Has Ceased

Our plans to build the first Ijaw church/training facility was planned to cmmence this past May but war between the Ijaw, the Itshikiri and the Nigerian Military had drifted from the Warri Kingdom into the Egbema Kingdom (our region), and our villages were under threat. Wilson Okotie, Apostle to the Ijaw and head of High Impact Christain Center, being Itshikiri, was unable to travel into Ijaw Land over the past few months, due to the war. However, his precious wife, "Praise", being the granddaughter of an Ijaw King, was able to move freely among the villages. Word has come back that the fighting has ended and we are now ready to launch our church building project.

Building Our First Church facility

Last Wednesday I sent the initial $4,000 to Wilson for the commencement of the project. It has been decided that our first church will be built in Abere, where I pioneered our 3rd church last November. Upon receiving a report along with progress pix from Wilson, showing the completion of most of the building, I will then send the final $2,000 to complete the Church/Training Facility; Parsonage and Retail Store for providing self-support business for the Pastor. The building will be done by the local villagers, who will take great pride in having their own church, built with their own hands. As soon as our funds build back up sufficiently we will move ahead with the other church building programs in Ajakurama and Ogbugdubudu.

4th Church Planted!

Last month our Ijaw Pastors from Ajakurama evangelized a new village and have now planted a 4th church in the village of UGBONIGHAGA. Our goal is 9 churches in all of the 9 major towns/villages of the Egbema Kingdom by end of 2005. Then we move into the Warri-Ijaw Kingdom and then on to others.

Returning To Africa In December

I'll be returning to Africa this December 29th. On that trip I will return to the 3 Ijaw villages I previously preached in; dedicate the new church in Abere and preach in the new 4th village church at Ugbonighaga.

HICC Headquarters Church Building

Wilson's High Impact Christian Center has it's cantral church in Lagos, Nigeria. Currently they are concluding the construction of their new facility. I led the dedication ceremony for the land last November and will be involved in the dedication of the new headquarters Church this December when I return.

Prayer Requests

• For continued peace in Ijaw Land between the Ijaw, the Itshikiri, Nigerian Military and Shell & Exxon Oil Companies.
• Divine favor for HICC and all our Ijaw churches. Freedom from division, strife and any compromize.
• Great revival to spread through our efforts and the work of our Ijaw Pastors.
• Blessing for Wilson and Praise Okotie & family (favor and protection).
• True godly laborers among the Ijaw.
• Money for this very ambitious undertaking. Pray God will continue to raise up sources of finance.
• Wisdom and protection for me as I give myself to this ministry.
• The new young Ijaw men now in pastoral training in preparation for service in Ijaw Land.

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Wilson's Reports:

Dear Sir,
By God's grace my wife return from Ijaw villages last week and the 12 days trip was successful. She gave the Ijaw pastors their salaries but pastor Assurance salary was not given him because he is not always in his station. Every week he will abandon the church for school in Benin City.I told him to either be part-time or full-time pastor. During the 12 days she held seminar with the pastors and their wives for one week, and they were very happy and gain more understanding because she ministered to them in in Ijaw language. A new church was established in a village call UGBONIGHAGA pastored by Alade Igberiki. She also recommended that the first church should be build in Abere Village because that is were we have the largest population and chiefs in the church.
In lagos the four Ijaw students are undergoing intensive training, though they are slow in understanding and levy of education yet God is still helping me and the boys. We are trying to build 4 bathrooms for adults and ond and one for children church.

Wilson Okotie

Pix of "Praise" Okotie w/ Ijaw Pastors, Alade, The Rock & Ebitibe; and the bicycles we purchased for them.