West
Africa Outreach ofFaith
Christian Church
Reaching
the unreached people
of
the Ijaw Tribe
Summer
2006 Update
Report on January ’06 Trip…
Dear Friends and Supporters of Nigeria-Ijaw
Mission,
This past January Pastor Martin Span (Youth
Pastor, Faith Christian Church) accompanied me down into the Egbema Kingdom
of the Ijaw, in the Niger Delta (Nigeria, West Africa).
8
Crusades
Along with Wilson Okotie and our
Ijaw Pastors, Marty and I held 8 crusades in 7 days. We preached in each village
where we (HICC and NIM) have planted a church with Ijaw Pastors, discipled and
trained by Wilson. During our crusades last January many souls were added
to the kingdom and the churches have been growing in number as a result. We
dedicated our 2 newest churches at Jamagie and Opuama Villages, where our crusades
were particularly successful.
Pastor Martin Span
Marty was a big hit among the Ijaw, who
took to him instantly, as did he to them. They were especially delighted when
they saw this 6’4” white man leap off the crusade platform and go preaching
into the crowd. The Ijaw like enthusiasm, so Marty is a natural fit for ministry
among them. This was Marty’s first trip to Africa and he quickly caught the
vision for what God is doing among the Ijaw. His years of street preaching
and Youth Ministry have well prepared him for his work in missions. I’m looking
forward to having his partnership on future trips.
A Typical Day In The Bush
Our typical itinerary has us entering a village, usually around the afternoon,
following some hours of travel from the previous village. After dropping our
gear at the residence where we are being hosted, we proceed to the village center
for a big meeting with the Chiefs, Elders and a large representation of the
community. This usually takes about 1 to 2 hours and by then it’s time to
start the crusade. As the Sun is retiring for the day, the drums have begun
to beat on the crusade field and Christians are beginning to sing and praise
the Lord, preparing the atmosphere for the preaching of the Gospel. For the
next hour and a half the crowds swell and the drum-oriented singing escalates
with the onset of night, and many large bugs. By the time I get up to preach,
under the illumination of a few generator-powered lights, the Presence of the
Lord has gone forth to prevail over the crowd and hearts are about to be won
to Jesus. The messages are basic and simple. The Good News of our redemption
from sin and all of Satan’s devises is never so clear as when the hearts of
those Africans see their Redeemer! The Altar Calls are spectacular. We take
as much time praying over souls, binding curses off the land and praying blessings
over the people, as we do preaching. At the end of the crusade joy is irrepressible
and everywhere. As we make our way back through the village to our lodging
for the night there is always a good crowd of people following to participate
in the late night fellowship. Elders, young adults and children alike are crowding
into rooms and as we share some rice and food. You’re wrung out and tired as
you can be, but in the best sort of way. Eventually we’re off to bed for a
little sleep and an early morning rise-with-the-chickens, and preparations to
move out to the next village.
To view video clips of our Ijaw travels,
church dedications and Crusades, visit our Mission Video
Clips page.
Current
Ijaw Churches
These are the present 8 churches of HICC.
All 8 have church buildings that were provided by funds raised through NIM.
And all of the Pastors have been trained and totally supported by your contributions
through this ministry. The enormous fruit of your giving is difficult to calculate.
Please pray for these churches and their Pastors.
1.
Ajakurama Village Pastor DeRock Reje
2.
Abere Village Pastor Imole Lagos
3.
Ugbolukanga
Village Pastor Alade Igbiriki
4.
Gbeuba Village Pastor Daniel Ejeni
5.
Ofunama Village Pastor John Kiliki
6.
Jamagie Village Pastor Joseph Agwosi
7.
Ogbudgbudu Village Pastor Oweijibor Goodluck
8.
Opuama Village Pastor Ebitebe Reje
To see a video
of these Pastors with their families visit our Mission Video
Clips page.
2
New Pastors
Two new Ijaw Pastors, Blessing Lagos
and Gold Gogha, are graduating from training, under Wilson Okotie, and will
be going into the field this month of August. Blessing Lagos
will be taking the church at Ajakurama, and Gold Gogha will be going to Ugbolukanga.
These young men have just undergone extensive discipleship training and preparation
for pastoral ministry back in their homeland of the Egbema Ijaw Kingdom. This
is the key to building the indigenous, self-supporting, church-planting movement
that HICC and NIM have been so successful with. The Ijaw have ownership of
their own move of God among them.
New
Ijaw Church Plant
This
month of August HICC, along with the resources of NIM, will be planting our
9th church in the village of Sekelewu. This is the largest of our villages,
and will be the farthest penetration down the river that we made thus far.
Our veteran Ijaw Pastor, DeRock Reje (Ajakurama Church), will enter Sekelewo
this month to plant the High Impact Christian Center Church. This 9th
church plant was been in the planning stages for nearly a year. And the finances
to build the church building, once the congregation is established, have already
been raised, through the efforts of Keswick
Christian School, in St. Petersburg,
FL.
Many Thanks to Keswick
Christian School for their participation with NIM and HICC in our church-planting
mission. During the school year of 05-06 the Sr. High student body of Keswick
voted to adopt the planting of Sekelewo Church for their annual missions project.
The student body raised $5,090 for the building of the church, which will take
place sometime after the congregation is established. We wish to thank the
Administration & Faculty as well as the Sr. High and Jr. High student body.
We are especially grateful for the efforts of Mr. Ed Sloan, Ms. Alison Pryski
and Trae Span. We hope to have pictures and updates as they become available.
Below is a copy of an email from Wilson Okotie to Keswick, expressing his gratitude:
To:
Keswick Christian School
From:
Rev. Wilson Okotie and all Ijaw pastors
We
the Pastors of High Impact Christian Center, Nigeria, under the covering of
Faith Christian Church, Nigeria-Ijaw Mission, USA, hereby send our appreciation
and thanks for supporting in building the 9th church building among the Ijaw
People Group in Nigeria. The Lord will bless and reward the school authority
and students for their efforts to see the Kingdom of God established among the
Ijaw people group.
Thanks,
Rev.
Wilson Okotie
Moving
The HICC Headquarters To Benin City
Presently Wilson Okotie resides
in Lagos where he pastors the HICC headquarters church. During the month of
August Wilson will be moving to Benin City and setting up a new Headquarters
for HICC and the Ijaw project, and leaving the Lagos church in the hands of
his Assistant Pastors. Benin is the oldest city in Nigeria and sits on the
north side of IjawLand. From there our ability to oversee and launch missions
into the villages, will be greatly improved. This move will help greatly in
our ability to finally set up a medical clinic and begin to address health needs
as well as community development.
The
New HICC Motorboat
We are so pleased to announce
the purchase of our new Yamaha motorboat. Down in the Niger Delta travel by
boat is a necessity. Without a boat travel is much longer and more difficult
over the jungle trails. Last year when Wilson was with us in the States he
raised the funds, along with contributions from NIM supporters, necessary to
purchase the new boat and motor from Yamaha. This boat will meet 3 important
needs:
1.
It would effectively increase
our abilities to evangelize the remote fishing communities.
2.
It would allow us to attract
medical professionals to work in our Clinic, since they would have access to
the outside world and not be stuck down in the bush.
3.
It will belong to our
Ijaw churches, and when it was not being used for the ministry it could be used
to generate an income by providing taxi service to the Ijaws.
We truly thank all of you
who contributed towards this need! We will bring back pictures of the boat
in action, when we return from our missionary trip this coming January.
The
HICC Clinic
From our last ’05 Report…
In 2004 we received a generous contribution
of $7,000 towards the startup costs for the HICC Clinic we had planned to establish.
In every village we entered the Chiefs requested that we build a hospital (clinic)
in the land and bring in a Doctor and Nurses. Presently, our own Pastor DeRock
and Pastor John Kiliki provide the only medical treatment available in the entire
Egbema Kingdom. They attend to wounds, illnesses and maternity needs. Anything
beyond that requires transporting the sick and injured on a long and difficult
journey to the nearest city. We have spent the last several months in the planning
stages, evaluating the need and cost, and have arrived at this conclusion:
The Clinic will require a professionally
trained doctor, with a missionary heart, who is willing to leave the comforts
of the city, and move down to the Ijaw Villages. We will also need 2 trained
nurses, and assistants to handle administration, housekeeping and security.
In addition we will need a facility. Presently, travel conditions down into
the remote Egbema Kingdom, are so difficult, that we cannot persuade a Doctor
or Nurse to come. So until we are able to provide a motorboat, or improve the
jungle road, the finances are on reserve for that project.
Where we are today…
With the acquisition of our new motorboat
we will begin our search for a Doctor and Nurses, around which we can build
our clinic. We are considering sending some of our Ijaw Pastors’ wives through
Nursing School, to meet the need. Since the schooling will take place in Benin
City, this plan will have to be integrated with the move of the HICC Headquarters
to Benin. Once the new Headquarters is set up and the new church plant in Sekelewo
is accomplished, we will be able to turn our attention towards the process of
putting the clinic together.
Though we have the $7,000 towards the project,
it is certain that we will need more money. If you send in money towards the
HICC Clinic your contribution will be set aside in the special Clinic Fund,
and used when the project begins.
Our
Next Upcoming Trip
I will be returning to the Niger Delta
at the end of this year and first half of January ’07. This will be a large
trip with an especially heavy itinerary. Along with me, I will be taking Pastor
Marty Span (Youth Pastor of Faith Christian
Church), his son, Trae Span, and 2 young men from our church,
Justin Beaty and Bobby Schubert. Also traveling with us will be Dr. Daniel
Bernard (Founder of Somebody Cares Tampa Bay) and
his daughter, Faith, who was born in Nigeria when the Bernards lived there as
missionaries.
Crusades…
During this trip we will be conducting
crusades in each of the 9 villages where HICC/NIM has planted churches.
Ministry Training Seminars…
In addition to our Crusade schedule,
we will be holding a special 3 day Ministry Training Seminar for all Ijaw Pastors
and Church-Workers. This is going to be a very exciting in-gathering of all
the Ministers and Workers throughout the Egbema Kingdom. We will also conduct
Ministry-Training Seminars in the Lagos Church as well.
Youth Outreach…
During the Ministry Training Seminars,
Marty Span, with the assistance of the young people who are coming with us,
will conduct a special outreach to the Youth and Young Adults of the communities.
Expenses…
The NIM Team, Marty Span His son Trae,
Justin Beaty and Bobby Schubert, all have to raise the funds to cover the cost
of their travel. Including all the costs of ministry and accommodations in
Nigeria, as well as travel expenses, this trip will cost approximately $3000
per person. We all go to the mission field at our own expense and pay for the
costs of our crusades, travel and accommodations while in country. Customarily
missionaries are provided for as guests of their host churches. But since we
are a Missionary Church-Planting organization, sent to the poor and remote unreached
people groups, we minister at our own expense. It is the cost of taking the
Gospel to those who have never heard. Your share in this support is deeply
appreciated.
Contributing to the upcoming mission trip…
You may make
a contribution to this Dec-Jan missions trip and designate it towards the
trip in general or towards any of the guys who are trying to raise funds for
their expenses. For example, if you wish to make a contribution towards Justin
Beaty’s expenses, simply click the “Make a Donation” button and write Justin’s
name in the field marked “Please put towards…”
Thank you for your continued prayers and
support of NIM and the wonderful efforts of HICC in the mission to the Ijaws
of the Niger Delta!
Sincerely Yours In Christ,