June 27,2013

Dear Friends of Nigeria Faithful Works,

Greetings to all of you who have supported us in so many ways through prayer, thoughtful feedback, encouraging words, and financial support.  We continue to work diligently with our Nigerian partners on sustainable projects and want to update you on our activities.

We are very excited to be sending three of our board members—Joy Hill Hebert, Paige Reece McCormick, and Ray Sullivan—to Nigeria from June 28-July 10.  They will be very busy!  Here are some of the things they plan to do while there:

1) Greet the new Nigerian Baptist Convention President, Rev. Olasupo Ayokunle, in Ibadan.  This meeting is a goodwill gesture, a reminder of who NFW is and the nature of our projects, and how we might cooperate with the Nigerian Baptist Convention in the future.

2) The Baptist Medical Center Ogbomoso is now Bowen University Teaching Hospital (BUTH).  The former Provost, Dr. Wole Adebo, a staunch supporter of our Bio-Med Project, passed away last year.  The current Vice-Chancellor of Bowen University, Professor Timothy Olagbemiro, is stepping down after years of faithful service.  In the midst of institutional and personnel changes, we plan to meet the new Provost, Professor Taiwo Adewole, and the new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Matthews Ojo.  Cultivating these relationships will help NFW better cooperate with BUTH, while encouraging best practices for biomedical equipment upkeep.  We look forward to meeting and encouraging the biomedical technicians who have received training through our project.  While in Iwo, we will be staying with Chief Alma Rohm, and are looking forward to a wonderful visit with her.

3) Meet with the Saki Women’s Community Organization concerning sites for a community-access water project.  In the past we helped provide a water distribution system for the Baptist hospital there, and we hope to expand our cooperation with the community through this additional water project.

4) Meet with the Women’s League of Ogbomosho about support of their school expansion project.  Their school serves the poorest of the poor.  We helped them build a security wall around their school property, and now they have acquired expansion property and are requesting our help to secure this site as well.

5) Meet with the Director of the Ogbomosho Blind Centre to establish protocols for supporting clients’ training.  We have funded materials for training clients in basket weaving, in which the clients learn a valuable skill while the proceeds from basket sales go to sustaining future training.  We hope to strengthen our relationship with the Director and clarify the nature of NFW projects.

6) During the last part of our stay, we will travel an hour outside of Abuja to Kwoi.  Our host will be Paul Kato, president of the Kato International Training Academy.  You may remember from our presentation at Shocco last year that NFW was exploring a relationship with a school project designed to encourage Muslim/Christian dialogue and cooperation.  Currently buildings are being refurbished, administrators hired, teachers interviewed.  The school plans to begin operating in 2014.  We will be putting in some “sweat equity,” getting our hands dirty, and developing relationships with the Kwoi community.  This is a very timely project given the fierce religious divisions currently at work in Nigeria.

As you can see, we will have many opportunities to share the nature of the work of Nigeria Faithful Works, strengthening and encouraging ties to our many friends and partners.  As Paige, Joy and Ray go we request your continued prayer and support.  Please pray for safe travel, as the current security conditions in Nigeria are troublesome.  Pray for wisdom in interactions with our Nigerian friends and partners.  Finally, we ask for your continued financial support that makes all these efforts possible.

Grace, peace, and many thanks,

The NFW Council

Becky Neil Albritton

David DuVall

Joy Hill Hebert

Jon Low

Paige Reece McCormick

Ray Sullivan

Ron Wasson