Update on First Week
The Internet has been slow this year. It just turned 2 AM on April 5th. I have not edited this but I am going to post it anyway. Got to get some rest.
This year I did not travel alone. My first 17 days was with a group of people representing the Evangelical Lutheran Deaf Association. With me are Pastor Beth Lochard, the first women Deaf ordained Lutheran Pastor and her husband Bill. They are from West Chester, Pennsylvania where Beth is the Pastor for Christ the King Deaf Church. Bill is an experience interpreter. It was good to have him as I have always had some problems communicating with my poor sign and poor hearing when I was trying to communicate with Pastor Ruth here in Nigeria.
From Minneapolis area, Deaconess Dorothy Sparks of Bread of Life Deaf Church, and Karen and Bob Pugh. Karen has volunteered in Haiti and Jamaica with Deaf Projects and heard about our trip through Dorothy and Beth who also volunteer in Jamaica.
As usual, it was a long flight with a long layover in Paris. The group from Minneapolis flew to Paris and met with Beth and Bill in Paris. Beth and Bill on the left, Dorothy, Karen and Bob on the right talking at the Paris Airport departure gate. I went and bought a cup of tea with my credit card. When I got internet I got a message that my card was locked. I had bought my ticket with that card and they sent me an email that they knew I was flying on the trip to Paris and Nigeria. Locked my card anyway.
In the background of the picture is a large installation of silk flowers and plants.
We arrived pretty much on time in Yola/Jimeta, Adamawa State, Nigeria. We were met at the airport by Pastor Ruth and her husband Paul Ulea and Honda Civic, Yakubu Buluma for the water program and his VW Golf, Emmanuel Sabiya and his Toyota. We all piled in with luggage stacked high in all the trunks and the Golf back seat filled to the top. One more bag and it would have been in someone's lap.
From the airport we drove to the LCCN Deaf Center School next to the Church for the Deaf. They children and teachers had waited after school great us with a sign and with several songs.
We took the ELDA Team to their hotel for some AC, rest and food. I was busy working with Pastor Ruth arranging to have money exchanged, transportation confirmed, schedules revisited and other getting my bedroom set up for my one month stay.
Over the next couple of days Pastor Ruth showed the Team around the town and a little sightseeing, while I worked with the Health Board and got the cellphones activated so the Team will have emergency communications capability. This is not a tourist area. There is not a lot to see.
On Friday we went to Yola Town to see the Museum at the Emirs of Adamawa' Palace. They had paintings of all the Emirs since the first Emir Modibbo Adama to the present. He had 4 wives and 15 children. The Genealogical Tree is a little complex. Our guide told the history of each Emir, battles with the British, and a lot more information than I can remember. One room had weapons, and more cultural items.
They were working on the AC and making other improvements. The tour was worth the time.
After the tour we poised for pictures outside the Museum.
We the drove out to Bronnum Lutheran Seminary to pick up Mrs. Bongi who is the principal of the Bronnum Lutheran Junior Seminary (Secondary School) and also the Director the the Remi Educational Foundation. Remi is a private school that takes children of all abilities. It is both a residential for children from outside of Jimeta/Yola and a day school for children from around Jimeta/Yola.
Mrs. Bongi gave a tour and told us that they have about 250 children at the school. I did not get the breakdown of the students.
On Palm Sunday the ELDA Team first went to the Cathedral to be introduced to the congregation. The introductions are after the announcements and a few songs and other activities. This being the marriage season there were many marriage announcements. Also the Girls Brigade was having a convention at the compound so they had marched in and presented the colors to the officiating pastors. The service started at 8 but it was 9:30 before they were introduced. In the mean time the people at the Deaf Church were waiting to start their service.
After the service at the Church for the Deaf, Pastor Beth and Deaconess Dorothy presented Pastor Ruth with some stoles they had made for her.
Lunch was at Pastor Ruth's house on Modibbo Adama University of Technology a few minutes north of the Benue River. We had rice, with salad and chicken in a red sauce. Paul said he had prepared lunch. Since, is always working he has become a good cook. Of course it helps that they have two nieces living with them while they attend University.
On Monday morning we met with the Most Reverend, PhD Archbishop Musa Filibus in his office at the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria Headquarter in Numan, Nigeria. About a 45 minute drive from Jimeta. We mostly discussed issues around the Deaf Ministry and Deaf Education. The LCCN is considering starting a school for special education, so children of all abilities can have an equal chance for success in life.
After meeting with the Archbishop the ELDA Team visited the first Lutheran Church in Nigeria, St. John's Chapel on the Headquarters Compound. The Numan Deaf congregations uses the round building that is the Chapel for most of their Sunday services. Some Sundays they will go to the St. John's Archcathderal and use an interpreter during the service. A few member of the congregation met us at the Chapel.
The round hut is ideal for Deaf conversations as everyone can see every other person without having to turn around.
On our way back to Jimeta we stopped and toured the renovated Demsa Health Referral Center. A few weeks earlier the 40 foot container of medical equipment and supplies was received and the old beds were replaced with modern beds. The new surgical table was installed, as well as the x-ray machine and other equipment. One of the delivery suites had been converted into a VIP Room. A pastor I had met in 2008 was in the room for a check up.
After touring the Health Center we drove down to old Demsa Town to show the Team what a more rural village looked like and to meet a few Deaf people who lived there.
And thus ends the first week in Nigeria. What I have not mentioned is that this is the hottest time of the year in this part of Nigeria. Daytime temperatures were mostly over 100 degrees F. Some days closer to 110.
This year I did not travel alone. My first 17 days was with a group of people representing the Evangelical Lutheran Deaf Association. With me are Pastor Beth Lochard, the first women Deaf ordained Lutheran Pastor and her husband Bill. They are from West Chester, Pennsylvania where Beth is the Pastor for Christ the King Deaf Church. Bill is an experience interpreter. It was good to have him as I have always had some problems communicating with my poor sign and poor hearing when I was trying to communicate with Pastor Ruth here in Nigeria.
From Minneapolis area, Deaconess Dorothy Sparks of Bread of Life Deaf Church, and Karen and Bob Pugh. Karen has volunteered in Haiti and Jamaica with Deaf Projects and heard about our trip through Dorothy and Beth who also volunteer in Jamaica.
As usual, it was a long flight with a long layover in Paris. The group from Minneapolis flew to Paris and met with Beth and Bill in Paris. Beth and Bill on the left, Dorothy, Karen and Bob on the right talking at the Paris Airport departure gate. I went and bought a cup of tea with my credit card. When I got internet I got a message that my card was locked. I had bought my ticket with that card and they sent me an email that they knew I was flying on the trip to Paris and Nigeria. Locked my card anyway.
In the background of the picture is a large installation of silk flowers and plants.
From the airport we drove to the LCCN Deaf Center School next to the Church for the Deaf. They children and teachers had waited after school great us with a sign and with several songs.
We took the ELDA Team to their hotel for some AC, rest and food. I was busy working with Pastor Ruth arranging to have money exchanged, transportation confirmed, schedules revisited and other getting my bedroom set up for my one month stay.
Over the next couple of days Pastor Ruth showed the Team around the town and a little sightseeing, while I worked with the Health Board and got the cellphones activated so the Team will have emergency communications capability. This is not a tourist area. There is not a lot to see.On Friday we went to Yola Town to see the Museum at the Emirs of Adamawa' Palace. They had paintings of all the Emirs since the first Emir Modibbo Adama to the present. He had 4 wives and 15 children. The Genealogical Tree is a little complex. Our guide told the history of each Emir, battles with the British, and a lot more information than I can remember. One room had weapons, and more cultural items.
They were working on the AC and making other improvements. The tour was worth the time.
After the tour we poised for pictures outside the Museum.
We the drove out to Bronnum Lutheran Seminary to pick up Mrs. Bongi who is the principal of the Bronnum Lutheran Junior Seminary (Secondary School) and also the Director the the Remi Educational Foundation. Remi is a private school that takes children of all abilities. It is both a residential for children from outside of Jimeta/Yola and a day school for children from around Jimeta/Yola. Mrs. Bongi gave a tour and told us that they have about 250 children at the school. I did not get the breakdown of the students.
On Palm Sunday the ELDA Team first went to the Cathedral to be introduced to the congregation. The introductions are after the announcements and a few songs and other activities. This being the marriage season there were many marriage announcements. Also the Girls Brigade was having a convention at the compound so they had marched in and presented the colors to the officiating pastors. The service started at 8 but it was 9:30 before they were introduced. In the mean time the people at the Deaf Church were waiting to start their service.
Lunch was at Pastor Ruth's house on Modibbo Adama University of Technology a few minutes north of the Benue River. We had rice, with salad and chicken in a red sauce. Paul said he had prepared lunch. Since, is always working he has become a good cook. Of course it helps that they have two nieces living with them while they attend University.
On Monday morning we met with the Most Reverend, PhD Archbishop Musa Filibus in his office at the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria Headquarter in Numan, Nigeria. About a 45 minute drive from Jimeta. We mostly discussed issues around the Deaf Ministry and Deaf Education. The LCCN is considering starting a school for special education, so children of all abilities can have an equal chance for success in life.
After meeting with the Archbishop the ELDA Team visited the first Lutheran Church in Nigeria, St. John's Chapel on the Headquarters Compound. The Numan Deaf congregations uses the round building that is the Chapel for most of their Sunday services. Some Sundays they will go to the St. John's Archcathderal and use an interpreter during the service. A few member of the congregation met us at the Chapel.
The round hut is ideal for Deaf conversations as everyone can see every other person without having to turn around.
On our way back to Jimeta we stopped and toured the renovated Demsa Health Referral Center. A few weeks earlier the 40 foot container of medical equipment and supplies was received and the old beds were replaced with modern beds. The new surgical table was installed, as well as the x-ray machine and other equipment. One of the delivery suites had been converted into a VIP Room. A pastor I had met in 2008 was in the room for a check up.
After touring the Health Center we drove down to old Demsa Town to show the Team what a more rural village looked like and to meet a few Deaf people who lived there.
And thus ends the first week in Nigeria. What I have not mentioned is that this is the hottest time of the year in this part of Nigeria. Daytime temperatures were mostly over 100 degrees F. Some days closer to 110.
Comments
Post a Comment