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| Recent visit to Gobirawa field in Niger |
We will like to share an update on our 30th anniversary
and report of the great things that God is doing in some of our mission fields
as well as prayer points. Some of the report cannot be published here because
of the security implication.
30th Anniversary Celebration
On October 23-27, 2019, we will be formally appreciating
God for His faithfulness in the past thirty years as a ministry. Current/former
staff, friends of the ministry, partners, School of Cultural Missions’ alumni
and all stakeholders in this commission are invited to converge at the GFIM
headquarters in Jos on October 23-27, 2019 during which we will spend quality
time to praise God, to pray and to discuss our plans for the way forward. We
will be delighted if you can squeeze out time to be with us for the occasion.
Meanwhile, as part of the anniversary celebration, we are
trusting God for the sum of N17 million for the following projects:
v
The place of worship
for the newly pioneered missionary effort at Oma field costing N2.8million.
v
A mission house to
accommodate the pioneer missionaries estimated at N3.1million
v
Residential building
at Lamingo for the Home of Grace (HOG) to accommodate more orphans and
vulnerable kids estimated at N4. 3 million as well as a multipurpose
auditorium estimated at N4.8million.
v
The poverty-alleviating
scheme estimated at N2million
Salkamawa and Gobirawa Field
The rate of conversion among the Salkamawas to Christ is mind-blowing. Most of the
converts are
older men. Their children are not responding well, but the older
adults are making a deliberate effort to expose their grandchildren to the Lord
by taking them along to discipleship classes. Their wives too were not
responding well but recent talk with them beginning to yield a positive result.
Missionaries Issa and Rahila Maliki combine their work in Gobirawa with that of
Salkam, making it difficult to give them the full attention they desire.
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| Some of the Salkamawa believers |
They
covet prayers for God to send a missionary couple that will be fully resident
among them to take the work to the next level, especially now that the people
are expressing deep hunger for God. Rahila Maliki reported that her sewing work
has much helped in bringing the women both at Gobirawa and Salkam close to her
and by implication to the gospel. Pray that God will add to her two additional
sewing machines and fund to improve on her petty trading.
Bankoulawas Field
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| Harouna & Amina Tienogo, Bankoula missionaries |
Harouna and Amina Tienego are making progress with their
work among the Bankoulawa people. The converts are largely secret disciples as
they do not want to be identified because of persecution while few others like
Musa who is evident travel out to Niamey and sometimes to Sokoto for work to be
able to sustain his family. The mission house where they reside had significant
cracks that could lead to eventual collapse. The window and doors made with
zinc were tattered. During the period under review, God provided resources for a
new door, windows, and renovation of their building aimed at fortifying it. We
are incredibly grateful to the partner that donated to execute this renovation and pray the Lord will
bless her and her family richly in return. The fence project is still outstanding because it
will enhance the ongoing secret discipleship, but the cost is staggering. We
require divine intervention to get the needed fund for the fence and gate.
Oma Field
At the local front, we have seen God do so much that
brought joy to our hearts. At Oma, the two-
month-old church has grown to 39 as
at the last count. The discipleship effort is carried out almost day and night
through teachings, film show, and house to house visitation. We had two weeks
of free medical service, which attracted people from far and near.
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| Two month old Oma church |
Abel Onuh
and Andrew Marafa are currently leading the work as resident missionaries. The
converts testified of the significant change God has brought into their lives
through the missionaries. They covet our prayers. The elders have the promise
to offer land for the church building. Pray for resources to begin work.
Bolu, Bum and Kamberi
After much stagnation, God stepped into the work at Bolu.
From 19 coverts, God increases the numbers of believers to 42. Our missionary
on the ground, Ali Yohanna adopted adult literacy strategy in reaching the
people, which proved to be very useful. Five students of the School of
Cross-Cultural Missions who had their practical exposure on the field were also
very impactful. Pray for the converts that the Lord will strengthen them and
course them to abide.
At Bum, the Lord added to us more souls. One of them, a
25 years young man according to the missionary on the ground there, Ladi Ekpa
is from the religion of “our other cousins.” The rain is massive, and small
streams are flooded up. Navigating some of the villages like Kadagi is
currently impossible, especially that the missionary cannot swim, neither are
there boat.
Work on the Kamberi central church building has resumed.
The beam work is almost completed. We are trusting God for the fund for the
roofing. We already have 12 bundles of roofing sheet earlier donate by a
ministry in Ghana but will need 30 more bundles costing N432500. Cost of workmanship, woods,
nails and ridges have not been confirmed but estimated at over N500,000.
Home of Grace (HOG) & Refugees / Diaspora Ministry
HOG kids have continued to make progress in every aspect
of their lives. One of them, Sarah Ali,
completed her Secondary School
education. Three of them, Faith Yohanna, Elizabeth Daji, and Samuel Moses
completed their Junior Secondary School. Yakubu came first in his class and
passed the common entrance examination, Rosaline came second, and Naomi came
third.
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| The HOG kids rewarded with a holiday at Abuja |
They were all rewarded with a trip to Abuja where they visited Shoprite
and wonderland. All the other kids performed well and were promoted to the
next class. School fees of most of them have been paid, and textbooks of those adopted have been bought.
They are already preparing for the next level. Pray for resources to complete
the payment of fees and procurement of their books.
We continue to pray for the displaced persons at the
various IDPs camp and hope that they will return to their different home soon.
Sadly their situation is getting complicated by the day. According to a
newspaper source, the jihadists that occupy their homes are already renaming
their villages. Some of the IDPs got some farmland from their host, a few
others join the miners at the mining sites to see what they can do for a
living, but the majority of them are still helpless. A Tabitha Arise member
offered land that they could reside and farm in Ogun State, but they are not
comfortable with relocating to a very distant place that they are not familiar
with.
We have two Boko Haram victims currently seeking to join
the Home of Grace (HOG), but we cannot accept them now because of financial
pressure. We also cannot entirely turn them down, so we asked them to continue
to pray that God provides. As soon as we get those that will adopt them for
funding, we will send for them to come in.
Conclusion
Thank you so much for taking the time to read through the
update. Thank you for your selfless commitment to the ministry. Kindly remember
to pray on the points raised. Pray for divine protection. Pray for good health
for all our missionaries and partners. Pray for fresh grace to cope with the
work. Pray for the converts to abide and that Christ is formed in them. Pray
for adequate funding. God bless you, richly.
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