Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus,
Christmas has come and gone and we are into the New Year. As we finished 2014 I with Jude Kalman of fishfilms# fame travelled to Jos Nigeria. I wanted to write a report earlier but felt to put sometime between our trips there and reporting for number of reasons but mainly for the security and safety of the team there.
In 2014 we sent a container to Jos after a lot of trials arrived into Jos mid December and distribution of the medical aid begun Christmas Eve. I have included a couple of the reports from the team there in Nigeria.
I guess the other reason for my delay in reporting was the challenge it has been to articulate what we witnessed. On the face of things the ministry is simple in its method, where people are being outreached too by a dedicated medical team using a variety of medical practitioners practising several streams of medicine meeting the people at the point of need. In an effective tried and true method of outreaching with great impact.
But that’s where the simplicity stops, it’s clear to me Nigeria is a country of two stories. From the moment you step of the plane every single sense is bombarded. Instantly you lose any personal space, you are instantly a very visible minority and it is clear to all you are lost, sweat begins to flow and everything is faster but you are going now where and what you consider normal fast becomes a thing of fiction. And you’re still in the airport! The small drive to the hotel is like scenes some postacotaliptic car chase movie.
Thankfully it’s after 9 pm and the traffic is less now. Welcome to Lagos the home of 52,000,000 people.
From my experience Nigeria seems to in two halves those from Lagos and those who aren’t.
Our journey took us to Jos that capital of the plateau state once a upon a time home to big expat community because of its mild climate and natural beauty. But since 2001 the Boko haram have been involved in a terror campaign so most of them have understandably left. As we drive around the city of about 900,000 people share un-ending story of bombings, road side killings, fire bombings and worse from the last 14 years. But you see a city a people not willing to give in and despite the stories and the evidence you find something very attractive in these people. JESUS.
As the days went on I found my self listening and watching more, rather than trying to add input or get involved in the ministry. In the past 16 years being a full time missionary I have seen God move miraculously and seen many things that can only be described as the hand of God, the power of the Holy Spirit and the love of Christ. But here I was in the presence of ordinary people that God had touched in way that I had never seen before. Though themselves seem total oblivious to the most amazing miracle I have ever seen, but physical driven by the manifestation of it in there life.
The Love for others.
Outwardly the people talk of the War they are in, though the city they live and the places we visited look normal and at no stage did we feel in any danger in any way.( Sadly since we have left there have been reports on the BBC of bombings in that town). But this where the Manifestation of the love for others is evident, in place and time where our natural mind say run away, make protest, demand something to be done where is the Justice, there seems almost the opposite and not an acceptance of fate but a revelation that this is a spiritual attack and the answer is not in government or military intervention, it’s not a war that can be or is to be won but be apart of the fight for souls that must be fought. They stay not out of spirit of justice or revenge or desire of peace they remain for the love of lost. For me I was witnessing a 2014 act 29 of the New Testament.
And as they say “if God chooses for me to die to day there is nothing I can do about it, but if God say its not my time to die there is nothing they can do about it”.
Personally they have had their home Fire bombed and robbed twice. But it’s not stubbornness or money or glory that keeps them there but a manifestation of Gods love in their life. Like the title of books sermons messages “to be like Jesus so when people see me they see Jesus”. That’s what I saw, I guess years of going to church I was expecting or had a preconceived idea of extreme holiness, or even some prayer warrior where there shadow alone caused miracles. It has taken awhile for me to able to verbalise what I witnessed. I simply was taken back by the miracle of “love and forgiveness”. I must go back and catch that heart.
As a ministry we want to do more and despite the hassles and extra cost etc. we want to send another container of medical supplies uncontained love# Nigeria. This team is perfectly placed close enough to the front line to be effective in location where hundred arrive every day just to escape. But still close enough to be significant and most importantly relevant.
As we move through this early part of 2015 we aim to pack and send a second container into Nigeria. Everyday this team is coming into contact with many of the elderly, the orphaned, and the disabled who simply can’t leave or run away. They are reaching out into a number of the Islamic nations and Muslim enclaves in Nigeria breaking down the walls through medical aid to get the truth of the Gospel. To witch they hear time and time again. “We just didn’t know about Jesus thank you for sharing we knew that there was something wrong with Islam but never knew about Jesus we will follow him”.
But we have an immediate need of 3400 to buy an empty shipping container to fill. Our aim is to send 300 wheel chairs 50,000 pairs of prescription glasses hundreds of crutches, hospital beds surgical supplies and educational materials. This one container will help this team reach tens of thousands for the Gospel.
God’s perfect love casts out ALL fears.
Our needs in this project:
- Shipping Container: $3400 immediate
- Shipping: $7200 June/July
- Tax: $6500 August/September
Prayer Team
- Prayer for the right equipment
- Prayer safe passage and quick clearing
- Prayer safety of the team and favour
- Open hearts to the Gospel signs and wonders follow
Time Line for the Project
- February: May pack load container
- June-July: Shipping and clearance of papers
- October: Arrival of container
- November: Travel for Outreach to Nigeria
On the Home front we look to officially launch Uncontained love Zambia the second chapter of the Fishfilms# uncontainedlove# documentary series in April just after Easter. To be followed by third instalment Uncontained love Nigeria “love casts out all fear” we plan to shoot the 4th chapter this year in November.
In His Grip,
Christopher Shadbolt
