May 30 – June 8, 2021
Imala Diary, Continued
Still awaiting drilling of the three boreholes!
We had THOUGHT the drill rig would be on site today to begin the job, when the message came that the driver, who’d started off from Lagos yesterday, was arrested along the way for having no driver’s license! The driver of the second vehicle, carrying pipe and other supplies, was also arrested for having no identification papers whatsoever! They had to pay a total of N250,000! Over $5,000! That is a lot of money! Don’t think the drivers will be making that same mistake again!
But we DID have another arrival today which was very special! ‘Big Blue’, Schools for Africa’s new school bus/boat, was driven down the river to our very own landing located down the hill from our school! Of course, we had to take a maiden voyage! The ride was smooth and quiet – simply wonderful! As we cruised along past egrets and lapwings on the shore, I was reminded of cruising the Kazinga Channel in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth Game Park! There, we could see elephants, buffalo, Marabou and Saddle-billed storks along the water’s edge, as well as egrets! But egrets are okay! Maybe other wild things will come along later!
Trouble on Bobi Grazing Reserve
Rev. John Raji reported that bandits entered the Bobi Reserve in Niger State and surrounding area, shooting, stealing cattle and motorcycles, killing four people and injuring many more. There was serious damage caused to the town of Company Bobi as dozens of these bandits on motorcycles rampaged through the streets shooting their automatic weapons. People fled of course; even the police, whose weapons were no match to those of the bandits, ran for their lives. Reports are that over 3,000 head of cattle were stolen from the Fulani herdsmen. We’re so thankful none of our teachers, students or their families were hurt. Of course, our seven schools on Bobi are temporarily closed.
In an ensuing security meeting attended by Rev. Raji, teachers and many Fulani parents, representatives of the State Government gave advice on measures to take in case of further attacks. On my part, I’ve written to Governor Bello requesting financial restitution be made to those herdsmen whose cattle were stolen. The Bobi Reserve is under State management; the State is responsible for the security and livelihoods of those resident Fulani. Security was NOT provided, so many cattle were stolen. The State needs to compensate them.
It’s been over ten days since the bandits’ attacks; schools are reopening on Tuesday. Pray please, for peace on the Bobi Reserve and throughout Nigeria.
More important visitors!
On Saturday two groups came to visit our site and learn about the work we’re planning here! One group was a mission team from Dr. Gary Maxey’s congregation in Lagos, the second, fifteen Fulani leaders from the greater Imala area, come to ‘see with their own eyes’ the school we were building for their children and express their full support of the program! Mrs. Maxey brought the mission team; they arrived first. After showing the visitors the new staff and teachers’ quarters, and the school building, we took them down to see the school bus! They were pretty surprised to see that the bus was actually a boat! All of us climbed into Big Blue and had a little cruise down the river to see the egrets! They loved it and were taking photos like mad! We stopped at THE shade tree – AKA ‘Phyllis’ favorite tree’ - where bottled water and chairs and Fulani leaders awaited, and there we spent a very nice hour talking and sharing together about plans for the school.
The Fulani men told of a great need for medical help. The mission team leader promised a medical team in September, and teams at least twice a year after that.
Lagos mission team and Fulani visit Peace Village
Fulani chiefs visit Peace Village
Big Blue, Peace Village’s school bus
Lagos mission team experience Big Blue
Building Progress
At both the staff and teachers’ quarters, only the floors, doors and windows remain to be done. The welders have nearly completed the thirty-two doors, fifty-nine large windows, five small windows, one set of double doors (for the guest house,) and two gates for the school! All of these will be completed today; tomorrow the welders will spray paint them, then the mason will begin installing them in the two completed buildings so that we can begin using those facilities.
Walls on the round school building are going up! The masons are doing a beautiful job; I’m so happy with their work. The classrooms are spacious; each can hold at least thirty children. The welder wanted to talk about desks already; I suggested we wait until all the buildings are completed THEN talk about desks!
Cow Pictures for Kickstarter!
I had an email from Rev. Mike Henry, the producer of the upcoming documentary, Kidnapped Redemption, asking me to take at least 40 pictures of cows! Large, small, standing alone or together – he needed lots and lots of pictures of cows! Apparently, Rev. Mike will use these for the Kickstarter campaign – for a fun activity of naming Fulani cows!
So Haruna, Lawal, Officer Saidu and I arranged to visit the nearby Fulani village at a time when the cows would be home, resting, and had a nice time trudging from one group of sitting or standing cows to the next, taking their pictures! Fulani cows are very tame; they are hand raised and used to being around humans, so there is no danger. I’ve sent Rev. Mike the pictures; you will see some of them when the Kickstarter campaign is launched on June 15!
The purpose of this Kickstarter campaign is to raise the final money, $40,000, to help the film team finish production and distribution of the documentary.
Premier showings of the film are scheduled for the last weeks of August, in Seattle, Stanwood and Wenatchee, Washington. I’ll be flying back for those showings! I’m so thankful to Rev. Mike Henry, Andy Yardy and Yayo Ahumada for their outstanding work, the time and effort they’ve spent to make this documentary film possible.
And please note, this film will strongly benefit Schools for Africa, as it promotes our work among the Fulani people. The film will also and most importantly be a huge encouragement to our Fulani friends who for so long have been sidelined and neglected as a tribe but are brought forward in the film as the beautiful, intelligent, loving and caring people that they actually are.
Check out the Kidnapped RedemptionFacebook page for updates on the film!
https://www.facebook.com/Kidnapped-Redemption-Film-101741308048633
Finally, we have boreholes!
I’m happy to report that we have a borehole at the school site, one at the nearby Yoruba chief’s village and one being drilled as we speak at Alhaji Bature’s new compound! Alhaji Bature is a Fulani chief, brother of our own Alhaji Mogodi Musa from Emiworo!
Only God could have led us to work with the Fulani in Imala, where we found Bature, the over-all chief of the Fulani here, Mogodi’s own brother! This sort of thing doesn’t happen by chance! It has God’s Name written ALL over it! Mogodi promised me on the phone this morning that he’ll soon be coming to visit us here in Imala! I really hope so!
Alhaji Bature is setting up his own compound within just a few steps of our school compound, the pathway connecting the two winding through a lightly forested area carpeted in green grass and flowers. So beautiful. Soon children will be running down that path to get to school on time! I look forward to that day!
So, there was real drama when the borehole drillers set up to do Bature’s borehole. The crew had arrived late; it was around 7 pm when the drill was to begin. But when the boss told the nine workers to start; they refused and begin shouting at the boss! Officer Saidu quickly intervened and was told the reason for the workers’ refusal to start! They were hungry! They had not been given a single bite to eat for over twenty-four hours! Hungry men are angry men! The boss told them he hadn’t any idea where to get food out here in the bush! They accused him of eating and drinking, and not bringing anything for them!
I quickly suggested that we, Lawal, Saidu and I, go for food; we knew where to find it. Let them start work, we told these angry guys; we’ll be back as quickly as we can with food. And so they started, and we took off into the bush – 20 miles on a very rough road to reach the main road to a village called Kahra – where food was available. We bought ten plates heaped with molded rice, meat and gravy, and two big bags of ‘pure water’ – small baggies of drinking water – and took them back to the drill site. We opened the boot, handed each guy, including the boss, his plate of food. That food was GONE in a matter of minutes! And the guys drilled and found water! A good night, all in all.
drill rig on Bature’s site
Alhaji Bature with drill rig
borehole and tank stand
Thanks for following our story, for your faithful prayers and support; we love you so much!
God bless and keep you ‘till we meet again,
Phyllis