From Phyllis: Some time ago we were driving through Okigwe, Imo State, Nigeria. We were stopped at a road junction when a Fulani man came to the car, introduced himself as Yusuf, a relative to Mogodi, and asked us to visit their camp. He knew about Hope Academy in Kogi State and begged us to build a school for them in Okigwe.
More time had passed when my friend Mrs. McKay contacted me asking whether we'd built that school for the Fulani children in Okigwe. Mrs. McKay's father had recently passed, and she wanted to build the Okigwe school in his memory.
I phoned my Fulani colleague, Mogodi, asking about the situation in Okigwe.
Mogodi advised me NOT to go there, that the area was very hostile towards Fulani. All the Okigwe Fulani had fled the area. I had to tell my friend we couldn't build a school for the Okigwe Fulani; they'd left the area and I had no idea where they'd gone. We'd need to think about choosing another group of Fulani who need a school.
Next, our SFA staff member Haruna asked if, on our way south, we could stop at a Fulani village near Itobe, just minutes from Hope Academy, as his friend there had told him of hundreds of children with no school.
I said sure, we could stop by.
We would pick up a guide, Haruna said, as the village was hard to locate.
The guide was waiting along the Itobe Lokoja road. He got in the car, reached over and shook my hand. "Do you remember me?" he asked. "I'm Yusuf, the one you met on the road in Okigwe. All of us from Okigwe had to leave the area because of persecution. We've settled in a village near here. We have something like 500 children who need a school. Will you help us please?"
And THAT, my friends, is a bona fide April 2022 miracle!
I would say God REALLY wants that school in 'New Okigwe'!
The road in to the village near Itobe - we were thankful for a guide to help us find the village!
Meeting with the Fulani men in the village to discuss their great need for a school!
A few of the MANY precious children needing a school!
Can you help to build a school?
SO MANY ARE NEEDED!
Can you give monthly to maintain a school?
GREAT NEWS!
School has reopened on Bobi Reserve, at all seven schools! It has been peaceful since the Nigerian Air Force attacked the bandits there. SFA will request a permanent base on Bobi Reserve, for continued protection and support!
Prayer Requests:
Pray for the New Okigwe school to be built quickly!
Pray for the precious children, families, and teachers on Bobi Reserve - for their continued safety!
Pray for travel mercies in April as Phyllis and Bishop Matt Whitehead travel to churches throughout Nigeria for annual conferences.