Good day, SFA friends and partners!
It’s Monday morning here in Peace Village; everything is under control, (for once!) so I want to write and update you on all that’s happening over here! The first thing I’ll say is, GOD IS WORKING WONDERS, blessing our endeavors, giving health and peace, guiding and directing our work. Truly, things are going SO WELL, I sometimes have to just break out laughing, for the joy of it all!
The WAMCO milk-collecting project is ready to go! WAMCO partners have delivered milk jugs and will bring the big generator and A/C units any day now. We have the perfect person for WAMCO to train – Abubakar Muhammed. I hired Abubakar as a teacher, some time back, but although he had the necessary qualifications, it turns out he’s quite weak in the classroom. I have to jump to his defense: MANY teachers in this country ARE weak – and it’s not their fault! They themselves had very weak teachers, and if you don’t ‘have it’ how can you pass it along?! And the worst is, at the college level, you will NOT pass unless you PAY your teachers and examiners! Even if your grades are failing, if you pay your examiners, you will pass the course! It’s so bad. But that’s just the way it is here.
So… I’ve asked Abubakar if I could transfer him to be our WAMCO man – the one WAMCO will train to receive the milk each morning from the herdsmen, measure it, test it, pour it into the refrigeration unit, record each milk intake and the money WAMCO is to pay. And he gladly agreed! Abubakar is perfect for the job, he speaks Fufulde and English, he already lives here at Peace Village, he already receives a good salary! So YAY! We’re ready to go!
I decided that we should invest in 5 new milk cows, so as to have an income from WAMCO as well! We presently have a herd of 29 cattle. Only 7 of these are milk cows, according to the herdsman, Aliyu. So, with the help of a long-time friend and donor, Mike Sparling, we’ll buy 5 more cows. Aliyu will do the milking each morning and we, SFA, will be part of those receiving pay for that milk. Also, it will set an example to other Fulani who maybe aren’t yet fully convinced of the project’s value. If WE can make a success of selling our cows’ milk, they can too! I've attached photos of the new calf just born to a happy mama cow in our herd! The herdsman, Aliyu, carried her to show me!!
At our new high school, Friends and Neighbors, we are collecting student intake forms for registration! Ubong, who has worked with me since we opened Hope Academy in Emiworo and who has been the trusted treasurer and bursar for Good Shepherd Primary here at Peace Village, has accepted to also be bursar for Friends and Neighbors High School as well. The two schools are only 7 kilometres apart; Ubong will set up a schedule and use the school motorcycle to go back and forth. Ubong is working hand in hand with the NEW Principal of the high school, Principal Ojo, preparing forms, teacher interview forms, schemes of work for both schools, etc., etc.
So, who is this new Principal? Okay, let me explain. When they heard that we were opening a primary school in Ogun State, where the Yoruba people make up the main tribe, Teacher Ojo and his wife Seun, who were teaching at our SFA school in Rivers State, New Town Primary, wrote and asked if they, being Yoruba themselves, could transfer over here and teach at the primary school. I agreed, as both are university grads and did spectacular work at New Town. I asked Ojo to head up the Good Shepherd Primary – his wife Seun took the highest level class. Both proved themselves excellent teachers, going above and beyond the norm.
When we built the NEW Friends and Neighbors High School, there was no hesitation on my part. I asked Ojo to be Prinicipal there, and asked his wife Seun to remain as the new Head Mistress at Good Shepherd Primary! They both agreed! Ojo and Seun live in a town called Ayetoro, about a half-hour drive to Anigbado, the location of the high school, another half-hour from Anigbado to Peace Village. We bought them a school motorcycle, which they’ve been using, along with another teacher from Ayetoro, to come to school each day. Now Seun and the other teacher will drop off Ojo at the high school and continue on down to Peace Village each day, then pick Ojo up again on the way home! Perfect plan!
We’re interviewing prospective teachers soon. We need two replacements at Good Shepherd, replacements for Ojo and Abubakar, and at least two or three degree holders for the high school. We’re starting with one level at the high school, Junior Secondary 1, or JS 1, so we don’t need too many teachers there yet – well – depending on the enrollment. If we have more than 60 students enrolled, we’ll go with three degree holders as teachers.
Wait until you hear about the reaction of the Imala Kabiyesi to the new high school and WAMCO project in his domain! The Kabiyesi sent me and the local chief an invitation to his palace; I had no idea what it was he wanted! When we entered the room, Kabiyesi motioned for me to sit next to him, then extended his hand. I took it. He proceeded to thank me profusely for the WAMCO project and for the new Friends and Neighbors High School, and asked that we make arrangements for him to come and commission both projects!! So great!!
All is well at our schools in Kogi, Plateau, Rivers, Ondo, Nassarawa and Niger!
We’re building a third grinding shed, this one for the New Okigwe Fulani! They are so thrilled! And we thank the Edgewood Church for providing $5,000 for this project. The New Okigwe Fulani are especially welcoming this grinding project. Currently, they have to carry heavy loads of grain for miles, even crossing a river on foot, to reach the town where the grinding can take place. Having their own grinding shed right there in their village is like a miracle! They are so, so thankful! Thank you, Edgewood Church!
Is that enough good news for you? Thank God. Praise God for His wonderful love and favor bestowed upon our work! Much love to you all! Phyllis
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PRAYER REQUESTS:
Pray for Manager Lawal Officer Emmanuel as they head to Niger, to work on repairs at the 7 schools on the Bobi reserve.
Pray for our land on Bobi Grazing Reserve - restore it to us, Lord, so that we can build another high school there!
Pray for our beloved Fulani people, and all other tribes in Nigeria, too, for favor, health, safety, and a saving knowledge of Jesus.
It can be hard to fathom the challenge a Fulani faces in growing as a new believer. How would one grow as a new Christian in contexts where the Church is strong? By talking with other Christians? Identifying with fellow believers is risky, as declaring oneself as a believer can be very dangerous. Listening to Biblical teaching? Churches are often few and far between and local Christians may be doubtful or fearful of Fulani who claim to follow Jesus. Reading the Bible? Only portions exist in their language, and many Fulani are illiterate.
Not easy, but these brothers and sisters have at least one point in their favor. The living God is with them, abiding in them by His Holy Spirit. God is at work often in ways unseen to these believers.
This underscores the value of praying for fellow disciples. Our Father knows their needs far better than we – or even they – do. Please pray for Fulani Christians who are at risk if they make their faith public. Pray for strength and grace to follow, even in isolation.
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