Vineyard Cincinnati Missions

July 7, 2011 Monterrey, Mexico Back2Back

2011-07-07T15:50:00.000-07:00

We are finishing up our last evening as we heard to the airport tomorrow morning....early! The past few days have been filled with so many "pictures of the day." Hard work with cement pouring, roof repair and painting has been a tiring experience, but it has been worth every drop of sweat when we can see how much the work of 13 helps alleviate the work for the children's home directors. The experience here has been incredible, and we are so thankful to the Back2Back staff for running a first class ministry that advocates for kids and puts the mission above the organizational duties. This morning, Todd Guckenberger shared that 86% of the donations goes directly to the care of the children....only 14% goes toward administrative needs. This is a phenomenal ratio and shows the authentic stewardship of the organization. The passion and commitment of the staff is so evident each day. God has blessed this commitment to the mission, but the organization of the work has not suffered. What a blessing from God that he has blessed Back2Back with such strong organizational structure, while they continue to maintain a primary commitment to the work.

Many team members have learned different lessons throughout the week...but many lessons have been learned. We are all learning more and more that everything boils down to the relationship we have with Jesus. It's not about the ministry; it's not about what we have to offer, but instead it's about what God does through us and through our relationship with him. Going to the source of our life, namely Jesus, and emptying ourselves so that he can fill us with his living water gives us all "glory strength" to accomplish the good work he has set for each us even before the beginning of time. How often do we all rely on our own efforts to repair, restore, fix, create, and serve? In our own strength, we will become frustrated and self-serving. Let us all pray for Jesus to convict us of our self-righteousness and to empty us for his power to find a home in our lives...not just a room, but a home.

Monterrey, Mexico July 5, 2011

2011-07-05T19:12:00.000-07:00

We are halfway through the week and have had awesome serving experiences with the children's homes and impoverished areas of the Rios. Our team is bonding and forming relationships as the days together encourage us to be transparent and authentic with one another. Yesterday was spent serving in a children's home called "Bethany." There we played with the children and helped to paint several bunkbeds and walls. The children were so open and initiated interaction with warmth and curiousity. At one point in the day, I was playing Memory with 3 boys, while a 4 year old painted my face and another painted my fingernails. Talk about multi-tasking! It made me appreciate the daily work the directors of the home put into to trying to meet all the children's needs. Their ability to multi-task with love makes it so obvious that they accomplish relationship and not just tasks.

Today was a day that stretched so many of us outside of our comfort zones. We worked alongside a pastor to help with construction projects on his church, as well as play with many children all the while. This pastor makes a 30 minute commute everyday to the church to build relationship and make much needed improvements on the building. We were told that the involvement of Back2Back is very needed in this area, as they are working to prevent mothers from reaching a point in life where they feel that they have on choice but to drop off their children at a home because they can no longer meet their needs. Back2Back shared that many children in the homes come from neighborhoods very much like the one we were in today, so their presence offers encouragement to make it just one more day. I love this aspect of their ministry to partner with a local church to help keep families together. A few of us spent the day on the roof framing and installing a tin roof. I must say, it was the most challenging thing I have ever done. God is so amazing that he would lead me here and place me 30 feet in the air over a 30 foot drop off, laying across a piece of aluminum tarring the holes. He covered us all with his glory strength and made the impossible possible today.

Lives are changing based on the nightly debriefs of sharing! This week has confirmed for us that short-term missions is integral the individual change and growth of team members. You know, so much information is out there on the topic of short-term missions. This trip has confirmed that you can't put a price on encouragement!

2011-07-03T17:23:00.000-07:00

July 3, 2011

MONTERREY, MEXICO BACK2BACK MINISTRIES

We arrived safely and are well into our second day here! The trip was smooth, as we just missed a large storm front moving through Dayton at the time of our departure. Our small group of 5 joined with Apex Community Church in Dayton and traveled together yesterday.

The theme of this summer's Back2Back Ministry is "Source" focusing on God as our Living Water. Theme verses include Proverbs 14:27 and Jeremiah 2:13. We are encouraged to explore and grow in our understanding of accessing the Holy Spirit as our true source of Living Water. Too often, we access spoiled sources of water that are so beautifully disguised pathways to pleasure or satisfaction but leave us feeling empty and unsatisfied. The spoiled water tastes so appealing at first, which leaves us longing for more, only to keep dipping into the false source of nourishment. We, as a team, are journaling and reflecting on our personal relationships with God, identifying and confessing pathways we often turn to when in need.

Times spent outside of worship and small group time has been devoted to pouring our time and energy into the children of children's home. So far, we have hosted two groups at the Back2Back campus from 2 children's homes in the area. Needless to say, there has been lots of laughter, playing, and dancing! Today, a special cultural event was planned to celebrate the 15th birthday of a young lady who lives in a children's home that Back2Back serves. In Mexico, the 15th birthday is an event that families will save years for to celebrate. Families of the children in the children's home do not typically have the resources to do this, so Back2Back assists in the planning and celebration. The event parallels most American weddings (i.e., presentation of the young lady, a ceremony with gifts including a ring, cutting the cake, food, and lots of dancing!). Tomorrow, we leave campus to serve through work on projects and serving children. Can't wait!

Nigeria Recap Video 2010

2010-11-23T11:27:00.000-08:00

Nigeria H2O Update Nov 2010 from Still Rendering on Vimeo.

Pictures!!

2010-11-20T11:18:00.001-08:00

Check out pictures from the trip at http://november2010nigeriatrip.shutterfly.com/

2010-11-08T09:13:00.000-08:00

The team is settled into Jos and will spend their first day outreaching in the village. Meanwhile, Dave and Kande are heading to the local seminary to share about outward focused leadership, and then will see the venue and planning for the GLS this afternoon.

We've arrived!

2010-11-06T17:31:00.000-07:00

The team arrived safely in Abuja, where we'll spend the night & attend church in the morning. After that, Sarah's home cooking for lunch & then onto Jos.

H2O Nigeria Update

2010-11-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

Join the mission of God in Nigeria through Vineyard Cincinnati. Here's what's happening and how you can pray. The team from Cincinnati traveling to Nigeria November 5 - 16 will update this site as often as possible to keep you up to date!

- Number of wells to date: 92

o Estimated # of people served: 53,000

- Short Term Trip Info

o A team of 11 from VCC will be in Nigeria November 5^th – 16^th. Check in on their progress, pray to support their work, and see pictures from their trip by visiting this blog.

o To learn about future trips as they are planned, sign up for the Outward Focused Ministries monthly e-newsletter by visiting www.vineyardcincinnati.com/missions.

- How to Pray

o Pray for the health of the SSE drilling crew as they spend extended time in the bush.

o Ask God for wisdom and discernment for our leadership team as we reach out to establish partnerships to address the spiritual care of those impacted by the water project.

o Pray for God to raise up and provide for long-term workers in Nigeria who are focused on the spiritual discipleship needs associated with H²O Nigeria.

Ireland Update #2

2009-08-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning, our team really did a great job in caring for the kids of VCD. VCD has gone to 2 celebrations, and they team split and took on all the family ministry for the church from ages 0 to 12. From there we had lunch and then brought all our team together for a team meeting, just to check how everyone was doing. Alton and I wanted to check in with how they doing emotional and physically. We had a nice but long (2 hours!) time of bonding which really took our team to the next level and got us ready to serve on today. In the evening we got to finally meet the VCD CRASH team for an overview of the week and ministry time. Boy, did God really show up!!! We prayed for impartations and for the power of God to operate through us.

This morning did our first kids club. Last year the most kids they got at the kids club was approx 90. Well this morning, we hit 95 on the first day! It was awesome!

The weather here has been for the most part beautiful. We had some scattered showers here today but they are brief followed by sunshine. So please keep up your prayers for pretty weather!

Thanks for your prayers and continue to ask God for the supernatural to be poured out this week through our team for the glory of HIS name!

Ireland Photos

2009-08-09T04:15:00.000-07:00

At the airport...so excited to be going to IRELAND!

At the hotel....morning devotions. Sweet time with God.

Protestant St. Patrick's Cathedral in Armah

Catholic St. Mark's Cathedral in Armah

Goofing off at the Cathedrals!

Sightseeing in downtown Dublin

Ireland Team 09 Update #1

2009-08-08T17:03:00.000-07:00

Well it is 1:00 a.m. on Sunday morning and it has been a full couple of days! We did not have free internet access until this evening, which is why we have not been able to update sooner.

We arrived safe and sound Friday morning, with most of us getting little to no sleep on the plane. It was not because the movies were so good that we wanted to stay up and watch them, but that the seats were just so uncomfortable. It could be summed up by Alton's one phrase to me as were were getting off the plane. "My butt is numb!". But it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the team because we were just so excited to be in Ireland!

We were met at the airport by a coach, with a driver that could not speak English (Polish) and did not know the directions of how to find our hotel. So our 1/2 hour to the hotel ended up being a 2 hour adventure circling Dublin. After taking naps and showers in our hotel rooms, we split up into 3 groups and went to explore Dublin on the hop on/hop off bus. We learned some things about the city and most of us ended up walking for several hours around downtown and having a good time exploring. About 8 pm, Michelle Scott came to have dinner with us at our hotel. After dinner several went to bed and we went out exploring again with Michelle to find a this wonderful diner on the River that served desserts and coffee. Much laughing, bonding and feasting ensued!

This morning we had our devotional in the hotel, then headed off to view the Protestant and the Catholic Cathedrals in Armah. Both cathedrals were ornate and stunning to look at. (Pictures will be coming soon!) After sightseeing in Armah, we headed to Dungannon to be dropped off at our host homes. It really did feel like the host homes were handpicked by God for each of the team members. We will hit the church tomorrow for 2 celebrations where our team will be serving in children's, hospitality and Alton teaching.

Our weather has been beautiful and the temperature has stayed around 68 to 70 with partly cloudy skies. Please pray that the weather continue to stay beautiful, especially as we begin to serve next week.

The team has bonded very well and it feels like we are set to move into the week with unity! Thanks for all your prayers, we can feel 'em!

More to come tomorrow....

Medical Outreach

2009-07-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

The VCC community really shined through today during our 7 hour medical outreach. By the end, we saw over 175 people who lived in many surrounding villages. Everyone went above and beyond in the areas that they were working. Some were working with the hundreds of kids who were waiting for their parents or themselves to be seen; there were volunteers assessing the condition of people and checking vitals; traffic controllers under the medical tents; people praying over the patients; and some who distributed medicine. It was like a well oiled chaotic machine! Without everyone cooperating and working together, we would not have been able to accomplish as much as we did! There were 3 Nigerian doctors and an American missionary pharmacist who joined us.

Even though we saw so much desperation and despair it was encouraging to be able to share the word of our Lord and let them know that these “weird” Americans cared enough to fly across the world to visit them. We distributed medicine to alleviate some pain and cure some minor ailments.

Some of our team was able to build wooden bins that the village doctor will use to store the medical supplies that Back2Back will supply for him. His simple “office” will be transformed by the storage units we have built and the examination table we plan to build tomorrow.

Please pray for the time we will spend in the Market, and then continuing our medical mission work at the Kisayip village!!

Drilling a Bore Hole

2009-07-23T23:57:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the Jebbu Miango Village to visit with the people of Tabitha Evangel Ministries and the current recipients of the 50th bore hole! The drill team was on site actively drilling as we visited with the people. Binta, the founder of Tabitha, shared her amazing testimony of how God called her out of Islam and into Christianity and the persecution she went through because of it. This has led her to minister to people who are facing the same persecution and exile and describes this as a ministry to "Muslims who met Christ."

The day is described by many as the "best one yet" as we had the whole day to really spend with the people in this village. We played soccer, danced, painted nails, gave out hand massages, made beaded necklaces and laughed and laughed. The children were reluctant to even smile at the beginning of the day, but by the end, we had coaxed one out of each of the children. God truly blessed the outreach we did in the Jebbu Miango Village today.

We did stay as long as we could to watch the drill team and hope and pray to see clean water. Alas, we had to leave for the day without witnessing the clean water, but was a surreal experience to see the drill in action. We were able to see water, though it was thick with mud, as it sprayed us all in the process. It was thrilling to be covered in that mud, knowing that shortly the water would be clear and clean!

Friday we plan to do a medical outreach in the village. Please pray for our safety, health, energy and wisdom in treating as many patients as possible.

Wednesday's Update

2009-07-23T14:14:00.000-07:00

Today we ventured to the Oasis House. This house is the future home for the CLAPAI children Back2Back serves. The scenery was magnificent—it seemed that God had just dropped boulders from the sky. We climbed to the top to survey the property and eat our lunch. Children from both the village and the Filani, a nomadic people group, joined us on the trek up the “mountain.” It was amazing to see them climb skillfully to the top, some in bare feet and some only in flip flops! Once everyone was atop the “mountain” we took pictures, ate lunch and distributed some cookies and sandwiches to the children.

After lunch we went back to the Oasis house and were divided into groups to complete various tasks. Some painted ceilings, some made benches, and others dug holes for posts to mark the property line for the campus yet to be built. We worked for several hours, even during the rain, and after had a chance to do more outreach with the children. Some of us visited with the Falani people and made some real breakthroughs in developing relationships and ministering directly to them. Others played soccer with the kids.

After a long, hard day of work we were able to dine at the restaurant King’s Bite. Some ate the local cuisine—pounded yam. Others opted for more familiar food—pizza. A nice time was had by all.

Thank you for continuing to keep the team in your prayers. Please pray for energy, patience and endurance to continue the work God has given us to do.

Oasis House and Zoo Visit

2009-07-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

This morning we were able to see the house that the CLAPAI Children will move to in the fall. We cleaned, painted and repaired several areas in the much needed larger home. It was tough work, but so much fun! We were even able to play with some of the children from the village there during breaks.

After lunch we travelled to the current CLAPAI House to pick up the children and take them to the zoo. We each paired up with a buddy and saw lions, elephants, monkeys and many others. We heard the lions roar and saw monkeys that would dance for a peanut. Very entertaining and the children had a blast!

To end our time with the children, we played on the playground. The picture below is from the see-saw. It was precious.

We're Here!

2009-07-20T13:22:00.000-07:00

After nearly 48 hours of travel we have finally arrived in Jos! The flights were very long and left us tired, but excited to have arrived. =) The picture here is from the McDonald's at the Frankfurt Airport on a long layover.

After lunch we were able to purchase handmade clothing and purses from the Gidan Bege Widow's School, which is a ministry that serves widows by providing them a way to earn a living and learn a trade.

This afternoon we were able to visit CLAPAI (Childrens' Love and Protection Advocacy Initiative) to throw a birthday party for the children who live in the home and birthdays fall in the months of May, June or July. It was fun to see how happy the children were to see us and receive their own birthday presents. Tomorrow we will take the children on a field trip.

Thanks for all the prayers as we continue to adjust.

Friday Safari at Yankari

2008-10-24T12:45:00.000-07:00

Today we went on a safari at the Yankari Nature Preserve. It was a 3 hour drive from Jos to the nature preserve. When we got there, we were greeted by baboons and warthogs. We got into two land cruisers and drove around for about 2.5 hours looking for animals. We saw a couple of large birds, some more baboons and some monkeys. We saw a whole bunch of elephant dung, but no elephants or other mammals. It was still pretty cool to be on safari in Africa.

After the safari we went to the hot springs in the preserve to go swimming . The springs were beautiful and the water temperature was perfect.

The most exciting part of the whole trip to the safari was the baboon that jumped in to the bus onto Rhonda's shoulder. He then jumped into Dan's seat and stole Dan's pringles can. Dan let a loud "girly" scream and scared the baboon so much it jumped out of the bus. (Just kidding about the scream, Dan actually tried to chase the baboon off the bus and it just stared at him until it got the Pringles, then it ran.)

The bus ride home went fairly fast and we had dinner at a cafe in Jos and most of the team had their first "Chapmans," a Nigerian fruit drink that is very popular.

We are going shopping tomorrow morning and then heading to Abuja to the airport for our long trip home. This is the last post from Nigeria. We'll see you all soon.

Block Party at Kisayip

2008-10-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

Today was a totally awesome day. We went back to the Kisayip village to have a block party. We started the day by picking up the CLAF kids and packing them onto the bus with us. We headed to Kisayip and climbed the path up to a rocky overlook of the land that SSE and Back2Back are planning to develop just outside of the village. It was a beautiful day and Jason shared with us the vision for that piece of land. We prayed for the land and the future of the people who will be ministered to through the work of B2B and SSE. The CLAF kids lead the prayers for the vision of B2B building a home for them on the land.

After lunch we went to the village for the party. We threw the best block party that village has ever seen, okay it was also probably the first. About 40 men showed up to play soccer at the field with new goal posts we installed yesterday. We had over a hundred women and children show up to hang out and play games. The kids had a bounce tent to play in that was the most popular event of the day. The kids must have each had ten turns each in the bounce tent. Dana, Rhonda, Matt, Kathy & Kenzi (from Mexico) painted the faces of almost every kid. Dan, Jim, Tim & Ernie conducted a punt, pass & kick competition using an American football. It was quite funny watching soccer players try to throw a football. Cathy, Dan, Matt and others tried to lead a water balloon toss game that quickly turned into a water balloon fight with all the kids and most of the adults. Matt (the intern) & Jason and some of the ladies cut hair for about 30 boys. Eddie (the guard) got a bunch of the women to play tug of war which was very much fun. We gave away 100 pounds of oranges and a bunch of little bags of clean drinking water.

Diane and Jeanette went back to the clinic to work with the doctor. They saw over 60 patients and took care of many different types of injuries and illnesses. They will have to tell you the rest when they get home because they went to sleep early.

On the way home we went four wheeling in the bus across the crop lands of Kisayip. Several children from the village ran alongside the bus the whole time we were four wheeling. They either ran fast or we were driving very slowly.

We brought the kids back to the house with us for a dinner party. We had traditional Nigerian foods and traditional dancers performed for us. We gave the kids who have birthdays in September, October & November birthday presents and we celebrated Matt’s birthday.

Wednesday Evening

2008-10-22T14:48:00.000-07:00

Just a quick evening update. Kande & Mark joined us for dinner tonight and told us all about their advenures for the past two weeks. They're both doing well and have spoken at many churches.

This evening's entertainment wasn't quite as exciting as the bonfire last night. We didn't hear the dinosaur, but spent much of the night playing very loud card games named Peanut & Pit. Evenings here are interesting because once we get home from our daily work projects we have no option, but hanging around and entertaining ourselves. We are a very entertaining group!!

Krista & Mike C., if you are reading this, please respond so that your parents know you care.

Dan's family, thanks for all your prayers and comments!

Everyone else, thanks for responding. We greatly appreciate all your prayers and encouragement!

Wednesday at Kisayip

2008-10-22T13:02:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the village outside of Jos called Kisayip. Some of the guys dug holes and installed soccer goal posts. Actually, they started digging the holes and the men from the village took over the digging and completed it much quicker than we could have without their help. The cement will dry overnight and tomorrow we will have a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the soccer field. We also built desks for the students at the school. Last year one of the teams from the US poured concrete floors and built benches. We got to build the desks to complete their classrooms. The kids helped build and sand the desks and were very excited to go to school tomorrow with actual desks. Diane and Jeanette (who are both nurses) worked with the village doctor at the clinic and treated over 35 patients. A couple of other people hung malaria nets over the beds in the infirmary at the clinic. It was a very busy day, but we got all our projects completed.

Everyone is still healthy and having fun. Tomorrow we are going back to the same village and taking the CLAF kids with us to have a block party for the people in the village. It will be great fun.

Tuesday at CLAF

2008-10-21T13:03:00.000-07:00

We started the day by visiting a small business called Gidan Bege a seamstress shop that was started by a local ministry to provide jobs for widows. We bought miscellaneous Nigerian apparel for our families & friends. We also got measured for Nigerian clothes.

We spent the rest of the day working at the CLAF (Children's Love Advocacy Foundation) house. A young couple named Emmanual & Kyenpiya run a school for kids who have been orphaned by AIDS. The kids stay with them during the week and return to their relatives for the weekend. We did many projects around the house as well as playing with the kids. Diane & Jeanette did medical check ups for the kids and ladies who work at the house. They also cleaned the kids' ears & taught the ladies how to perform the Heimlich maneuver. Tony, Matt, Ernie, Tim (from Mexico), and Matt (the intern) mixed sand, rocks & cement to repair the porch and install a swing set. Jim & Dan hung doorway curtains for all the rooms to keep mosquitoes out. Cathy & Rhonda hung hooks for lanterns so they can have light at night since the house has no electricity or running water. Dana built a table for a drinking water station and learned how to draw water from the well, mix it with Pur, and end up with clean drinking water. Kathy & Kenzi (from Mexico) taught the Nigerian ladies how to salsa dance.

After we finished all the projects, we played with the kids. We brought footballs, wiffle balls & bats, soccer balls, and Frisbees that were all in motion at once. We also colored, painted nails, and made bead jewelry.

Everyone is in good health and having a great time. We built a bonfire tonight at the house where we're staying and learned the answer to the question, "How many batura (white men) does it take to start a bonfire?" The answer is 5 batura to discuss and plan and one Nigerian man to actually start the fire. When you see Dana, ask her about the dinosaur that lives next door and makes loud noises.

Day 1 in Nigeria (Monday in Mangu)

2008-10-20T10:25:00.000-07:00

We all made it safely to Nigeria. Our rescheduled flights were very smooth. We spent Sunday night in Abuja and this morning drove to Jos. The drive was beautiful. We went directly to a village outside of Jos called Mangu. We met the borehole team there and watched them work on drilling a well. We played soccer and other games with the kids. Matt painted fingernails of many small children. The village kids successfully wore Ernie out playing soccer. Dan & Cathy got to assist the drillers by cleaning mud out of the out of the mud pit and installing pieces of drill pipe to the drill string. Rhonda taught the girls a New Zealand stick game. Tony & Dan played soccer while dodging goats & motorcycles in the playing field. Jeanette got mobbed by kids who wanted Spierman coloring sheets. Dana & Jeanette learned Hausa from the kids. Everyone on the team enjoyed meeting the drill team and Daniel.

Winding it up

2008-06-27T00:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack blogs but its not the easiest thing to pull off.

It's Friday and the week is quickly winding up. Today one group will take the children of CLAF to the zoo, while another finishes up some work at the brides shop.

Tomorrow will be the longest day of the adventure. The plan is to get up and debrief,clean up the house , pack our bags and head out around 1:00 to Abuja, Make it to the airport and get thru,then the long plane rides. If I figure right in a short 32 hours from when we get up we will be back in Cincinnati. Can't wait to see you.

Everyone is doing well and the luggage arrived on Wednesday.

A quick run down

Wednesday , we went to see a piece of property that the ministry owns and got a vision of what the future might hold. Thursday we placed the concrete in what will become a computer lab or IT center. We mixed 6 cubic yards( for those unfamiliar ,thats 3\4 of a load on a big cement truck) That's alot !!! It went very well dispite the fact it rained most of the day , but the slab was inside.

This will be the last blog, we'll call you when we hit the US soil , can't wait

Geore

We are here...and we're safe!

2008-06-23T13:03:00.000-07:00

Hello family and friends back in the US... i just wanted to let you all know that we made it here safe and sound. We had NO problems getting here. we made all our flights (even though we had to run to one) and getting through customs couldn't have been easier...let's just say that we were being led by an angel!

We stayed in Abuja for the night and in the morning we made a 3 hour drive to Jos. This was amazing and i am sure that everyone will have wonderful pictures to show.

Everyone is safe and no one has gotten sick so far...let's cross our fingers and continuing praying for health! We got to visit a local orphanage and play with the kids and do some good old work projects. Everyone did great. And we did get to see the drill rig that the Luke 4 challenge has purchased! It was cool to see where the actual money has gone and the determination and passion these men have who are helping drill the wells.

3 bags were lost...but no worries because hopefully they will be here tomorrow! Everyone is loving it and having an experience of a lifetime, and each person is using their strengths to help the group and the kids.

Thanks so much for your prayers... please continue praying that God would just show us what we need to learn this week. We love you all very much and we miss you.

Bob wanted to say that he misses Kamri and all the kids very much and they he loves them. ( i told him that i would post his little message!)

We love you all!

Nigeria team 2008

Test Case

2008-06-14T08:36:00.000-07:00

This is a test for the June 08 Trip To Jos

A picture website..

2008-01-29T05:38:00.000-08:00

Check out some great pics. Visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/missionsvcc/ to check out nearly 200 photos from the trip. Photos on the main page display randomly... to see them in an order that makes sense, open up the Nigeria Jan 08 set.

A long, hot shower and my very own bed!

2008-01-27T18:22:00.000-08:00

It's good to see Jesus at work in a culture very different than our own. And then it's nice to be home. Especially when your bus breaks down (TWICE) on the way to the airport and your new Nigerian friends have to pull strings to get you through the check-in process in order to make sure you don't miss your flight. Dang. This is a story worth telling. But we'll leave that up to each of the team members to pass along to friends and family who were praying so diligently... and of course to Dave.

Thanks for allowing us to be your representatives for this part of the Luke 4 Challenge. We are all honored and humbled to have been sent as part of God's greater purposes. And we can't wait to tell you more in person... as soon as we soak it all in ourselves, of course. And that may take a while.

In the meantime, we'll post LOTS more pictures, after a good night's rest (check back tomorrow!)

Kande

Ready or not, here we come

2008-01-26T02:38:00.000-08:00

I type as the rest of the group busily prepares to leave the SSE house at least as good, if not better, than when we found it. We're packed and ready to head out to Abuja in a few hours. We'll likely wait in the airport after security check for quite a while... then on to Amsterdam with a 5 hour layover before we leave for Detroit. And this trip has been worth every bit of every hour of travel.

Last night's dinner that was hosted here at the house was attended by nearly 50 people, and we were treated to traditional tribal dancers. Very fun. It was cold here by Nigerian standards, so our local friends were suffering quite a bit. We ate ram and chicken and laughed and talked a lot... and exchanged a TON of pictures! Good stuff.

We miss you and can't wait to tell you more in person.

Sai gobe,

Mama Kande

Fun day from start to finish

2008-01-25T16:08:00.000-08:00

We went back to see the kids from CLAF children's home today (where we built bunk beds and helped with a few home improvements, etc. on Monday). It was good for Dave, Mark, and Brad to see the facilities and to met Emmanuel and Kyenpia, since their assignments on Monday prevented that. Today, we basically just picked up the kids and took them to a private park with swings and slides, and some real, true grass. It as good to just be able to play with them, relax, get pictures with them, eat lunch together (meat pies... YUM!), and then send them back home with the care kits we brought. Great pictures of that I can't wait to show you.

Afternoon was spent in the market... probably too much time if you ask the guys and too little time if you ask the girls, which likely means it was just right. We had a little time to freshen up before dinner, which was hosted here for about 45-50 people. It as good to have SSE board members and staff bring their spouses, as did the drilling team. Dinner was roasted ram and chicken, barbequed right here on the property and it was delicious! Some members were a little shy about eating the intestines, but some went for it! OH, I almost forget... our entertainment for the night were some traditional tribal dancers. Very cool, special treat.

It was bittersweet to say goodbye to many that we've grown to love during our travels here since we likely won't see them before heading out to Abuja tomorrow. And yet we eagerly look forward to home and its warm familiarity after this experience of being completely immersed in a very different culture and economy.

Please pray for a smooth transition out of the SSE/B2B house we've been staying in... that we organize our time in such a say that we can bless Jason & Emilee by leaving things better than when we found them, but still be on time for departure. We also desire your prayers for our safe, timely travels and for the remaining meetings that are to be had in the morning - may they be productive and glorifying to God.

Sai gobe,

Mama Kande (Can't wait to show you my new decked-out dress!)

Very different experiences...

2008-01-24T12:10:00.000-08:00

Very cool day today. Most of the group worked here at the Back2Back compound to prepare the place for rainy season (digging a trench, which is more physical labor than most are used to, so we have some tired backs tonight!) Some also got an opportunity to see a similar drilling rig to what we’ve purchased in operation, while Emmanuel, Dave and Kande went to meet with a group of pastors here in Jos. The pastors here are so impressive, with how little they have to work with. There were about 50 pastors there. Emmanuel introduced us, so we gave some VCC history, spent some time on mission, values and practices, and then talked about our core values. Even though the cultures are so different, there is always a difference between “church subcultures” and the particular broad culture of non-Christians in any city. You could see light bulbs going off with these guys. Then we did Q&A; it was totally fascinating. The questions were more about mechanics in an outward-focused church. Very cool. They were, of course, so appreciative and grateful. I think we actually stirred up a little trouble because of some of the systems/processes in the ECWA (Evangelical Church of West Africa) denomination, but they laughed about it themselves. The younger pastors were especially interested, as they are eager to reach out more effectively.

Afterwards we stopped to see a friend of Emmanuel’s who is a surgeon at the local ECWA hospital. Unbelievable conditions, but very good for Nigeria. He is actually an American who’s been here for seventeen years. What a model of sacrifice.

We left there and went to the ECWA seminary. We barged into a missions class and the professor invited us to talk about what we’re doing! There were maybe fifteen students in the class in old wooden desks with a wornout blackboard, open windows, and a mother with a nursing infant attending the class. The prof was talking about a shift in missions strategies from rural areas (traditional approach in Africa) to cities which are now overloaded and diverse. It’s an obvious mission field but a paradigm shift in missional thinking here. It was a clear fit with what we’re doing (as in: Greater Cincinnati is our mission field), so it was a great segue. This turned out to be totally a God-thing. As a matter of fact, during Q&A one of the students (who looked a whole lot like Spike Lee) spent about five minutes thanking us and remarking that the past thirty minutes had completely changed his view of ministry and were the most impacting time he’s had at seminary. No kidding. The students were all nodding their heads…and all we were doing was talking about our mission and values and spending time describing an outward-focused, relevant approach in whatever culture you’re in. I’ve never been in a classroom setting that was so much like a giant sponge. This was way worth the stop. We ended up being there for a good while and going over their scheduled class time by an hour!

It was a full day; we again skipped lunch but we did have dinner tonight at a Nigerian pizza place(!) with a Coke and, get this, ice. Beautiful. Much of the group was also introduced to Kande's favorite drink here - something called a Chapman. Yum!

The team is resting tonight, playing Scrabble, laughing, and sending emails home. It’s been a good trip.

Tomorrow we spend time taking kids from the children’s home (they prefer to not use the word orphanage) for an outing at a park. Should be a fun trip; and, as usual, Dave's hair will puzzle them.

The team is thinking more and more about seeing family and getting back to everyone we miss at home. It's been great, but we're all VERY tired!

Thanks for your support. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Today's Pictures

2008-01-23T15:07:00.001-08:00

Kids enjoying the water. Lots of people worshipping. Dave praying for the SSE Drilling Crew.

WE DID IT!

2008-01-23T09:13:00.000-08:00

Words truly cannot describe our joy and amazement... We drank from our first bore hole today! (Yeah, and no one is sick yet.)

Really... I'm not kidding. Words can't describe it. So after we recuperate from a day of celebration we'll try to figure out how to post a picture or two later today. Brad can't fathom editing the amount of great footage we got in order to capture the experience for you all back home. Pray for him!

Meanwhile, the girls got their missing luggage and nearly 100 orphan care kits were delivered to area pastors so they can distribute them to those in the most need in their congregations. God is so good.

And this is about so much more than water...

Mama K

What a day!

2008-01-22T12:28:00.000-08:00

We saw water!!!!!!

The majority of the team was at the village where we'll officially commission the drilling enterprise tomorrow... and the bore hole is operational! Originally we just thought they'd be blowing out the pipes to get ready for tomorrow and that we might not see it pumping. As a matter of fact, the majority of the group had loaded onto the bus after a hard day's work of building benches and playing with kids, digging a latrine, etc. Then news came that water was flowing... they all ran to see the big event. We can't wait to show you the video (sorry, you've got to wait for the celebration for that), but needless to say it was a big moment. More than a few tears were shed to see a dream come to reality!

It's hard to put the day in words. More than one of us is tired from crying... tears of joy for seeing God at work in so many ways. And to think he invites us to be part of it...

Meanwhile, Dave, Emmanuel and Kande were able to travel to a northern city called Bauchi to meet with area pastors there. They deal with muslim/christian tension and just recently had what they refer to as "an incident" in December where 23 people lost their homes to fire and rioting. We were invited to share how God has inspired us to see our city as our mission field and how that led to where we are today with the water project 1/2 a world away. And yet they taught us SO much. We have no idea about persecution, really, and what it means to nurture our faith and the faith of others in the midst of such on-going harsh realities. We'll be processing this one for a while...

Please pray for the commissioning tomorrow. It's sure to be a joyful, emotional day for all. Nearly overwhelming, and the anticipation is amazing. God is surpassing our wildest expectations.

Thanks for your love and support... and for making this all possible.

Mama K

Sorry for the delayed post!

2008-01-21T23:29:00.000-08:00

Sannu (Hello!), Friends & Family!

We apologize for the delay in getting this post to you. There was a bit of trouble connecting to the internet when we first arrived, and then we were busy serving at a children's home and got so excited we forgot to write! Oops...

Meanwhile, we traveled without incident in terms of flight delays or issues. Upon arrival in Abuja (the Nigerian capital), we did unfortunately have a few missing pieces of luggage. 2 of the bags were donation bags, which is unfortunate but not terribly inconvenient... 2 bags, however, were Jessica and Bekka's personal suitcases. The good news is that they are about the same size as Emilee (our host missionary), and so borrowing clothes hasn't been too much of an issue so far. They are being good sports about it and we are told that the luggage has now been found and is on its way. Yeah, God!

Sunday in Abuja was spent at church in the morning, where our group definitely stood out among the crowd! Dave spoke about God's heart for reaching out to those who don't know Jesus in our community; he was well received. Then we went to our friends Patrick and Sarah's house for a feast of a lunch! They spoil us and it was great! While the rest of the group headed on out to Jos, Dave & Kande were able to go with Emmanuel to pray for a sick family member. It was sweet moment for seeing God minister to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Yesterday was our first official day of ministry with Back2Back. We worked at a children's home and school (CFLA) with a wonderful couple named Emmanuel and Kyenpia. Through our mini-extreme makeover they went from having 3 beat up foam mattresses for 14 children to individual bunk beds with fresh, brightly colored sheets for every child!! We also built and stained some shelving units to help with organization. It was a great day that impacted us all. Mark, Dave and Brad were able to travel separately to meet up with the SSE drilling crew and were very encouraged by the character and eagerness to be part of this project. Most of the rest of the team will meet them today, as they are travelling out to the village where the bore hole is being installed.

Today the group will work in the village of Zagun, which has a great story of historical significance we don't have time to tell here, but we're very excited. They will do work projects to support the school there, and help dig a pit latrine, which is critical for health and sanitation to become a way of life. Dave and Kande are traveling to Bauchi, about 1.25 hours from here, to meet with some pastors there. Please pray for group travels today, as all of the places we are going are farther into the bush and we travel over roads with more pot holes than actual road! It's not uncommon for people to become motion sick as the driver tries to avoid getting the bus swallowed up by the road! We'll make this same journey tomorrow to celebrate the commissioning of the bore hole, so we're hoping the test run goes well!

A couple trip members have concerns back home for which prayer support would be appreciated. Paul's dad Eugene is in the hospital and it's hard for he and his wife Chris to be out of touch with him while he's ill. Also, Brad just found out today that his dog has become paralyzed and is having a VERY expensive surgery now, so it's stressful for him to know that his wife Leah is at home dealing with those issues without him.

We are learning MUCH about God's provision for the needs of those he loves while we are here and pray the same encouragement comes your way.

Sai gobe (goodbye) for now. Thanks (Na Gode) for your prayers!

Kande and the team...

Here we go!

2008-01-17T10:27:00.000-08:00

A team of 16 people from the Vineyard plus one person from Back2Back and one person (Emmanuel Itapson) from Self Sustaining Enterprises (SSE) will be travelling to Nigeria January 18-27 to commission the drilling enterprise that our Luke 4 commitments have established.
Brian Hitchcock, SSE's Executive Director, travelled to Nigeria in early January to oversee the local staff and transportation of the rig in preparation for our arrival. Once in Nigeria, we'll be working with long-term Back2Back missionaries Emilee & Jason Munafo.

Dave Workman and Kande Wilson are leading this team who will assist in the preparations in the village receiving a well during our stay, as well as support the work being done in area orphanages. We will also deliver over 100 of the orphan care kits that were prepared by SOS and Cincy Kids students in the summer of 2007.

Prayer - the most important part of our trip preparation!

Drill Rig. That it arrives safely and in time for our trip. (It shipped from Thailand November 17 and should arrive any day now!)
Smooth Travel. That any obstacles to family or work arrangements would be smoothed out and that all flights and connections would go as planned (and safety, of course).
God's Faithfulness & Our Response. We believe that God is speaking clearly through this mission and through this particular team that he wants to reveal to us more of who he is as Jehovah Jireh - the God who sees the needs of this world and then provides. Our hope is to press into what this means for the H2O: Nigeria mission, as well as for our personal lives.
Team Members & their Families - to keep healthy and safe during and after travel.
Please partner with this team by prayer with us through these items. The more people we have participating with us, even though they aren't getting on a plane, the better!

Kande Wilson

Pastor/ Sr. DirectorEvangelism & World Missions