Doctors Strike

Dr. Chris says that Faith Alive has been "extremely busy" since the National Association of Residence Doctors (NARD) declared a strike. Patients at nearby government hospitals, including JUTH (Jos University Teaching Hospital), are scrambling to receive medical care. Many can't afford to pay what private hospitals charge, so are going to Faith Alive where they aren't asked to pay for prescriptions, tests, or services.

Please pray for the FA staff and facilities to graciously and effectively care for additional patients, and for the government and NARD to come quickly to a satisfying agreement.

Praise Team

Some people pay a lot of money to hear their favorite musical group. Not me. Mine is priceless. It's the Faith Alive Praise Team and their voices blend in the most heartfelt songs about Jesus. All I have to do is close my eyes, imagine I'm there, and let their music fill my heart.

(Dr. Chris sent me this snap.)

Anniversaries

My wonderful husband and I celebrated twenty years of marriage in 2009. For that big occasion, I told Mark that he didn't need to get me anything. I only wanted one thing--for him to come with me to Nigeria.

This year we're celebrating our twenty-first anniversary a little closer to home, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Actually it's an add-on trip, on our way home from a memorial service in Idaho. Instead of being surrounded by ABCs and beautiful Nigerian children, we're standing on snow-capped mountains. Both are great. But to be completely honest, I prefer Africa.

Funerals and Ancestors

My precious 94-year-old grandma passed away recently, and I’m in Idaho today for her memorial service. Actually I’m here to officiate the service, meaning that I’m the one who sits up front like a pastor, reads the scriptures, and gives a short message. While we grieve over my grandma's death, we also celebrate her long and meaningful life. It’s comforting to know that she’s now in our Savior’s loving arms.

I like to compare our traditions with Nigerian ones. I’m told that funeral specifics vary between communities, tribes, cultures, and religions. A lot depends on if the deceased person is an adult, young man, baby, or religious person, and the cause of death. For example, last fall I was in an African village when gunshots erupted. After I dropped to the ground, Dr. Chris reassured me that the shots went into the air as a tribute to the village chief because of his honored position.

Many Nigerians believe there is another world where ancestors dwell and exert influence on the daily activities of the living. I wonder if elders started this belief so that their younger relatives would be nice to them! If my grandma has any influence over my life now, that would be a good thing because she would make sure that I had lots of good food, laughter, and love. Yep, she was that kind of grandma.

(Photo of me with my two grandmas in 2006. The one on the left is 95-years-old and still alive, and the one who passed away is on the right.)

Father's Day

For Father’s Day last Sunday, I gave my dad a card, a book about words (he’s a writer), and a coffee mug from the place where he celebrated 50 years of marriage to my mom. Following tradition, I also gave something to my husband Mark for being a great dad to our two kids. Well, actually the grill cover was from our dog Toby, but you can guess who bought it.

I asked Daniel, little Chris’s dad, what he did for Father’s Day. We had a good laugh when he said, “My wife couldn’t remember to tell me how good I am.” Isn’t that the truth, that it’s really up to the wife to honor her husband on behalf of their small children?

Nigerian Father’s Day brings to mind Baba, our cook at the Faith Alive guesthouse. The first time I visited, I thought Baba was his actual name. One day I got locked in my flat above the kitchen, so I went on the small balcony and hollered down to the kitchen. “BABA! BABA!” Imagine my surprise when a number of men on the street looked up to see a white woman hollering “FATHER! FATHER!”

Enjoy these African proverbs:

“If you know his father and grandfather, don’t worry about his son.” - African Proverb

“The son shoots a leopard; the father is proud.” - Congolese Proverb

“When you follow in the path of your father, you learn to walk like him.” - Ghanaian Proverb

“A mother is gold, a father is a mirror.” - Nigerian proverb

(Photo is of Baba, courtesy of Cathy McDermott. I still don’t know his real name!)

Power

Really? I blogged yesterday about generators in Nigeria, the very same day that President Goodluck Jonathan appointed a Special Adviser on Power. Mr. Barth Nnaji is charged with developing and driving an action plan for a steady power supply in the country. Vanguaard News reports that “the newly appointed special adviser would also work with seven special assistants who would oversee the monitoring of performance and progress on specific power sector issues in the areas of generation, transmission, distribution, fuel-to-power, the National Integrated Power Project, BPE, regulatory issues; other transition enablers, and labour issues.”

All I know is that Faith Alive needs the electricity to flow on a regular basis. It's not really helpful when NEPA only turns on the power from midnight to 2 am.

It’s too bad that Mr. Nnaji wasn’t charged with giving special power to the Super Eagles yesterday in their last game of the FIFA World Cup 2010.

Vuvuzelas and Generators

In a little over an hour, the Super Eagles will play South Korea in their last game of first round play at the World Cup in South Africa. After two losses, it’s amazing that Nigeria still has a shot at advancing. But Nigerians are used to last chances and, dare I say, miracles.

They’re also used to a lot of background noise. While officials claim the vuvuzelas drown out their sideline instructions, the players have trouble hearing the referee’s whistles, and the spectators are annoyed by the buzz, Nigerians aren’t so bothered.

Why not? Because they’re used to noise. A cacophony of generators is constantly groaning in the background of their lives. Sylva Nze ifedigbo says of vuvuzelas at the World Cup, “So it’s no surprise that Nigerians aren’t complaining. Indeed they should be enjoying it. In fact, it should sound like sweet music to their ears. If all they have to worry about in the one month they are in South Africa is the noise from a pipe then they will sure prefer to relive it again and again. With steady power, good roads, trains that move, and a history so rich, who should be complaining of vuvuzelas?” Click here to read his complete article.

In the meantime, I’m putting on my green and white to watch the Super Eagles and listen to the buzz.