Congratulations, Graduates

Congratulations to the newest graduates of Faith Alive’s skills-acquisition school. Sewing, knitting, and computer students received hard-earned certificates. They celebrated by dancing with Dr. Chris Isichei and enjoying minerals (sodas). Bosas all around!

Christmas Shopping Benefits Faith Alive Hospital

Give a gift that does double—and even triple—duty. That’s right. Gorgeous Nigerian necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and ornaments will be for sale tomorrow (December 1) from 9 am – 5 pm at the Northern Colorado Writers’ Holiday Market (2107 Thunderstone Court, Fort Collins, Colorado).  NCW gets 20%, Faith Alive Foundation-Nigeria gets 80%, and the person you’re shopping for gets the gifts. Plus, you’ll enjoy hot drinks if you shop in the morning, or wine, cheese, and chocolate if you shop from 4-5 p.m.

Not available tomorrow? Shop Sunday, December 16 at Gifts for a Cause (First Presbyterian Church, 531 S. College Avenue, Fort Collins, Colorado). Faith Alive Foundation-Nigeria receives 100% of the profits from items at the Faith Alive booth. I can’t match NCW’s food and drink offerings, but can guarantee smiles and great fellowship.

If you’re in northern Colorado, I hope to see you at one of the two fun shopping events!

Women, HIV, and the Church

I can’t wait to read this new book: “Women, HIV, and the Church: In Search of Refuge.” A lot of people contributed chapters, including Rev. Dr. Mark Labberton of Fuller Theological Seminary, Dr. Arthur Ammann of Global Strategies for HIV Prevention, and….me. What an honor.

Rev. Rick Warren’s wife, Kay, wrote a glowing endorsement of this book. She’s a major advocate for getting churches involved in the fight against AIDS. Her website says, “HIV&AIDS is still the greatest humanitarian crisis of all time. In the middle of this tragedy, Christians have the opportunity to make the love of our Savior real to anyone infected or affected by HIV&AIDS."

The book is available at numerous websites, but I only found the “Look Inside” bonus on Amazon. Click on the book title above to take a peek (and order a few copies for yourselves and your church leadership).

Dr. Art and I are talking about doing a book tour together sometime next year to promote both of our books. Stay tuned…

                              

Bosas to Bill Blattner!

What’s a social entrepreneur? You can either click here for an official definition or just look at Dr. Bill Blattner. We congratulate one of Faith Alive hospital’s biggest fans for his recent “Entrepreneur of theYear" award. Along with his coworker Dr. Robert Redfield, they “have demonstrated impressive entrepreneurial capacity, creativity, and energy as pioneering experts in providing antiretroviral therapy to millions of patients and training thousands of health care providers in nine countries.”

If you’re wondering what a bosa is, it’s a Nigerian bravo.

Election Day

Regardless of whether you're voting for Obama, Romney, or one of the other presidential candidates I've never heard of, I urge you to consider Jesus Christ as your ultimate leader. He has your best interest at heart and will never lead in the wrong direction. He also won't bombard you with negative ads, interrupt your life with pre-recorded telephone messages, or be limited by two terms.

Here's to forever following the greatest leader of all time.

Dr. Mercy's Mother Graduates to Glory

Our condolences go out to Dr. Mercy Isichei's mother who passed away earlier this month. I saw her last year during my visit to Nigeria; she had been staying with the Isicheis because of her ill health. Family and friends mourned her death and celebrated her life last week both in Jos and Maiduguri. Please join me in prayers for the Isicheis. Feel free to post a comment for their family on this blog.

(Dr. Mercy is married to Dr. Christian Isichei, Founder and Coordinator of Faith Alive Foundation-Nigeria. This photo of Mercy's beautiful mother was taken in the early 2000s.)

Hippo in the House

This post’s headline might be funny in theory but it's dreadful in reality. Major flooding in parts of Nigeria has wreaked havoc for hundreds of thousands of people, especially for those whose shanty housing is submerged in water. Overrun rivers pushed snakes, crocodiles and hippopotamuses into homes. One man, whose dwelling now hosts a hippo, told a BBC reporter, “I hope that when it is tired, it may leave my home.”

We thank God that the Faith Alive hospital in Jos, Nigeria is high and dry. Many of its patients, however, are not so fortunate. Please pray for their survival and return to dry homes with only the animals of their choosing.