Memoir of Zarazong - May 2021 Missions Update

 

Thank you so much for your love and your partnership. Calvary greetings from Zarazong in Jesus' name. We have spent another month at Zarazong, and we feel the warmth of your prayer and the love you have extended to us. Despite pressures around us, God has continued to protect us and provided through sources we least expect to meet our needs. As usual, we will share reports of some answers to your prayers for us and what God used your financial support to do,

Salvation and Discipleship across the Various Mission Fields

Reports from our missionaries from across the mission fields in Nigeria and the other countries where we work are heartwarming. From Sanga in Bauchi State, we have no fewer than 30 of our converts, both young and old, who do not only accept Christ but come together to worship God now. Joel Dukiya, Yunusa, and his wife, peace, are engaged in discipling them, and they reported that their growth rate is quite encouraging. They still meet under the tree, but with the rainy season, we are trusting God to build a church for them. To the glory of God, we already have one of our partners who promised to fund the church project.

Unlike most of our other fields, wisdom demands that we pay for the land we are going to build on because of the hostile nature of the Muslims there. We also need a borehole for the supply of the water that will be used to build the church and to meet the century-old need of the community. Both the land and the borehole would cost us an estimate of an N1Million. Please, pray along with us for that miracle. They have an old grinding machine which cost so much money to service and put to use. Also, pray that God should provide for them a simpler grinding machine with less maintenance cost. For now, they are using grinding stone.

Also, from the Niger Republic, many more persons are embracing the Lordship of Jesus. At Salkam, one of the converts died. We are saddened by his death but at the same time, we are glad that he died a firm believer. The Missionaries at Gobirawa and Afole are the ones reaching out to them. Pray along with us for more laborers so we can deploy a missionary couple to them. At Adamawa, we are amazed at the divine visitation among the Fulanis. Scores of them surrendered their lives to Jesus and are very committed to God. It is a rugged terrain to build a church, so the missionary is requesting for prayers for the fund to buy land and build a bungalow with a big sitting room to be used for a regular discipleship meeting. For some of the converts, the persecution is severe, so they have been moved to a location where they can be helped.

Insecurity, Abduction and Miraculous Escape

The news of insecurity we hear in distant places has come to our doorstep. At Furaka, a medical doctor was abducted from his house. At Angwa Rukuba, a breastfeeding mother was abducted, leaving behind the baby, and at Mamukan, Jada Local Government Area, Adamawa State, one of our Fulani converts, Adamu Sale was kidnapped. We appealed to all our partners who joined in praying for his release. They demanded N1Million ransom which the family gathered together to pay. To the glory of God, he was released unhurt.

Kidnapped Adamu Sale freed -
 A picture with his discipler, Pastor Ahmadu

It is no longer news that 63 communities in Niger State have not only been captured by Boko Haram but that they have mounted their flags and ceased their wives. This is a higher degree of banditry. We have almost 20 missionaries laboring in Niger State as well and the border villages of Benin Republic. They are all safe, but we covet your prayers for divine protection. Last week, a politician's mother and siblings were abducted at Agwara, a village close to where we work.

Home of Grace (HOG) and Widows Care (WC)

The kids are fine except for the few challenges of ill health. The Lord continues to provide especially for the orphanage in the Home. School fees of all the orphans and vulnerable kids have been paid. The only outstanding school fees now are that of the Missionary Kids(MKs) in the home. Also, last week, God provided resources for us to buy ten bags of rice and some additional foodstuff. Victor has enrolled for WAEC, NECO, and JAMB examination. Blessing has re-enrolled for NECO and JAMB examination. Favor has secured admission at the Kogi State University, and the Lord provided resources for her registration and upkeep for the semester.  Kindly pray along with us for them to be committed to their studies and that the Lord should help them to excel. We are grateful to God for adding new partners to us and for the consistency of some of the existing partners.

We accepted two young girls, Hannatu and Sarah, to join the Home last month. Please, pray along with us that God would grant us the grace to help their lives fulfill destiny.

Also, pray along with us that God would provide us more laborers that are passionate about children.

Completed brickwork for 14room ground floor

The construction work on their new accommodation has advanced. We have completed the brickwork for the ground floor (14 rooms and a lounge). We need a miracle to deck it. This will cost approximately N4million. Please pray along with us for this miracle to happen as soon as possible.

Early this month, God provided resources to include two widows in our widows’ care list. One of them is the wife of a pastor killed by Fulani Jihadists. As the Lord continues to provide, she will be on our monthly upkeep list. The second widow has three daughters and has struggled with the fees of the kids, her rent as well as upkeep. By the grace of God, she will be on our quarterly upkeep list. We are grateful to our partners (names withheld} that makes it possible to put smiles on the faces of these widows. Pray along with us that God may bless us with more of such partners.

Missions Training

We currently have 17 students enrolled for our one-year resident cross-cultural missions training. The past month was an exciting moment here at Zarazong, the training base. One of our Trainers, Pastor Andrew Emeje, taught Person and Ministry of the Holy Spirit. Blessing Iduh also taught them Appropriate Skills where they learned how to make soap, pomade, and other skills. They also joined in mixing cement, carpentry, and bricklaying work.

 In the next one month, they will be due for their first two months field trip. Their posting will be out any moment from now. The field trip is usually capital intensive because we provide transport fare, feeding cost for them and all the children with them. Five of them will be going to the Niger Republic, five to Benin Republic, and the rest across different fields in Nigeria. Pray with us for wisdom as we make a last-minute decision considering the security situations and for finances. Pray for the students that the Lord would prepare them adequately for the task. In the past, students had planted churches where none existed. Pray specifically for Yilinte Maisamari, who is sick, that the Lord would heal him.

Missionaries Welfare/More Specific Prayer Needs

• Pastor Ahmadu Adamu left his family behind to enable his wife to give birth in Nigeria to resume work at Northern Cameron. She gave birth safely though through surgery. He returned to Nigeria to pick his family to return to Cameroon, but the wife is currently not feeling okay. They are in Federal Medical Center, Yola. Please, pray for a quick recovery.
• Pastor Joel Dukiya’s wife died two years ago. Because of the demand for the work, he is considering remarriage. Please, pray along with us for him as he makes very sensitive and lasting decisions in this regard.
• Two of our missionary couples are trusting God for the fruit of the womb. Please, join us to pray for divine interventions.
• Monica Hassan and Maryam Joshua have resumed work at Oma in Benue State to take over from Abel Onuh, who resigned. His resignation has been approved. Mathew Richard has also resumed at the Kamberi field to take over from Ayuba Dawa, who was relieved of his appointment for moral reasons. Mr. Enejo Jackson has resumed work as the new Accountant taking over from Mrs. Kemi Bayode, whose husband was transferred to pastor at Bassa.
• Andrew Marafa is still in Jos seeking medical help with regards to his eye problems.  The doctor has hinted that he would go through surgery. We do not know the cost and time yet. Please, pray along with us that his sight would be fully restored.
• Issa Maliki's father passed on and his mother is critically ill. Please, pray for God's comfort for the family as well as healing and salvation for the mother. 

Conclusion

Thank you so much for all you do in partnering with us to advance God’s kingdom, to give future to orphans and vulnerable kids, to put smiles on the faces of widows, and to help the missionary kids who have to stay away from their parents because of the volatile nature of their mission fields. As we reflect on the progress, we give God the glory, and we are grateful that together with you, we have done this much for the Lord. We will continue to covet your partnership. We pray the Lord to bless you, replenish your source and increase you more and more in Jesus' name.

His bond Servant,

Andrew Abah