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Fall 2004
Update
Dear Family and Friends:
NIGERIA SUMMER TRIP WAS A HUGE
SUCCESS ...
OVER 2000 NEW BELEIVERS!
God blessed the Nigerian trip with
grace and favor. Before the Unity for African team (21 people in
all) left the USA for Nigeria on August 10, 17 team members got
their tickets a few hours prior to departure in Houston, Texas,
but John, Otis, Lisa, and Christian did not receive their
tickets from the travel agent who arranged their travel.
Emergency tickets were purchased at the Air France ticket
counter in Houston $2600 each. The devil did every thing he
could to discourage the team from traveling to Nigeria, all to
no avail. Team members stuck together and God gave them victory.
When the team arrived in Nigeria
through Lagos, Nigeria, though Lagos was not the original port
of landing, God was already in Lagos awaiting their arrival.
Things went well in Lagos, all 38 but 2 bags belonging to Dr.
Christian arrived with the team. The two missing pieces of
luggage arrived the next day. After a night in Lagos, team
members proceeded to Enugu, site of Unity for Africa 2004
conference. When the team arrived in Enugu, they were received
at the airport by Unity for Africa leaders. The brethren in
Enugu gave the team from America a warm and friendly welcome.
Buses and cars lined up at the Enugu airport to convey the
American team to their hotel. Later that evening, team members
from the USA along with their Nigerian counterpart (partners)
began training with the drama group. The next morning on August
13, the drama group from the USA and Nigeria visited local open
markets and public places where they ministered puppet shows,
clowns, and drama to the people of Enugu. Later that evening,
about 5 p.m, the Unity for Africa leadership conference began.
Each day in Enugu, the drama team took to the streets of Enugu,
and ministered the good news through drama, puppet shows, and
clowns, while the leadership meetings continued morning and
evening daily. All together, more than 500 people gave their
lives to Christ in that city during our six-day stay there.
Our blessed team. See more photos
[here]
Team members visited and ministered
in universities, markets, Churches, public parks, television
stations and streets. The Nigerian television station in Enugu
gave national coverage to the Unity for Africa event and
millions of Nigerians watched it in their homes and businesses.
We thank God for that breakthrough. The reconciliation day
brought many tears, repentance, confessions, reconciliation of
marriages, pastors, and Church leaders, rape victims, parents
and children, tribes and races. It was truly a time of
brokenness for all who participated.
On August 18, team members left
Enugu with one big bus, on smaller bus and a mid size car headed
to Uzuakoli leper colony to minister to the lepers there. The
team member (about forty people including some from Enugu who
joined the USA team) were full of joy and sadness as they left
Enugu. Joy for the great work the Lord did: 500 salvations, new
friends, and a feeling of Job well done. Feeling of sadness
because of the new and old friends, we left behind. At the leper
colony, the team presented drama, puppet show, and clown show to
the lepers at the colony. When the plan of salvation was
presented to the lepers, 32 of them and their children made
decisions for Christ. Later that day Unity for Africa team
presented money donated by the group to the director of the
colony for the feeling and upkeep of the lepers. After the
donation, team members left the leper colony with no dry eyes
and headed to the city Owerri, in Imo state.
On arrival late at night in Owerri,
team members rested and the next day work began with a visit to
the new television station in Owerri who gave extensive
cove/rage to Unity for Africa events. The television station
sent their camera operator to go with our team and film the
activities in the markets, universities, public parks, and
streets of Owerri. God moved mightily in Owerri, over 1000 new
believers came into God’s kingdom there. Most of the work was
done in and around Owerri because we spent eight days there. Our
team was well received in Owerri because of God’s favor and the
goodwill Unity for Africa has built for twelve years in that
city. Unity for Africa Nigerian office is located in the city of
Owerri. While in Owerri, Unity for Africa visited the Nigerian
prison in Owerri where team members presented puppet show, clown
show, drama and the plan of salvation to the inmates. About 200
inmates received Christ into their hearts. After that food and
prepared with the money donated by Unity for Africa team was
served to more than 1000 prisoners.
See more photos
[here]
Finally, on August 26, team members
left Owerri to inaugurate Unity for Africa in the oil city of
Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Prior to August 26, team members
ministered to the top leaders of the Nigerian police, River
State branch. Port Harcourt is the capital of River State. When
the plan of salvation was given 12 police officers and their
children made decisions for Christ. The River State commissioner
of police and his deputies were present for a meeting. The
commissioner of police in River State and his deputies are
members of Unity for Africa. God has given Unity for Africa big
favor in that important state. Please continue to pray for them
and their families. They are keeping in the peace, protecting
lives and properties in Nigeria. When we arrived in Port
Harcourt in August 26, team members visited and ministered in
two orphanage homes. One home had babies ranging from one month
old to five years. Half of the babies in that orphanage have
AIDS/HIV. We were warned not to carry or hug the babies with
AIDS/HIV though we wanted desperately to love on them. Team
members carried and loved on the healthy abandoned children.
Before we left, we donated money and medicine to the home for
those lovely children. Later we drove to the second Orphanage
with many youngsters and disabled adults. Our team presented
drama, puppet show and clown show to them, and the plan of
salvation. Twenty-six invited Christ into their hearts. One of
their leaders told us the reason many of them did not respond to
the good news was that many of them are believers. The orphans
sang a Christian song to encourage our group not to give up. We
went there to encourage them; however, God used them to
encourage us. The next day August 27, team members inaugurated
River State Branch of Unity for Africa. Later that night at
10:30 p.m., we boarded our plane en route to the USA through
Paris. We arrived safely on August 28 in Houston. In Houston,
some of the team members took local flights to their cities
while others drove by road to their destinations. We are
grateful to all of you who stood with us in prayer and gave to
send us. May the Lord richly bless you! We love you!
Love, John and Justina
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