We were not able to post from Nigeria as we had planned. This is an update that I wrote while there. Please scroll down for additional updates.
5:50 AM
Our sleep has been a little restless tonight but we did sleep some and that is good. Thank God for rest.
We laid down about 10:40 and about 5:25 they turned off the generator to let it "rest." It is 5:50 now and it just came back on and the air conditioning came back with it! Wow! It gets warm in here quick.
Speaking of warmth, I believe that two summers of tent revivals have prepared me well. I was hot preaching last night but my body handled it better than it used too.
The weather is warmer than it was during our last visit but it is not unbearable at all. As I said, tent revivals may have helped with that. The forecast was mid nineties for this week but we do have the option of retreating to the air conditioning. That is an option that most here do not have.
11:45 AM
We rested better this morning. Of course morning here is middle of the night for us so no wonder we rest good then. Lol.
I went out for a walk this morning. I took some pictures and interacted with workers in the motel and people passing by.
The front door of the Hotel.
The gates from the street.
Streets around the motel.
When walking around the neighborhood, a white man of my size in African clothes is hard to miss in Abeokuta. Their curiosity gives me a chance to tell them why I am here and invite them to the meetings. It is usually very easy here to turn the conversation to Christ and what He wants to do in their lives.
The whole society is more open to religion and I rarely get a complete brushoff that is common in the states. I want God to help me win as many as possible. Western culture is invading here at a rapid pace so the openness may lessen with time.
It is imperative to live for Christ rather than self. Our dreams, our desires, our ambitions are so empty. Life lived for money, things and stuff is so vain.
It is vain at home and vain in Nigeria. It is vain to live for much stuff and it is vain to live for much less stuff. It is vain and worthless to live to please self.
O, God, help us to live for you and your glory. Help us to turn men's attention from self to you. Help us to win men and women to Christ.
3:00
Bro. Shobanke picked us up about 12:30 to go eat lunch. We requested Chicken Republic so that is where we went. It is very close to the hotel we are staying in.
Chicken Republic is the only restaurant the we have visited in Nigeria besides the hotel restaurants. It is very good roasted chicken and we enjoy it very much.
Bro. Gary made friends fast with candy.
After a great meal and fellowship Bro. Gary and I walked around the neighborhood looking for opportunities to witness.
We talked with one family quite a bit and invited them and several others to church. It would be great to win them and some of the hotel guests and workers to Christ.
We are leaving for church about 5:00 so I need to make sure I am ready to preach.
10:50 PM
Church tonight was at a second branch of Christ Ambassadors Holiness Church. Bro. Isaiah is the pastor at this branch.
We were also there in 2009 so this is our second visit. The Christian school that has operated since 2010 is located at that branch.
The Christian school is a very needful endeavor here and a great evangelistic tool. We have helped with the finances in the school as we have been able so we were glad to see it. Hopefully we can see it in operation this week.
We had an excellent service tonight. I ran, danced, jumped up and crawled on the floor while I was preaching.
I know that none of that is necessary in order to preach. But I was the one preaching tonight and it felt necessary and good to me!
The response in the altar was wonderful. God touched many that came to the front. Bro. Shobanke was anointed as he prayed for the sick and the people felt it.
The back corner of the church is in the right side of this picture and the school is behind us.
Pastor Isaiah is the second from the right.
Tomorrow morning we will be in the main Christ Ambassadors Church. I am looking forward to being there again.
God bless and goodnight.
Davy
