Day 110 (Monday 23rd May)
Today was a typical day working at Gyero, and there’s not much to write about. One of the boys taught me some Hausa, and I read the bible to him in Hausa which he actually understood, but found quite amusing. He has special needs and really struggles with his English so it was good to be able to read something and him understand it.
Will and I spent the evening by candle light because my power isn’t working, I can think of someone I’d rather spend a candlelit evening with! We chilled out with some guitar and reading.
Day 111 (Tuesday 24th May)
After two days of no power a Nigerian guy came and fixed it this morning in the typical Nigerian way, I think he used a stick to hit something. I went to Gyero and spent some time with the teachers, I marked their lesson plans and took the teachers meeting. I had this picture taken before the meeting, they probably look half asleep because they were anticipating a meeting with me!
I bought them minerals (fizzy drinks) and puff puff (deep fried dough balls). My expense form looks funny because it contains the entries 2 x hoe, ₦180 of puff puff and ₦800 minerals. It sounds similar to something a mafia boss may put on his (or her) expenses claim.
I spent the afternoon with Will, as well as Mel and Lyndz from Kogi State. They have come up for the Mission Africa retreat next week. Mel will be flying home on Friday with Will because she has malaria, but is recovering well.
Paul Bailey the chief executive of Mission Africa arrived today with his pastor Norman and friend and Mission Africa supporter James. There was a meal for all the Mission Africa people which was cooked by Americans at the Baptist Hostel so was really yum. It was probably not your typical British meal consisting of kfc style chicken, cheesey mash, cheese sauce and homer made bread rolls which chocolate cake after.
When I got back someone messaged me on Facebook just to get another mention on my blog which I won’t do out of principle Jon Caws.
Day 112 (Wednesday 25th May)
My days got moved around a little this week because I have a couple of meetings at Gidan Bege tomorrow, so today was my ‘working from home’ day. In the afternoon I went to Sherri Hills with Will, the girls, and some of our Nigerian friends. We didn’t climb it this time, but it was great to see the sun go down, roast marshmallows on a fire and sing with the guitar.
On the way back we had a hairy moment, we were in two cars both of them belonging to the mission and the one I was driving was stopped at a military checkpoint. The man who stopped us had been drinking something other than water in quite large quantities. He started shouting at us because the interior light in the car wasn’t working, and apparently it’s a legal requirement so they can see us when they stop us. It was the first time I had driven the car and I was trying to explain to the man that we are missionaries working with SIM ECWA and the car belongs to the mission. He told us to get out the car and leave it there, we couldn’t take it any further, and we were praying like crazy cos we had Mel in the car as well who wasn’t feeling great. We said that we had a girl with us who was just out of hospital but he wasn’t having any of it. We kept praying and then another man working there spoke to us and we tried to reason with him, they spoke and the first man said “why didn’t you tell me this is a church car”, we didn’t mention that we had been telling him all along! They let us go which was a HUGE relief!
It was Will and Mel’s last night so we all (minus Mel) went to Barcardi to have a meal and play pool. I beat Will again which was 6 times in a row (I feel bad, because we are about the same).
Day 113 (Thursday 26th May)
I said goodbye to Will this morning which was sad, I’m now all alone again on the guy front. The Hillcrest teachers leave very soon which means I will be the only single guy around.
I got to Gidan Bege for a 9am meeting. I practiced my patience and tact skills quite heavily! I had a really challenging day doing observations etc, and was left knowing that I can hardly make an indent with my one day a week there. I took a teachers meeting which went ok considering the mood I was in after the rest of the day, but I kept smiling and bought them minerals.
I then rushed in to town to do the shopping for Gidan Bege and Gyero, and when I was in the shop buying school books and miles from the car it started raining. When it rains here it’s so hard that you have rivers running down the road. I had no jacket or umbrella, but had loads to do so I told the shop staff I would brave it. They insisted on sending a boy to hold an umbrella over me, so he was walking in the rain and trying to hold an umbrella over my head. It made hardly any difference and I felt so bad, but they wouldn’t let me say no. When I got to the car in the pouring rain the drivers door wouldn’t open so I had to open the passenger door and forward roll over the handbrake in to the driver’s seat. I’m sure it looked funny!
Day 114 (Friday 27th May)
Today is a public holiday (national children’s day) which means no school. I had a chilled out day where I read a fair bit, listened to a Joel Virgo sermon and caught up on some things. In the evening I went to the Fretheims, which this week had the Gidan Bege staff, and staff from the widows ministry. We were shown the new City Ministries videos which are really good, and feature lots of the people I’m working with at Gidan Bege and Gyero, I managed to escape being in it!
Day 115 (Saturday 28th May)
I had a mini lay in and started reading Purpose Driven Life which I have heard great things about and seems good. I finished reading God’s Smuggler last night and loved it. I love the way he was working in the areas I went to last year on my mission trip.
I spent some time with the girls, and we went shopping for food to entertain Paul Bailey and his entourage. Ali and I cooked for them, and it seemed to go down well. After the meal James, Norman and I went to watch Man Utd lose against Barcelona in the Champions League final.
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