Our Last Day

I am personally sad to leave, but also refreshed by the way the people of this clinic labor for the Lord. So I think we are all inspired, motivated and compelled to serve our God, community, and church in bigger and better ways. Yesterday was busy but we got stuff done. It was slightly complicated. Another team flying in overlapped with our out-day, which hasnt happened ever before.
We started the day by seeing the sisters graduate from the sewing and knitting schools. These women have been through discipleship training and studies while learning their trade and learn how to live in a bright new way with HIV/AIDS. Upon graduating they are given sewing machines to start their new lives and journies. They were all so gitty. It was a joy to watch all of them celebrate with loved ones and the clinic staff, but in reality there journey has just begun and they have already been through so much. But they have been refined like precious metal as the Bible tells us, and will be stronger now. Most with HIV/AIDS in Jos (or Africa for that matter) are beggars. This is an honor to be lifted up and given a chance the way they are. Your support allows the sewing machines and looms for knitting. We also are leaving scholarship money for other women to be given support when they graduate. This allows them to have start up money! Praise God.
Then we completely re-furbished the Medical Records room with new shelving and made it better organized for the staff. All made possible by your support. We did this in record time, within 3 hours and beat the rain. Thank you God! (We had all the files outside for about 2 hours time hoping it would not rain) We also paid for an additional teacher for the Faith Alive school, a Celebrate Recovery Facilitator will be appointed and paid for a year to get the program started through out the city and prison system. He will be the point of contact for all the now trained program leaders in the city of Jos. Thanks to your support. Too much was done to really put into words, which comes to my next point. This is our last blog. We will see you in 3 days time and be back in the States. We saw a lot of things here. A lot of suffering. So, now what do we do about it. For me, personally, talking about it is not enough. Let me just clarify that before I continue. I will be back next year and stay for the summer. But we didnt really have time to adequately be a voice for Jos and Nigeria while using this blog.
So I will be creating a blog to not only adequately post all the details of our trip (with pictures), keep people posted about our further involvement with Jos and Faith Alive, but also to be a voice for Jos. This will also give everyone a chance to communicate back from the Faith Alive clinic to the people back in the states. I dont know if Bayside would be willing to create this or not, but I will do it personally if I have to. In the end, much work needs to be done to fulfill Gods work but also to fulfill the calling of all those to be in His kingdom. So we are to care, nurture, love, encourage, and help to bring those to Christ so they can live a new life... For there will be a new heaven and a new earth, for the former things will not be remembered.
Let us labor with others on our hearts and minds, never ourselves, let us ask God to break our hearts for what breaks His, so we may see the people of this world in a new light... and see the new heaven that God is going to let us be a part of.
I pray that God reveals the vision that He has for your lives to you. So that your calling and endurance will not be in vain, and that new fire will be set ablaze in your heart. Never look back. Keep heart. See you all very soon, your brother in Christ, Steve.