Remember little Husseina? The Fulani child whose sponsor, from Fernley, Nevada Free Methodist Church sent so many wonderful gifts? Well, here she is - Husseina herself - dressed in the little sundress and holding the little doll which her sponsor sent. With her on the left is Haruna and on the right, Chief, both of whom enjoyed opening the gifts just as much as did Husseina herself!

Two of the very happy wheelchair recipients at recent wheelchair distribution!

On Saturday, May 2nd we distributed wheelchairs to seventy-six disabled men, women and children - mostly polio victims – mostly Muslims – at a celebration that included music, gospel messages, fellowship, fun and food! Chief, guest of honor along with his friend Arduli, listened with many others as Rev. Mike Henry told the story of how the gift of a wheelchair for Salihu, our disabled student at Hope for Little Shepherds, resulted in 200 wheelchairs given to the needy poor in Nigeria. I shared that in the same way King David showed great mercy to the crippled boy Mephibosheth for the sake of David’s beloved friend Jonathan, so God shows saving grace to us, crippled and broken by sin, for the sake of His son, Jesus.
One by one, our guests were called out, and assisted into their own personal wheelchairs amid great excitement and loud applause! And just as we settled the last person in her chair, the heavens opened up and a cool and refreshing rain, a wonderful shower of blessing began to fall – bringing sweet relief from the heat. We served rice, meat and pure water to our guests who enjoyed their meal sitting for the first time, not on the dusty ground, but on their own new wheelchairs – filled with dignity, respectability and joy.
As Michele spoke to our disabled guests of the real threat of pressure sores and how to avoid them, Kevin and other team members knelt before each individual, here adjusting a foot rest, there tightening a wheel. Faithful imitators of Jesus, they were in a true sense, bathing these poor, twisted feet.
Truly, the point of this wheelchair ministry was summarized very well in the chorus sung for us that day by the children of … choir:
“God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name; I’ve been born again in Jesus’ Name; and in Jesus’ Name I come to you to share His love as He told me to…
“He said, “Freely, freely you have received…freely, freely give. Go in my Name and because YOU believe, others will know that I live.”
There are at least seventy-six people in ….State today who know for sure that Jesus lives!

Back at the school, it took only two days to dig out and level the ground for the foundation of the new health clinic, in spite of very rocky, uneven terrain. Why did it only take two days? Because of the huge bonus we offered to get the job done in record time! And once the blocks were molded and the rocks and sand were carried up from the river, the foundation was poured and work on the walls put forth in earnest! Malachi and Nate were in charge of buying supplies, supervising the work and paying salaries. George, a civil engineer, was responsible for the technical drawings and calculations!
Michele, the team nurse, worked with Kevin and Sean to set up medical files on the children – gathering and recording basic information such as - how each child’s height and weight compared to the norm for his age, which immunizations the children had had and which they needed, common illnesses in their families, etc. With these statistics Michele hopes to come up with some recommendations that will improve the general health of the whole community.
Along with screening the kids, Michele taught classes to the Fulani and village women on hygiene, nutrition and childbirth, especially advising the Fulani women to begin using latrines and to keep their little ones in diapers for the sake of camp cleanliness.
And as if this wasn’t enough, Michele saw a steady stream of patients as well, treating such ailments as ear infections, boils, toothaches – a woman who believed desperately that she was pregnant but wasn’t, and another who appeared to be in her ninth month of pregnancy and was lactating, but also wasn’t!
When two of Jibree’s sons became seriously ill with fever, all of us were very concerned. Jibree had lost his older son Abdullahi in November from an undiagnosed illness. We needed to do everything possible to make sure these next two boys recovered.
Michele began treating the boys for malaria, but the fevers persisted. So, two days later when she heard that Jibree had taken his sons to hospital, Michele was very relieved, certain that there the boys would receive the care they needed.
“Which hospital did he take them to?” I asked.
“Oh, the one right here in …..!” Michele answered. “I’m going over there now, to see their lab results and discuss their treatment with the doctor.”
On her way over Michele phoned her husband….whose comment was, “Why do we need to build a clinic at …. if they already have a hospital?”
“Well, I don’t know,” Michele answered. She would soon find out.
Well, when Michele arrived at the little mud hut furnished only with a wooden bed, a bench and pail of water – no lab or lab results, no doctor or nurse, no treatment plan, her professionalism and medical training, even more, her heart of love and compassion, sprang into high gear.
I watched in wonder as there in that dark room, seemingly oblivious to the scantily-clad Fulani crowding around her and the sweat pouring off her face, Michele pulled out her Blackberry and proceeded to phone a friend! After calmly discussing the boys’ treatment with a pediatrician in Wenatchee, Wa, Michele administered the recommended drugs, and we all rejoiced in the boys quick recovery and return to school.
Soon after returning to Wenatchee, Michele wrote these words:
“I learned so much in …….about the power of God…of prayer, the focus of helping others in ways of which I never thought myself capable. I have served people my whole career, but I feel like it was all just practice for what we accomplished there at ….”
When Chief came over to thank Michele for treating his nephews and his wife, we took the opportunity of speaking to him about latrines for the sake of his families’ health.
‘We know you want what is good for us,” Chief answered, “so anything you advise us to do – we will do!’ Michele looked over and caught my eye. Afterwards we discovered we’d both had the same reaction to Chief’s statement.
“Chief! We advise you to follow Jesus! That is what would be ultimately good for you!” But we kept quiet, knowing better than to put him on the spot in front of the team. For how long though, I wondered, are we to keep quiet

On May 6th we combined business with pleasure, buying beautiful Nigerian lace and Fulani artifacts at a local market, touring the palace of the Emir then going on safari into the bush to discuss possibilities of opening an extension school for a group of about 100 Fulani children. The camp is several hours’ drive from …., and the children very young, so we’ve agreed to sending two Christian teachers to bring the children up through Primary 3, after which the kids will come as boarders to ….. for Primary 4 and beyond.
These Fulani , under the leadership of Malaam Sani, a close friend of Chief’s, have agreed to our Christian guidelines and we in turn have agreed to helping them with a small classroom building and school supplies.
But before we can do that, we’ll have to repair their existing water system – a borehole, pump and water tank out of commission for some time – and get these children clean and healthy again. This would be a great team project for some of YOU to consider! Imagine camping in a Fulani village for two weeks, providing children and families with clean water and a school! What an amazing opportunity to share the love of Jesus.

Thursday, the team’s last day in …., was spent packing and wrapping up various projects. Sean, Kevin and Michelle worked on school screening, Malachi and Nate on the clinic. Rev. Mike and I were discussing travel plans for the following day and George was on the computer drawing plans for a small bridge for our stream.
Suddenly Chief drove up on his motorcycle. He was with Abdul, the village ‘youth leader’ and spokesman for the village chief. There were two other Fulani men on a second motorcycle – two of whom I knew as top Muslims from the nearby village of …..
After greeting the men, giving them chairs and offering water, and after hearing what these men had to say, I called over Rev. Mike, Kevin and Michele and asked them to repeat their message.
“There was a meeting yesterday,” Chief began again, “of all the parents of children in the school. They discussed the program, the teachers, the new clinic, the medical work, even the soccer games you’ve been playing with the community boys. And they are so happy with what you all are doing for our village and for …. village that they have chosen us to come and say a special ‘thank you’ on their behalf. I, Chief, am here representing the Fulani of ….., and I say, thank you, especially for the school. “
“I’m here on behalf of the non-Fulani “ Abdul said, “the Bassa, Igala and Ebere of …..” “Thank you for everything you’re doing for our children – especially for the clinic. And I have a message from the chief. He says to tell you that anything you may need, even in terms of additional land - all you have to do is ask, and it’s yours.”
The two men from …. then spoke up. “We are here representing the Fulani and non-Fulani of ….. We are so grateful for how you are helping our village. You have brought real hope to this community, with education for our children and health care for our people.”
As the men were speaking, I thought of something Rev. Mathias once said to me. He said, “It is where the darkness is most intense that even a pinpoint of light brings relief. It is where the darkness is deepest that the smallest glimmer of light gives hope.”
As I drove home from the airport on Friday night, after seeing the team safely back on the plane for Seattle, I thought again of Chief – a Muslim by culture and tradition – yet allowing himself to be used by God to bring education and yes - Christianity to his people!
We both worship God, I know, but he in ignorance of the Son-ship, the Lordship of Jesus. Could Chief and his clan keep their family, their friends, their inheritance and way of life, yet acknowledge Jesus as their Savior?
“I know the plans I have for you,” God declares to Chief even now, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you….plans to give you hope and a future.”
Later that day, I picked up the phone and told Chief that I needed to see him. There was something of great importance we needed to discuss. He said he would come.