The Povision for The Land!

In January 2008, an e-mail came that the two parcels of land adjacent to the far end of the campsite boundary, mountain side was also wanted by associates of the Jos University Teaching Hospital. This upped the land price from $ 69, 000 to $ 90, 000. (62 plots: 50 X 100 feet). It would not be good to have houses built in this area next to the boy's division of the campsite or for the whole location of the campsite. It was imperitive that ECWA Camp Youth Alive have this land for it was in between the river and our boundary, and not very accessible getting in and out of this area for anyone. It only seemed natural these two parcels of land to become a part of the existing campsite, after having re-surveyed the beacons of the campsite boundaries in acutally seeing this end of our boundary in relation to the mountain would give us a complete block along the river for the campsite, last October 2007. I visited the landowners in October, before leaving Nigeria for furlough, with my ECWA bothers over the interest of having this land for ECYA. Since then, I was sharing this need. I spoke in January to two of my churches about this land, and asking them to pray for the $ 70,000 needed to purchase the land. I had written and called many of my supporters about it. Prayer request were sent out for this need, both here in the USA, and in Nigeria by the ECYA office team. (Rene, Akim and Shammah). The ECWA -SIM Land committee met with the land owners asking them to give us time to raise these funds. The pressure was on ECYA by the JUTH associates and the Landowners for the money. The matter was urgent.

Meanwhile, I was reading the whole of the book Genesis, and passages were coming off the page about the power of God working. The story about King Abemilech asking Sarah to come into his presence, thinking she was Abraham's sister, and God would not let Abemilech touch her. God judged Abemilech, and cursed his people in closing their wombs, because Sarah was Abrahim's wife. He protected Abrahim and Sarah, and restricted anything from happening to Isreal. This passage impacted my heart in that God can do this for ECYA today in these contemporary times! My heart was heavy, and helpless in waiting upon the Lord about this land but this gave me a sense of His peace and hope! Responses were coming in from prayer supporters to wait on the Lord for nothing is too difficult for God. My churches were praying for this need, though helpless themselves to assist.

On Valentine's Day morning I read and wrote down Isaiah 28:27: "And all this also comes from the Lord God Almighty, who is wonderful in counsel and magnificient in wisdom." On this Thursday, February 14, 2008 it proved to be a wonderful day of news! In the late afternoon, while visiting Mom at the South Shore Health Care Center, my brother got a cell phone call from Carolyn of SIM-USA in trying to get me! We happened to be together, and was informed a $90, 000 check came in that day for the two adjacent parcels of land for Jos Nigeria campsite! It was only within two weeks I made this office aware of this crucial need. "You are kidding? God you are wonderful!" He is alive, and answering this ECYA urgent need! Carolyn and all the office had been praying and the whole office was rejoicing in the recieving this $ 90, 000 check! I hugged my brother as He too was estounded of what he heard! I went in to my mother's room of the Heatlth Care Center, and said, "Mom, (she knew something was a miss), you know the land we are trying to purchase, well, just this afternoon a check for $90, 000 came into SIM-USA for purchasing the land from a USA donor! when I mentioned this to her the week before she said, He owns the cattle on a thousands hills..." She looked in amazement, and tears flowed down her face (My face, too). The joy of it all was too astounding for me to contain myself, and anyone I told in the family or friend's facial expression was one of awe, and utter amazement! They were just as happy, if not more than me, for this miracle of provision. That evening, the verse I read, Isaiah 28: 27 came back to me and personally marvelled at how the Lord had affirmed again "that all things come from Him!" I'm still aglow, and hope I never lose this joy of the hand of God on His servant, humbly ministering for ECYA and its future. My faith is enlarged again, ( so is AKIM"S, Rene's and Sahmmah's) and in His awesomeness. The rippling affect of this answered prayer is giving "my supporters" an opportunity to praise and worship God for seeing this prayer answered, and increasing thier faith to trust God more for thier own personal needs. My joy is seeing the response of others upon hearing this news! Praise the Lord!