Nigeria Update 9

Hello brothers and sisters in Christ,
It is only a small while until we leave here. It is a sad thing but we are working hard to make the most out of the rest of this trip. This last week we did film shows in the nearby villages. Many people came to watch. They love watching it and keep asking for me to come back. I want to make it to a few new villages this week. We have been doing kids club here for the kids almost every afternoon. The kids love it. They like the stories and they love singing. Grandpa got one of the vehicles running that needed the engine rebuilt. Every day I am able to go into the village and talk with people, mostly Muslims. There is a young man there that I have been able to get to know and encourage. He has become a good friend. The kids love our attention so we spend as much time as we can with them. They are so much fun.
This weekend I went to Bassa (another tribe in Nigeria). There were three of us that traveled, a Bassa, an Igala and an American. We traveled an hour and a half away to get there. I got my first taste of Nigerian driving. Yeah that was fun. There is no such thing as stay on the right side of the road when you are driving. As long as there is no traffic on the other side of the road you are able to drive on it if it is better. :D It’s crazy. Another thing that is crazy is that all these tribes are so close and they all speak a different language. We had a very good time there in Bassa. We showed a slide show at a small village but before we could show it we had to go talk to the chief of the village. The chief told us that it was good white man is here and that the village needed to hear about Christ and that he, himself was a Christian and that we should show the film show. So we went and had the film show. The chief even showed up to watch and was very pleased with it. We went and stay at the mission compound in Odenyi that night. The next morning we went to another village and I was able to speak to them there. They were very happy that we had come. We drove back right away after the service very happy that everything had gone well. We came into Iyale the village where the Otutulu road begins. There was a pagan festival going on there so the Juju dancers were there along with many other people, with very big sticks. The Juju’s stop the cars and try to make you give them money if you don’t you get beaten with a stick. The first few groups I came to got out of the way very quickly but then I was forced to stop because there was a large crowd of people in the middle of the road. They were hitting my vehicle with their sticks and demanding money. I told them no and told them to get out of the way finally a man came out of the crowd and told them to get back and let me through because I was a white man. He got me through the crowd of people and as I was going there were still people asking for money and hitting the vehicle. They asked me and I told them no I would not give them money. You might think well why not just give them money so you could get through but the fact is if I were to give them money I would be giving money to Satan and I will not promote extorting money out of people. It is a sad thing they are doing but the Lord definitely had His hand in everything and was protecting me and the men with me. PTL. Sunday afternoon we arrived home and found out that there was a baptism going to take place. Seven young people showed that they wanted to give their lives wholly to Christ. I am so happy for them. Some very good friends were baptized Sunday and they are serious about their decision. PTL.
On the way back I met a man that was a Muslim and wanted to greet me. He told me he was a king because of the gold watch and bracelet he was wearing. I used that opportunity to tell him of the true King but he told me that because I was young I did not know anything and that because he was old he knew everything. I knew I could not reason with him so I said goodbye but he asked me to come back and sit with him. So I will do that before I leave.
Monday I went to a dinner in Anyigba for many of the people in missions work. I wish I hadn’t. I got back late and there was a sick man that I knew about here in otutulu that I was going to witness to. That night he died and I did not get a chance to speak to him. :( It saddens my heart and makes me remember that I must go on with the Lords work and stand boldly to tell everyone about Christ. The Lord could have kept that man alive until I had a chance to talk to him but He didn’t. Last night it was time for that man to go.
I wish I could stay here for a much longer time and I am praying about what the Lord would have me to do. There is such a great need here for missionaries. There are very few white men left in this region of Nigeria that stay here all year long. I hope that you would pray with me about this. Also please pray for the people here that there would be a revival in their hearts. That there would be more people that want to follow after God wholeheartedly, that want to be Disciples of Christ. There are many nominal Christians here in Nigerian much like in America. There are in the churches so that they can look spiritual in front of people. Pray for the church at Otutulu that they would continue in their evangelistic efforts. God is so good. Ojo wa chenyo.
Thank you all for your prayers.
Your brother in Christ,
T.J. Kerttula