Praise for EYN’s Disaster Ministry

The work of the Disaster Ministry is demanding and sometimes dangerous. Many humanitarian relief agencies focus on one main area of assistance, but the Disaster Ministry does it all. Their areas of focus include food, shelter and home repairs, trauma counseling, medical care, education of orphans, livelihood development for widows, along with training others in security and disaster preparedness. The work involves a lot of travel over poor roads and often in semi-secure areas. President of EYN, Joel Billi, said, “We always say a prayer when we see members of the disaster ministry leave the headquarters because we know they face many challenges as they assist others.”


In July alone, 736 persons received food, 10 homes in a remote area were roofed, 12 leaders attended the security workshop, 946 people were screened for Hepatitis B, and 40 victims received trauma counseling.

Successes: The IDPs who live in the EYN relocation camp near Abuja are beginning to care for themselves; people have secured farm lands, built new shelters for their families, bought used cars, and established small businesses. Teachers at the school are receiving a small salary.

Challenges: In Maiduguri, one of the temporary camps is located on donated personal property and now the owner wants his land back. Where will they go? Villages continue to be attacked by Boko Haram, refugees from Cameroon want to return to Nigeria but have no place to live. Please pray for our sisters and brothers in Nigeria.

Entrepreneurship and One-On-One Lay Counseling

Entrepreneurship training for young women in Yola

50 young women attended a workshop in Yola. The focus of the workshop was to teach about entrepreneurship along with a hands on session. Many women are unemployed and lack the skills and initiative to provide for themselves. Poverty and hunger are rampant in Northeastern Nigeria and the situation is compounded by the large numbers of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s) who have nowhere to live and cannot support themselves. A relocation village (60 homes) was built in Yola which houses some of these IDP’s. Teaching women how to run a business and giving them skills and training is one way to help reduce poverty in the region. The women who attended the workshop were young; 2 were widows, 22 were married and 26 were single. Everyone learned how to take initiative; to start small but to do something for themselves and their families. At the end of the workshop all the women were shown how to make soap, shampoo, and cleaning supplies. They can use the products themselves but were encouraged to start up a small business by making the items and selling them to others. Several of the participants purchased the raw materials and have now started their own businesses. There is a large population near the Yola IDP village so they have a market for these products.

Pray for the EYN Women’s Ministry as they hold workshops and continue to provide assistance to the IDP’s.

One-on-One Lay Counseling in the Chibok area

Participant and lay counselor

Thirteen women and seven men were participants in a trauma workshop in the Chibok area. This workshop used lay counselors who met one-on-one with each participant. The counselors taught about trauma and how it affects each person then they encouraged each person to share their personal story. Finally forgiveness was emphasized as a means to overcome their trauma.

Maryamu said, “I met with Boko Haram face to face. They came to my house and set fire to it. I narrowly escaped but I lost everything I owned plus I lost my hope and confidence. This workshop by the EYN Peace Program has helped me to forgive the perpetrators (Boko Haram) and I am regaining my hope and confidence to continue with my life.

Rejoice shared, “I was seriously disturbed by what the Boko Harm Insurgents did to me. They slaughtered my brother-in-law in my presence and I was deeply disturbed whenever I remembered the gravity of what I witnessed. But today (after the workshop), I praise God for that I see myself as a normal person and I can sleep now unlike before. Moreover, I have forgiven Boko Haram and pray that God will change them, their attitudes and their conduct.

Continue to pray for the Peace/trauma leaders and the lay counselors as they minister to others.

Disaster Relief Ministry visits IDP’s near Benin City

In March, the EYN  Disaster Relief Ministry Team traveled down to Edo state in southern Nigeria to visit an NGO called the International Christian Center. The NGO located just outside Benin City, was started in 1992 by Pastor Solomon Folorunsho. It’s purpose was to care for orphans and vulnerable children. When violence broke out in the Northeast and many people became Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs), the NGO opened its doors to this new set of IDPs. Up to 4000 persons, mostly children and widows, moved south. The women and children are given food, a place to live and education for the children.The costs to house this many people are very high and having enough food to feed them is always a problem.

                  

Since so many of the children at the International Christian Center are from the Northeast, leaders from EYN have made several visits to the Center. Salamatu Billi, wife of EYN President, accompanied the Disaster team in March. She visited the classrooms and encouraged the children to do their best. She also thanked Pastor Folorunsho for taking in these children.

One of the main reasons for the visit was to provide food assistance to the NGO. This was a large undertaking and included: 500 Yam tubers, 140 Gari bags, 53 bags of rice, a pallet of Plantains, 25 Jerri cans of palm oil and 42 bags of sugar.

The major challenges of the center according to the camp official are food shortage  and medical support. They also spend a lot of money on diesel to provide water.

Please pray for the Disaster Team, these children and all those providing their care.

Pictures and information provided by Zakariya Musa.

Nigeria Crisis work continues amidst the violence

There have been new reports of violence and attacks in Northeast Nigeria. Continue to pray for our brothers and sisters as they live in fear but continue to proclaim Jesus Christ as their strength.

As security continues to remain a concern, the EYN Disaster team has provided monetary assistance for the building of a wall which will surround the Kulp Theological Seminary and the church Headquarters area. This project is a huge under taking. Ten teams of block molders helped produce 21,000 blocks. Numerous other volunteers help move the dried blocks to where the bricklayers will construct the wall. Volunteers came from as far away as Maiduguri.

 

EYN Peace Program continues to work on trauma consciousness and resilience training. In February, workshops were held to measure the work of the newly trained Community Based Facilitators and encouraged these volunteers at the local level. The Community Based Facilitators are local volunteers who have been trained to assist others in dealing with the extreme trauma everyone is facing. As listeners, they give people a chance to share their stories. They  also teach some of the principles of trauma and encourage the forgiveness and resilience needed to live under such difficult circumstances. Four workshops took place in areas where Boko Haram are still active (Wagga, Madagali, Gulak and Midlu). The Peace program leaders had to travel back and forth from Michika each day as it was not safe to sleep in the towns holding the trainings.

All the churches in this eastern area of EYN have been burned and yet the churches continue to worship under temporary shelters. 81 facilitators, 22 females and 59 males, attended the four workshops; that’s 81 people at the local level trained to guide others through their trauma. Pray for all these volunteers and their trainers as they engage in such important work.

Life is Difficult in the Maiduguri Camps

The Ekklesiayar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN) Disaster Ministry visited two camps in Maiduguri. Shagari has 48 households and Cherubim & Seraphim has 65 households. The people are crowded into a small compound with 9-13 people sleeping in one 10X10 “tent” right next to the next one. There is often a lack of sufficient food for the camp, medical assistance is minimal, and many children are still not attending any school.

The Disaster Ministry registered the people at these two camps and brought food supplies.

In the town of Dabna in Hong Local Government Area 60 houses were destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgency. The Disaster Ministry was able to put roofs on 27 of these homes. Not everyone can be helped but the church helps choose those who need the most help. Please continue to pray for Nigeria!

Pictures are by EYN Disaster Team

 

Livelihood Centers Graduate 180

Dr. Rebecca Dali is the Executive Director of the Center for Caring Empowerment and Peace Initiative (CCEPI). For the past 3 years CCEPI (supported by Nigeria Crisis Response) has been operating training centers for widows and orphans who are victims of the Boko Haram insurgency. The centers interview and screen applicants to ensure they are helping the most vulnerable and include both Muslims and Christians. In 2018, there were 4 centers located across the region with 180 students. The centers provide nine months of training for the students. When they graduate they are given the tools of the trade so they can immediately start a business. CCEPI’s program goes a long way in providing independence and self reliance. This year 75 were trained in computers, 70 in sewing, 18 in knitting and 18 in catering. All the students learn how to make soap and other cleaning products which they can use and sell.

The pictures below are from the graduation ceremonies where the students are given the sewing machines, computers, knitting machines and catering supplies.

Please continue to pray for these Livelihood Centers, the instructors and the graduates.

 

October by the Numbers

The EYN Disaster Ministry continues its work in Northeast Nigeria. In October:

Food distributed in remote area

Home repaired

Participants at trauma workshop

2 food distributions were held for 1600 people ($12,419)

25 homes were re-roofed ($11,430)

Overhead tank for motorized borehole

3 boreholes were drilled (1 motorized with an overhead tank) for 3 communities reaching over 2000 with clean water ($10,686)

2 trauma workshops for 42 individuals whose lives are forever changed with the message of forgiveness and assistance in living with trauma ($1776)

While we celebrate the work done we also acknowledge the many challenges faced by the Disaster Ministry as they continue this vital work.

There is still insecurity in some areas. There is fear of Herdsmen destruction of farms while participating in the trauma workshops. The bad roads make it very difficult to reach some of the communities with roofing materials. The high demand for assistance is always greater than the resources available.

Disaster work continues with New Water Supplies, Trauma Training and more

Chibok area received 2 new bore holes at Birgizu – The people in the area were so happy that the Village Chief and four people from the community traveled to EYN headquarters to convey their thanks. The delegation told the Disaster Ministry team that EYN has wiped their longtime tears for potable water and proved to them what it means to be Brethren. The area had struggled with different diseases because of the kind of water they had access to. Politicians left them with many promises, but it was the church that came through. They thanked the EYN Leadership, the Disaster Ministry and the donors (Church of the Brethren and Mission 21). To show their happiness they the presented the leadership with several liters of honey.

Advanced Trauma Training was planned for a group from 4 districts still occupied by the Boko Haram. Security issues forced them to hold the training in Yola instead of locally. This proved to be a welcome respite for the participants as they were able to get away from the volatile conditions for several days. The participants of the Advance Training were selected based on their performances during the Basic Training on Healing and Rebuilding of our Communities (HEROC). They will serve as the Listening Companions in their various communities and will work in collaboration with the EYN Peace Program to foster their work on Trauma healing in the selected areas and IDPs Camps.

Here are two impact stories from the training:

I am by a name Lydia; despite the Basic Workshop I had my heart was still heavy whenever I recall what happened to me during the insurgency of Boko Haram. But this training has completely healed my wound and I now forgive Boko Harams.

 

My name is James; this workshop has personally changed and touched my life in diverse ways. First and foremost, I discovered that my life is precious and more important than anything, so I should not play with it but rather to take care of it. This training helped me to see myself as someone who can help others to see their problems in a realistic way and accept that even after a traumatic event life must continue but never attempt to destroy their lives because of devastation.

In addition, 15 children from the Garkida area were provided school fees; medical assistance and Hep B vaccinations were done at 3 locations; 5 homes were re-roofed in Lassa; and a food distribution was held at one of the relocation centers.

 

 

Nigerian Brethren provide relief for victims of Fulani herdsmen attacks

On June 23rd Fulani Herdsmen in the Jos Plateau area attacked numerous villages. Officials report 238 persons killed in 17 villages. The attackers also burnt and vandalized the villages, destroying homes, churches and properties. The people cannot return home. Some reports indicated that roads to outlaying villages are blocked by the Fulani. Many families are displaced and living with relatives or in temporary camps.

Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria’s (EYN) main area is in Northeast Nigeria but it has a presence in the Jos Plateau area where the June attacks occurred. The Middle Belt of Nigeria has many Christians from numerous denominations. When EYN’s Disaster Response Ministry got word of the numerous displaced persons in Bokkos LGA, they were ready to help. The Disaster team organized a large distribution for 1639 persons in the Bokkos area. 9000 pounds of corn, 7,700 pounds of rice along with beans, gari, palm oil, spices and blankets were distributed. 

Recipients of the food distribution were so grateful. They noted that EYN’s methods were different than other relief/government agencies; they actually stayed to distribute the materials, gather data and listen to people’s stories. The devastation of these villages will have long reaching consequences for all those involved. The Disaster team is well aware of this because of their work in the Northeast.

Despite all the work the Disaster team has going on as they help in the Northeast, they came to the aid of their fellow Nigerians in a time of desperate need . Well Done Nigerian Brethren!

Nigeria’s Director of Disaster Ministry visits United States Disaster program

By Rev. Yuguda Mdurvwa

First and foremost, I would want to thank God, and Church of the Brethren for giving me the opportunity to be at the Annual Conference and the one week of refreshing and learning about Brethren Disaster Ministry (BDM).

At Annual Conference:  Carl Hill, Roxane Hill, Rev Yuguda, and Roy Winter at Nigerian insight session

After the Sunday Service at Annual Conference, we started our journey to North Carolina with Brother Roy Winter who was driving. We spent over night at Peterson close to Greensboro. The next day, Monday, we continued with our journey to the rebuilding site. We arrived there at 11.25am. We met Harry and four volunteers working on the building, some were working on painting the interior walls, and others were cleaning the floor. Roy and I were given the permission to do the painting. Indeed, it was so nice that we worked for half an hour, laughing and enjoying the fellowship, we break for lunch at noon. Here I learned the commitment, willingness, sacrifice and humility of the volunteers.

After the lunch, we drove to another site, where we met four active volunteers working on the outer wall of the house. Ann, a young volunteer was leading the team, and I shared a few minutes discussing the work and then we went to the Methodist Church where all the volunteers were sleeping. During dinner I was introduced by Roy and the other volunteers did self-introductions. Afterwards I told my story of how the Lord saved us in Maiduguri in 2009 and in Mubi 2014 when Boko Haram attacked. There was a moment of sympathy and concerns for Nigeria. I saw their love and sacrifice. 

After visiting the Ocean and an Aquarium, we continued with our journey to Maryland. I was first shown the Church of Brethren, where Roy worships. Then the next day, Thursday, 12th July 2018, we visited New Windsor. I was taken round by Roy to the School building which was formally Brethren Service Center property. I was shown where containers are received, from there we went around the warehouse and offices where I met with all volunteers and staff. It was amazing how things are well organized, volunteers are working with joy in their hearts, most especially, the man that is handling the machine for packaging of clothes. After that we had a meeting with Disaster Staff, (Jenn, was absent but she participated through Skype call). I was given the opportunity to share about our work in Nigeria and my story. After our meeting, we went to celebrate our work and my coming to the BSC at a restaurant (Hibachi) with a fantastic demonstration.

These are some of the Lessons Learnt from the visit:

1. Brethren have the Spirit of service and humility 

2. All Volunteers and Staff are caring 

3. Things are well organized 

4. Out of their overabundance, they are willing to touch many lives 

5. Many people are continually praying for peace to reign in Nigeria 

6. I saw a true heart of love, care, service and dedication in Brother Roy.

May the Lord continue to bless the entire Church of the Brethren.