Tag Archives: Disaster Ministry

Nigeria

September Activities

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Highlights include: 18 homes rebuilt, school fees for 33 children, food for 427 households, business grants for 56 women, and a security tips workshop for 92 (see pictures below)

In September the EYN Disaster Ministry continued its recovery efforts. 18 family homes were rebuilt in a village off the beaten path. Extra workers were employed to carry the roofing materials across the river. Those whose homes were repaired expressed their thanks; they thought no one would ever be able to reach them with this much needed help after their village was burned by the Boko Haram.

School is not free for children in Nigeria and sometimes the family cannot afford the school fees. As a new school year started, Disaster Ministry was able to pay the fees for 33 orphans.

Food distributions are still taking place across the region. Help was given at three camps for Internally Displaced Persons in Maiduguri. In Garkida region, a distribution for 132 families helped Christians and Muslims.

A workshop was held at the Headquarters for District leaders, staff, and heads of church programs. The workshop for 92 people dealt with how to handle ongoing security issues and gave tips and best practices during this difficult time.

In a subsistence farming culture, families try to grow enough food to feed themselves and then sell the excess for other necessities. In addition to farming, many people have a small business on the side but start-up capital is always hard to come by especially for widows. The Women’s Ministry coordinated Disaster Ministry funds to train 56 women in tailoring and business practices. At their graduation from the training, each woman was provided with $150 start-up capital to put their new skills to work.

Please continue to pray for Nigeria and the ongoing Disaster work.

  • Children receive school fees
  • Food Distribution to Muslims & Christians
  • Roofing Destroyed Homes
  • Women receive certificates and seed money
  • Transporting Building Materials
  • Security Training

Nigeria

100 Children Attend Trauma Workshops

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  • Children receive materials for workshop
  • Workshop in session
  • Instructor shares at children’s trauma workshop

n July, five workshops were held for children ages 10 to 17. Each workshop was held in a different town and included 10 girls and 10 boys. Most of the attendees were orphans; some lost their parents from natural deaths and others as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency. Many children have been victims of trauma and care was taken to invite those who had experienced the most trauma. Some children were chosen from the Madagali area where continued attacks occur and the area is still volatile.

Many of the children’s stories are heartbreaking. Part of the healing process involves telling your story, learning the effects of trauma, and forgiving those who caused the trauma.

Here are excerpts from three stories:

Jadiwar (14) – I ran into the bush and lived on a rock near one of the Boko Haram hideouts with very little food or water. I narrowly escaped but whenever I remember the event, it breaks my heart. I thank God for this workshop which has helped me to remember my hardship without letting it tear me apart.

Hauwa (15) – I was shot by Boko Haram militants in our house during the attacks. My father left me in a pool of blood and ran for his life. My brother came back and rescued me. Even though my physical wound was healed, I couldn’t work well or go to school. Before the workshop I found it difficult to forgive my father because I thought he hated my but now I have forgiven him.

Happy (15) – I lost both my parents and I was living with my elderly brother who started selling hard drugs to get money for our survival. He was arrested and put in prison. Due to the trauma, I could not sleep. But coming to this workshop has helped me regain my confidence and hope in life and I am sleeping better.

In other Disaster news…

  • One woman’s damaged home
  • One business destroyed
  • Food & materials ready for distribution
  • A little help for those who lost everything

On August 18, the town of Kidlindila was attacked by the Boko Haram. Although no persons were killed, the insurgents burned eight houses and ten businesses. Everyone fled the area and for several days no one could get back to asses the damage. Just three weeks after the attack, EYN Disaster Ministry provided an emergency distribution with food and sleeping mats for those affected.

Nigeria

Praise for EYN’s Disaster Ministry

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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.”


  • Food Distributed
  • Home Repairs Gulak District
  • Security Workshop
  • Medical Care
  • Trauma Counseling

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.

Nigeria

Nigeria Crisis Response helps thousands in 2018

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Pictured – Medical Assistance, Skills & Business training for widows & orphans, Fertilizer & Seeds, Trauma Healing, Education Assistance, Clean Water Sources, Food Distributions, Special Relief to victims of Fulani Herdsmen, and Home Repairs were all part of the relief effort for 2018. (Pictures provided from 2018 Reports)

19 food distributions were organized for over 2500 families. One woman who received food had been captured by Boko Haram in 2015 and was freed with help from the Nigerian Army in November 2018. She was so appreciative of the food and household items because once freed they had nothing.

6300 people received medical help and screening for Hepatitis B. The medical officer and assistants travel thousands of miles to hold mobile clinics for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP’s) and this year they embarked on a screening and inoculation program for Hepatitis B.

169 homes were rebuilt costing about $1000 a home. This program is in high demand for all those whose houses were burned by Boko Haram. Only the most needy (about 20 per town) receive the assistance and the recipients must complete the walls before the Disaster Team provides the roofing.

Trauma workshops and counselling have been provided for around 500 people. This trauma awareness includes being able to tell their stories and is going a long way to help overcome the extreme trauma they have incurred. Forgiveness is emphasized and many who participate in a workshop go home and tell others so the healing is spreading.

The level of education in NE Nigeria has deteriorated over the past few years. Some schools were closed, some burned to the ground, and others used to house IDP’s. The Nigeria Crisis Response sponsors a boarding school, several learning centers and has provided school fees for more than 1000 children. Children of the IDP’s and many others still have not been able to go to school and more assistance is needed.

Most people in the NE survive by farming. The Response helped 2500 families  with seeds and fertilizer. This year the distribution was streamlined through the Districts. The District Leader from Mubi said the hardest thing is choosing who will receive the help when so many are in need. With 17 of his district’s 25 churches destroyed, the needs are overwhelming. A Soybean Value Chain project is also being sponsored with help from Global Food Initiative and Illinois Soybean Innovation Lab.

Good water sources are always in demand. The IDP camps all need to provide and maintain a water source. Some wells were destroyed by Boko Haram and other places have never had clean water. The Response provided 11 communities with wells/bore holes, helping thousands of Christian and Muslim households.

Widows and orphans must find ways to support themselves and their families. 5 skill training centers operated in 2018 graduating 269 students. Each student receives the tools necessary to start a business. In addition, 135 widows were give around $100 as start-up capital. Through the EYN Women’s Ministry, workshops have been held, literacy programs put in place and peace groups started. The influence of the women is growing throughout the society.

Numerous other activities were held during the year. Seminars were held for capacity building, the District Leaders received training in Disaster Preparedness, Yola IDP camp was fenced, Shaffa Theological Education by Extension office was repaired, a new vehicle was purchased, special relief efforts were organized for victims of the Fulani herdsmen attacks, 2 Tripartite meetings were held, a Muslim & Christian Peace conference was organized, joint church re-building workcamp were held in Michika, and much more. WHAT A  YEAR!

Please continue to pray for Nigeria.

 

 

 

General

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

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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.

 

 

Nigeria

Resilience amidst staggering needs

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Early in June, Carl and Roxane Hill along with Kucheli Shankster Beecham and her son Carter had an opportunity to visit the ongoing work of the Nigeria Crisis Response.

When we visited the “camp” or Relocation Village in Yola, we were greeted by a large group with songs of welcome and introductions. They proudly took us around their new village and showed us their homes. When this village was first built it was far from surrounding homes but the area is growing and now they have others around them. They have built a fence around the property to keep nomads and their cows from coming through the village. There is a solar powered water source and some surrounding lands for planting.

Yes, the people have a safe place to live but they still miss their lives back home. Most of these Internally Displaced Persons are from the Gwoza area where Boko Haram is still in control and they cannot return home. There are many challenges to living in a new village; neighbors are very close by, there is not enough land to plant all the food needed for the upcoming year, there is no school building for the children, the temporary church was blown down in the spring rains and so on.

As we prepared to leave this new Relocation Village, the women handed us a list of concerns and items they needed.  A woman from one of the Yola churches was traveling with us and she took the list; hoping her church would reach out to this new community.

Let us continue to pray for Nigeria and all those living in Relocation Villages. (2 Million people in Northeast Nigeria are still displaced and cannot return home.) Pray also for the EYN Disaster Ministry as they try to meet the many needs that are a direct result of the Boko Haram insurgency.