Sun. Dec. 3-Thur. Dec. 8th: LWI Africa Country Directors Strategy & Planning Conference for Affiliates & Implementing Partners. The Conference went very well with LWI Minimum Standards shared along with example strategies and planning focused on targeted communities for more impact and sustainable development over a period of 2 to 3 years. Execution tools and ideas were shared from lessons learned across all 26 African Countries where LWI works with partners and affiliates.
Fri. Dec. 9th – Sat. Dec. 10th: trip to Nigeria with an overnight lay-over in Addis Ababa Ethiopia – I used the opportunity to visit with the family of Ambaye Zekewos – current LWI Country Director for Liberia, originally from Ethiopia. Had fellowship with his family and friends and they had a typical Ethiopian meal served with traditional strong black coffee to top it off.
Sun. Dec. 11th – visited a new partner leader Hon. Barr. Clement Udegbe (also a Bishop) and shared the word to minister to the leaders and Members of their local Church of God Mission group in Festac Town, Lagos.
Mon. Dec. 12-13th – Owerri and Orlu / Ogberuru visit – visited my home village to see my folks, and the fence construction work at our village residential home.
I was also able to do follow-up work on the status of my request for retirement benefits and compensation at FUTO (Federal University of Technology, Owerri), where I was on faculty for 15 years before returning to live in the USA.
Tue Dec. 13-15th – I visited Aba to work our Abia-Imo team on our big Ebenezer Schramm T-64 rig truck engine replacement / crew issues as well as the new water truck crane repair completion. Also ordered work to restore our rig air compressor pressure to rated values, and repair leaking valves to stop all hydraulic leaks on the rig controls. All leaks have been fixed on rig, and the water truck crane totally fixed from accident damages. We shall report on rig engine replacement & air compressor status when work is completed by end of year.
Thur. Dec. 15th pm – Owerri – Rested and had some private family visit with my daughter’s father-in-law, Sir. Don Ibeawuchi.
Fri Dec.16th – Sat. Dec. 17th – visited our 3 new bore-hole project sites: Ikponkpuma, Abarigwe, and Ndiagu-Okwueze – in EBONYI State, some 24 Km South East of Nkalagu Cement Compay. Travelled with Stanley Madu (hydrologist) to inspect / supervise progress on the 3 boreholes commissioned at the locations since Nov. 20th - The Projects were progressing well and nearing completion then. The team was very well focused, and observed to work with one spirit as people that understand the ministry vision and need to bear the cross while delivering water services with the Word. They were also tops in following excellent safety rules in operation. All team members were fully in good work gears: boots, and steel helmets on, ear plugs, etc. Their leader, our young Pakistani missionary, Sharjeel Shakeel shows excellent leadership at work with team, and was liked by the community and its leaders. I’m happy to report that all 3 wells have been finished successfully and reported to the sponsor, LWI.
Sun. Dec. 18th – ministered at the Dominion Chapel Church in Surulere Lagos where Chuks Nmeremikwu pastors a young congregation of approximately 60 people. Encouraged the Church to be content with such things as we have – to stay away from covetousness and not cave in to the temptations of Christmas feverish shopping, or borrowing to celebrate; but rather to learn to give or share with others less fortunate than us and trust the Lord who always meets our needs according to His riches in glory – Ephesians 4:4-12. Key thoughts – rejoice always in the Lord, be givers / channels of God’s flow of the blessings of Abraham; and to intentionally pray Jabez’s prayers in I Chronicles 4:10 – for greater SUCCESS, greater INFLUENCE as He enlarges our coast or territory of command; followed by greater POWER in our lives to deal with any situation or demonic oppression; & greater PROTECTION around us.
Sun. Dec. 18 – Mon. Dec. 19th: returns to Houston via London on British Airways.
Ikponkpuma Village – 1st well drilled to 60 meters or 200 feet / reamed to approx. 6.5 inches; fresh water / non-pungent reported compared to existing borehole with hand pump. Plan to install 1 Hp Submersible pump on completion. The borehole is located or hosted in the compound of Rev. Father Peter Omogo’s – Host has initially provided a 500 liter elevated tank; asked to make it min. of 2000 liters to reduce water pumping frequency; or if demand is lower than expected can provide at 1000 liter water storage tank for now.
Abarigwe Primary School Well: The second well was done on the school compound. The school is owned by the 3 communities called Igwebuike. The borehole was drilled successfully with a hand pump installed and well pad constructed. PUMP type is Indian Mark III.
The Ndiagu-Okwueze village – Hon. Stephen’s location also had a borehole completed at 45 meters / 130 feet with another Indian Mark III hand pump installed. The communicate was very welcoming and receptive… provided helpers willingly; gave food at least once a day to drillers; provided accommodation; and keen to hear the gospel daily as they were scheduled and delivered by the drill team blessed with 2 experienced preachers / evangelists – Bro. Sunday Joseph, and Bro. Martin.
During my visit, the village leader and some women requested for prayers and an opportunity to hear the gospel from me. I spent some time sharing the gospel, telling them about the water and the Word ministries of RNM and LWI. Following the session, about 10 of them gave their lives to Christ as personal savior and professed faith in the Lord.
The drill team would share basic Health and Hygiene information following the 2012 LWI minimum Standards to initiate the practice early and get familiar with new requirements from LWI.
The villagers also gave us 4 big tubers of yam (Stanley and I) and wished we stayed longer for them to harvest more from their fields.
We thanked them for their generosity and prayed they would continue to walk in the light of the gospel… follow-up visits for WASH and Orality / Discipleship would be done by our team within the next 6 months to continue the momentum witnessed here in terms of receptivity to the good news.
We also educated them on how to make all their well projects sustainable / maintainable; how to care for their wells / the role of a water well care-taker committee.
Just before the Dec. 15th deadline to report on all the 5 wells we were commissioned to drill between Nov – Dec. 2011, we appealed to LWI to give us time to complete the remaining 2 wells properly and report them into PUMPS by Dec. 31st 2011, and it was granted.
We then went ahead and contracted Stanley’s private company – Starlon Drilling to mobilize to Akpu – Ufuma project and drill that well with a tripod rig instead of wait further for the Ebenezer Rig engine which was taking longer than expected to complete installation and testing for field worthiness. (Work on the Akpu project is nearing completion on Christmas eve, and we hope to report results by end of year, next week.)
We also used the extension opportunity to complete work on water truck crane and the leaking control valve on the rig hydraulic unit as well as restore the air compressor to its full capacity in terms of pressure rating and air flow volume.
Part of the delays experienced with rig engine replacement included the following:
1. Delay in getting the funds to them from the local bank with the partner ministry’s account – JBM / JBA;
2. Delays caused by Nigerian Police while engine was on its way to work site from PH
3. Delays in getting set up with a number of minor issues and mechanical repairs taken care of before rig can set out to drill.
4. Logistics / mobilization planning and execution delays partly due to recent failure of our 1998 Dodge RAM pickup crew truck used also for towing the rig / air compressor on the trolley or utility trailer that we have.
Zing TARABA State Nigeria: January 27, 2012 to February 7, 2012 - Zing Pump Repair and WASH / Community Engagement for Sustainability
Work in Niger Republic: February 10 - February 17, 2012: Survey Trip for Geophysical Survey and Community mapping
Acknowledgements: On behalf of our Board of Directors, I wish to gratefully acknowledge with many thanks - all the donors and volunteers / partners that make our work possible and easy.
Your gifts and prayers are deeply appreciated.
May the good Lord of Heaven keep you safe in the palm of His Hands. A. Sunny & Florence Ochi-Okorie for RNM, Inc.
www.relief-networks.org . Praise the Lord!