Mission #3 was the most aggressive (in terms of schedules) yet a very productive trip. Four Relief Ambassadors left Houston for Nigeria and Ghana on May 23rd 2003 and returned June 9th 2003. During the trip, we spend about 10 days in Nigeria and 4 days in Ghana. Due to entry visa mix ups in Nigeria, we had to pass our last night at the Muritala Mohammed Lagos Int'l Airport on re-entry from Ghana, missing some opportunities to meet more new people and minister in Lagos, Nigeria.
If you did not receive trip report by email, below is a summary of what has happened with our outreaches in Nigeria and Ghana.
1. We completed the Alulu-Umuezuzu Water Well. We estimate the yield of this 185 feet well is between 15-20 gallons / minute. Alulu is a poor rural community in Imo near the boarder villages of Abia / River States of Nigeria. It has hardly any motorable road access. Population to be served by well is more than 2500 with nearest polluted stream / water source better than one and half miles away. The greater Alulu community itself is perhaps close to 5,000 people, especially when those that migrated to the urban areas return to the village for big holiday periods such as Christmas. The water well we drilled is sited on St. Mark's Anglican Church compound / Primary School annex. Well equipped with a 5 KVA generator and 850 gallon tank. Number professing faith / commitments to Christ - over 20 adults (and lots of school children twice more than adults). (Full story & detail well report is here. For video clip, click here; for photos, see the photo gallery of Mission #3).
2. The Eziama II Well was drilled to 180 feet, just a few feet away from last year's attempt during our LS 200 training effort. The team working on this project had to stop there because of a difficult to penetrate rocky formation. I directed the team lead to case and develop the well at that depth given the porous formation already penetrated. The expected yield should be a little over 5 gallons per minute.
After some months of delay from the contractor and other difficulties including road access to location, the Owerri team was able to install an Indian Mark IV hand pump in the well. (See photo of the completed well and the test pumping done during well development here.) (Also, click her to see a video clip of Eziama II well drilling to a good aquifer during construction).
a) The NKWESI Water well, near Oguta, some 30 miles Southwest of Owerri, the Imo State capital; and
b) the St. Barnabas Well - at St. Barnabas Foundation for the Disabled (a rehabilitation & skills acquisition center / home for children / teenagers with Polio). St. Barnabas is at the outskirts of Owerri South, within 10 miles of the City Center. This well will serve the center and the nearby village.
Both wells are now fully functional and equipped with submersible pumps. They both produce water at rates of over 30 gallons per minute. (Full Report of the NKWESI well is here, while the St. Barnabas well detail will be published as soon as we get the GPS information and the supporting photographs).
4. Ogberuru - population 12,000; total # of patients seen = 250 with 3 doctors, 6 nurses, 1 pharmacist, 3 support volunteers. Jesus Film shown at night; number professing faith in Christ from outreach was a little over 220.
5. Amaigbo - population 15,000+; total # of patients treated = 170 with 2 doctors / 6 nurses, 1 pharmacist, 4 support volunteers. The team from USA shared the gospel and testimonies to help harvest approximately 50 souls to the Lord.
6. Living Flames Baptist Church - Tarkoradi, Ghana:
Team ministered in this and 2 other churches during the nights and day times and a number of surrounding schools visited to get acquainted with the needs in the area. Held impromptu outdoor meetings with school children, market folks, etc. Team left lots of gift items - soaps, toothpastes/tooth brushes, vitamins, etc. (over a suite case full) with the leadership for distribution as they see fit. About 8 salvations were recorded.
7. Egyam - Western Region, Ghana:
Outreach to a rural village farming community: The team visited to assess source of safe drinking water / problems getting water. We visited with the village Chief who had committed his life to Christ & several of his assistants.
8. Accra, Ghana:
Team visited with the Director & Members of the Computer Technology Curriculum Committee in the Education Ministry at the invitation of the honorable Minister of Education / Member of the Ghana House of Assembly to discuss how RNM could help Ghana Government evolve a standard computer literacy curriculum that would serve the Junior & Senior Secondary School levels, possibly at the tertiary level.
9. Tema, Ghana:
a. Visited with our friends and partners - APF / Living Water Int'l Ministries in Ghana (Allan & Patsy Fulton), and had opportunity to discuss ways to help a private sector computer institute owner with curriculum development, certification / diploma issues that would be more widely acceptable for it's trainees and graduates.
b. About Tarkoradi, Ghana:
We also discussed with APF directors how they would collaborate in providing a water well for the good folks in far Western Region locations near Tarkoradi & Sekondi. We also pledged to provide 3 computer systems to the Living Flames Baptist Church community through it's sister organization in Texas. This would help it set up a Computer Training Center / Internet Cafe' and be able to develop technology skills among it's youths.
10. Imo, Nigeria / V-TEN:
Our lead partner in Nigeria, The Bishop's Foundation for Mission and Development of the Anglican Dioceses of Owerri were given 2 computers to help with their work. In a related event, a computer system donated in 2001 to Ogberuru Secondary School by All Nation's Church in League City was delivered by our team to Eze Oliver Iriele, Duru Oshimiri IV (the traditional ruler) of Ogberuru on behalf of Ogberuru Development Association based in USA.
a. The Fortress / Slave Castle near Cape Coast:
We visited these historic monuments by the Portuguese / Dutch slave masters of the early 1600's in West Africa from which they hauled slaves to the Americas. It was a moving experience for all of us, but most importantly, it was a good memorial for all people of African descent.
Our Nigeria 5-year initiative is just into it's 3rd year with more focus on water well development. So far, the 6 (six) successful water wells done is presently meeting the needs of over 15,500 people in villages and part of Owerri urban area. The 4 (four) medical outreaches done have been a blessing to the poor and needy in rural areas with common treatable diseases that repeat periodically, or those that are easily avoidable by using and drinking clean sanitary water. In two years, we have treated 1,450 patients in 3 villages / communities. We have also given away free medicines, vitamins or mineral supplements, and medical supplies worth several thousand dollars. For the V-TEN program, we have donated 4 computer systems including a Laptop to the Bishop's Foundation at Owerri, and done some training courses for it's staff and other support staff / church workers in Imo State.
Staffing the drilling operation with volunteer labor has been problematic. The available trained hands have not been as actively engaged as needed plus their overall limited experience. We are working with the Bishop's Foundation for Mission & Development in Owerri to address the issues we raised, and our partner ministry - Living Water International, to help provide additional training, technical knowledge in drilling and pump installation / maintenance. Staffing the Medical Outreaches has been done by dedicated volunteers and Relief Ambassadors. We acknowledge the contributions of the Bishop's Foundation for Mission & Development team of volunteers based in Owerri and lead by Dr. Ernest Nwaigbo, medical director.
Overall we see this mission trip as a very successful one with much accomplished in the shortest possible time. The air time opportunity to share about our ministry with the people of Ghana on the Christian FM radio was well received and highly impacted the area. God helping us, we hope to build further on the progress made and develop the relationships with ministries and new friends we have just began to interact with, especially our host in Tarkoradi, Rev. Wosonyiwana Yeboah.
Thank you for giving and praying for us thereby making this trip very successful. We continue to look forward to your support and prayers in the immediate future as we accelerate our effort for the advancement of the gospel of the Kingdom of God - Matt. 28:19-20.
Remain Blessed!
Dr. A. Sunny Okorie
President / Gen. Manager,
Relief Network Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 1307,
League City, TX 77574-1307
http://reliefntwk.netPhone: 281-538-0687
Fax: 281-535-355
Email: info@reliefntwk.net