Excursions to the Muslim North: My Nigerian Experiences

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By Ije' Meriel Bernhard   

After about a week and half in the South, we started our trip north to Abuja from Owerri in a deluxe bus - air-conditioned, toilet, and a video, playing Christian tapes. Before the bus moved there was a prayer for a safe trip. As we traveled north the terrain changed from lush vegetation to sparse, shrubby trees and hilly country. 

Let me share a few sights I saw.  Many market places along the way were selling many things, from wares to food, water and beverage drinks. When the bus stops swarms of people with trays of food on their heads to sell will cluster around the bus. Poor dirty beggars with their hands out, even little children begging for money or whatever anyone can give them. What a hopeless sight.  Decapitated cars with people hanging out,
and a rope holding all the belongings together in a much-overloaded trunk could be seen every now and then. Roads with big potholes that needed repairing and black smoke pouring out of vehicle exhausts were common sight. 

Ije with a typical anti-hill in the background at the Yankari Game Reserve

Abuja, the capitol of Nigeria, is a brand new city, all new buildings. When we were ready to leave for Jos, Bauchi, and Yankari, our team lead, Dr. A. Sunny Okorie had to bargain for a taxi. It was always a good thing that I stayed far away, or he would not get a good deal. Being the only white person around I drew lots of attention. Two men and a Muslim woman were in the back seat of the taxi we took. We had opportunities to share our faith with the taxi driver who spoke little English. He told us he had two wives and many children. He said he was a Muslim, but had started attending some ECWA church and reading his Bible. He said he sends his wives and children to school to learn from the Christians.  By sunset, we had traveled over 400 Kilometers (some 250 miles).  As the evening came we saw a magnificent sunset.  The Muslim woman and I began to smile and gesture to communicate, and by the time she got off near Bauchi, a bond had grown. Oh to have been able to tell her about Jesus and the God that made this beautiful sunset in a language she could understand.

Yankari, the National Wildlife Park and Game Reserve was reached the next day after a night’s rest at a hotel in Bauchi town. It is a beautiful place indeed. We saw several elephants, monkeys, water-buck (a special bread of deer), bug pigs or hugs, etc. while riding on a high truck bed through the Wildlife savannah forest with tour guide.

As we were heading home we stopped at a water well where a few children of all ages and women were getting water.  The well was shallow, and polluted, without any covering. Some of the children had distended abdomens which told of diseases from this unsanitary water well. The villages in this part of the north all had round huts with thatched roofs.

In JOS we visited a pastor friend of Dr. Okorie who also has a bookstore in the heart of town. JOS is the capital of Plateau state and perhaps the most Christian influenced city in northern Nigeria. Yet, there was a great diversity of Muslims and non-Muslims. We got there by noon. The Islamic call to prayer soon started, and many people fell to the ground to pray at street corners. Following our brief drive across the city, we took the long drawn road that descended this mountain region towards Abuja. Arriving Abuja late that night tired and worn out, we spent the night at a motel by the bus station which took us back to Owerri and later to Lagos for departure to the USA.

After reading my newsletter article, do you feel the Lord pulling on you to give something, or touching your sense of humanitarianism? Perhaps you can give your vacation time to help drill water wells, teach a skill you have, show the Jesus video, teach others about the joy and love that is in your heart, or share of the bounty God has given you. 

I will never be the same person again. This trip has tremendously impacted my views about Africa, and the needs in third world countries like Nigeria, which is why I continue to be involved in project outreaches of Relief Network Ministries, Inc. Become a Relief Ambassador today!