A DAY IN LAFIA, NIGERIA

During my visit to Jos, Nigeria in West Africa, I spent some time with a Nigerian woman, “T”. She has an amazing testimony of the Lord saving her from a car accident; an armed robbery where she was shot through the leg twice at close range; and had a mastectomy ten years ago. She accompanied me to one of the other two towns I felt I should go to, so I asked her thoughts as we journeyed and prayed. I would like to send her notes to you. Blessings on you and thanks so much for your kind thoughts.

All for Jesus,
Lindy

A day in Lafia with Lindy Bravo!

Friday the 22nd day of Feb. in the year of Our Lord 2002.
The Plateau State declaration of 5 days of fasting and praying as an aftermath of the Jos crises of September 7 and 12, 2001 and the recent burning of the Jos main market (February 11) I believed was timely but I had not fully supported the idea of two days of "no school". We had had so many disruptions this school year and I was truly thankful that I had managed to schedule a wonderful session with Mrs. Lindy Bravo with my fourth graders. We would also lose valuable preparation time needed for our class chapel coming up at the end of the month.

God had graciously granted the Right Way Assembly [*This is a 'new' church - within a month there are over 1,000 in attendance, the choir was larger than most church plants] an opportunity to have Mrs. Bravo minister in our Wednesday Communion service. As I watched the dance and flags sending out the message of Salvation, Purity and Righteousness which constitute the basis of the ministry's commission “to prepare the Church - The Bride of Christ for his Second Coming (Return)”, I realized God had a part for me to play. With a day off work, I could accompany Lindy Bravo on her proposed trip to Lafta - one of the towns “God had given her”, in Nigeria (She was already in Jos and had visited Pankshi-n a few days earlier). My elation knew no bounds as she confirmed this with an invitation the next day and God provided the funds and the taxi (even though it was to be a feast day of the drivers)[no work on feast days]. We prayed that God would take control and reach out to unbelievers who were celebrating.

It was a not-so-early-start on Friday February 22nd to Lafia as I rushed to prepare a meal that would not be needed. In the true spirit of intercession and of God's ambassador, Lindy was fasting “for Jos and in sympathy with the Christians of the Plateau State.” This gentle reminder of the seriousness of this day-trip stayed with me throughout the day and enabled me to "hold up the hands of Moses" as we drove into Lafta town, past government buildings: the judiciary courts, the government house, secretariat, ministries, banks, hospitals, schools, police stations, orchards [Cashew trees reveal the reason why the nuts are so expensive, each fruit has only one seed!], market, stadium and the center of the Muslim celebrations for the day - the Emir's palace.

We had earlier been caught in a traffic jam en route to the Emir's palace and, as we could see turbaned horsemen ahead, we disembarked from the car and joined the pedestrian throng - part of the procession that was escorting the Emir back to the palace after his morning prayer. We got close up to the horsemen bringing up the rear and photographed his decorated horse then went off to find some high ground from which we could look down over the city.

Our driver did indeed know his way around Lafia and even though there was no definite outcrop, he took us to the vicinity of the radio station with its impressive antenna. Our viewing point was near the premises of the Ministries of Health Education and Meteorological Services. With the holiday it was deserted except for the security guard and a handful of laborers working on a new building (presumably to meet a deadline or because they are already behind schedule).
It was on our way to this high ground we had seen the impressive new government hospital building in front of which was a monument/statue of a hand, poised, with a syringe to give an injection! While commenting on that we got an inkling of the reason for this Lafia trip.
The different impressions that this concept might have on different people, young and old, the meaning of the word "lafia7” was brought into focus. As far as I know, "lafia" is a relation of the Hausa word "alafia" which originally came from the Arabic [Yourba and Hausa are two of the three main people groups]. It means Peace, Well-being, Health and can be extended to mean or connote Good-will, Good-health, and lack of problems. It is a general response to many polite greetings in the Hausa language and can be translated "Fine (thank you)" "Lafia (lau)".
As we looked across the wooded valley to the town before us, the theme of the prayer was certainly "Healing7'. The Red flag was the only one Lindy used (and I let the wind billow my white nylon scarf as I prayed for the Holy Spirit to Have His way over the affairs of this nation; healing for the people - physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Healing for our government - a broken concrete-post-and-barbed-wire fence stood as a grim reminder of cowial day policies that have fallen in decay.
Healing of our social services - another concrete post - carrying electrical wires which are another grim reminder of erratic or sometimes non-existent power supply.
Healing of our natural resources - a pile of wood (between 2 and 6 inches in diameter) obviously required as fuel for fires shows the wanton disregard for conservation and the inevitable littering of all public places by domestic waste and Polythene bags.
Two water tanks (plastic - one white one red) installed to serve as a reservoir for the premises. The white tank at the top of the "tower" (scaffolding) against the blue sky made me think of the prayers of the saints and God's condition in 2 Chronicles 7:14 and I prayed that we Nigerians would indeed "stand in the gap for the nation and that these days of fasting would truly achieve 2 Chron. 7:15. ["Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place." The Lord spoke] The Red tank was the ground- tank in contact with the land (the sin of the nation). As the Red flag was waved intermittently it impressed on me the Blood of Jesus that has been shed for the redemption and Healing of Nigeria. (On the red water tank was painted the words "Min. of Health" in white. From where I stood the letters that spelt "HEAL" were clearly visible - I believe there was too much to waive off as coincidence). As I prayed thanking God for these ministrations, I noticed butterflies: a large black and yellow one and a small white one fluttering around. I saw how green and lush the leaves of the Mango trees looked, I saw a fruit seedling, alone it had taken root beside a path. It gave me a picture of success in spite of the prevailing circumstances. I could see hope in everything around me and was reminded of God's faithfulness. Habakkuk 3 verses 17, 18 "Though ... (everything may fail) .... v. 1 8 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour." [Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines .... yet]

We made our way to the Emir's palace grounds where the Durbar is scheduled to take place the next day. It was like a mini-bazaar with young and old in new clothes: children playing, swinging (1/2 a doz. to a swing!) girls dancing, boys cycling, hawkers hawking milling around us trying to show in [be in] the photographs we were taking. We smiled back, touched and quietly prayed over the children. A definite concerned look from an adult was a cue well taken. [I felt I was being "challenged" over the heads of the children as if he knew I was blessing them in Jesus Name. As I wondered how to respond to his stare he eventually cast his eyes down.] We drove away still blessing the children by our waves in response to their greetings.

A building with flags of different African nations had caught our attention and as we returned to read the massive billboard in front of it, a Merc. that had pulled out as we turned in; drove up and the driver asked if we had wanted to see him. Our initial response was “No, we were just attracted to the flags... ” but then we realized he was the man portrayed on the billboard, which was giving credit/commending the laudable achievements of the Nassarawa State governor. We stopped him driving off and had a few words with him. Lindy shared a little of her divinely arranged trip and even got him to agree to be photographed! We saw the Nassarawa State Governor without protocol! Talk about God ordering the steps of the righteous!

At the end of our trip the driver, married, a father of "two females" gladly receives Lindy's gift of a tract which he pored over believing that he has indeed been blessed by this unusual journey.