Jannine's African Journal

Wallace and Gromit make fun of leprosy

2012-01-16T09:30:00.001Z

Wallace and Gromit are fun characters, but disappoint me in their latest film

The activities of The Leprosy Mission to encourage the media to stop reflecting leprosy in a negative light continues. The latest lobbying is along with our colleagues at LEPRA, as we have discovered that Wallace and Gromit stigmatise leprosy affected people!

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/wallace-and-gromit-creators-in-leprosy-row-6289472.html

Their latest effort 'The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists' there is a scene when a person affected by leprosy's arm falls off. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD9JIE7bL-Q&feature=relmfu This just doesn't happen folks!

It makes me really sad that in the name of entertainment people have to continue the negative presentation of leprosy. There are about 3 million people living with the affects of leprosy and they just don't find it funny! Neither do I!

Nigeria security situation

2012-01-11T12:06:00.000Z

Bassey and I have been sad to read the news from Nigeria of recent. Over the last 12 months the security sitiuation has deteriorated. Last week we received news that the National Labour Congress had annoucned a national strike from Monday. News from The Leprosy Mission Office in Minna tells us that the roads are blocked for movement.

There are still areas where a state of emergency is in place follwing the actions of Boko Haram.

Pray along with us for our friends in Nigeria

Master of Arts

2012-01-11T11:50:00.000Z

This is me at my graduation in December with Beatriz who was awared a PhD.

Yes! I finally did it. I received the degree of Master of Arts in Disability Studies from the University of Leeds on 13th December 2011. All that hard work was worth it after all.

Ebenso Update 6th January 2012

2012-01-11T11:46:00.000Z

Sorry, we haven't written for so long. No excuse - just sheer laziness really!

We had a great break together as Bassey was so chilled out as he submitted his draft thesis before Christmas . He is now waiting for comments to come back from his supervisors. Please continue to pray for him, that he can correct the thesis and submit the final version as soon as possible ready for his viva. He is still attending the university and reading around the subject more and more.

Back to work
Well, how I struggled to get Tuesday morning. I have enjoyed long lie ins for the past two weeks. Some days not waking until 10am! This week has been a week of sorting through emails (700+ dealt with so far) and planning for the weeks and months to come. The work plan is now sorted, but I expect that things will change as the weeks go on, so the plan is not written in stone.

New Year’s Honours List

Join is in thanking God that Stephen Hammersley, chair of TLM Trading and has been awarded a CBE in the New Year honours list. ( A CBE is a "Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire" - a very British award generally announced in the New Year and awarded by the Queen who is the sovereign of the Order.)

TLM Finances

The income for 2011 was lower than expected and the forecast for 2012 is not good either. Unfortunately that has meant we have had to close some projects and reduce our input in many others. Please pray that God will surprise is with income from unexpected places so that we will be able to continue the work that he has asked us to do. Just a few minutes ago I received an email saying that we have received an extra donation of $17, 500 (yes, you read it right - seventeen thousand, five hundred dollars!) from the USA towards the cost of my own work as Global Disability Adviser. Isn’t that amazing? That means there is more money available for a project. Thank you Lord!

Nigeria
The security situation in Nigeria is expected to get worse with the recent lifting of the fuel subsidy. Dr Sunday Udo, Country Leader for Nigeria, writes:

I am writing to intimate you of the situation in Nigeria and ask that you remember us in your prayers. From the 1st of January 2012, the Federal Government announced the removal of the subsidy on petrol. The price of petrol has now risen from N65/Litre to N140/Litre. In some places a Litre is selling for as high as N200. The price of goods and services have doubled overnight and the implications on project budgets and living costs are worrisome.

As a reaction, [the trade union movement] has mobilized and called for a general strike action commencing from midnight of 8th January 2012. The fact that this is coming at time when the country is going through all kinds of security challenges has complicated the situation. We don't know how long the strike might be. If it does go on we think it may be up to three weeks. It could be less or more. Some of us have questioned the wisdom on the part of government to remove the subsidy on petrol at a time when the security situation is so precarious.

We ask that you keep Nigeria in your prayers at this time for a quick and peaceful resolution of this looming crisis.

Please do join us in praying for Nigeria.

New Country Leader for TLM Papua New Guinea

TLM welcomes Tweedy Malagian as the new Country Leader for TLM PNG. Based at the PNG office in Madang Province, Tweedy began his role with TLM on 1st January 2012. Tweedy has worked with CUSO (Canadian University Services Overseas) managing and developing community programs and managing volunteers within PNG. Until December 2011, he worked with Oxfam to provide community support in the highlands of PNG, establishing relationships, community development projects and networks amongst the tribal community. Join us in thanking God for Tweedy, and praying for him and his team in PNG, that they will gel together quickly and that the work there will go on to bigger and better things as God directs.

TLM Bangladesh

James Das, left TLM in December, so we are currently without a Country leader in Bangladesh. We thank God for the time he spent with us and all that he contributed to the Mission. We pray that God will continue to bless him in what he is doing now. Piet Both is acting as Country Leader while we look for a new person. Pray for Piet as he leaves for Bangladesh tomorrow (7^th January) for 3 weeks. He will be missed by his family in the Netherlands. Pray for the staff of TLM Bangladesh at this time of transition and ask God to lead the right person to apply for the role of Country Leader.

Programmes meeting

The end of the month sees about 20 of us meeting together again in London for the annual programmes meeting. Please pray for those who are applying for visas and sorting out tickets to enter the UK from India, Nigeria, Bangladesh, DR Congo, Australia and New Zealand. The agenda for the meeting is coming together and looks to be full and interactive. Pray also for Raj, Alan and Stephanie as they put the agenda together.

New TLM quarterly prayer diary

Please find attached the new quarterly prayer diary for January – March 2012. We hope that using the quarterly prayer diary along with the annual ASK prayer diary you will be able to continue to pray for the work of The Leprosy Mission as a while, not just the work Bassey and I are involved in.

World Leprosy Day

Don’t forget that World Leprosy Day is coming up on 29^th January. Check out The Leprosy Mission website in your country for resources and information.

2011-07-20T10:19:00.000+01:00

A friend of mine, Jazz has made three films that are just great!

All the films are about disabled women from around the world who have challenged prejudice and exclusion in order to pursue the life of their choice.

"Mia's Story" tells of a Lebanese woman's desire to access mainstream education and her ongoing campaign for inclusive education in Beirut and the Middle East Region. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_2ZEwhh9WQ

"Rachel's Story" is about a British woman's desire to become a nurse in a sector that traditionally views disabled people as recipients of care, not care givers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwBzb7m2n64

"Feliza's Story" is about a Bolivian woman who raised awareness through art about environmental barriers resulting in changes to public buildings and roads. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu-f1FEFNMY&feature=channel_video_title

Enjoy!

Mr President and the First Lady of Methodism

2011-07-05T13:53:00.000+01:00

September 1985 - I was baptised by Reverend Leo Osborn at Seedfield Methodist Church. 26 years later we had the delight of watching Leo being inducted as the new President of the Methodist Conference.

Thank you to Leo and Charlotte for inviting us, we really did have a wonderful time. Although most of us are larger and greyer than in 1985 (all except Charlotte who never looks any different!), I really felt as if it was only yesterday that we were back in the youth group.

Leprosy, Guinea Pigs and the Congo

2011-06-28T07:03:00.000+01:00

From TLM Canada's Nikki Whaites:

Life expectancy is 43 years. Twenty percent of children die before their fifth birthday. The average person visits a health center once every 7 years. There is approximately 1 physician for every 10,000 persons.

Welcome to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

It also has Africa’s highest burden of leprosy though its large size and weak infrastructure make it almost impossible to know the exact numbers. Complicating - as well as adding to - these health challenges is the fact that the country is home to the world’s bloodiest war since World War II with more than 30 times as many deaths as the Haiti earthquake.

TLMC recently began supporting work in the country focusing on both the treatment of leprosy as well as socio-economic development for those affected. With approximately 60% of the population living on less than $1.25/day, working with those affected by the disease to find sustainable livelihood opportunities is crucial.

Enter the guinea pigs. And ducks. And chickens.

For those with little to no land and/or mobility issues due to leprosy-related disability, small animals are ideal. They do not require land on which to graze and can be kept in or near the house.

Through the projects, leprosy-affected persons are provided with a small number of animals as well as training on how to care for and breed them. In the case of guinea pigs, recipients are provided with 1 male and 2 females and are expected to give back at least 1 female once they start breeding (‘returned’ animals are given to other recipients). The animals can then be sold to others in the community providing an ongoing and sustainable income. Guinea pigs cost approximately $1.50, chickens $5 and ducks $10.

It is literally a small business opportunity where the stock replenishes itself. And in a country facing as many challenges as the DRC, that kind of sustainability is key.

By Nikki Whaites from The Leprosy Mission

Some photos from my trip to Myanmar

2011-06-27T16:35:00.001+01:00

I had such a great trip to Myanmar. It was such a privilege to see the work that The Leprosy Mission is doing in that country alongside our partners in country. I was especialy blessed by my vsiits to two Disability Resource Centres (DRC). TLM has DRCs in eight of the fourteen provinces in Myanmar. It is a real joy to see integral mission in action as Christians put their faith in action and work for a 'Barrier Free Myanmar'. We do thank God for the Christians in Myanmar who work with The Leprosy Mission.

These are photos of some of the people I met.

and the last photo is of Grace and Say Say wading through the water to reach the house of a person affected by leprosy. At some points the water was above our knees!

Who deserves to be a millionaire? TLM Nigeria does!

2011-06-27T16:13:00.000+01:00

I saw this on the TLM Nigeria intranet:

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? is a general knowledge television quiz programme that debuted on ITV in the United Kingdom (UK) in 1998. When the UK host, Chris Tarrant first uttered the now immortal line “Is that your final answer?” on the 4th of September 1998, no one could have forseen that it would become a global catchphrase. Nearly six years on, from United States to Saudi Arabia; France to India; Italy to Israel and Holland to South Africa, the programme has been and remains a major hit in all the countries where it is being shown. It has quite simply, catapulted into the record books as a global phenomenon. It is now licensed in over 100 countries, making it the biggest TV quiz programme in the world!

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? is based on a simple concept of one contestant winning cash prizes as he/she answers questions correctly. The cash prize to be won gets bigger with every question answered correctly; with 15 consecutive correct answers winning the contestant Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000) !!!

The program was first aired in Nigeria as the 104th country on 8th October 2004 . The N10, 000,000 top prize money is the highest prize of any game show in Nigeria and the show itself ranks amongst the most watched shows in Nigeria with a viewer-ship base of close to 50million.

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? has a variety of specials which includes: The Lecturer/Student Special, Valentine Special; where a couple get to play for 10 million naira together, Children’s Special; where a child gets to play in the hot-seat for 10 million naira worth of scholarship. Who Deserves To Be A Millionaire? Where celebrities play on behalf of someone or group of people who have contributed in their own way to the positive image of the nation either as athlete, veteran actors, charity homes and the like.

TLM Nigeria was contacted to participate on the platform of Who Deserves To Be A Millionaire? Ultima Limited, the media outfit that produces the programme in Nigeria, visited our National Coordination Office in Minna, after they did a search on the Internet and shortlisted TLM-Nigeria among other charity organisations in Nigeria to be considered for this opportunity. TLM Nigeria was selected amongst many by the Board of Directors – Ultima Limited.

Dr Sunday Udo sat on the hot-seat in company of two other popular Nigeria movie artistes, and together were able to win One Million Naira for the Mission. Other benefits include: a life-account opened on behalf of TLM Nigeria where they will continue to advocate to corporate bodies, and donations sent into it; a 5.5KVa Generator was also donated to the Mission, and an opportunity to meet with a host of Corporate bodies like MTN, and media houses that sort for interviews.

This programme has been aired on both the public and private media houses in Nigeria, and this has launched The Leprosy Mission Nigeria into a new height of publicity never imagined before. We give God all the Glory,…… for great things He has done!

Disability Research

2011-06-02T09:13:00.000+01:00

Currently I am studying the barriers experienced by disabled people in Nigeria with my Nigerian friends and colleagues. These photos show my friends Omotunde as she interviews members of the Centre for Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities (CAPWD) using a questionnaire that we developed together.

Omotunde is a great advocate for disabled Nigerians.

Prague

2011-06-02T08:49:00.001+01:00

Not Africa but...

These are just some of the pictures I took on my recent trip to Prague to attend the General Assembly of the International Disability and Development Consortium (IDDC). It really is a beautiful city.

Nigeria's new beginning?

2011-06-01T13:23:00.000+01:00

With the inauguration of President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday, is this the chance for Nigeria to mark a new beginning? Nigeria's new President is sworn in (BBC news website)

Many would hope so, but unfortunately this year's election has been marred by violence before, during and following the actual voting.

This week the BBC has reported bombs in both Bauchi and Zaria. The latter targeting the home of the Vice-President.

It is sad that those who are not happy at the result choose to show their discontent in this way. Violence helps nobody.

2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,

then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Wellesley Bailey Award Winners 2011

2011-06-01T12:14:00.000+01:00

On Tuesday 31 May the 2011 Wellesley Bailey award winners attended a presentation dinner at the International Assembly in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Mr Mainudin Dafali from Nepal and Mr Anjan Dey from India were this year’s winners of the award. David Parry, TLMI Chairman, presented them both with a wooden plaque and a framed citation. They each gave inspiring and moving speeches, explaining the stigma they had experienced due to leprosy and how they had overcome this and made it their life’s work to improve the lives of people affected by leprosy.

Anjan Dey

Mainudin Dafali

A doctor who spent her life helping the people of Nigeria

2011-06-01T10:46:00.003+01:00

I have pinched this from the Portadown Times. Esther was a dear friend to Bassey and me. We worked together for many years at Ekpene Obom.

A doctor who spent her life helping the people of Nigeria

THE death took place recently of Dr Esther Davis OBE, who was loved and respected for her medical work, both in the Portadown area and on the continent of Africa where she spent a major part of her life.

Dr Davis was born in Enniscorthy in 1919, a member of a Quaker family prominent in the business life of County Wexford for centuries. She qualified as a medical doctor in Belfast in the 1940s, and after a spell in the Hadden practice in Portadown, she went to West Africa as a missionary with the Qua Iboe Mission (now Mission Africa).

Her entire life there was devoted to the service to the people of Nigeria where she saw the country develop from being a British colony to achieving full independence. She worked for many years in a leprosy hospital and became a considerable authority on the disease, receiving study fellowships from the World Health Organisation to develop her skills in India and Ethiopia. Dr Davis was awarded the OBE in recognition of her contribution to the control of leprosy.

She worked from time to time in general practice for brief periods in Craigavon and Lurgan and finally retired after 50 years in Africa to Portadown - at Village Walk in Killicomaine. She remained tireless in promoting the work of her former patients and colleagues in Africa through ‘The Friends of Ekpene Oborn’ and paid regular visits to Nigeria until relatively recently.

Until a few months ago, she was physically active and was a familiar figure in her little blue car in and around the Portadown area. Thanks to the carers from Social Services and devoted neighbours, she was able to remain at her home and in full command of her mental faculties, until her sudden death at the age of almost 92 last month.

A faithful member of the Society of Friends, Dr Davis’s funeral at Moyallon Meeting House was an occasion of thanksgiving for a life well spent. Many tributes were paid to her deep Christian faith and its expression to her service in both Ireland and Nigeria. It bore testimony to the affection in which she was held by those among whom she had ministered for so many years.

Dr Davis is remembered by her neighbours and former patients, by her wide family circle, including her many nephews and nieces from the Davis, Chapman, Cuthbert and Robinson families, and her youngest surviving sister Mrs Helen Robinson of Dublin.

REST IN PEACE MMA DOCTOR, WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!

The Leprosy Mission Global Fellowship

2011-06-01T10:10:00.004+01:00

This week is a very historical week for The Leprosy Mission. Country Leaders from all the member countries of The Leprosy Mission (TLM) have been been meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I am to there myself, but it has been great following news from those who are via Facebook and Skype.

The most anticipated part of the meeitng has been the signing of the Global Charter which marks the begining of The Leprosy Mission Global Fellowship.

Here it is the signed charter!

There were delegates from TLM supprting countries (Like Klaus, Katrina and Ken)

There was time for the girlies to dress up! (Gillian, Karen, Jade and Mary)

and there are always the officials

CBR Conference, Abuja, October 2010

2011-01-12T12:34:00.006Z

We were able to see lots of people

some old friends who just wanted to laugh and dance...

some old friends who were also colleagues and wanted serious conversation...

some old friends we have been writing to for years,

but actually met for the first time face-to-face...

some old girlfriends (not really!)...

some new friends from different African countries...

Lots of old friends from the Democratic Republic of Congo...

and some new friends from Ethiopia...

What a lovely time we had!

World leprosy Day is coming soon

2011-01-12T12:26:00.001Z

The President of ILEP delivers his message to mark World Leprosy Day on Sunday 30th January, which will be the 58th celebration of this annual day.
Raoul Follereau, orator and advocate for those with leprosy, always considered the inauguration of World Leprosy Day on 31st January 1954 as one of his finest achievements. From the very beginning, his intention was that events and celebrations on this day would highlight the fact that people with leprosy are as worthy of dignity and respect as any one and deserve to live their lives as fully as they choose.

On Sunday 30th January 2011 Mr René Stäheli, President of ILEP, would like to draw attention to continued efforts to enable persons affected by leprosy to live dignified lives. He notes the focus of the World Health Organization’s Enhanced Global Strategy, effective from 1st January 2011, on the reduction of leprosy-related disability and promoting the human rights of those affected.

Message from ILEP President in English: http://www.ilep.org.uk/fileadmin/uploads/Documents/News_documents/58thWLDEng.pdf

View article...

Sudan

2011-01-10T11:27:00.001Z

The referendum in Sudan has begun, and is now in its second day.

Yousif Deng (The Leprosy Mission, Sudan) writes:
"As the referendum has began and the tension is high our eyes are fixed on Him for His support and intervention in a way that will bring His glory."

"I do praise the Lord of His care and those colleagues and friends who are praying for us."

Please pray for the following:
1. Praising God for bringing us into new- year safe and sound.
2. Praising God for what his doing in our life in our country.
3. Please pray for safety and protection for TLM Staff who are now in Khartoum, Darfur and Kordufan.
4. Pray for Ayiik family as they have lost their younger daughter who is two years old.
5. Pray that the referendum phase will go smoothly and peacefully.
6. Pray for the southerners who are in Khartoum for safety and protection
7. Pray for the Church in North for God to protect it from any danger
8. Pray for the Christian in the North for protection, freedom to worship and protection

UK closed until further notice!

2010-12-20T11:07:00.006Z

Man, if ever there was a time I wish I was back in Africa, it is now! London, Scotland and wales ful of snow. The rest of the country wondering what zero degrees feels like because we have been below zero for so long. Gatwick and Heathrow have turned into refugee camps and people wondering if they really can get home for Christmas.

Funnily enough I have not heard any radio station playing "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" this year! I think if they did there would be a riot!

6 Nigerians came from Abuja for a 1 week training workshop ust a few miles from Heathrow and have been stranded at Heathrow since Saturday trying to travel back home. There is hope that today they can go home. They have managed to get onto a flight to Lagos which leaves late this morning. (They were originally going to Abuja, but they were even happy to go to Accra if need be. Anything to get away from the cold!)

Another Nigerian is currently squatting with us as his flight with a diffreent airline was cancelled last week and they have booked him onto Wednesday's flight. he will make his way to London tomorrow and sleep at Gatwick in the hope of flying to Lagos on Weds am.

What I wouldn't give for the 34 degrees forecast for Abuja today! Heaven!!

(Christmas tree in Nigeria)

Sunday night we had our carol service at church. It was as always a lovely hour when we invited friends and neighbours to come and celebrate Christmas with us in song and readings from the Bible. This year we also had a brillinat Powerpoint of photographs of people each holding up card saying "Because of Jesus..." and then they had finished the sentence with their own words. Showed with beautiful music in the background it was a very moving part of the service. As usual the kids sang the carol ("It was on a starry night") that they have been practicing for weeks; and as usual there were some who just stood with their eyes and mouths held open in awe as they were struck with stage fright. Hee hee!

Happy Christmas everyone!

Emmanuel, God is with us!

Nigerians in Scotland

2010-09-07T09:29:00.003+01:00

Just back from Scotland. Nigerians get everywhere! There I was minding my own business at a meeting in Glasgow and a Dr Oturu was there who had worked at the leprosy hospital in Sokoto where I also worked in the past - small world! Jill from TLM Scotland thought it very funny that my accent suddenly changed into 'Nigerian mode' :)

Spoke to Bassey last night. He is doing well. He has finished all his interviews and is now transcribing the recordings before translating them into English. This is a long process and at times tedious, so he would be grateful for your prayers.

Good news- sad news - good news first - Kanet has a new babyt sister - no name yet.

Sad news - Rupert Haydock, CEO of The Leprosy Mission England and Wales died suddenly on Wednesday as he was speaking in a meeting in Nottingham. We are glad that he died knowing Jesus as his saviour and so is rejoicing with HIM in heaven now.

Happy birthday Kanetochukwu

2010-08-31T16:02:00.004+01:00

Oh how I do love being an adopted Nigerian!

Nigerians know how to have good parties! Saturday was Kanetochukwu's 1st birthday. We all trotted off to the local Chinese restaurant where we had booked an 'all you can eat buffet'. Another thing about Nigerians, they can spot a bargain a mile off! I gave up after three goes at the buffet, but Obi, Kaneto's dad went about 6 times, each time the plate was piled high. Where does he put it all?

Photos from Guinea

2010-08-24T08:18:00.006+01:00

As you leave Conakry, you are immediately faced by a panorama showing what is to come for the next 17 hours as you drive to Macenta. Mountains, mountains, mountains.

Most of Guinea is covered in mountains. Green, luscious mountains.

Many of them are covered in dense forest.

Pretty soon as you climb, you are above the levels of the low lying clouds

Staff from the leprosy wards at the hospital

Dr Eric (front left)

Dr Stefan (front right)

Daniel Galada - senior nurse (2nd from left back row)

Making a pair of specially moulded shoes for a lady affected by leprosy

Viviane (nurse) and Bakary (leprosy supervisor)

follow up this young boy who is currently taking multi-drug therapy)

Cece (seated left) is the only trained Guinean physiotherapist in the country.

Here he is checking the nerves of man with lepra-reaction.

STAFF OF LE CENTRE MEDICAL MISSION PHILAFRICAINE, MACENTA

Guinea

2010-07-31T21:06:00.004+01:00

I am preparing to go to Guinea. I have my ticket and my visa. I shall be there 9-20 August for the end-of-project evaluation of the hospital that The Leprosy Mission supports at Macenta in thr Forest Region.

I have not been to Guinea before and I am looking forward to it

Welcome to the Body of Christ, Kanetochukwu

2010-07-31T20:33:00.003+01:00

Our new Nigerian neighbours Obi and Tochi invited us to be the Godparents of their daughter, Kanetochukwu, this morning. What an honour! Kanetochukwu is 11 months old and is an absolute sweetheart. We all went off to church this morning and we had a lovely service dedicating her to God and promising to instruct her in the Christian faith.

It was also an opportunity open up my Nigerian box - where I keep all my Nigerian dresses. Great to dress up again!

Afterwards we went to a local Chinese restaurant for a buffet lunch, and that was yummy although as it was 'all you can eat' so we both came home absolutely bloated and fell asleep when we got home!

I am now counting down the days to travelling to Guinea. Just one week to go.

Vuvuzelas rule ok!

2010-06-29T10:57:00.002+01:00

The World Cup continues. I have resisted up to now writing about them, but the sound of mosquitoes from my TV has finally got to me. Actually I only notice it for a minute or two each game and then it sort of becomes a background blur with everything else. To be honest I find the commentators are sometimes more of a nuisance with their silly jokes than the Vuvuzela!

It is lovely that the world's eyes are on Africa. If only they could remember the great physical and spiritual needs of the continent when the World Cup has finished! I am very proud of his South Africa has hosted the tournament. It looks very professional from what I have seen.

I am sad of course that only one African team is through to the quarter finals, and Iam particularly sad that the Super Eagles did not make it. (They are being called the Super bats on FB! Oh dear!) However the whole of Africa is now looking to Ghana to keep the African hope alive. Can they get to the semis? Even more amazing can they make it all the way? We can only hope. If football giants like Italy and France can fall, who knows what else can happen?
(We won't mention England, they were just rubbish!)

I hera that there are lots of missionaries in South Africa ministering to the teams and to the fans. let us pray that as the world looks to the fun and games of the World Cup that something of the good news of Jesus is seen, and that many will come to know Him as Saviour and Lord. Amen!

Jabulani Africa!

PAG

2010-06-29T10:45:00.003+01:00

My stomach has butterflies and my mouth is very dry. I feel like I am about to sit an exam. Why?

Today is PAG - that's 'Project Approval Group' for the uninitiated. I have never been before, but as Clara is on leave I am to attend as a support for Geeske who has to defend the documents we have revised for the Guera project in Chad. I do feel rather foolish, as I am sure it will be okay, but I have noticed that I do get myself worked up about these things. I always tell myself, 'don't worry', 'you'll be fine', 'they are your friends', but still I am nervous. Geeske rang me yesterday from Chad. She is even more worried about it, so between the two of us we are a quivering wreck! How sad!

I hear that Chad has had some rain! Yippee! That is good. It has brought the temperature down somewhat, but of course, a few hours after the rain the temp rises again, and with the increased humidity it is more uncomfortable than during the dry season.

The UK's own 'heatwave' over the past couple of weeks has reminded us of Africa. It has been lovely. Today we are having our own 'mini rainy season' - still lovely and warm but raining, much to the delight of the garden which was looking rather dry.

Chad again - will the refugee problem get worse?

2010-05-26T12:14:00.003+01:00

The BBC is reporting that the refugee problem will get worse.

Geeske has back in Mongo for a few days now. her friends and 'family' are all happy to see her back.

Check the story out at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/10161640.stm

Today we are having a half day of prayer before the International Board meeting which starts tomorrow. Please join us in asking God's blessing on all the countries where The Leprosy Mission has a presence.

Back in Chad

2010-05-06T13:06:00.002+01:00

No not physically, but I have been working on the proposal documents for the Guera all morning.

Geeske and I started revising them in March when I was there, and we have been adding bits and pieces to them since. We have a Skype booked for this afternoon, so we can hopefully 'break the back' of the revision. The deadline to have the revised proposal submitted to the approval committee is 8th June, so we still have a while, but Geeske is officially on sick leave and I am on leave for the last week of May.

Enjoying keeping up to date on Chad news through Mark and Andrea's blog - check it out at "Chad Chatter" www.markandandreahotchkin.blogspot.com 54 degrees it is over there. And here I am in Leeds with the central heating back on!!!!

and a new president

2010-05-06T13:03:00.002+01:00

Goodluck Jonathan has been sworn in as the new president of The Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Now he has the task of choosing a new Vice-President. That will be interesting to watch.

A nation in mourning

2010-05-06T12:55:00.007+01:00

Nigeria enters 7 days of mounring as President Umaru Musa Yar'adua is buried today. He died last night after a very long illness.

Pray for the country and the new president - Mr Goodluck Jonathan.

The Yam Club

2010-04-22T08:39:00.002+01:00

Yesterday we had fried sweet potato and egg for breakfast. Yuk! some of you are probably saying, but in Nigeria it is what a lot of people eat. Try it someday, it is delicious. Although you have to cook the egg the Nigerian way - an egg sauce with onions, tomatoes and chilli peppers. In Minna we had our 'Yam Club' - a few of us who would regularly buy fried yam for our lunch and eat it all together out of the paper. I miss our little club.

In this upside down world, the Nigerians are rejoicing that the rains have started, we in England on the other hand are rejoicing that the sun has been out for 4 days running! Unfortunately the wind has been from the North East, so it has not been warm , but today is looking promising.

Poor Geeske is still in hospital in the South of France (Marseille). She has a liver scan today. I don't think they are much wiser as to what is wrong with her. The malaria and pneumonia have gone (although the 'recovery' was so rapid I wonder if she had them in the first place!), but she still has some low grade fever and is finding it difficult to keep food down (maybe she should try the fried yam or sweet potato?!)

Bassey and I are off to London for a couple of days. He has an interview at the US embassy for a visa tomorrow.

Europe is closed until further notice!

2010-04-19T12:26:00.003+01:00

The Icelandic with the unpronouncable name continues to cause havoc across North and West Europe with most airspace still closed.

However, it is now causing havoc in Africa as the fruit and flower importers cannot get their produce in.

Sonme farmers depend on the European market for their livelihood, so this is causing a lot of hardship. Mangoes and bananas cut in Africa are usually on the supermarket shelves in London within 48 hours. Not at the moment though, now they are stockpiling in African warehouses, many of them have gone rotten as their is not enough local market.

I don't know much about economics, but I always encouraged my friends in business to have a diverse set of customers so that if any customer was affected by something, hopefully the other customers would 'take up the slack'.

For my British friends stranded in holiday destinations, the hardship is that they are not back to work today (aw shame!), for my African friends, the hardship could be a matter of life and death.

Sand storms and volcanoes

2010-04-15T22:02:00.002+01:00

When I travelled to Chad last month, my flight was delayed by 24 hours because of the Harmattan (sand storms) over Chad. It was just too dangerous to fly because of poor visibility.

Today every flight in UK is grounded because of a volcano in Iceland is spewing out ash. The direction of the wind is carrying this ash over UK and Europe. Ash is dangerous for aircraft, and can even cause engine failure, so for safety reasons all flights are grounded. Many European airports are also affected. Air travel in Europe is brought to a standstill - chaos!

Tammy flew from Addis Ababa last night and managed to get into Heathrow before it was closed. Happy holiday Tammy! Poor Christine was supposed to fly to Scotland tomorrow, but all flught being cancelled, she has had to buy a (very expensive!) train ticket.

IBB to be president again?

2010-04-12T16:49:00.003+01:00

Can it be true? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

Click the title of this post and it will take you the BBC news website.

More news from Chad

2010-04-12T16:29:00.004+01:00

The association of blind people invited us for a lovely lunch on Palm Sunday afternoon.

The Evangelical Church in Mongo has a project that seeks to raise money for poor people.

One way of raising money is through a guest house.

This family are the caretakers of the guest house.

Ahmat has been trained as a physiotherapy technician in N'Djamena.

He now works at Mongo Hospital. He sees many patients with different physical problems.

A disabled person himself, he can relate to the people that come to him for rehabilitation.

This beautiful girl goes to the school for blind children in Mongo.

On our picnic she entertained is with lots of songs and recitations.

Isn't she gorgeous?

I was able to speak with Geeske this morning. Her voice is back again after about 21 days of acute laryngitis. Then just as she got her voice back, she fell to malaria and then pneumonia. Thankfully she is on the mend now. She is out of bed for the first time in 9 days.

Today has been a Chad day for me as I have been working through the revised documents for or projects out there. I have translated the annual report for Moustagbal from French into English. That was a job and a half (23 pages). I think I have deserved a rest now.

Some more photos - leprosy in Chad

2010-04-07T13:51:00.003+01:00

Leprosy is still a problem in Chad. There are not many new cases compared to other countries, but the people who are diagnosed often come late and already have complications of leprosy - like reaction, ulcers and eye problems.

This is Assartiny who was diagnosed in June 2006.

Then in November 2009, Abgue was diagnosed. This is what he looked like as he started anti-leprosy treatment

Then after just 4 weeks of treatment, you can already see the improvement.

Thank God that there is treatment for leprosy. Thank God that it is available free of charge and thank God for people like Geeske and her colleagues in Chad who find people affected by leprosy and put them on treatment.

More photos to follow.

Chad 2010 - some photos

2010-04-07T09:30:00.004+01:00

Here are just a few of the photos I took during my recent trip to Chad. I shall try and post some more in the days ahead.

This is me trying to read Braille

Some of my friends from the School for Blind Children

This is where I lived in Mongo.

We slept outside on this mat - 4 of us.

I was the VIP with a foam mattress!

The road from N'Djamena the capital of Chad to Mongo is long and dusty.

Trees are seen in a few areas only.

And along the way there are little villages and hamlets with small mud and grass houses

As you move closer to Mongo, the mountains start to appear

No-one else for miles around!

Adbdel Djelil and Jannine relaxing at "The Pelican" Restaurant, N'Djamena

Jannine and Dingamro at "The Pelican"

Abdel Djelil and Geeske at "The Pelican"

East meets West

2010-01-28T23:37:00.002Z

On Saturday, Linda Lehman and I went to Greenwich and we stood astride the 00.00 Meridian line (International time line). We had an interesting day and learnt lots of things.

Jos, Nigeria

2010-01-28T22:26:00.002Z

Please continue to pray for Jos in Nigeria where the curfew remains in place since the riots and mass killings last week.

News can be found at the BBC news website www.bbc.co.uk/1/hi//world/africa/8478335.stm

Lost Kingdoms of Africa

2010-01-28T22:04:00.002Z

Has anyone been watching the great series "Lost Kingdoms of Africa" on BBC? Bassey and I have been really enjoying it. Dr. Gus Casely-Hayford (below), an Art Historian, is travelling around the continent looking at the evidence of ancient African kingdoms. It is a very interestung and informatice series. So far he has been to Sudan (Nubia), Ethiopia, Great Zimbabwe and the Kingodm of Benin (modern-day Nigeria and Mali). Check it out if you can at www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer

Our snow friends are diminishing

2010-01-16T12:43:00.003Z

How cute is this?! This is Phoebe, Cheryl and Tom's youngest daughter with her little snow friend.

Our snowfriend are diminishing at a rapid rate. I wish I could diminsh my size at the same rate!!!

2010-01-07T14:08:00.002Z

Just had a great chat on Skype/phone with Jean in Kinshasa. Jean is studying for his Masters in Public Health through a Belgian university. He is studying the activity limitation of people affected by leprosy in Bas Congo East.

It is exciting to see more and more people in Africa doing research and also to see the initial activity limitation research we started in 2000 with the SALSA scale being used and adapted in countries all over the world.

For more information on SALSA check http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/salsa-scale/?yguide=336208195

I bet there's no snow in Kinshasa!

and a Happy New Year!

2010-01-03T17:25:00.003Z

So, 2009 is over and 2010 is here. I have just realised what the "noughties" are. (that is what the British media is calling 2000 - 2009, but I am slow on the pick up!). So have we now started the "tenties", or the "teenies"? They will come up with something, no doubt.

This morning at church we talked about 'stepping out'. Stepping out in Christ's name, and in HIS power to tell people about Him, spreading the Gospel and expanding HIS kingdom.

Looking back over the last 12 months in Africa much has happened. As the world focuses on Africa this year for the 2010 world cup, it is sad to see how much the continent still struggles and suffers.

The current news in Nigeria is not encouraging with lots of sad and ugly stories. Our presdient is seriously ill, and is not currently in the country. There are calls for his to step down and hand over to his vice president, but of course this will swing power back to the South, which is unnaceptable in the current climate in Nigeria. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8413928.stm

There are still fights over land, oil and pollution, which cause untold misery and just perpertuate poverty http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8434736.stm

DR Congo - has had many problems, and this year has started with another eruption of the volcano near Goma in the East (2nd January 2010) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8437742.stm

East Africa has been hit by another drought and famine http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8273897.stm

Father we pray for our continent Africa.
We ask that you will have mercy and lift us from this struggle and pain.
Heal our land, Lord Jesus!

Christmas preparations

2009-12-16T18:23:00.006Z

A trip to into Leeds city centre since about 2 weeks ago is a trip into bedlam - everyobidy and his dog has decided to buy anything and everything. Big boxes, long boxes, heavy boxes are being shoved into cars, taxis and even squeezed onto the buses. Now with just over a week to go, it is getting busier.

This week as well as all the Christmas packages and the German market, there are lots of graduation gowns. The university term ended last week, and this week all the graduation ceremonies take place. Sadly the weather is not good for photographs outside, but there are soem beautiful interiors around the campus, so the photographers are using those instead. It is only the spring/summer graduation ceremony that can use the outside for photos.

Another part of Christmas is parties / meals - I have been to three so far - the TLMI Christmas lunch, the Scott Hall Ladies Fellowship Christmas dinner and the children's Christmas party. I'll have no energy left by Christmas Day!

This picture is from the TLMI Christmas dinner . We had 'secret Santa' and I was given this lovely scarf and gloves - very useful in this cold weather. Coming home from London late at night to a frosty Leeds, they came in very handy almost immediately!

The venue for our TLMI Christmas dinner was, appropriately a stable! The stables of Osterley Hall have been converted into a restaurant. The mangers are still there along the back wall (as well as some rather scarey looking farming tools that look more like instruments of torture!), so we really were able to think about the first Christmas.

Of course, parties and gifts is not what Christmas is about - it is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was lovely on Monday when the ladies remembered this in carols and readings. I love Christmas carols because so many of them are now sung in so many different countries. When we sing them we can imagine other believers singing them at the same time - what a joy!

Bassey and I wish you all a peaceful and blessed Christmas

Why do I do what I do?

2009-10-03T14:44:00.002+01:00

This week I received my module CD from the university of Leeds. I am joining Bassey as a post-grad student and am starting an MA in Disability Studies. It will be hard work and will leave me with no spare time at all, but I hope to be able to learn lots and apply it to the work I do.

Yesterday evening I attended a meeting of the Yorkshire Missionary Conference. Two missionaries who have returned to the UK after years of missionary service were speaking. Ruth has worked in Pakistan and Catherine has worked in Japan. They both presented their work very well. Ruth is now working among Moslem women in Liverpool.

She quoted something one of her friends said that made me think: " Do you love me because you want me to become a Christian, or do you want me to become a Christian because you love me?"

Lord, why do I do what I do? What is my motivation?

Long distance marriage

2009-09-18T21:35:00.002+01:00

Bassey left for Nigeria Tuesday night. The plane flies overnight to Abuja so he landed at 4.35am Wednesday and was met by our good friends George and Okebechi Agora. He stayed with them Wednesday night and then drove to TLM's office in Minna Thursday morning. He is still there today and will drive to Kwara State tomorrow.

Our marriage will be conducted by phone, text and email for the next 3 months as he will be there until December collecting data for his PhD study. He will be interviewing people affected by leprosy about their experiences over their lives. he wants to know how leprosy has changed the dreams, hopes and aspirations that they had when they were younger. He will be working with Femi Opakunmi, a TLM staff and Gbenga Adeyemi, a sociologist from Lagos who helped him with his Masters degree.

He aims to use what he learns to help TLM and other anti-leprosy organisations plan their activities for reducing stigma and discrimation towards people affected by leprosy.

Our communication is a little hampered as last Sunday I lost my voice! I had a slight cold last week and then on Sunday morning I woke up croaky, by afternoon the voice had gone all together! Thank God for text and Skype because at the moment I cannot speak to him on the phone.

The last two days have been strange as I have been in the office communicating by paper and pen.

It is interesting that Bassey is studying about stigma because for the past few days I have seen how much fear and strange behaviour my temporary lack of comunication causes. Most people communicate with me in a slow and loud voice using words of 1 syllable as if I have lost my mind as well as my voice! It certainly makes me think more about the way that people with disability are treated by the general public. (Makes me also think about whether I do it sub-consciously?)

Not much news from Nigeria. It has been quiet lately. Do check you this lovely post on a friend's blog though "Low Suicide Rate" http://marybetho.blogspot.com/

All the kids are back at school in UK now. This cartoon made me laugh.

The Cocoa Tree - haven for all chocolate lovers!

2009-09-09T18:23:00.005+01:00

Do you like chocolate?

You will love this place http://www.thecocoatreeshop.com/

Linda took us there during our stay in Pittenweem. Good on you Linda!

Then this week, Beatriz, a colleague of Bassey's at school gave me a big bar of 85% chocolate!

Yummy

A few days in Scotland

2009-09-06T22:54:00.005+01:00

Over the Bank Holiday weekend we spent a few days with our friends Linda and Ros in PITENWEEM, Fife, Scotland. We had a really super time, chilling out and seeing the beautiful country up there.

We are also very glad that we came back when we did as just 24 hours later the trainlines and roads were flooded enough to be closed, so we would have been stranded!

PITENWEEM is a beautiful part of the world. It has a gorgeous beach and harbour which is excellent for walking around.

We walked each morning with Carletto, Linda's dog.

Carletto is a pug and is a real cutie. We had a lovely time with him. he is so funny and lively. I wanted to bring him home with us.

On Sunday afternoon after church we went to St Andrew's, the ancient university town.

Holidays

2009-08-14T16:57:00.003+01:00

This week I have been in London. First of all I went to Sussex to speak at a church on Sunday morning, then I was in Brentford for TLM meetings. In the evenings I was able to visit with friends that I haven't seen for ages.

Monday night I met with Jocelyn Smith, a class mate at Les Cèdres, a Christian french language school in Massy, near Paris. We went to an Italian restaurant and just chatted for ages. We haven't seen each other since 2005, so we had 4 years to catch up on!

Then Wednesday night I was over in Woolwich visiting Osagie and Joy Osunde and their 3 children. They have recently emigrated from Nigeria to UK. Osagie and Joy have been friends of ours for many years. osagie used to work with TLM in Nigeria.

I wasn't sure of getting home yesterday because of the train strike, but it turned out to be only the East Anglia routes, so the Leeds train were running - we even arrived 10 minutes early (maybe due to less trains on the tracks?)

Well, I have just finished work for 2 weeks. No computer and no emails for 2 weeks - yippee!

Unlike Nigerians when I go on holiday i really holiday - now work. Nigerians have learnt the concept of 'working leave' - very BAD concept!

International Slavery Museum, Liverpool

2009-08-03T21:38:00.007+01:00

Saturday was an amazing day. We went to Liverpool to visit a friend of ours from Nigeria.

Rev. Larry Ayuba Paiko is studing for his PhD in religion at Hope University. After lunch, Larry took us to Albert Docks.

First of all I didn't recognise it. It has changed so much in the 20 years since I was last there. There are many new buildings and also the old dock buidlings have been changed in such a wondeful way.

We went to the docks to see the International Slavery Museum. once we went in our breath was just taken away. The images, the stories, the artefacts of what went on for over 200 years is just mindblowing.

At the entrance to the International Slavery Museum is the Freedom and Enslavement Wall.
Television screens set into the wall show interviews with a range of people discussing their ideas of freedom and enslavement, from community historians to politicians, schoolchildren, and even people who have themselves been enslaved.

Together they provide a powerful, thought provoking introduction to the themes of the museum.

To be going around the displays with two Nigerians was of course extra poignant. To see what my ancestors did to their ancestors.

There were stories and artefacts from Bassey's tribe and also stories of how Liverpool was involved in the slave trade. My Grandmother's family was from Liverpool. It makes you think.

Inspirational members of the African Diaspora are celebrated on the Black Achievers Wall in the gallery.

Among the famous faces on the wall are Olympic gold medallist Kelly Holmes, Martin Luther King Jr, Muhammad Ali, Oprah Winfrey and the forgotten heroine of the Crimean War, Mary Seacole

Man's inhumanity to man

makes countless thousands mourn!

Robert Burns

Two Great Questions!

2009-07-31T10:38:00.007+01:00

My boss sends me funny emails avery Friday.

Here is today's email. I laughed so much i just had to put it here!

(Thanks June)

Life really boils down to 2 questions...

1. Should I get a dog.....?

OR...

2. Should I have children?

No matter what situations life throws at you...

No matter how long and treacherous your journey may seem...

Remember there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

You're laughing aren't you?

That's good 'cause my job here is done!

Have a great day and remember to give thanks...

Cats are so dramatic!!

Sad news

2009-07-30T08:43:00.006+01:00

The news from Nigeria is not good this week. A group of Islamic militants with the nickname 'the Taliban', but with no official links to Afghanistan are causing havoc in the Northern states.

The BBC news website is covering it quite extensively. The latest post there is http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8175627.stm

Thanks to the internet we are able to keep in touch with our friends and family out there. Currently, the trouble is in the North East, but has been spreading westwards. Most of the TLM projects are in the North West.

I also heard from some of our TLM staff in Nigeria. Sadly due to the economic crisis, the mission has to cut spending in Nigeria, and this has resulted in some of them losing their jobs. I had worried it might happen, but did not expect it on the scale I am hearing about. There are lots of texts coming to Bassey and I asking us to do something. It is a difficult situation. Sunday, the new National Director and the Board of Trustees of TLM Nigeria have had to make difficult and unpopular decisions. In a country where unemployment is very high at the best of times, to lose your job at this current time is even worse.

I saw this version of Deuteronomy 33:27

The Everlasting God is your place of safety and His arms hold you forever

I pray that this will be a promise that people in Nigeria can hold to at this time more than any other

Today, thanks to the wonder of technology we are having another international teleconference. People from all over the TLM world (4 time zones I think) are meeting to discuss progress since our face to face meetings in June. We pray that the phone and Skype connections will be stable and that we can hear one another clearly.

I shall be joining the meeting by Skype from Leeds and will have a part of the meeting to facilitate. I had to do a similar thing last week with a gorup of staff in Nigeria as we discussed about community based rehabilitation together. This remote facilitation is not the easiest, so different to and so much more difficult than facilitating a class face to face. We had ten of us Skying last week. Today I think we have more than that.

Swine flu continues to hit the headlines here in the UK. A friend tried to make us smile by sending us this picture. Even Disbeyland is taking precautions it seems!

2009-07-17T21:28:00.005+01:00

A friend of our at church works at a primary school and they are doing a project about diversity. For the project she is taking photos of people she knows who are in cross-cultural relationships. This is the photo she took of the two of us at church a couple of weeks ago.

We are so excited. We have heard that another of our Nigerian friends s coming to UK. osagie Osunde and wife, Joy and two children have been granted a visa and will be arriving at the beginning of August.

Have you been following the news in Nigeria? The militants have declared a 60-day ceasefire. Their leader has been released and there is to be an amnesty for them. Instead of fighting they will be paid a monthly allowance of N20, 000 each. We shall see what comes of it.

I went to have my eyes tested yeterday, and as I suspected, I need glasses. The intense reading and computer work I have been doing of late have strained my eyes according to the optician. I can read without the glasses, but when I have been doing concentrated work for a while, it is then difficult to focus on a distance (e.g the wall clock). Old age catching up with me maybe?

Bassey is still waiting to hear from the ethics committee if his study proposal has been approved. By God's grace, he will be going to Nigeria for the field data collection from September, so not long to go. He will be there at leats 2 months, maybe, so I shall be 'home alone' during that time.

This weekend will be quiet, bt we are preparing for the invasion next weekend. Mum is coming with Dylan (12), Lauren (8) and Tyler (2) next weekend. There is a children's museum not far from Leeds, and the kids want to go, so they are coming to stay for the weekend. Not muc reading for Bassey then!

2009-07-15T15:16:00.003+01:00

Even though I spend all my days on the internet thanking God for the wonder of email, Skype etc., I do so love to hear the sound of the letter box in the front as the postman puts some letters through. Granted there is a lot more junk mail than I would like, and most of this goes in the shredder ready for composting, but on most days there is a real piece of mail that cheers me up.

Yesterday, the smile was on Bassey's face as two books he had ordered from Amazon for his studies came through the door (actually they wouldn't fit through the letter box, so the postman rang the bell!). How one man can read so much, so intently, for so long is beyond me!

Today I have the joy of two letters for me -

The first one was from Sofia and Chris - an invitation for their wedding in September. Chris is the son of my homegroup leaders from Bury (Paul and Janet Vipond). We had all been telling him to get a move on and propose before Sofia had a better offer !!! So, now I need to check the diary and see if I can go along to Sweden for the wedding on 26th September.

The second letter was from more friends from Bury (although they left there some years ago. Sheila is the daughter of the former minister at Seedfield Methodist Church in Bury, Gilbert Hall and his wife Sylvia. Sheila is married to Michael Holland, also a Methodost minister and they have been accepted as mission partners with the Methodist Church to Togo. They served as mission partners in Nepal for several years and they have two girls, Srijana (12) and Saffron (5).

It is a delight to hear from friends about how their lives have been touched by God and the plans that they have for their future. Chris and Sofia planning for their wedding and future life together, Michael and Sheila stepping out in faith to serve the LORD in Togo.

Bassey has completed his study proposal and it has been accepted by the University and now he is waiting for the Research Ethics at the Universoty and also in Nigeria to give the okay. God willing that approval will come through soon and he will then be able to plan for his field work. He is hoping to be back in Nigeria from September for 2-3 months.

Last night, we had an end-of-term barbecue for the children who attend the homework club at church. We had about 20 kids there. Paul was the chief barbecue man and the rest of us were his assistants on drinks, crisps, games etc.

We have been continuing our study in the Book of Daniel in the small group. It has taken us 3 weeks to fo chapter 7! Now we will have to wait until September to continue the rest of the book as next week is a joint prayer meeting and then we break up for the summer.

We are delighted that our friend Tefere from Ethiopia has been able to secure visas for his wife and 2 daughters to visit him for 2 months in Leeds. Tefere is an asylum seeker and has not seen his family for more than 6 years as they have not been allowed to come before. We hope that them being granted a visa means that his own application for permanent residency will be granted. Tefere is Ethiopian, but is also an Evangelical Christian and an ardent evangelist, this has cased him problems back home. He works as a volunteer with Leeds City Mission.

For Chris and Sofia, for the Holland family and for tefere and his family the words of hebrews 12:2 (from the Holland's prayer card) are appropriate - and also for us too - Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith

Dreamboats and Petticoats

2009-07-14T12:53:00.003+01:00

Mum came for the weekend and on Saturday evening we went to see Dreamboats and Petticoats at the Grand Theatre here in Leeds. We really enjoyed ourselves singing and dancing along to the music from the 50s and 60s. Great fun!

Sunday we went for a walk and called in for tea and cake with Ruth and Benny Wexler. Ruth is the nurse in chare of the leprosy unit in Jerusalem. We met years ago at a leprosy congress in China, and have kept in touch since. the leprosy world is a small world!

The Concert

2009-07-14T12:46:00.004+01:00

When the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing.

Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."

Then, leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child, and he added a running obligatio. Together, the old master and the young novice transformed what could have been a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was so mesmerized that they couldn't recall what else the great master played. Only the classic, "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

Perhaps that's the way it is with God. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't always graceful flowing music.

However, with the hand of the Master, our life's work can truly be beautiful.

The next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You may hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."

May you feel His arms around you and know that His hands are there, helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces.

Remember, God doesn't seem to call the equipped, rather, He equips the 'called.'

May God bless you and be with you always!

And remember, "Don't quit. Keep playing."

"...that they may be one as we are one"

2009-06-25T14:07:00.003+01:00

I have a wonderful two days with the staff of TLM England and Wales at their retreat (Tuesday)and team day (Wednesday).

The retreat day was based on Psalm 23. Rachel Hickson of Heartcry ministries led us throughout the day in three separate sessions, with time in between for us to reflect and meditate.

The way that the Holy Spirit works is just amazing and all the sessions of the two days were linked in so many ways. None of us had seen each other's presentations, and even though we had been given the theme "...that they may be one as we are one", we had been given very different things to present.

I presented on community based activities and Rupert the National Director presented on integral mission. Bill presented on his trip to Bangladesh, Ralph presented on appealing to 'community' churches

proclamation / demonstration

Word / deed

They go together:

Our proclamation has social consequences as we call people to love and repentance in all areas of life.

Our social involvement has evangelistic consequences as we bear witness to the transforming grace of Jesus Christ.

I have been privileged over the years to meet so many diffreent missionaries - those serving in their own countries and those who have been sent abroad who have spread the good news of Jesus Christ in word and deed.

Jesus Himself used word and deed - and his manifesto of Luke 4 shows how the two are both important.

The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has appointed me
to preach the good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour

Luke 4:18-19 (NIV)

I need a few more days to get my head around all the things I learnt, and then hope to write more.

message for Clifford

2009-05-14T21:30:00.003+01:00

Clifford

Thank you for your comment.

Unfortunately your email address did not show up.

Please write to my Email address at JannineE@tlmint.org

Jannine

Ebenso Update 27 April 2009

2009-04-27T14:34:00.003+01:00

Dear Praying Friends

What a difference a day makes! After the glorious sunshine of the weekend, today it is pouring down! Still, it is good for the garden! April hasn’t really lived up to its name as we haven’t had many showers (at least in Leeds), so it’s only fair to have some isn’t it? J

Bassey and I took a night off from reading (him) and TV (me!) to go ten-pin bowling. We don’t go very often, but we always enjoy it when we do go even though we have to be the worst players in the world! We played 3 games each. I hit the gutter more times than I hit the pins, but wouldn’t you know on my very last go I got a strike! Don’t ask me how. I think maybe the man that watches the pins felt sorry for me and knocked them over from behind!!! Anyway, despite my brilliant finish, Bassey still beat me L

There are a few days of April left and for the rest of the month I shall be in Peterborough at the TLM England and Wales office and London at the TLM International office.

This last week we have both been busy, Bassey continues with his upgrade interview preparation. The good news is he has finished his literature review revision and his supervisor is pleased with the result. Now he has to fine-tune the methodology of the study. His next meeting with his supervisor is Wednesday (29th). The upgrade paper has to be submitted on 4th May ready for the interview on 19th. Now he is nervous.

Since returning from London I have been busy with trying to unpack the Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Matrix developed by World Health Organization (WHO). The Matrix is a very useful tool, but can be confusing on first glance and without explanation. I have made start on the unpacking and have sent my first attempts to some colleagues to comment on.

I have also had some feedback on the notes I have been making on ‘the Biblical Approach to Disability”. There is still a long way to go, but I think I have started in the right way. The comments I have received have been very useful.

At Scott Hall Christian Fellowship we have started discussions and planning for an Alpha Course. Initially we had thought about June, but have decided to move it back to September. There are a number of ‘newbies’ (their own title for themselves!) at the church who have asked for the course and also we want to sue it as outreach to the big council estate where the church is.

The other bit of outreach we want to do is to extend our children’s’ homework club by ½ hour so that we can have a specific and focussed “Bible time” before the homework and the games. Pray for Chris and Mick and the team of volunteers who give their time and effort towards this. We all enjoy going each Tuesday evening, and it is a joy to serve God in this way. Please pray for Chris who has recently lost her father. The funeral is this week.

Pray for Carol and Joyce at Scott Hall who have not been well and are receiving treatment. Pray for my friend Jacquie who has been discharged back home after many weeks in hospital. Pray that God will complete her healing.

May is a busy month. Next weekend being the long bank holiday weekend I am off home to see mum and the rest of the family. I didn’t go last month cos of my flu, as I didn’t want to take germs to the grand-kids. Bassey will lock himself in his study with lots of coffee and biscuits and finish his upgrade document.

6 – 8 May I am back down in London at the TLM International office. I will be able to meet with Natalie Smith from Australia. Natalie worked with us in Nigeria for over 8 years. She is currently working on the statistics for 2008 and will submit them to TLMI 1st May. Please pray for her and Cobus as they finalise the report this week.

The next weekend I shall be in Nottingham. Pamela Levens to TLM Area Coordinator for East Central England (Nottingham and its surrounds) has arranged for a TLM supporters’ meeting on 9th May. I shall be giving two short presentations, one about Nigeria and one about TLM’s ministry with people with disability.

The great joy of that weekend is that apart from meeting lots of TLM supporters, I will be able to visit with David and Carolyn Cooke and their family. In November 1992, the Cookes and I left UK together to start service in Nigeria. Sadly they had to return earlier than planned due to ill health, but have gone on to a successful ministry here in the UK. Carolyn is an ordained Anglican vicar and David ministers in local schools.

One of TLM’s partners in Nigeria is Mission Africa (Formerly Qua Iboe Fellowship). They are holding The Africa Conference (North of England) on Saturday, 16th May at South Chadderton Methodist Church, Oldham.

As well as the work in two leprosy hospitals in Nigeria, Mission Africa supports many ministries in West / Central Africa. The areas of ministry range from Bible translation to HIV/AIDS, from street children ministry to theological training. Find out more at http://www.missionafrica.org.uk/

The Conference will be an interesting and informative day of fellowship and prayer with presentations from missionaries serving in Chad, Cameroon, and Nigeria.

Maybe some of you can attend? I am hoping to make my way back over the Pennines in order to attend.

More information can be obtained from
Barry and Judy Lakeman
36, Swan Meadow,
Pewsey
Wiltshire,
SN9 5HW
Tel: 01672 563881
Email: thelakemans@missionafrica.org.uk

Then, 22 – 29 May, mum and I are taking the two eldest grand children away to Butlins Holiday camp at Bognor Regis. The last time I was there was for Easter People over 20 years ago!

And before you know it, May is over and I am a year older! (My birthday is 24 May).

Because of all the travel I am not sure how often I will be able to write in May, but I think there is enough here to keep you going in prayer J

Blessings

Jannine and Bassey

Nigeria Muslims' 'Easter attacks'

2009-04-15T19:37:00.003+01:00

I picked this up form the BBC new website:

Police in Nigeria say they have made 120 arrests following clashes when Muslim youths allegedly attacked a Christian procession on Easter Monday.

Sectarian violence erupted in the towns of Gwada and Minna in the state of Niger when Christians were attacked and churches set on fire.

Scores of people were reportedly taken to hospital with injuries.

Police reinforcements have been deployed to the two towns in an attempt to restore order.
Nigeria's 140 million population is split almost equally between Muslims and Christians, with the two communities generally living peacefully side by side.

But underlying tensions occasionally spill over into deadly bouts of violence.

Correspondents say the real cause for confrontation is usually competition for resources between different groups, rather than simply religious bigotry.

African Easter

2009-04-14T21:25:00.006+01:00

Despite suffering from the flu and spending most of the time in bed, we had a lovely Easter. Part of the reason is that we had we had invitations to friends' houses for lovely African food.

On Good Friday we were treated to Ethiopian food by Hirpo and Martha who live nearby to us.

Hirpo is the pastor at the Ethiopian church (Emmanuel Christian Fellowship) that shares the building with Scott Hall Christian Fellowship. He also pastors a second Ethiopian congregation in Sheffield, so spends the week commuting between Leeds and Sheffield.

Martha is studying nursing at Sheffield Hallam University. They have a 6-year old son called Matiel who was so happy to have us at his house.

Martha had gone to a lot of trouble and had made the traditional injera with lots of little dishes - some vegetables, some meat. Yummy!

Then on Easter Sunday afternoon we were invited to another African friend for food, this time we had Tanzanian food. A room full of Tanzanians and Bassey and me - great fun. Tanzanians appear to eat lots of meat - enough meat for about 1,000 people on the table.

The lovely food and fellowship reminded us of our family and friends back in Nigeria. We miss you guys!

L.I.F.E.

2009-04-08T17:30:00.005+01:00

Today - some thoughts not from Africa, but from Asia.

Nevis Mary, pictured here is a remarkable lady.

We were recently in a Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) congress together in Bangkok. I have met Nevis Mary before, but this was the longest time I have spent with her, so I was able to get to know her better.

Nevis Mary is affected by leprosy. She was diagnosed with the disease when she was 22 years old and studying for her MSc in Physics. She has now been treated and declared free of the disease, but for many years she has suffered not only physically. but also socially, mentally and emotionally

During the congress she was able to share some of her experience.

"In the charity model of rehabilitation, the person affected by leprosy is a passive receiver. In the Human rights model of rehabilitation, the person affected by leprosy is a key player. "

No-one could accuse Nevis Mary of being a passice receiver! She is a previous winner of the Wellesley Bailey Award - given each year to 2 people with personal experience of leprosy.

Nevis Mary is an active member of I.D.E.A. in India. I.D.E.A. is an international association for people affectd by leprosy, aiming to empower people affected by leprosy. I.D.E.A. is heavily involved in advocacy for the human rights of people affected by leprosy and in empowerment programmes.

Nevis Mary says that before she was empowered life meant for her:

L - loneliness

I - isolation

F - frustration

E - emptiness

"Clear waters were ship-swallowing streams for me, open fields were thorny shrubs"

Nevis Mary is a Christian, living in South India. Her faith in Jesus has given her new life. Life in all its fullness (John 10:10)

Now married to a husband "who loves me very much and takes good care of me" Nevis Mary also works with the National Railway Company in India and is rightly very proud of what she has achieved. With her intelligence and friendly manner and guided by the Holy Spirit, Nevis Mary is able to encourage and help other women who are disadvantaged by leprosy or for any other reason.

It was a real joy for me to meet with Nevis Mary and to get to know her better.

I have met so many wonderful people in my travels around Africa and Asia. many of them, like Nevis Mary have suffered greatly because of leprosy, or because of poverty, or because they have declared Christ in a country where it is outlawed to do so. Amazingly though, in their suffering, they do not complain over much. It is a lesson to us 'westerners'

I have been reading a book by Philip Yancey, one of my favourite authors, called I was just wondering. In chapter 33, he speaks about the difference between the western fixation with suffering and the apparent acceptance of suffering from the 'South'.

"I have always found strange the modern theological fixation with the problem of suffering. poepl in our society live longer, in far better health, with less physical pain than any in history. And yet our artists, playwrights, philosophers and theologians stumble over themselves in search of new ways to rephrase the ancient questions of Job "Why does God allow so much suffering?" Why doesn't he intervene?" Significantly the outcries do not come from the Third World - where misery abounds or from such persons as Solzhenitsyn who endured great suffering."

Easter Prayer

2009-04-07T15:48:00.004+01:00

1 Corinthians 15: 51-57

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:

"Death has been swallowed up in victory."

"Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?"

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father we believe that Jesus is alive and is the Lord of life. From the waters of Baptism you have raised us with Him and renewed your gift of life within us. Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ and help us to grow in your wisdom and grace.
Lord Jesus, you appeared to your apostles after the resurrection and filled their hearts with joy when you said to them "Peace be with you". May the peace of your presence abide with us each and every day.
Lord Jesus, you triumphed over death and destroyed the power of death in us. Hallelujah! May we live only for you every day, and in every circumstance.
Risen Lord, you brought confusion on the guards at your tomb but joy to your disciples, grant us the fullness of joy as we serve you in spirit and truth.
You promised to be with your disciples, Lord, to the end of the world, stay with us today and remain with us always.
Lord, as we minister in Your Name, may our lives be holy and an example to the people we meet. Purify our hearts with your truth and guide us in the way of holiness, so that we may always do what is pleasing in your sight.
Lord, you called your Church to witness that you were in Christ reconciling men to yourself. Help us to proclaim the good news of your life that all who hear it may be reconciled to you.
Amen.

Streams of living water

2009-04-07T14:06:00.006+01:00

Last week I was in the office of Water Aid in London. We were having a meeting on Disability and Development. Water Aid is involved in water, sanitation and hygiene programmes. http://www.wateraid.org/

Everywhere you go in Africa you see women like this Fulani lady from Southern Niger, walking many kilometres every day loaded with the vessels to collect water, and, often, as in this photo the little burden of a baby strapped to her back.

Jesus once met a woman collecting water. The words He spoke to her were amazing!

They were life-changing to her and to millions of others since.

John 4: 4-14

Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

"Sir", the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"

Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life".

Similar words were spoken by Jesus in another portion of John

John 7:38
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

The door to nowhere

2009-04-07T13:51:00.003+01:00

This picture is from a friend in Niger - the door to nowhere!

Amazingly the door is actually locked - not quite sure who it is trying to keep out!

There is another door that does not lead to nowhere....it leads to eternal life.

Jesus said I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. John 10:9

2009-01-16T20:15:00.006Z

Paul Smith, the man with extraordinary talent was born in Philadelphia on September 21, 1921 with severe cerebral palsy. Not only had Paul beaten the odds of a life with spastic cerebral palsy, a disability that impeded his speech &mobility but also taught himself to become a master artist as well as a terrific chess player even after being devoid of a formal education as a child.

When typing, Paul used his left hand to steady his right one. Since he couldn't press two keys at the same time, he almost always locked the shift key down and made his pictures using the symbols at the top of the number keys. In other words, his pictures were based on these characters ..... @ # $ % ^ &* ( ) _ .

Across seven decades, Paul created hundreds of pictures. He often gave the originals away. Sometimes, but not always, he kept or received a copy for his own records.As his mastery of the typewriter grew, he developed techniques to create shadings, colors, and textures that made his work resemble pencil or charcoal drawings."This great man passed away on June 25, 2007, but left behind a collection of his amazing artwork that will be an inspiration for many.

When I hear stories like this I am absolutely amazed at what people with diability are able to do. I am fully able to control both my hands and yet I can just about draw a stick man that is recognisable. When I am teaching I have to draw pictures of parts of the body - my drawings of hands look like an advert for bananas - terrible!

In Africa, in country after country, the amazing courage, patience and stamina of people with disability is just incredible.

Today on the UK news, a young man in a wheelchair has won a case against Royal Bank of Scotland because he cannot access his bank branch becasue of 5 steps at the front door. Every day people with disability are excluded from ordinary, everyday activities because they cannot overcome the natural and environmental barriers. yet their resilience and inventiveness is something to behold.

On Ilkla Moor baht'at

2009-01-04T17:52:00.010Z

To try and eliminate the post Christmas bloated feeling, a group of us Lancashire folk descended on Yorkshire's Ilkley Moor and had a trot around. You may have heard of Ilkley Moor from the song...........

Here are the words in Yorkshire English:

verse 1
Wheear 'ast ta bin sin' ah saw thee, ah saw thee?
On Ilkla Mooar baht 'at
Wheear 'ast ta bin sin' ah saw thee, ah saw thee?
Wheear 'ast ta bin sin' ah saw thee?
On Ilkla Mooar baht 'at
On Ilkla Mooar baht 'at
On Ilkla Mooar baht 'at

verse 2
Tha's been a cooartin' Mary Jane

verse 3
Tha's bahn' to catch thy deeath o` cowd

verse 4
Then we shall ha' to bury thee

verse 5
Then t'worms'll come an` eyt thee up

verse 6
Then t'ducks'll come an` eyt up t'worms

verse 7
Then we shall go an` eyt up t'ducks

verse 8
Then we shall all ha' etten thee

verse 9
That's wheear we get us ooan back

Well I'm not Mary Jane, but who can blame Bassey for courting me when I look this stunning? !!!

Despite it being the end of December, we were pleasantly surprised by the weather. The ground was frosty, but it kept dry. Frosty ground is better than sludgy mud any day.

For Bassey, the scenery was new and exciting. You can see for miles around from high up on the moor.

Our friends Mark and Janet live in Burley, near to the moor. We went up with Dandy and Bunty, their dogs.

As soon as we let go of Dandy he was off for his grouse lunch!

That little speck dancing is Bassey!

Apparently some of the rock pitures are mega old (this is a Roman fried egg!)

Okay, now on the way back down.

Ending up at the Cow and Calf....

What a lovely day.

Thanks to Mark, Janet, Emily, Robin, Paul, Janet, Rachel, Chris and Sofia (and Dandy and Bunty).

Time to wash off the mud and get ready for the next trek..................

In front of the Christmas tree

2008-12-20T18:41:00.001Z

This is us in front of our Christmas tree.

News from Africa and some of our news

2008-12-17T09:21:00.004Z

Just when you thought the news from Darfur couldn't get any worse.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7786612.stm

and in Uganda, the fragile peace has been shattered....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7783417.stm

and in Nigeria, some fear there could be al-Qaeda attacks

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7785333.stm

Some good news from Nigeria though:

Emeka (TLM Nigeria) is safely back from India where he was attending a risk management workshop
Sunday (TLM Nigeria) is safely back from Australia wher he successfulyy completed his Masters in Public Health
Ngozi (sister-in-law)is doing well, and the baby is due any day now. (Ime and Ngozi's 4th)

and from UK:

Sean (brother) passed his first electrician's exam with a credit yesterday (2 marks off a distinction so he was disappointed, but I think he did well considering how many years it has been since he last sat an exam!). The next exam is maths so he is studying hard to get a distinction there.
Bassey has passed in his assignment yesterday, and meets with his supervisors for the last time this year on Friday.
I have finished my PG certificate by distance learning with an average mark of 83%.
We hope to finish our paper about self care groups in Okegbala this week and then submit it to Leprosy Review.
The Christmas activities continue - last night we had our Bible study social night with a DVD and fish and chips - brilliant!

2008-12-12T16:26:00.001Z

17th International Day of Persons with Disabilities and the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

2008-12-12T16:08:00.002Z

This letter has been sent out to all of us working with people affected by leprosy and t the world's media. Doug Soutar makes some very important points in his letter.

Statement from the General Secretary of ILEP on the Occasion of the 17th International Day of Persons with Disabilities and the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Dignity and justice for all of us is the theme of this year’s International Day for Persons with Disabilities (3rd December), as well as for the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (10th December).

Dignity and justice for all persons are established universal principles. These principles, along with equality and non-discrimination, are among those which make up the international human rights framework. 2008 is a significant year in the international human rights movement given the entry into force on 3rd May of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol, legally binding instruments which set out the obligations of States to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities, as well as the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). In addition, in June 2008 the United Nations Human Rights Council unanimously adopted a resolution on ‘The elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members’.

The WHO Global Strategy on Leprosy (2006-2010) highlights the importance of social justice and equity and stresses that this must be integral to all aspects of leprosy work including approaches to preventing disability, stigma and discrimination.

UN conventions and resolutions promote and protect the human rights of persons with disabilities in civil, cultural, economic, political, and social life. However, all over the world, persons with disabilities, including those who have been affected by leprosy, continue to face barriers to their participation in society and are often forced to live on the margins of society.

They are routinely denied basic rights such as to equal recognition before the law and the right to participate in political and public life. Many persons with disabilities are forced into institutions, a direct breach of the rights to freedom of movement and to live in the community.

Even the most enlightened of resolutions and laws are worthless unless in practice they are reflected in the way we relate to each other. So, on this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, as well as during the year-long celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, let us use “dignity and justice for all of us” as a rallying call, as these principles are far from being realized for everyone, not least for the millions affected by leprosy.

Mr Douglas Soutar
General Secretary of ILEP

looking at the snow through the windows.

2008-12-04T09:48:00.007Z

It snowed in the night. Woke up to this! Funny that - never woke up to this view in Nigeria!

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas ....................

Not so much traffic today is there? There is normally a traffic jam each morning as folk go to work

Can't wait to put footprints in the front yard!

Not sure how the palm trees in this picture are coping!

I doubt the neighbour will be sitting out on his sun lounger today!

No way I am hanging out my washing either!

2008-12-03T14:21:00.002Z

I received this email today from my friend Y in Nigeria and it really encouraged me. Y and I have often spoken about the importance of loving people into the kingdom.

“Any news about our daughter in Jos? I hope she is safe from the blood thirsty marauders in the name of religion.”

Who wrote this text? No, it is not from Kafanchan or Enugu. It is not even from a Christian. The man sounds like the good old atheist bashing the fanatics of religion. But he is not. Bala is a Muslim. Bala Na MaiFulani is full name. Bala is Izala. Bala is writing from Kano. Who’s daughter is talking about? He is not talking about his daughter – his is in Kano. No, he is asking about my daughter schooling in Jos. Do you know? What? His old widowed mother is in Jos!

When the Muslim and the Christian are seeking the Kingdom, conflict is subdued. Not all Christians are in the Kingdom. Many Christians assume all are in. Not many Muslims are in the Kingdom. Most Christians assume none are in. “A city on a hill cannot be hidden” not matter how small and dull. Matt 13:14

The Wicked one uses conflict to keep people out of the Kingdom. He has always done that. He has garnered a lot of experience in that sphere from civilization to civilization, spanning millennia. He doesn’t care to send anyone to hell. Conflict brings anger and so we can’t preach the Cross. Conflict creates fear and so we are frightened. Conflict creates suspicion and so we are afraid. Conflict tears down bridges of trust, and so the Gospel can’t cross. Do you see how Satan is winning the war on both sides?

But when the Muslim and the Christian are seeking the Kingdom, conflict is subdued. Bala is seeking the Kingdom. Outside the Kingdom, peace is subsumed. I don’t know if Bala is not in the Kingdom. This year alone, we have spent many hours for fours nights conversing the Gospel. Is he in the Kingdom? I will keep making Jesus clear to him.

Conflict rules this part of the globe. In other parts, wealth rules. Which is easier? One is a monster. The other is a camouflage. Choose between the Red Horse and the Scarlet Beast. One is in Revelation 5, the other in Revelation 17. Both are intent on keep us out of the Kingdom. The winner in all Christian-Muslim conflicts is not the Christian and, certainly, not the Muslim. The winner is always the Devil. “Satan doesn’t care to send anyone to hell, no matter how innocent.” He is that callous. John 10:10.

Kingdoms in conflict. Lord help us to see how you see. Enable me choose which Kingdom not to fight for.

Y

Ps. Before I shut down, Bala said that his mother is fine, adding, “Christians and Muslims where she is, formed a buffer against any bigot of whatever ilk.” Alhamdullilah! (Praise the Lord!)

Lord protect the innocent ones from harm when men and women want to cause violence.

A letter to African pastors from Bishop Abel Muzorewa

2008-12-03T14:12:00.002Z

People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centred.
Love them anyway!

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway!

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway!

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway!

The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest ideas.
Think big anyway!

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway!

People really need help, but may attack you if you help them.
Help people anyway!

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the best you've got anyway!

"I’m a Bible study member, get me out of here!”

2008-12-03T13:57:00.003Z

Last night I had an adventure

I went to the Homework Club at church at 5:30pm. This is a meeting for kiddies every Tuesday 5:30pm-7:00pm.

At 7:30pm is the Bible study so I decided instead of going home in the snow and coming back again (I live very near church), I would stay and wait.

The Homework Club leader locked me in and I waited for the Bible Study leader….and waited………and waited

Then David turned up and said ‘let me in’ – I said ‘I can’t cos I’ve no key, I’m locked in’

Well David is 60 if he's a day and he looked freezing so when we saw no-one was coming, I opened the fire door at the back, expecting the alarm to go of – it didn’t.

I made him a cup of tea in the kitchen and we had a little chat and a mini-study and then we had to go out again through the fire door and slam it behind us.

I got home to find a message on the ansaphone – Bible Study is cancelled because of snow! I phoned one the elders to tell him I had used the fire door.

This morning the choir mistress phoned to see if I was okay. She said ‘weren’t you scared?’ Not really cos I have had worse things happen on my travels.

Well it brightened up an otherwise dull Tuesday night anyway!

I’ve thought of a new TV programme “I’m a Bible study member, get me out of here!” Not sure that a cold church hall is as inviting as the Australian jungle though!

“GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST AND ON EARTH PEACE TO MEN” Luke 2:14

2008-12-02T15:55:00.002Z

In much of the world there is no peace.

Tribes fight over land, people of different beliefs fight for various reasons. Political differences quickly turn to violence

I think of Mumbai, I think of Bangkok, I think of Jos in Nigeria, I think of DR Congo. I think of the hundreds of thousands suffering in Zimbabwe

Let there be peace on earth

The first snow!

2008-12-02T15:46:00.005Z

We woke up this morning to a light covering of snow. It was a delight to see. Unfortunately I was not quick enought o get my camera and take pohotos before it was washed away by the drizzle.

James and Marilyn, who came for lunch were not as delighted with the snow as I was. They had to drive over the Pennines to reach me! The journey was pretty horrendous I think with snow and freezing fog! The snow started again just after they left the house, so I hope they make it home okay!

I have just written our Christmas letter.

I saw this photo on the internet. I thought it was lovely.

"African Nativity"

Smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

2008-11-17T11:54:00.003Z

Grandma passed away quietly in her sleep early yesterday morning. Mum was sleeping on the floor next to her bed.

We thank God that to the end there was no pain.

This photo is how I want to remember her - happy and healthy at Sean and Sharyn's wedding in 2006.

Mum (left on photo) and Aunty Linda (right on photo) have cared for her right to the end.

Grandma we all love you very much.

I found this on the internet after hearing it at John's funeral last week.

You can shed tears that she is gone,

or you can smile because she has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that she’ll come back,

or you can open your eyes and see all she’s left.

Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her,

or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,

or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember her only that she is gone,

or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back.

Or you can do what she’d want:

smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

—David Harkins, British Poet and Painter

Asia Pacific Congress on Community Based Rehabilitation, Thailand, December 2008

2008-11-14T12:35:00.001Z

People with disabilities constitute up to 10 per cent of the population, but often they have limited or no access to different services including the health services. According to the Alma Ata declaration, rehabilitation should be an essential component of primary health care but in reality things are very different. Some people with disabilities, including people with mental illness, epilepsy and leprosy, face strong stigma and prejudice in their communities.

These are the themes of the Asia Pacific Community-Based Rehabilitation congress to be held in Thailand in December 2008.

The Disability and Rehabilitation team of World Health Organisation (WHO/DAR) in collaboration with other WHO departments, other UN organisations, international and national federations and NGOs, is organising the Asia Pacific Congress on Community-based rehabilitation (CBR) in Bangkok (Thailand) from 9 to 11 December 2008.

More information about the Asia Pacific CBR congress is available from the following website: http://www.cbr-asiapacific.org/

On this occasion, a number of pre- and post-congress workshops on specific themes are also being organised. AIFO, in collaboration with many other international and national partners, is involved in the workshops:
(1) CBR and community mental health, to be held from 4-5 December 2008
(2) CBR and human rights of persons with disabilities, to be held from 6-7 December 2008
(3) CBR and Leprosy to be held from 12-13 December 2008

These three workshops will be held at Prince Palace Mahanak hotel in Bangkok, that is one of the official hotels for the Asia Pacific CBR congress.

More information about the three pre- and post-congress workshops and their registration forms are available at the following website: http://www.aifo.it/english/resources/announcements/2008/bangkok_cbr_workshops08.htm

Grandma

2008-11-09T16:51:00.002Z

My Grandma is losing her fight against Oesophageal Cancer. She doesn't want to eat or drink, mum and Auntie Linda have to encourage her +++.

It is sad to visit her. She weighs about 51/2 Stones now. Christies say no more chemotherapy, and most of her other drugs have been stopped too. I saw her on Friday before and after John's funeral.

The phones are currently scarey, as you think that each call is bad news.

My brother, 3 years younger than me has texted asking me to pray for him. This is a surprise as he has no faith. It is at these times that I want to baby him, my baby brother.

I love you Grandma

John Fairbrother 1944-2008

2008-11-08T07:13:00.003Z

Yesterday I went back home to Bury, to Seedfield Methodist Church where I first heard and accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The church was packed as family, friends and colleagues gathered to celebrate the life of John Fairbrother, a long time member of Seedfield.

John, a teacher by profession and a headmaster in Burnley until his retirement in 2003, was a good friend. One of the many at Seedfield who had taught me by word and example what it means to be a Christian.

His faith in God strengthened him to the end.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" John 14:6

John had battled with cancer for the last 2 years. A man full of life - physically and spiritually, he was working on the church magazine (The Messenger) which he edited, right to the end.

Whether working with the Scout Movement, acting in the pantomine, singing in the choir or leading an outreach activity, John encouraged and motivated so many of us. We remember him with love and thanks to God for having known him.

Liz, Andrew, Peter, Julia, Maddie and Joe - our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Disability facts

2008-11-05T09:31:00.002Z

A few facts for you about disability:

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that disabled people make up 10% of the population - around 650 million people.
80% of persons with disabilities live in developing countries, according to the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
Disabled people account for 15 – 20% of the world’s poorest (World Bank, Elwan 1999).
Women with disabilities are recognized to be multiply disadvantaged, experiencing exclusion on account of their gender and their disability.
According to UNICEF, 30 per cent of street youths are disabled.
Although disabled people are amongst the poorest they were not included in rural poverty alleviation programmes (ESCAP, 1999).
There is no country in the world where disabled people’s rights are not violated (Disability Awareness and Action, Hurst 1999).
Disabled people of working age in developed and developing countries are 3 times more likely to be unemployed and live in real poverty (DPI, Resource Kit 2003).
No country has all its transport systems accessible.
The majority of countries have no free medical care or social security system.
In many countries, disabled people are unable to place their vote.
In the UK, 50% of disabled people are economically inactive and disabled women are more than likely to be unemployed than men (Office for National Statistics, 2001).
Persons with disabilities are more likely to be victims of violence or rape, according to a 2004 British study, and less likely to obtain police intervention, legal protection or preventive care.
Research indicates that violence against children with disabilities occurs at annual rates at least 1.7 times greater than for their non-disabled peers (UN).
98% of children with disabilities in developing countries do not attend school, says UNESCO.
For every child killed in warfare, three are injured and permanently disabled (UN).
In Bangladesh, 97% of disabled women are unemployed.
The global literacy rate for adults with disabilities is as low as 3%, and 1% for women with disabilities, according to a 1998 UNDP study.

It is important to bear in mind that facts are very hard to obtain as so many disabled people are hidden and anonymous with regard to official statistics.

And the winner is......

2008-11-05T07:17:00.002Z

In UK, there are loads of phone vote TV shows, where the public phone in to either keep someone in the game or vote them off the game. They always make you wait '.....and the winner is.....'

I have felt a little like that over the last few days with all the coverage of the US election. Thankfully it is all over until January and we now know who the winner is. For the first time a black man will be in the Whitehouse. Apparently Kenya is very happy - more interested in him than in their own politicians!

Well, he now has a lot to live up to. Many are seeing Barack Obama as the saviour - got news for you - he's not!

In my Bible reading notes is this poem by Susan Lenzkes

You wrote Your glorious name across the heavens and it read ELOHIM - The Creator

You pronounced Your holy name to Your people and it was YAHWEH - Lord of Relationship

You posted Your powerful name at life's valleys and dead ends and it was EL-SHADDAI - All Sufficient God

You spoke Your lovely name into fears and conflicts and it was JEHOVAH SHALOM - The Lord Our Peace

You whispered Your compassionate name into sorrow and brokenness and it was JEHOVAH JIREH - The Lord Provides

You signed Your most beautiful name in blood upon our hearts and it was JESUS - Jehovah is Salvation

Jesus is the only saviour, the only one who can really make a difference.

America seems so far away for me, but their policies affect almost every other country in one way or the other.

40 or so years ago Dr. Martin Luther King Jr had his dream.

My dream 'A world without leprosy', 'A world without poverty', ' A world without war', 'A world without discrimination',

A world where justice and righteousness flow like rivers

Jannine xx

Relaxing on a Sunday afternoon

2008-11-02T14:03:00.003Z

A rainy Sunday afternoon - relaxing after speaking at Colton Methodist Church this morning. After they had forgiven me for being from Lancashire, I received a lovely welcome and we had a good service for World Church Sunday. It was also Junior Mission for All (JMA) Sunday, when the young collectors receive their certificates and medals for the money they have collected over the last year for Worl Mission. Only 4 very young collectors in this church, but they managed over £600 - well done!

I showed photos from DRCongo and we prayed for the situation there. According to the news, the ceasefire holds, but the refugee situation is chaotic.

I wore one of my Nigerian dresses, and after the service, over coffee had to give a short lesson in how to tie the headtie! Didn't know I had become and expert!

Received this message from the TLM Congo Office on Friday.

Dear friends,

Thank you for your responses and for upholding us in prayer in regard to the situation in Eastern Congo . The team in Bukavu, all our beneficiaries/clients and friends in South Kivu are asking for continuing prayer for peace, security and the restoration of a normal life. The situation continues to be chaotic in many parts of the East and is very complicated with no possibilities of an easy and quick solution.

Even though Bukavu has been fairly quiet, the town of Goma in North Kivu is experiencing terrible destruction and abuse with many refugees and casualties.

As Goma is the airport and entry point for us to go to Bukavu, this way has now been closed, flights from Kinshasa to Goma for example are cancelled. Yesterday we needed to make the decision in consultation with the CCO team and the leadership in Bukavu to post-pone the planned activities for septic surgery. This is necessary because we cannot go there, but it is also essential not to put the patients at risk and to separate them from their families in such as situation, in which nobody can predict the development of the next days. We are sad to announce this, but this is the first severe implication of this war for our work. We ask you as the national councils and supporting partners to understand the situation and to support us by allowing us to carry the planned activities over into 2009. One part of the Surgery Project (PRS Project) has been accomplished, but we need to postpone the planned and already prepared activities for the weeks of 4.11. – 22.11.2008 in South Kivu and Maniema.
If there are any further implications in regard to our project activities, we will keep you informed.

Thank you for your support and continuing prayers. The situation in Kinshasa is described as “mildly tense” by the German embassy with possible demonstrations today, but otherwise we are able to carry out our work as normal.

I continue to have regular email contact with DRC and am happy that all your staff are doing okay.

A cartoon

2008-10-29T16:53:00.001Z

This is a bit like me getting used to the net. Just thought I would share it with you.

and the winter approaches

2008-10-29T11:06:00.002Z

Changing the clocks on Sunday is a sign that winter is on its way. So it the fact that football matches have already srarted being cancelled due to snow!

Last week while in Nigeria it was 40 degrees, in Leeds today it is 5. Good job Bassey has his new sweater a he needed to wrap up well this morning to go to school.

Been busy updating the POD course timetable this morning. Trying to make a good 6 week outline.

Link for DR Congo

2008-10-29T09:28:00.001Z

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7695509.stm

This link shows the thousands of people displaced from the Esatern side of DRC (Nortn Kivu)

Birthday Boy!

2008-10-28T08:32:00.003Z

"..your works are wonderful, I know that full well....All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be" Psalm 139: 14, 16

Bassey in his new birthday sweater to guard against the winds of Leeds to and from school!

Happy Birthday Bassey! Love you!

Our new home

2008-10-27T20:21:00.004Z

This is our new house in Leeds. The Living Room and the Kitchen

DRC update

2008-10-27T19:34:00.000Z

Catch up on latest on DRC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7692932.stm

DR Congo

2008-10-26T18:41:00.001Z

I had a skype converstaion with Dieudonne, my friend in Bukavu last night. He says the rebels are just north of them. Please pray that all will be well. North and South Kivu have been badly hit by conflict between the rebels and the Congolese army for many years.

CO Fashion - textiles made by people affected by leprosy

2008-10-26T08:14:00.002Z

Check this out! Some of our friends affected by leprosy are making some beautiful textile items. They are looking for more customers.

www.freewebs.com/cofashioncatalogue

High speed, high tech!

2008-10-26T07:54:00.005Z

Oh the joys of broadband!

In Nigeria we use a satellite connection to connect to mail, which they describe as fast. Well, compared to swimming in treacle it is fast, but noooooooo, it is so slow.

Hey presto! Here in Leeds I have a broadband connection. I press 'send' and it does! No 5 minutes of thinking about it, just 'woosh'! Love it!

Saw my very first internet video yesterday. They don't work with the Nigerian connection, too slow. YouTube, BBC news, CNN - watched them all. Brilliant ! Yes, I know it is all old hat to you, but for me it is new!

Bassey has bought a new office chair for the desk. The one we met in the house is guaranteed to give us bad backs, so we splashed out. (then a kind friend Jacquie sent a mail to say she is sending a cheque for the chair - what a star!) The chair is high tech too - with 3 levers to adjust it up, down, in, out etc in all directions. So no bad backs now!

Okay, now what do I buy B for his birthday? It is coming up on Tuesday and I have no idea. pathetic I know. Have a half day tomorrow, so will go hunting while he is in class.

This photo is Carletto, Linda Todd's new dog. How cute is he?

Notes from Nigeria October 2008

2008-10-24T14:48:00.003+01:00

1st October
Flew from London Heathrow’s new Terminal 5. It is very impressive. No queues like in Terminal 4 – praise the Lord. They seem to have overcome the initial teething problems they had when they first opened. I was through check-in, passport control and security in no time J

2nd October
am: Arrived Abuja Airport at 0445H. Lots of delays at immigration. No problems, just slow. Welcome back to Africa Jannine!

Met by Danjuma, a driver from NTBLTC. We first of all dropped 190 copies of TLM 2009 diaries off for TLM Nigeria, and then drove to Zaria (about 3 hours). Arrived NTBLTC feeling tired and dirty. Short visit to the Principal and Training Coordinator. I then went to the hostel to have a bath and rest. Ooops, no water, so no bath! Rested until 12 noon.

pm: Arranged PT department – temporary department in former admin unit. It is quite manageable inside, but access for people using crutches or wheelchairs is difficult as there are many steps.

NLR has kindly bought quite a bit of PT equipment. Unfortunately the buying was done by a contractor not a PT so some of it is not useful. Is it possible to return some and exchange it for other, more useful stuff?

3rd October
Continued arranging PT and shoe department. It looks quite reasonable now. The shoe maker has not yet moved. He says he was busy making a pair of special shoes for a patient.
Everyone is very welcoming. They keep asking when Bassey leaves to go to school. They were surprised when I said he has already started at Leeds. The leprosy community in Nigeria is quite a family.
We had a short meeting with the three facilitators available and we re-arranged the timetable according to invited facilitators.

The classroom is ready and we have arranged for a laptop, beamer and extension lead. Mrs Zibiri has checked that learning materials were photocopied and available for next week.
One hour’s rest while Moslem colleagues went to mosque, then a quick trip into town to pay some money into TLM Nigeria’s account.

The water came back this evening so I was able to have a bucket bath and wash some clothes J

4th October
This morning the water was coming out of the shower. It is only cold water, but the climate is still hot, so that is not a problem. The water pump needs electricity to work and a storm earlier in the week had knocked down the poles supplying the hospital so that is why they had not bee able to pump. The electricity came back late yesterday afternoon. By God’s grace it will be okay again now. Hope so as the students arrive tomorrow. From past experience they do not like ‘roughing it’.

There are no planned activities for today, so spent the day on the computer writing my new job description. I thought that I had an electronic copy on my removable disk, but no; so trying to do it from my head. I shall check it with the copy saved on the server when I can access my mail on Monday.

Received a text from Bassey to say that he is with TLM England and Wales today, speaking at their annual supporters’ meeting at Canterbury Cathedral.

5th October
Dr Clement is a Christian so I went with him and his family to church. They attend Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). RCCG is one of the fastest growing churches in Nigeria (? The world?). It is a little too prosperity orientated for me. But it was nice to celebrate the church’s 10th anniversary with them.

No electricity and water when we got back, so just mooched around really.

6th October
The course proper started. We have 8 participants from different parts of Nigeria. They are quite responsive in the large group, but need encouragement to discuss and work in two smaller groups. Obviously not used to it. Today was mainly introduction and we were able to find out what they know and don’t know. Tomorrow the real practical stuff will start with a whole day of nerve examination.

7th October
Today was nerve examination. The time goes fast when the day is very practical and today was no exception. There are some misunderstandings and some wrong methods from quite a number of candidates. “But this is how I have been taught to do it’ is the common plea. Sadly it may be so, as during my supervision I have seen the doctors, supervisors and physiotherapists (!) teach some dodgy methods!

I think we need to use tomorrow morning to do some more practice before moving on to reaction.

THE COURSE NEEDS TO HAVE MORE PRACTICAL ASPECTS BUT WE JUST DON’T HAVE ENOUGH PATIENTS HERE AND THE PT DEPARTMENT IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY.

8th October
One of my favourite subjects for teaching – reaction. I enjoy teaching it because I find it so important and also because I try to keep it as simple and as basic as possible. What it is, what to look for and what to do. Sadly not enough patients on admission with reaction to have a look at.

We were joined by Bashir from Zamfara, a 9th participant. he said he did not hear on time about the start date!

9th October
This being a 2 week course, we have squeezed everything in. Eye was originally slated for 2 hours, but Musa Goyol is such a good teacher and so practical and useful, that we asked him to keep going and he used 4 hours. I think for next time he needs at least 4 hours – if possible even a whole day, but I just cannot see how we can squeeze that in. Musa is the National Director of the organisation for the visually impaired called Dark and Light, a partner with TLM in the Disability Coalition.

10th October
Another squeezed in day. We had to allow extra time for self care training as the concepts were just not there and we were almost teaching from scratch. Monitoring impairment has had to be postponed. Now I have to see where I can fit it in next week.

11th – 12th October
After a busy week, physically and mentally I enjoyed a lovely weekend with my friends – Tiffany and Athena in Kaduna and then Ihab and his family in Zaria town.

I had an interesting ride back on a motorbike to the school. The driver was very interested in the work we do. He is from Sokoto State, Sabon Birni, which borders Niger Republic.

13th October
Ulcers are the number one reason for admission to a leprosy hospital, so we spent the whole of today looking at ulcers. I was glad to be joined by Fidelis Iyor, a physiotherapist from NKST Rehabilitation centre, Mkar. He has a lot of experience in leprosy and orthopaedics.

14th October
A very practical day today. Fidelis was again the main facilitator and we looked at walking aids where we had a great laugh measuring each other for crutches. Evene centimetres and inches are confusing for some folk! After that we looked at protective footwear and then amputees and artificial legs

15th October

16th October

17th October
The end of course assessment! Well the very short and very rushed course showed itself with some bad mistakes by many of them. Asabe did well and came top of the class, I am proud of her!

We had a meeting. have decided the course needs ot be 4-6 weeks long. certainly not shorter than 4 weeks.

Exhausted, I spent the night at Ihab and Leena's house. Electricity, water, nice food.....etc.

18th - 19th October
Danjuma took Asabe, Aisah and me to Minna. En route we dropped Adewumi and Helen at the bus stop.

I am glad to get away from Zaria, I am full of bites from sand flies.

Spent the weekend with marcia in her house. Marcia has been my neighbour in Minna for many years. In Minna, the water and elctric is worse than in Zaria. Na wao!

20th October
Rushing backwards and forwrads to the bank to sort out money stuff.

In the afternoon went to Abuja with Mr Kurah, beatrice and Anna Wickenden from TLM Canada

21st October
Relaxing day with Okebechi, george and their family.

22nd October
Back to London. Heathrow terminal 5 is great again. BUT, it is further away from London, so the taxi was about £12 more than I expected!

Good to be back. Nigeria I love you, but this trip has been hard work

Prayer letter October 2008

2008-10-06T17:22:00.000+01:00

October 2008

Dear Praying Friends

In England, summer is at an end (if there actually was a summer this year!) and in Nigeria the rains are making their last stormy efforts until next year. Unfortunately the winds often bring down the power poles – like this week. So we are dependent on the generators again here in Zaria!

Since our last letter in March we have been busy. Bassey has visited all the Nigerian projects in turn. It is great to see the work developing, especially in the area of Disabled People’s Organisations (DPO), Community Based Organisations (CBO) and Self Care Groups (SCG).

His visits this year included a visit to the TLM supported leprosy hospital run by SIM in Danja, Niger Republic. There are now 4 TLM missionaries there; Bunmi and Loveth Oluloto (with their children, Blessing and Favour), Helen Nixon and Tony Mwenyemali. They are all doing very well.

My own visits have taken me to Abuja, Ekpene Obom, Niger and for the first time to Chad.

CHAD
Chad was a real treat. Geeske Zijp (Dutch nurse) is our staff there. She and I started our overseas service with TLM at the same time (1992) and have kept in close contact over the years. Of course, she has been overseas before with other organisations and is a very experienced missionary. I just loved Chad – the sights, the smells (!), the people, the landscape. If you have not seen the ‘Queen of the Guéra’ you have not lived (look it up on the internet)

Geeske and Jean (the young boy who lives with her, once blind, but can now see thanks to surgery) live in a little mud hut with a thatched roof. Each night Jean brought out our mat and mosquito net and we slept out under the stars – I was spoiled though as I had a mattress on my side of the mat!

I really enjoyed visiting the people that Geeske works with – the Blind School, The Blind Association, the ‘Association of the Handicapped’ (their name, not mine), the Community Development Association (Moustagbal), the orthopaedic workshop in N’Djamena, the Leprosy Programme. We ran a short workshop for prevention of disability for the leprosy supervisors. We were also able to assist and advise the various associations on issues related to disability – how to measure for crutches, wheelchairs etc. All of it was an adventure, as I struggled along in French and tried to understand bits of Arabic.

Yes I had a great time, but Chad is not an easy place to work. Everywhere you go there are tanks belonging to the UN and European Union. Just the week before my trip we almost had to cancel as the rebels from the East were descending on the capital and it would not be safe for Geeske and Abdul Djelil (her driver and body guard) to travel to meet me at the airport. This happens frequently. Pease pray for their safety, and for peace and stability to come to the country. How can we even begin to talk of development in a country where people are dodging bullets? Geeske and her team of partners are doing a wonderful job as God enables them to reach out to people in need in villages around the Guéra and further afield.

IDEA Nigeria
Integration, Dignity and Economic Advancement (IDEA) is the association for people affected by leprosy. The International association is about 15 years old now, but IDEA Nigeria has only been active in Nigeria since December 2003. The Leprosy Mission Nigeria supports IDEA very much, sharing an office space with them in Minna.

IDEA Nigeria is going from strength to strength. The first Board of Trustees meeting was held in June. Jannine is a trustee. It was great to hear the report of what has been achieved to date. Here are a few highlights:

Integration
· Registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) February 2008
· Fully recognized and part of the Joint National Association of People with Disabilities (JNAPWD).
· IDEA members are part of the JNAPWD committee looking at the constitutional amendment
· Registered at State Level in Edo, Kano, Zamfara and Kebbi States

Dignity and Human Rights
· Successfully lobbied The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the inclusion of people with disability on the voters register despite not being able to give thumbprints at registration
· Successfully lobbied for individuals’ human rights to be upheld in Kebbi, Kogi and Oyo States
· International representation at the Africa Leprosy Congress (Johannesburg) in 2005 and the International Leprosy Congress (Hyderabad) in 2008
· Facilitated at the Empowerment Workshop organised in Khartoum by IDEA Sudan
· Expert exchange to Niger Republic and Sudan

Economic Advancement
· IDEA members now employed by government in Edo and Delta States
· Kano and Zamfara State Government have donated cars and buses to IDEA
· Successfully lobbied for inclusion of IDEA members in vocational training centres in Katsina State
· Some states have increased the stipend they are paying to people with disabilities, including IDEA members

I AM MAKING EVERYTHING NEW! Revelation 21:5 (NIV)

There are lots of new things to tell you about in this letter...

New Course
This letter is being typed in Zaria at the National TB and Leprosy Training Centre. The centre us owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria, managed by the Ministry of Health. Is supported by the International Federation of Anti-Leprpsy Associations (ILEP), of which The Leprosy Mission is a member. Netherlands Leprosy Relief is the main ILEP member involved at the centre.

I am here for the next 2 weeks facilitating the Prevention of Disability (POD) Course. It is a new course we designed for Physiotherapy Assistants in leprosy hospitals in Nigeria. We are expecting 9 candidates, 7 from TLM supported projects. Being a practical course, we do not want more than 10-12 participants at any one time. I am teaching along with Mrs Zibiri the Physiotherapist based at the hospital in Zaria and Fidelis, physiotherapist at Mkar Hospital.

· Please pray that it all goes well with the course
· Pray for the facilitators that we can gauge the right level of teaching for what looks like being a mixed bag of participants.
· Pray for Bassey taking care of himself while I am away from home for almost 3 weeks J

New Projects
We are delighted at how donors are responding to our requests to expand the work in Nigeria. The Leprosy Mission England and Wales (TLMEW) has been able to obtain funds for two new projects. The Isle of Man is supporting a 3 year disability and rehabilitation project in Ogbomosho (South-West Nigeria) and a charity called DEWAN is expoanding its micro-credit funds to Kebbi, Kogi and Niger States. The beneficiaries in both the projects are so happy with the work that has started and which is ongoing for a number of years.

· Pray that we will be good stewards of the money entrusted to us
· Pray for each of the beneficiaries, whether they receive a new pair of shoes, an artificial leg, a wheelchair, an operation, a pair of glasses, a house repair or a loan.

New Manual
The Self Care Group (SCG) Manual has been printed and distributed. It is a joy to have it after all the hard work Ellie and Dr Dahiru especially have put into it. I was able to use the manual during a training workshop for Facilitators and Group Leaders at Ekpene Obom in August.

New Director
Bassey has stepped down as National Director of The Leprosy Mission Nigeria after 9 years. He has enjoyed the work immensely and has grown so much since his early days. However, he now feels this is the time to leave and hand the reins to the next person. For the time being Dr. Sani Useni will be acting National Director until the Board of Trustees appoints a New Director.

Bassey will not be idle though, he has swapped his admin hat for a student’s cap again as he studies at the Department of Sociology and Social Policy at the University of Leeds. For the next three years he will be studying for his PhD. He has already started, first with registration etc, and now the ‘real work’ has started

New Work
The Leprosy Mission has changed a lot in 2008, with a complete re-organisation of our structure. The Africa Regional Office where Jannine has worked since 2005 has been closed and I am now part of the Global Support Network of The Leprosy Mission International as Prevention Disability Adviser. The work is pretty much the same, just a larger geographical area. I am no longer limited to Africa, but will be assisting and advising all the countries we work in.

New Home...new Neighbourhood
So, Bassey has stepped down and I am working globally, so where are we? As you can see at the top of the letter, our address has changed. We now live in Leeds, West Yorkshire in the United Kingdom. Lots of folk are saying ‘welcome home’ but you see there is this set of hills between me and home (Once a Lancashire lass, always a Lancashire lass!). We shall be based here for the next 3 years, with Jannine working from home as she has done in Nigeria anyway. Bassey will be studying for his PhD until the end of September 2011.

God has blessed us in so many ways – a scholarship for Bassey, a lovely house to rent and some old friends form Nigeria as near neighbours - Osahon and Grace Ogbeiwi, Dr Ibrahim Dodo (Ochadamu), Dr Steven Asalu (Ochadamu). We have also found a church nearby. The members of Scott Hall Christian Fellowship have made us feel very welcome and loved.
So, lots to thank God for and pray about:
· Thank God for guiding and directing us since we started working in Nigeria with TLM in 1992. Thank God especially for being with Bassey over the last 9 years as National Director for TLM Nigeria
· Thank God for the scholarship which Bassey has been awarded which pays all his fees for 3 years
· Thank God for the house we have found and are now making home and for leading us to Scott Hall Christian Fellowship
· Ask God to continue to guide and direct us in this new phase of our life and ministry
· Ask God to help us as we settle into life in the UK which is different to what we are used to in Nigeria.
· Ask God to continue to keep us in touch when we shall be apart for weeks as Jannine travels

New Friend At the end of September we enjoyed visiting Pat Emmel who was a missionary nurse at Itu leprosy hospital in Nigeria in 1958-9. Some of the older patients at Ekpene Obom are her former patients from Itu. We are hoping to visit her again and share our photos and slides.
This

On our wall in the living room is a quilted map of Africa which reads:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Let these words encourage you as you face whatever is facing you at this time. Credit crunch or not, Jesus is on the throne!

Looking ahead:
October
2 - 22 Jannine in Nigeria for POD Course
4 Bassey speaking at TLM England and Wales’ Annual Supporters’ Meeting
28 Bassey’s birthday

November
2 Jannine speaking at Colton Methodist Church

December
7-16 Jannine in Thailand for Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Conference

I am sorry that the regular email updates have not been coming since June. When I changed my office email address it refused to send. I now realise that the distribution list has not copied properly, so I will have to make it again. I will do this at the end of this month and hope to start the regular updates again after that. Thanks for your understanding.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE REGULAR PRAYER UPDATES BY EMAIL PLEASE SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO JannineE@tlmint.org

This comes with our love.

Bassey and Jannine Ebenso

and back again!

2008-10-06T17:15:00.002+01:00

As I said last time, we have left Africa. But....I am back again! Yes, less than a month later I am here at the National TB and Leprosy Training Centre in Zaria. I shall be here for 2 weeks, then a couple of days in Minna and Abuja before heading back to London and Leeds on 22nd October.

I am teaching on the prevention of disability course for the programme here. We have 8 participants, so a good size group, not too big. We don't really want more than 10-12.

I shall post our latest news next.

Bassey and Jannine on the move

2008-08-24T14:19:00.005+01:00

Our latest news is that we are leaving Africa!

This is quite a shock after living here for 16 years (or for Bassey 42 years)

Bassey has been accepted by the University of Leeds to study for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. The university has granted him a full scholarship. This is a real miracle for which we thank God. I must admit that even though we were praying daily for the scholarship, my own faith level was low and I did not think they would give him but they did. Thank you Jesus!

At the same time, but unrelated, there have been a lot of changes in The Leprosy Mission over the past 6-12 months. The Africa Regional Office which is where I work was closed down on 31st May. Since 1st June I have been part of the Global Support Network of The Leprosy Mission International.

What difference does this make? Well at the moment, not a lot, as the activities I am involved in (training, mentoring, advising, monitoring & evaluation and research - all in the area of disbility and rehabilitation) remain the same. The main difference is that now I am working globally, not just in Africa. I may be asked to travel to Asia and (though less likely as we have a sister mission in America) South America. Although, like now, my main work of supporting, advising and networking will be over the internet. I think the UK internet access is quicker than the Nigerian access, so that will make my work much easier and quicker.

Because of Bassey's school and because of the change in my role, for the next 3 years we shall be based in Leeds in the United Kingdom.

The Leprosy Mission Nigeria is organising a send off for us on 7th September and we are booked to leave on the morning of 11th September. We shall spend a few days with mum and the family in Bury before going over to Leeds. Our house in Leeds will be available for us to move in on 15th September. We thank God for the provision of the house, which has a spare room for me to use as an office/study. It is about 2km from the university and is near to the shops and buses and trains, so is very convenient.

Africa converges on Abuja

2008-08-24T13:51:00.005+01:00

The World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT) Africa Region holds a congress every 2 years. 2008 is the turn of Nigeria to host the rest of Africa, so last week we were all at International Conference Centre in Abuja. Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia all sent delegates. The theme of the Conference was "Diseases of Civilisation" with a sub theme of "Challenges of Stroke Rehabilitation".

This being Nigeria, some of the organisation left a bit to be desired, but overall it was a very good congress. The aim of promoting physiotherapy as a profession was emphasised throughout the congress and we were challenged to be more professional and to advocate for the profession in our places of work.

I was attending to try and increase the profile of physiotherapy in the management of leprosy. As usual most people said - but there is no leprosy in my country. I was able to correct this misconception. I have been able to make contacts with the PT societies in the countries represented and hope to keep up dialogue with them in order to raise the profile of leprosy among African therapists.

There were many Nigerian PTs - maybe 200 or so. Am not sure, I did not count.

We also enjoyed a pre-congress workshop on the Examination and Treatment of stroke by the Bobath Concept.

Silence for so long

2008-07-09T19:33:00.003+01:00

Sorry folks. Wonderful intrenet connection that we have in Africa most of the time has meant that Blogger has refused to load on any of the computers I have tried to access.

Anyway, a night in Abuja in a hotel with a slightly quicker connection and - yeah! Online again.

Since I last wrote anything I have had lots of visitors and Bassey and I have both travelled to many places - both within Nigeria and also to other countries.

I returned Friday from a trip to Chad via Ethiopia. It was a case of 'third time lucky' with Chad, as the previous 2 attempts were cancelled at the last minute for different reasons.

I loved Chad - I was only there a week, but was able to see a little bit if N'Djamena (with lots of roadworks and repairs going on) and then I saw a lot of wide open spaces as we drove from N'Djamena to Mongo about 8 hours away to the East. Mongo is reached through some beatiful mountain scenery - including 'The King of the Birds' and ' The Queen of the Guera'. Amazing. I was so enjoying the scenery that I failed to notice my right arm was turning a lovely shade of scarlet with the sun and hot wind. Now it is peeling as if I have a dreadful disease!!!!

Geeske from The Netherlands lives in a little mud hut with a grass roof. We slept outside under the stars with just our mosquito nets as a barrier between us and the creepy crawlies. The stars were just amazing -never seen a sky like it.

Lots of soldiers in Chad, a bit of tension as they started moving aorund town in armoured vehicles, but didn't come to anything while I was there. The rebels had been making their way to the capital the week before I arrived, but the army had managed to chase them away.

I was upgraded to first class on the way back cos the plane was full. Maybe they felt sorry for me, the only white woman on the plane which was full of Egyptian men on what appeared to be a noisy stag night! It was so nice to put my seat back and snooze.

Now back in Nigeria. Managed to wash all my clothes - Bassey mentioned that my suitcase had an interesting odour when I opened it! Now am in Abuja with Lawrence as we facilitate a self care group training. Just heard yesterday that the manual we helped put together is back from the printers and ready for distribution - great!

Well, that's all for tonight. Will try and write more next time I have a connection.

The coolness of Jos Plateau!

2008-04-25T18:08:00.003+01:00

We have just returned from a few days of retreat in Miango Rest House, near Jos, Plateau State, here in Nigeria. All TLM staff in Nigeria and 4 from Niger Republic were there. The theme of our retreat/conference was "Interdependecne in the Body of Christ" (Partnership).

There are many changes going on in The Leprosy Mission at the moment, which affect each of us in one way or the other, some more than others. It was good to be reminded that we are one in Christ. That we are a body - that what affctes one part affects the whole. We depend on one another for support, prayer, encouragement and guidance.

Last night was a lovely evening. While there were a couple of meetings going on that most of the men were involved with, the 'wives and children' had a singing and dancing time. It was lovely - local and cross cultural missionaries all together enjoying singing and learning new songs and dances from each other.

The Plateau is a few hundred metres high, so it is lovely and cool. Such a blessing after the heat of March and April in the rest on Nigeria and Niger.

Now we are back in Minna, yes it is hot, but we manage. It is great to have Piet and Margriet with us from The Netherlands. They are here over the weekend after visiting Nigeria for the past 2 weeks. They return home on Monday night. It is good to be able to return the hospitality that Margriet has given me many times in her home in Apeldoorn.

Many things are changing in the weeks and months ahead (not able to put them on my blog yet), but one thing is certain......... Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever!