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AREWA AID IS NOW HOPE SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL

A few months ago I met with Dr. Randy Steger, President of Healing Hands Int., to get his advice about growing Arewa Aid. His first suggestion was a name change. This suggestion had been discussed recently by our board and this was the nudge we needed to follow through. Arewa is a hard name to pronounce and if you can’t pronounce a name, you can’t remember it. Being remembered is vital to a growing organization.

 Following that meeting with Dr. Steger a board resolution to change the name was passed and the process begun to seek a suitable name that broadly pictures what we are about. Under the capable direction of Brent Baldwin, former board member and a professional at this very process, we went through a six-week process of compiling and eliminating potential names. The process ended with Hope Springs International as the new name for Arewa Aid. So, effective immediately, our official name is HOPE SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL.

 Our mission will continue to be helping people help themselves. We will continue to undertake projects that teach people how to fish, not just give them a fish. Our goal remains to establish works that will function and live on beyond ourselves, works that will not need continuous financial support, thus allowing your gifts today to meet the needs of tomorrow as well.

 We now have a NEW BLOG SITE that reflects our name change. Click on this link: HOPE SPRINGS BLOG to be taken to the new site. When you arrive be sure to bookmark this new location for news and events relating to all the projects we are involved in. This will be the last post at this Blog Site.

 You may also follow us on Twitter.  We have a Facebook site for those of you on Facebook. We also have a new website under construction. When that is complete we will post the link on the new Hope Springs Blog.

 If you are a supporter of Arewa Aid, now Hope Springs, your gifts are saving and changing lives. If you are not a supporter we invite you to become one. Donations and requests for information may be sent to Hope Spring, 118 Wessington Place, Hendersonville, TN 37075.

Support For Abu Is Restored

During the Blake’s stay in Maiduguri they accepted the foster care of a young boy because his father could not take care of him. Abubakar (Abu) for short was cared for through the generosity of Richard and Donna Macon, members of the College Hills Church of Christ in Lebanon, TN.

 Due to the confusion caused by the untimely recall of the Blake family in May of last year, Abu was placed in the care of one of the Godly Shepherds of the Wulari Jerusalem Church of Christ in Maiduguri. While it was a struggle financially for this Shepherd of the sheep to take on this responsibility, Abu needed someone and he answered the call.

 We are excited to let you know that Richard and Donna Macon (brother and sister) have stepped up to the challenge and have volunteered once again to provide funds for the care of Abu. We are so thankful for Richard and Donna and their love for Abu. In a day when there are so many children in need of someone it is easy to just turn away because we can help them all. I commend the spirit of Richard and Donna to do what they can do and not be discouraged by what they can not do. There support will make a huge difference in this one little life.

The Weak say “I’m Strong”

I was reminded the week through an email from Ebenezer of one of the behind the scenes works that Arewa Aid has been doing for some time. Prior to the recall of the Blakes a Bible Class at the College Hills Church of Christ in Lebanon, TN was providing some assistance for one of the handicapped members of the Wulari Jerusalem Church in Maiduguri. In May of 2008 Arewa Aid took over this responsibility. Everybody has a story, some more compelling than others because of their need. Ayuba Kwagui Alamson is that kind of story. The following article was written by Brad Blake back in September of 2007.

 

The Weak say “I’m Strong”

 

I first met Ayuba in December 2004 at Chibok in southern Borno State (our home state in northern Nigeria). He was tall, strong, and a great communicator especially with little kids in his local elementary school where he taught. His Kibaku (local tribe) parents were so proud that one of their sons, against all odds, in the village had made it. He was an active believer, successful primary school teacher, and renting his own apartment in the capital city of Maiduguri. He was my translator when I first visited Chibok and he could interpret my words from Hausa into Kibaku with ease.

In July of 2005 when our family first moved to Maiduguri in northeastern Nigeria from Jos in central Nigeria, we always asked about Ayuba. He was conspicuously absent at local assemblies and we began to inquire from the local leaders on his whereabouts. One day at a congregational meeting, the subject of Ayuba came up and my best friend, Dr. Eni, began to cry. Ayuba had gone from being this strong, vibrant, and competent elementary school teacher to a crippled beggar. Dr. Eni thought that a local unqualified “quack” doctor might have prescribed unnecessary medicine but it was unfortunately worse than that.

There are so many mysterious sicknesses in Africa that have no explanation and even qualified doctors are giving “their best guess.” In Hausa, the word for sickness is “ciwo” and no one ever qualifies the type of “ciwo” because in the local worldview to specify the “ciwo” gives it more power. Therefore, all we knew is that Ayuba was slowly becoming blind, his spine was weakening, and his legs were so incapacitated that he could barely walk. He went to an eye hospital in Cameroon (neighboring eastern country to Nigeria) but they could do little. He even went to his hometown of Chibok to announce to his parents that he didn’t know what was going to happen to him now.

However, through all of Ayuba’s severe pain, his faith has been a powerful testimony to the rest of the believers. Ayuba in Hausa is actually the name for the most awe-inspiring Old Testament character of suffering: Job. Whenever, I meet Ayuba at assembly, in the office, or at his house, I always ask him: “Yaya jiki?” (How is your body?). His response forever remains the same resilient answer from a man of deeply-held faith in the Almighty: “Alhamdu lillahi!” (Praise be to God!). Ayuba will never let on to how much pain that he is really experiencing with his degenerating eyesight, weakening spine, and shriveling legs but he will tell you: “Mun gode wa Allah saboda alherinsa” (We give thanks to God for his grace).”

 

(Picture above right is where Ayuba lives)

 

I share Ayuba story with you again in hopes there might be an individual, Bible Class or Church that might be willing to help Ayuba. Arewa Aid presently gives him a meager 70.00 a month. This hardly meets the needs of this faithful child of the King. If you would like to help drop me a personal note at rabboniblog@yahoo.com. This is a true “cup of water in the name of Jesus” opportunity.

Ebenezer and Regina’s New Little Girl

We now have pictures of the newest addition to our team in Maiduguri. Her name is Grace.

For Unto Us A Child Is Born

We just received word that Ebenezer and Regina are the proud parents of a healthy baby girl. She was born on Sunday January 11, 2009 at 10:42 am local time in Maiduguri.

PRAY FOR NIGERIA: Rival mobs kill 400 people in brutal clashes

Residents delivered bodies to the mosque in the central Nigerian city of Jos on Sunday, bringing the death toll from two days of clashes between Muslim and Christian gangs to around 400 people. Rival ethnic and religious mobs have burned homes, shops, mosques and churches in fighting triggered by a disputed local election.

Lettter Of Appreciation Received From Chibok Local Governement

We have received a request for help from this area. This is letter from the local Government where 16 churches have banded together to establish a preachers training school.

A Bright Future Still Ahead for Arewa Aid

I apologize for the long silence, but in all honesty we have been in a state of reevaluation and confirmation. We have been taking a long look at our mission now that the Blakes have returned to the states. We have been confirming that we have the right people in place to continue this work and build upon the foundation that has been laid. I am excited to say that our mission and confidence in our present personnel has been confirmed.

 

Dave Goolsby and Randall McCadams of Healing Hands International are wrapping up a four week trip to Nigeria and other parts of the world. Dave and Healing Hands have had such an important role to play in bringing our work in Maiduguri to this point in our history. Healing Hands shared in the cost of drilling our new well and the solar power system that now pumps clean fresh water for our farming operations and the nearby community as well.

 

Early reports by email from Dave and Randall are very encouraging concerning the work that Ebenezer Udofia and his wife Regina have been doing in recent months. Not only is the Pompomari Farm continuing to thrive, but now small animal farming has begun. We are so encourage by these reports and so thankful to have this wonderful couple to carry on the work.

 

As soon as Dave and Randall return and we are able to receiving a complete briefing, the Arewa Aid Board will determine goals and objectives for the remainder of this year and a develop a new vision for 2009. So stay tuned…for Arewa Aid new Vision.

A VISION TOWARD SELF-RELIANCE

          During our February 2007 drip irrigation workshop, a couple of our trainees from southern Borno approached INTERCEP in Maiduguri concerning their vision.  Luka Kyari and Yusuf Buba are the primary visionaries for a center that will equip believers toward self-reliance.  This project has been running as a 6 month training program that has simply taught disciples principles of faith.  However, these followers now hope to take this project to the next level as a full-fledged 2-year curriculum.  Therefore, they invited me to assist in their curriculum development, vision, and integration of INTERCEP into their development.

          To demonstrate the commitment of these saints to the vision, they have already constructed a lecture hall and a structure with 2 offices without the roof.  The available land surrounding the perimeter of these edifices is also quite vast for further development.  There are actually 15 communities of faith meeting with Chibok and Askira/Uba local government areas in southern Borno.  Each of these congregations may or may not have a capable proclaimer of the good news.  Every group of believers is also producing many young servants who hope to share their hope in both Hausa and English languages.

          Nevertheless, the uniqueness of the vision from this center will be to integrate agriculture into the training for self-reliance.  Unfortunately, most proclaimers of the good news depend on the local congregation, foreign support, or rainy-season farming for the livelihood.  Most small faith communities offer an abysmal contribution each week that leaves precious little to support a proclaimer.  The system of foreign support is fraught with difficulties because of the lack of accountability, the resultant entitlement mentality, and the immediate authority ascribed to the one receiving overseas currency.  Rain-fed crop production in Borno State is hardly lucrative with the limited showers that fall even during the peak period of the wet season.

          Thus, the vision of this center is to promote self-sustainability for proclaimers begins with dry-season farming.  This is where drip irrigation, food preservation, and small-scale livestock agriculture buttress the hope of self-reliance.  Proclaimers who diligently apply the principles of drip irrigation during the dry season will have enough vegetables to feed their families with crops left over to sell in the market to pay their children’s school fees.  Food preservation will allow the wives of these servants to store the vegetables for months without spoilage.  Small-scale livestock projects will augment vegetable crops with available manure to increase soil fertility.

          There are schools all over the world that teach faith in a vacuum apart from the realities of everyday life.  INTERCEP’s hope is that the principles of holiness will be integrated with the challenges of sustainable development.  Such a center will be a tremendous testimony that the Almighty’s grace is shared when believers work to empower their communities.  As the livelihood of proclaimers is strengthened, they will have the means to share blessings with their villages.  We pray that the Most-Humble will keep meek as we pursue this vision together. 

Outside Mbala Hall for Lectures

Inside Mbala Hall for Lectures

Mbala Offices