Dear Friends and Family Everywhere—

Almost exactly one year ago, we sat down to write to all of you from the riot-torn town of Jos in Plateau State, Nigeria. A lot has happened since then, and it is long past time when we should have written to you again. Jos has settled down a lot, but tensions aren't far away from the minds of most people. But, here in Kwarhi, near Mubi in Adamawa State, and close to the Cameroon border, tensions seem far removed. Life has slowed down for us in Kwarhi. No phones, letters passed by hand, and few radio stations all add up to a less-cluttered, and slower-paced, life-style. We returned to the United States in December of 2001 and had a busy and eventful time there, before returning to Nigeria in July of 2002.

A computer class given by Janet Crago.

We were asked this year to work with EYN (Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria—Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) Headquarters Staff here in Kwarhi, on developing and publishing a denominational Statistical Report, and to also train people at headquarters in the use of various computer programs. At the last moment, we were asked to assist again at TCNN (Theological College of Northern Nigeria) for several weeks, as they prepared for another TCNN Sunday offering. Janet's help in the Registrar's Office was badly needed. This time, the TCNN Governing Board agreed to include the use of TCNN alumni in the TCNN Sunday effort.

It has really been interesting to learn more about the EYN today. One of the first Sundays we were here, we attended a new church organization meeting at Dugulduma. This small village church is near Mubi and the EYN headquarters at Kwarhi, but is still rather remote.

The road to Dugulduma

Bridges to the town washed out some time ago, and one has to drive through the river to get across. Fortunately, we made it over and back before any big thunderstorms came up and increased the size of the river! On that Sunday, we visited the church with Brethren Volunteer Service/Global Mission Partnerships worker Rebekah Helsel, and Moderator-elect Chris Bowman and his family, who were also visiting Nigeria at the time. The seven of us from America must have been quite a sight in the village. We were told later that we were the first white people to have ever visited Dugulduma!

The church at Dugulduma presents one face of the growth EYN is now experiencing. Four brothers settled in Dugulduma with their families in 1942, and a preaching point was established in the village by 1962. It took 40 years of slow, but steady, growth in the village to reach a point where the preaching point could petition to become an organized church of the EYN. (A church now needs at least 100 members and annual offerings of more than 250,000 Naira, or almost $2000 US Dollars, to be considered.) As we were introduced to one person after another in the village, it appeared to us that everyone in the church was related somehow to one of the original four brothers who founded the town. I couldn't help but think about the early roots of the Church of the Brethren in America when farm families often had 8, 10 or even 12 children. No one seems to be very sure of the actual number, but it seems that an average woman in Nigeria today will bear about 7 or 8 children. When Brethren families in America were that large, churches sprang up everywhere the Brethren went to farm in America. We see it happening in Nigeria today, as well.

We have just begun to look at the other face of the growth EYN is experiencing in the major cities of Nigeria. A clearer picture may emerge with publication of the denomination-wide statistical report we were sent here to work on. It seems that, as children were educated in the rural areas, where the EYN began in Nigeria, they often moved on to government or other skilled jobs in the major cities. One of the really noteworthy stories today is about the growth of these major-city EYN churches. How many Church of the Brethren churches in America can you name today with average Sunday attendance of more than 1500, or even 3000, people? We're still counting, but EYN has several that size in Maidugari, Yola, and Abuja, all cities well outside the original mission area boundaries! When children leave the farm in Nigeria, it seems that they're taking their church with them! Is there any parallel in the US church? Can we learn something from this Nigerian experience?

But, let us shift gears a bit. We recently spent three weeks at TCNN, renewing friendships there. Tom assisted with TCNN Sunday preparations again and Janet worked with the Administrative Coordinator to prepare reports for the University of Jos about past graduating classes. Tom learned that Nigerian church members donated almost 700,000 Naira (about $5600 US) last year, in spite of all the disturbances and tensions around the country. An additional 2.3 million Naira was given by Nigerians to redeem pledges made in 2000-01, and1.2 million Naira was recently given by donors from Canada for expanding the Women's School at TCNN. We see many improvements around the school, buildings completed, and a new classroom building going up next to the existing Women's School. It is gratifying to see these fund-raising efforts of the past couple of years beginning to produce so many tangible results.

The challenge this year was to organize the 1000-plus alumni of TCNN to go to some of their major churches on October 6, 2002. The alumni were asked to thank churches for their past support, encourage them to make a sizable donation this year, and to then carry the money raised directly to TCNN or their denominational alumni coordinator. We hope to know very quickly the results of this year's effort. The work we began last year on developing a complete TCNN alumni list, with current addresses, proved valuable this year in our new effort.

A year later: Tom's statistical reports are used in Nigeria.

We also found it gratifying to see the computer programs developed and installed last year still being actively used a year later. Janet helped to bring student records up to date that went back several years and Tom helped with some of the student tuition analysis files again this year. These files, first developed last year, proved to be indispensable during the time we were away. We rounded out a full three weeks at TCNN with a lecture by Tom to the entire student body on a few ways to use church-wide statistics to do strategic planning in the church. More than 170 students signed up to get copies of these lecture notes.

Now back at Kwarhi, we are still adjusting to the hotter weather and less-reliable electrical power as well as trying to catch our breath after our whirlwind duty at TCNN. We have had some car problems on every major trip we've taken so far, but things have managed to turn out OK, in spite of all that. We've had to buy two new tires, a new water pump, adjust the carburetor, and have the gas tank cleaned out, to name just a few of the car challenges. We expect to get back to Jos one or two more times before heading back to Abuja in November for our return to the United States.

We really do feel cut off from all of you this year, but think of you often. With no phones, we have actually learned how to write letters and buy postage stamps again! E-mail doesn't work well with no telephone lines within miles! If you'd like to write, we'd love to hear from you. We hope to be home again in Colorado by Thanksgiving, but like to hear from people throughout the year.

Keep us, and the Christian Church everywhere, in your prayers. We remember all of you often. These are trying times around the world.

Stay in touch! —Tom and Janet Crago

P.S. If you are interested in having us do mission interpretation in your congregation between Jan. 15 and March 31, 2003, please contact Janis Pyle, Coordinator for Mission Connections, Global Mission Partnerships, at (800) 323-8039 x227.