Church of the Brethren staff have been visiting in Nigeria to meet with Nigerian Brethren leadership and mission partners, and to assess the Nigeria Crisis Response. Global Mission and Service executive director Jay Wittmeyer and associate executive Roy Winter, who heads up Brethren Disaster Ministries, attended meetings and traveled with Nigerian Brethren leaders to visit, among other sites, the EYN headquarters near Mubi which were evacuated last October when the Boko Haram Islamist insurgents took over the area.
Nigeria
Denomination Records Stellar Giving, but Core Ministries Giving Suffers
The Church of the Brethren is recording exceptionally generous giving to its denominational ministries this year, the Mission and Ministry Board learned at its Fall meeting. The financial reporting was given by treasurer Brian Bultman and assistant treasurer Ed Woolf. For a full report from the meeting, and a report of the 2016 budget decision, see the story below.
The Stones Cry Out: Displaced People Face Difficult Situation in Nigeria, Boko Haram Attacks Continue
As the crowd cheered Jesus on Palm Sunday, the Pharisees told him to quiet the crowd. Jesus responded, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Later Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem and its future destruction, saying, “They will not leave one stone on another.” These are two opposing references to stones in Luke 19; one of celebration and acknowledgement of Christ, the second of destruction for those who did not recognize him.
Church of the Brethren Volunteer Honored by EYN
The leadership of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) conducted a get-together fellowship in honor of Jim Mitchell, one of the three Church of the Brethren volunteers completing terms of service with the Nigeria Crisis Response. Mitchell had been in Nigeria for three months, where he participated in different events at various regions.
Nigeria Crisis Response Co-Directors Report from Trip to Nigeria
Having recently returned from a short trip to Nigeria, we were encouraged by the relief efforts headed by the EYN Disaster Team of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). The church’s large-scale program of assistance is funneling money to EYN with a five-pronged approach. We were happy that progress has been made in all five areas that we have designated.
Volunteer Observes a Trauma Healing Workshop in Nigeria
The Trauma Healing Workshop is held at a displacement camp that is filled with EYN members from the northeast area of Nigeria where the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency has done much of its terror, killing, and destruction. EYN stands for Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria).
Small-Scale ‘Wall of Healing’ Display Is Available from Global Mission Office
At this year’s Annual Conference, Global Mission and Service presented the “Wall of Healing,” a poster exhibit commemorating the thousands of Nigerians who have been killed in recent years through terrorist violence and persecution. The exhibit is based on the information collected by Rebecca Dali and the Center for Caring, Empowerment, and Peace Initiatives, and was put together by Brethren Volunteer Service workers Pat and John Krabacher.
Trauma Healing Is the Path to Forgiveness in Nigeria
Is it truly possible to forgive someone who has hurt you so grievously that you can hardly function? Some of the IDPs (Internally Displaced People) in Nigeria have been hurt in ways that most of us can only imagine. To understand the healing process let me begin with a definition of trauma and move through some of the important steps necessary to accomplish this goal.
Brethren Volunteers in Nigeria Renew Wedding Vows After 48 Years of Marriage
Tom and Janet Crago, Church of the Brethren volunteers in Nigeria, celebrate their 48th year of marriage at the Annex Office of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (EYN, the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria), located in north central Nigeria where they assist the Brethren who relocated from the church’s headquarters at Kwarhi in Adamawa State. The event took place during the morning devotion of the EYN headquarters staff.
Brethren Disaster Ministries Begins New Partnership for ‘Disaster Recovery Support Initiative’
Brethren Disaster Ministries has begun a new partnership for a Disaster Recovery Support Initiative, joining in with disaster programs of other Christian denominations. The ministry has requested an allocation of $5,000 from the Emergency Disaster Fund (EDF) to help fund this pilot program to more quickly and effectively support the formation of Long Term Recovery Groups (LTRGs) in communities affected by disaster.