God is still at work at
West Africa Theological Seminary
I arrived at the campus of West Africa Theological Seminary on August 17th after a 12 hour flight from Atlanta and a two hour ride in Lagos traffic. This was the beginning of my 18th trip to the campus since our first visit there in November of 2009. It never gets old or boring. I have to believe it's because I never cease to see God at work in this place.
People are so friendly and always glad to welcome 'this old man'. Eager to learn, patient with my slowness to understand 'plain english', always expressing gratitude to God, with a song in their hearts and a dance in their steps - these are ones I have come to love.
I went with four major projects on which to continue the work. (1) Improving Internet Access; (2) Entering books via bar-coding into the Evergreen Library Management software at WATS; (3) Uploading digital volumes into the WATS eLibrary; and (4) Cleaning up the WATS Database Management System of student records/grades etc.
As is ALWAYS the case - we didn't finish the work. As I told the folks there - If I am here two weeks, we don't finish; If I am here 3 weeks, we don't finish; If I was here a month, we wouldn't finish. Or if I was here permanently we wouldn't finish. But we did make great progress, and each area is probably in the best condition it has ever been in. So, to God be the Glory for that.
I was once again able to spend a bit of time with two of the families Marybeth and I have "adopted". Pastor Jide/Timothy and Antonia Moye and their five children, and Pastor Chude and Faith Menkiti and their son Daniel. What awesome ministries these two families are having. Sacrificing so much, but seeing their obedience rewarded through lives touched for eternity.
I was also blessed to be with my two good friends Joseph Karoma and Joseph Allen. These two passionate and dedicated followers of Jesus have been students at WATS in the Masters of Intercultural Studies - but were 'caught' in the Ebola crisis for 8 months while visiting their families back home - and returned to WATS this past January. They have been church planters and Disciple Makers both in Sierra Leone and Nigeria - primarily among Muslims.
An unexpected joy was to be a part of the WATS Missions Conference. This is a three day event with two services on Wednesday and Thursday and a concluding service on Friday. We sat under the anointed preaching of Rev Shodankeh Johnson of Sierra Leone - and his emphasis on Making Disciples who make Disciple Makers. We heard of story after story of God's movement in Africa - and of the literally thousands who are becoming followers of Jesus. (Not just believers but followers) And we heard from the WATS students of their summer missions trips to several areas of West Africa.
People are so friendly and always glad to welcome 'this old man'. Eager to learn, patient with my slowness to understand 'plain english', always expressing gratitude to God, with a song in their hearts and a dance in their steps - these are ones I have come to love.
I went with four major projects on which to continue the work. (1) Improving Internet Access; (2) Entering books via bar-coding into the Evergreen Library Management software at WATS; (3) Uploading digital volumes into the WATS eLibrary; and (4) Cleaning up the WATS Database Management System of student records/grades etc.
As is ALWAYS the case - we didn't finish the work. As I told the folks there - If I am here two weeks, we don't finish; If I am here 3 weeks, we don't finish; If I was here a month, we wouldn't finish. Or if I was here permanently we wouldn't finish. But we did make great progress, and each area is probably in the best condition it has ever been in. So, to God be the Glory for that.
I was once again able to spend a bit of time with two of the families Marybeth and I have "adopted". Pastor Jide/Timothy and Antonia Moye and their five children, and Pastor Chude and Faith Menkiti and their son Daniel. What awesome ministries these two families are having. Sacrificing so much, but seeing their obedience rewarded through lives touched for eternity.
I was also blessed to be with my two good friends Joseph Karoma and Joseph Allen. These two passionate and dedicated followers of Jesus have been students at WATS in the Masters of Intercultural Studies - but were 'caught' in the Ebola crisis for 8 months while visiting their families back home - and returned to WATS this past January. They have been church planters and Disciple Makers both in Sierra Leone and Nigeria - primarily among Muslims.
An unexpected joy was to be a part of the WATS Missions Conference. This is a three day event with two services on Wednesday and Thursday and a concluding service on Friday. We sat under the anointed preaching of Rev Shodankeh Johnson of Sierra Leone - and his emphasis on Making Disciples who make Disciple Makers. We heard of story after story of God's movement in Africa - and of the literally thousands who are becoming followers of Jesus. (Not just believers but followers) And we heard from the WATS students of their summer missions trips to several areas of West Africa.
I do not have the time to relate all that occurred on this trip. But below are a few pictures.
 David & Emmanuel My 'IT' guys |  Stanley, Stella, Lizzy & Emmanuel Great Library Staff at WATS |  My new friend Vijay with his Excellent taste in clothing |
 The DMin reading room - Laptops from Jim Finch & Smooth Stone Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia |  Stanley, Emmanuel, Ebere, & David Working in the eLibrary - 1200 books entered with 27,000 to go! |  Missions Conference Week with Rev Shodankeh Johnson & The outpouring of God |
 Kenjie Nukui Our expert on all things Internet |  The WATS Guest House and nearly completed Annex |  Chude & Faith Menkiti and some of the children at Humble Light School |
 Joseph Allen, Myself, Shodankeh Johnson & Joseph Karoma |  Timothy, Praise, Hephzibah, David Stephanie, Emmanuel, & Antonia Moye |  Mariann & Miriam, Working on the DMin Database of student records |
Thanks to all who prayed for me on this trip. It was perhaps the most impactful since that first trip nearly 6 years ago. I will share some of this in future posts. I am more keenly aware than ever before that we must be redeeming the time. We must continue to be OBEDIENT - RIVERS. The time is NOW.
RIVERS NOT RESERVOIRS
7982 Hillcrest Trail
Jonesboro, Georgia 30236
BLOG: www.hisrivers.org
EMAIL: his.rivers@gmail.com
7982 Hillcrest Trail
Jonesboro, Georgia 30236
BLOG: www.hisrivers.org
EMAIL: his.rivers@gmail.com
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