November/December 2020 Missions Update

Compliments of the season. We thank the Lord for bringing us to the last month of this year, 2020. The year was a very difficult one, but God has been very faithful. How God saw us through and helped us contribute our quota to the Great Commission has been amazing. We know that your selfless fervent prayers cannot be divorced from all that God has helped us achieve this year and the past two months.

Salvation/Discipleship Across the Nations

In almost all our fields and nations where our missionaries work, we have received heartwarming reports of scores of persons that surrendered their lives to Christ. At Furaka, as COVID 19 subsides, we had a three-day outreach, which was well attended. In one of the nights, over 30 persons surrendered their lives to Christ.  In one of the Sahel nations (name withheld), five persons from the the religion of our other cousins surrendered their lives to Christ.

At Bolu mission field, one person surrendered his life to Christ. At Bum, 12 Zullawas surrendered their lives to Christ, and all the converts who did not have bibles were given a free copy of a bible each.  At Majid and Sahidu in Northern Cameroon, the gospel was preached, where some Fulanis were excited to have one of them present the gospel to them so convincingly. At Gommana, Northern Cameroon, our missionary has resumed work fully, and to the glory of God, he met the converts doing well. In all these and other fields with similar breakthroughs, we covet your prayers earnestly that Christ is formed in them.  Discipleship efforts are ongoing. At Sanga, the missionaries reported that they have had an opening to the Technical college to preach and disciple some new believers.

New but Difficult Frontiers

The missionaries at the Oma mission field continue to comb the villages around them with the gospel. According to the missionaries' report, they have been evangelizing Ugbogwu village, and God is granting them a significant result. They feel it is time to start a church, the first church ever for the new believers. This move has been resisted vehemently by the village elders who claim that five denominations had made a series of efforts in the past but were resisted.  They sound friendly and have invited our missionaries over for discussion several times. We covet your prayers for the Lord to touch their hearts so the light of the gospel would dispel the darkness in a greater capacity. We are also penetrating Badiko and Pelu, but we need additional hands to sustain the work there. In the same vein, we are penetrating some other necessary but challenging terrain, which we would not want to disclose here for security reasons, but we covet your prayers for divine protection.

IDP and Widows

Daudu/Makurdi IDP Camp

With the financial help of Tabitha Arise Foundation, we have been able to provide foodstuffs and other necessary assistance to the Internally Displaced Persons at the camp in Daudu, Benue State. We are grateful to the Benue State Representative of Nigeria Evangelical Missions Association, Sister Mimi Edward, for partnering with us to help make the purchases and to Dr. Daniel Abah for assisting with the logistics. We are ever grateful to Tabitha Arise Foundation for their consistency over the years in providing relief to the vulnerable displaced persons at the IDP camps.  God has also used the Furaka Grace Foundation Women to provide palliatives to widows in the community. Rhema For the Native, a Bible Translation group, also provided palliatives to a number of persons in Furaka community through Grace Foundation.

Missions Training

Set 24 of the School of Cross-Cultural Missions are currently on various mission fields for practical field exposures. They will continue with the field trip through Christmas to have a taste of Christmas on the field. They and the new set will resume classes on January 5, 2021. We covet your prayers for divine protection and breakthroughs in their labors on the field. Please pray for financial resources to meet up with the demands of the prevailing inflation. Foodstuffs, in particular, are very expensive now. Many of the students admitted for the January 5, 2021 batch complain of lack of money to pay their school fees. If we must make progress with the work, we need more missionaries, and if we must get more missionaries, prospective missionaries must be well trained. We may have no other option but to go ahead to allow some of them to resume without fees believing that God will provide.

Also, we will begin preparation to open up the training for Portuguese speakers with the response God is granting us in Brazil.  One of our staff will travel to Brazil to learn the Portuguese language, and on return, we will begin to accept students first to learn English in the first two months of stay and then resume missions training afterward. Thank the Lord for our friends and partners in Brazil who are eager to see this come to pass and pray that the Lord will empower them to fulfill these promises.

Home of Grace (HOG)

Almost all the kids we brought into the HOG nearly 20 years ago are grown, one well over 20 years old and another, 36 years. Some have completed their first degrees; others are married have gone while five are currently enrolled in the university. Some of them were vulnerable kids at the time we brought them in but not orphans. The circumstances that led us to bring them have changed. After prayers, we have released some of them to go while others left on their own. We have replaced them with younger orphans and kids of missionaries serving in dangerous mission fields or fields without schools. Some of the orphans are coming from a background with some traumatic experiences. We are glad that they are adjusting very fast. Again, we are grateful to Eternity Ministry that provided N50,000 to pay missionary kids’ school fees, textbooks, cardigans, and other needs that may arise during the session. We are grateful to Tabitha Arise Foundation that is still screening two orphans to provide scholarships for them, they may add two more kids in January.  Just like our School of Cross-Cultural Missions students on training, the cost of feeding the HOG kids has skyrocketed.  Pray along with us for God to open the door of finances to cope with the challenges of inflation.

Conclusion

Thank you so much for your partnership over the years. Together, we have made progress despite COVID 19 and other challenges determined to stop us these past months. For us, we cannot thank God enough. In the face of the growing insecurity, we have traveled day and night, including notorious routes. God kept us. Despite inflation, we have never been stranded. When we are almost running out of foodstuffs, God provides. God has consistently provided resources to meet up with our obligation to our growing number of missionaries. In all cases, we knew it was God’s miraculous intervention.  Please, keep praying for us just as we continue to pray for you. Mission work is much more dangerous than ever, and resources are again more limited. May the Lord continue to build His church in the dark places of the earth through us. May the Lord bless you for all you do for His kingdom.

His bondservant,

 

Andrew Abah

Are You Passionate About Orphans, Vulnerable Kids and MKs? Would You Like to Make Input to Their Lives?

Missions cannot be divorced from what James 1:27 refers to as pure and genuine religion.

According to him, "pure and genuine religion in the sight of God, the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. true religion"

Would you kindly partner with us so we can please the Lord with this specialized kind of care? Click the link below, read and get back to us.

https://gfhog.blogspot.com/2020/11/can-you-help-us-to-help-more-orphans.html

Do You Want to Partner With GFIM?

Thank you for your interest in partnering with us to take the gospel to the unreached people groups in the dark places of the earth, which is why you are reading this. As you are aware, we recruit prospective missionaries, train them at our School of Cross-Cultural Missions located in Jos for a minimum of one year and deploy them to live among the unreached people group to evangelize them and disciple those that respond to the gospel.

• Currently, we have missionaries involve in pioneering mission work among the Zullawas, Dirawas, Boluawas, and Sanga people of Bauchi state.
• In Niger State, we have missionaries working among the Dukawas and Kamberi people across ten different villages.
• In Benue State, we work among the Aiona people of Oma.
• In the Benin Republic, we work among the Bokkos and the Kamberis across five villages.
• In the Niger Republic, we work among the Bankoula, Hausa, and Gobirawa people.
• In Cameroon, we work among the Fulani people in the extreme North of the country.
• In Chad, our work is suspended following the death of the missionary.

Partnership opportunities include:

• Adoption of single missionaries
• Adoption of a married missionary couple
  
• Adoption of mission field which includes handling of projects on the mission fields like the purchase of a motorcycle, building of mission house for missionaries accommodation, provision of potable water like borehole, purchase of a grinding machine, sewing machine, and other tools that could be used by the missionaries to attract the people for the building of bridges/establishing of social contact as well as generate income for the missionaries to augment their upkeep allowance, etc.
• Payment of school fees of missionary trainees.
  
• Supporting orphans, vulnerable kids, and children of missionaries that are living outside the mission field.

Details of the partnership package can be provided upon request.

Again, thank you so much for your interest, and God bless you.

Bank Details:

Bank: Guaranty Trust Bank(GTB)

Account Name/Number: Grace Foundation Inland Missions/0025911166

Type: Current

Bank: Guaranty Trust Bank Dollar Account

Account Name/Number: Grace Foundation Inland Missions/0025911180

Type: Current

Bank: United Bank of Africa(UBA)

Account Name/Number: Grace Foundation Inland Missions/1003079763

Type: Current

Bank: Diamond Bank

Account Name/Number: Grace Foundation Inland Missions/0003651639

Type: Current

Are You Passionate About Orphans, Vulnerable Kids and MKs? Would You Like to Make Input to Their Lives?

Today is International Widows Day. A Nigeria based television station did a documentary to highlight their plight. A case cited by the TV station was that of a 42-year-old woman, and her children brought tears to my eyes. As the camera crew took us through the uncompleted buildings she lived in up to where she now resides, you will naturally think only mad people stay in such places. Watching the interviewing, you know she is not insane. The widow explains that they sold all their possessions when the husband was sick to treat him but unfortunately, he died. While the son was speaking to the journalist, the TV station stopped airing the documentary.

Recently, I encountered one such woman with three children. I came back home, depressed. I wish I could help them, but my hands are full. We see more and more orphans and vulnerable kids roaming the street without help. We are taking in another set of five kids into the Home of Grace(HOG) to help in addition to the 50 of them we already have in:

• Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
• Ahole, Niger Republic
• Samunaka, Niger State, Nigeria 

Hopefully, we will do more. A heartbreaking experience was that of a sister of a small girl that we took this week. She begged that we should please consider her too. She dropped out of school in JSS one. Her grandmother, a widow, had pleaded for several months that we help her and her grandchildren. Her son, the father of these children, had gone to be with the Lord.   We turned down the little girl's appeal because we are already taking more than we can chew.  Turning down, her request was not an experience, and it has been easy since then. I have continued to pray for more support so the ministry and I can do more, knowing the implication of what Proverbs 21:13 noted: “ Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.”  I am, however, also aware that God knows our financial capacity to cope.

We do not just accommodate the kids who are mainly orphans, vulnerable kids, and missionary kids at our Home of Grace (HOG). We feed them. We take them to school and provide all they need to have a great future, including school fees, textbooks, pay all levies, etc. We take care of them like we take care of our children. We assign trained missionary staff to them as foster parents.  To take more kids, we need more missionaries, trained and experienced missionaries to join our team. To take in more of these kids, we will like you to pray about joining our team.

 You can do this via many fronts:

1. Commit yourself to pray for the kids and every one of us in the frontline. We noticed more lately that the spiritual resistance from the power of darkness is not in any way less than the ones our missionaries working among the unreached people encounters. Just recently, a young girl whom we raised attempted suicide but for God’s intervention. One other had struggled with suicidal thoughts until recently. The demonic background where most of these kids come from hunt them. Sometimes the character and demonic traits in the lives of some of the kids make us feel like giving up on them. This dimension of mission is characterized by chains of power encounter like no other. Once, a girl was accused of witchcraft. On another occasion, a child met me and confessed that she drank blood the night before. Some struggle with sin for a long time even after all the messages they kept hearing. Most of these cited cases resulted in their deliverance and testimonies. Few others have to go because the environment is too uncomfortable for them. Pray for our existing partners whose help made it possible to sustain the work to this point.
2. We want those who would join our team as an advocate for the orphans and vulnerable kids. Such advocates will, in addition to prayers, commit themselves to raise partners who would support the work both in prayers and regular financial supports. Just recently, the prices of foodstuff have more than doubled. This inflation cut across every spectrum of their everyday needs like soap, pomade, toothpaste, and other toiletries. Our accommodation is becoming congested and we are building another house that would accommodate 30 more children. We are still trusting God for an additional N10 million to complete the project.
3. You can join our team as a missionary caregiver. This requires that you must be born again, gone through mission training, and possibly gain some experience. You must be willing to relate with the children as your children. You must be willing to do the menial job like cooking, bathing the younger ones, washing their clothes when the need arises. If you are well educated and can drive, that will be awesome! It is residential and may require 24/7 attention.

OCTOBER 2020 MISSIONS’ UPDATE

 Dearly Beloved,

Calvary greetings in Jesus' name. We are grateful to God for the privilege of being part of the year. He has been incredible to us, and we have continued to experience His faithfulness in every sense. The much we have contributed to advancing His kingdom is because of your partnership and collaboration over the years. Thank you so much. Below are some of our recent missions’ update:

Miracles and Conversions Across the Fields 

The newly baptized Furaka believers

One of the common features of Jesus' ministry was miracles. God consistently backed up His words with signs and wonders as the missionaries labored across the various mission fields.  These miracles attracted many to embrace Christ as their Lord.  Ezekiel Ibrahim at the Egbesi field reported that some hardened Muslims were among those that got saved. At the Dukawa field, Sunday Ibrahim noted that the church building could no longer accommodate the increasing number of new believers. At the same time, at Bum, Ladi Ekpa said that a young girl surrendered her life to Christ.  We also received similar heartwarming reports from our missionaries based in some of the Muslim nations of people who embraced the Lord for the first time. At Furaka, nine persons were baptized this month after vigorous discipleship.

 Discipleship Centers Among the Sangawas and Fulanis

As God continues to add to the number of believers, efforts at getting them to be like Jesus both through intensive teachings and praying have continued to intensify shortly after Adamu Ahmadu resumed work at Goummana in Cameroon.  He is currently discipling 11 men, 12 women, six teenagers, and 20 children who meet regularly to pray and study God’s word. They are all Fulanis and MBBs.

Also, at Sanga in Nigeria, Yusufu Muraimo and Yusuf Iliya (Not their real name) began to meet as a group to study God’s words together. The rainfall has reduced in several of the fields, and fellowship has fully resumed. Pray along with us until Christ is formed in them. 

Miraculous Escape at Various Mission Fields

Elisha, son of one of our missionaries, Joel Dukiya, was bitten by a snake. Pray for a speedy recovery for him. Also, four of his other children are presently sick and are on a drip last week. He is the missionary whose wife died two years ago. Pray along with us that affliction will not arise the second time.  

At kwanga, Jos East Local Government of Plateau State, Samuel Moses mistakenly stepped on the head of a snake. How he escaped been bitten by the snake was a miracle, and at the same Kwanga, we have killed several snakes, including snakes with two heads. At the Benin Republic, Sayeri stepped on a snake at Libentee mission field unknowingly. The snake raised its head to attack him but for divine intervention. We are grateful to God for the miracle.

Also, a mysterious wind blew some pepper into the eyes of our missionary at Kubule mission field. He went blind, but with much prayers, he received his sight. The power encounters at the various mission fields are on the increase, and we earnestly covet your prayers for divine protections for all the missionaries and their families. The missionary with mental health challenge we reported in our September missions’ update was taken to hospital and diagnosed with Panic Disorder. Still, the doctor said it has not gotten to a chronic stage and assured us that he would be well. We are praying and counting on God for the finished work of Calvary on his behalf.    

COVID 19 and the New Burkina Faso/Cameroon Work

Our Anchor Person at Ouagadougou said the COVID 19 Protocol in place may still not be friendly enough for pioneer effort but that the missionaries, Yohanna Alih and Harouna Tiengo deployed to the country could at least come over on familiarization visit but our Niger Republic Country Director, Liman DanWauya stressed that the border that leads to Burkina Faso from the Niger Republic is still under closure. Yohanna Alih will have to stay put in the Niger Republic to learn the French language and its culture.

For Cameroon, Ahmadou Adamu had some issues with the Police because his Cameroon ID card has expired. He got a two-month temporary permit, and hopefully before it expires, he will formally renew it. We were only able to pay for three months’ rent and we trust God for funds to renew the rent as soon as it expires. His wife, Amina, and children will remain in Nigeria until some of these issues are sorted out.  The work among the Fulanis is still young but thriving.

Home of Grace (HOG) Update

Despite some unpleasant experiences we had with some of the kids at the Home of Grace (HOG), the overall result of our ministry to orphans and vulnerable have continued to yield a positive result. This month, we celebrated the second anniversary of Timothy Ezekiel, Domshak Ezekiel, Victor Aderemi, and Roseline Christopher.  Within the past two years, God has helped us immensely to deal with their trauma (the parent of some of them were slaughtered in their presence). We have also helped them in their studies using private teachers to bring them up to date and fixing them in a school that will give them the best. God has, through our partners, blessed them with very good clothes, and every basic need that will keep them happy.  We are incredibly grateful for all the sacrifices made by our partners and friends that made these possible. We are delighted that they have fully adjusted to the home. Like we reported earlier, Priscilla John, Victor Michael, and Precious Micheal have been released. Jonathan Umoru was admitted to Bauchi State University and has since resumed before the COVID 19 closure, is currently at Dir. We are glad that he and his family have fully reconciled after many years of intense persecution for his faith. The other remaining children are doing well.

Some of the HOG kids

Eight more kids are joining the home this October from challenging and dangerous terrain. Four of them are full orphans, and four others are missionary kids whose parents are working in mission fields that are not safe for the kids, and above all, do not have schools that can take care of their children. Please, we covet your prayers earnestly for God to raise partners that would fund their upkeep, studies, etc. Pray also along with us that God will bless our partners who are already sacrificing so much to keep both the Home and the missionaries and their families on the field.

The Home of Grace at the Niger Republic is doing well, but they desperately need a vehicle to move them to school and back daily, they trek several kilometers. I have offered to give them my Sienna car, but it will require some repair, fund to process change of documentation/custom paper to Grace Foundation (Fondation de la Grace), and fuel it to Niger. Pray that the Lord will provide the resources as soon as possible.

Missions Training Update

SOCM Graduates

The School of Cross-Cultural Missions (SOCM) is making progress with Set 26 students. Many of the
candidates admitted for this set could not resume due to financial challenges, while some are still trusting God for the fund to resume in January, others hope they will join the training in March 2021. Nevertheless, we covet your prayers fervently as a lack of sponsorship for prospective missionaries will affect the number of missionaries that will engage the remaining tribes pleading for missionaries. The cost of training and the upkeep of the orphans and vulnerable kids are not the same as before, the prices of foodstuff have almost doubled. Transport costs, as well as electricity charges, are no longer easily affordable, and we keep trusting the Lord, who called us to continue to provide. God has used Anude Family Legacy Endowment Fund (AFLEND) consistently for three years to fund three candidates per annum. Pray that God will bless every member of the family and pray also for Gospel Bankers Inc. They have been very supportive of our mission training program. Pray that the Lord will replenish their source.

Thank you so much for your love, sacrifices, collaboration, and all you do to join us to advance God's kingdom especially among the people who ordinarily may never be able to access the gospel. We pray for you always for God's protection over you and your family as well as for God's blessings in all your endeavors. We covet your prayer as well. You are aware that our family and us are key targets of the devil. God has used your prayers to keep us and strengthen our hands even amidst very difficult times. Again, thank you so much.

His bondservant,

Andrew Abah

Director

---------------------------------

Bank Details - Bank: Guaranty Trust Bank(GTB).  Account Name/Number: Grace Foundation Inland Missions/0025911166. Type: Current

Anude Family Legacy Endowment(AFLEND) Beneficiary Candidates

2018

1. Kabiru Bashiru, Zull, Bauchi state

2. Isaac Abah, Kaduna

3 Adamu Yusuf, Winti,  Bauchi

 

2019

4. Tainenbe Raissa, Cameroon

5. Ahmadu Adamu, Cameroon

6. Yunsusa Adamu, Sanga, Bauchi state

 

2020

7. Mary Joshua, current student

8. Monica Hassan, current student

9. Matthew Richard, current student

SEPTEMBER 2020 MISSIONS’ UPDATE

Calvary greetings in Jesus' name. Thank you so much for your partnership, even in the face of COVID 19. God continues to use your prayer, morale, and financial support to sustain us as we continue to labor and advance God’s kingdom in the dark places of the earth. Below is the combination of testimonies of what God has done these past two months and prayer points relating to some of our prevailing challenges requiring divine intervention.

Bum Mission House Collapsed

Part of the mission house at the Bum mission field has collapsed after concerted heavy rainfall. 

Please, join us to thank the Lord that nobody was hurt. Also, join us to pray that God will provide resources for a stronger mission house to be built immediately as there is no house to rent in the community. Ladi Ekpa, the occupant of the mission house, is one of Grace Foundation's choicest, passionate, most enduring, and consistent missionaries. 

Pray that the Lord strengthens and protects her. Just some days before the house collapsed, she almost got drowned in a river while on a visit to converts that have challenges. The field is also threatened with herdsmen's pressure now. The Fulani herdsmen destroyed the farm of a Zullawa man.  Instead of the herdsman apologizing, he felt provoked that he was confronted, and he, in turn, mobilized other Fulani fighters. Thank God that the Divisional Police Officer promptly intervened.

Mental Health Issue with Missionaries

Two years ago, we withdrew a missionary who had some visible mental health challenges from the mission field. We had withdrawn two prospective missionaries from our School of Cross-Cultural Missions for the same reasons previously. Less than a week ago, we were confronted with the same challenge and had requested that the missionary be brought to the headquarters for attention. We have been under severe pressure because of this and other emerging challenges on some of the mission fields, and we earnestly covet your prayers for divine intervention, wisdom and resources to manage the situation.

Daring Territorial Powers in Oma Missions Field Neighborhood

The work at the Oma mission field is extending to some villages around Oma that are in serious need. One of those villages is under a severe grip of witchcraft spirit that hates the sight of men. Almost all the men in the village have died in mysterious circumstances, and the few surviving ones moved out of the area. The women, who are mainly widows, vowed to resist the gospel, adding that no church will be planted there. The missionaries, Andrew Marafa and Abel Onuh covet your prayers as they persist in preaching the gospel to them as they hope to plant a church there in the future despite their resistance. The converts at the Oma center are coming up and have been very consistent with their discipleship class. They covet prayers for funds for musical equipment as that would attract many youths to the gospel. Plastering and flooring work has resumed at their fellowship center, but the fund could only go halfway.  Pray along with us for funds to complete the work.

Spiritual Mapping of Sanga/Gwa Mission Field Continues

Our missionaries, Joel Dukiya, Amina and Ahmadu Adamu, are still surveying the Sanga people and studying their culture. While still visiting the villages around to establish the most appropriate one to operate from, they got some houses to rent at Gomau, which currently serve as the mission base. Amina Adamu was severely ill and was hospitalized. When we noticed that there was no sign of improvement, she was brought to Jos and was hospitalized at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital. She has fully recovered and has since returned to the mission field. We appreciate our partners for all their prayers and financial support. The Adamus have been quite burdened for the Fulani people of Northern Cameroon and have been redeployed there for fresh pioneering work. Yunusa and Peace Adamu have been posted there to take over the work in Sanga from them.  The Lord blessed the missionary with a motorcycle by Eternity Ministry. We pray the Lord to bless them a hundredfold.

Meanwhile, the survey carried out among the Gwa people, an almost 100% Muslim group, revealed that much prayers still need to be made to engage them due to security reasons. While our team was there, one of the Gwa people was killed.

Dir/Bolu Mission Fields

Just after completing a two-bedroom and sitting room apartment for our missionary couple, Yohanna and Rahila Musa at Dir, God blessed them with a brand new motorcycle by some donors via the Nigeria Evangelical Missions Association (NEMA) as part of support towards the Bauchi State Missions Consultation. The pressures and threats from the migrants from Plateau State have been very intense. The fear of these people has been a great barrier for the people to respond to the gospel, and we covet your prayers for courage for the few Dirawa believers. Pray for fresh grace and wisdom for the missionaries as they contemplate new strategies for reaching out to the people. 

Kogi State Missions Consultations

After several months of lockdown as a result of COVID 19, we held the Igala Missions Summit 2020 at the Kogi State University. The summit attracted key Igala Christian leaders from within the Igala nation and the diaspora. During the summit, we reminded the leaders of the over 200 villages that still do not have any known church and the need to take the light of the gospel to these priority areas. The leaders, representing all known leading denominations and mission groups, were convinced of the need to be at the forefront of pursuing the vision.

 We also had the privilege of speaking both at the plenary and workshop sessions of the Calebite World Mission Conference. Over a hundred persons responded to the altar call for pioneer missions, especially among unreached peoples. Follow up discussion is ongoing to enable some of them  enroll at the School of Cross-Cultural Missions. Some of the volunteers went for short term missions immediately after the conference, and the result was extremely encouraging. Many villages were visited. Many idol worshippers surrendered their lives to Christ and brought out their idols to be burnt. Churches were planted, and discipleship work is going on right now.  Please, we covet your prayers that the impact of the two conferences will result in the advancement of God’s kingdom.

Missions Training

The students rounded up their two-month field trip and have resumed classwork. Since the resumption, the students have taken Appropriate Skills and Sports Ministry in Missions. Each student learned how to make pomade, soap, disinfectants like izal and Dettol, basic bricklaying, among others. Three of our students benefited from the Anude Family Legacy (AFLEND) scholarship. We have ten other candidates who are still trusting God for resources to resume. Pray along with us for resources to enable them to resume as soon as possible. Pray for the trainers as they continue to trust the Lord for wisdom, fresh unction, and help to cope with this critical double-digit inflation. So much fund is required to subsidize the cost of training, especially the feeding cost of the students.

Home of Grace 

This is an unusual time for the kids at the HOG as they have never been used to staying at home for such a long time without going to school. We spent quality time studying the scripture together. We exposed teenagers to skill development. Some of the kids changed the environment by traveling to Abuja. We dealt with some character issues, especially with teenagers. We had the privilege of celebrating the birthday of Rosa and Timothy for the first time. Priscilla John was formally released after over 20 years with the HOG. She has completed her degree program in Guidance and Counselling from the University of Jos. We covet your prayers for her as she grapples with a mental health challenge.

The increase in the electricity and prices of foodstuff have been quite challenging as the cost of running the home has skyrocketed without a corresponding increase in our income. Pray along with us for God to raise man and women that will be committed to providing fund for the upkeep of the children.

Appreciation and Conclusion

Thank you so much for your partnership over the years. The Lord has used you to help us continue to wax stronger and stronger in our labor to advance God’s kingdom in the dark places of the earth, even in the face of the COVID 19 recession. We pray that the Lord will bless you beyond your imagination. Please, kindly note all the prayer points listed in this missions’ update. We covet your prayers, and we are committed to praying for you always. God will reward your sacrifices and labor of love.

Bank Details:

Bank: Guaranty Trust Bank(GTB)
Account Name/Number: Grace Foundation Inland Missions/0025911166
Type: Current

Bank: Guaranty Trust Bank Dollar Account
Account Name/Number: Grace Foundation Inland Missions/0025911180
Type: Current

Bank: United Bank of Africa(UBA)
Account Name/Number: Grace Foundation Inland Missions/1003079763
Type: Current

Bank: Diamond Bank
Account Name/Number: Grace Foundation Inland Missions/0003651639
Type: Current

Celebrating Rosa on her 8th Birthday...

 

June 2020 Missions' Update

Calvary greetings in Jesus' name. We are grateful to God for keeping and helping us to continue to contribute our quota to advancing His kingdom even in the face of the Corona lockdown. Thank you also for partnering with us at this odd time. We have prayed continuously for you, and we are glad that you are safe and trust the Lord. You will keep waxing stronger. Since the pandemic could not stop us from fulfilling His pleasures, we would love to give you the feedback on some of the critical advancements we have made and share some of the challenges trusting the Lord that they will spur you to both praise God with us and pray along with us.

New Frontiers

Sanga People

We gained another milestone in our pursuit of extending the gospel to the least-reached people in June 2020 as we begin work among the Sanga people of Bauchi State. Pastor Joel Dukiya, who had labored among the people of Dir, Kamberi, Libentee, and Zull, is taking his accumulated experiences to pioneer the work. He is working along with Pastor Dukiya is Amina and Adamu, who were initially designed to pioneer work among the Fulani’s in Northern Cameroon.

Eternity ministry and Grace Foundation Inland Missions are collaborating in the work among the Sanga, and the partnership is expected to extend to several other least reached groups as the Lord provides the harvest force. We covet your prayer for favor, wisdom, and breakthrough for the missionaries.

Entry into Other Regions

Beside Sanga, GFIM is advancing into other newer communities among the least reached people groups in Niger State, where we were already working, such as the Kamberi and Dukawas. Missionaries were deployed to reside and work among the people. Converts in some of the newer mission fields such as Ichi and Egbesi came together to build churches and mission houses where the missionaries live. At Libentee, the Benin Republic, the converts also raised a two-bedroom flat with mud block to serve as missionary resident. From the headquarters, we provided resources for the roofing. We are still trusting the Lord for funds to provide windows, doors, and plaster/floor the house.

Delay with Burkina Faso Takeoff

The GFIM outstanding pioneer work scheduled for Burkina Faso this year is suffering some setback. There has been a scarcity of travel document which has lasted for four months now. There are no passport booklets, and we had even requested just the ECOWAS travel document, but it is still not available at both the Plateau and Bauchi States immigration offices. Pray for our team Yohanna and Linda Ali as they tidy up plans for their take off. Pray for wisdom, grace, and all the needed help. We appreciate the Gospel Bankers for their consistent concern and support for all our pioneering efforts. 

Missions Training

Newly graduated - Batch 24 of SOCM.

The 25th Batch of our School of Cross-cultural Missions students has completed the first phase of their classwork despite the lockdown as a result of  COVID 19. They have been sent to the mission field for practical exposures. Because of the interstate movement restriction, we could only deploy students to mission fields in Bauchi and Benue States. With the lifting of the lockdown imposed on Plateau State by the government, the SOCM has begun the admission process for Batch 26. Also, our bi-annual training program, Advanced Missions Leadership Institute (AMLI) course, is scheduled for October 1-26, 2020. We encourage leaders to apply on time as the space slot is minimal. Admission is open to those who have served for ten years and above.

Home of Grace

Some of the HOG kids

The lockdown became boring for the kids. We continue to encourage them to observe social distancing, washing of hands regularly, and observe all the rules strictly. We created indoor games in addition to helping them improve on some skills. Jonathan, for example, has acquired more proficiency in video editing and has helped with scores of video clips during this period. Blessing has perfected her hair braiding skills. Rosa has started learning how to braid, and Naomi has improved on this significantly. Our desktop computer and laptops have been repaired, and soon they will begin learning useful computer skills as well as engaging in taking some online courses. Although schools still remain closed, the school management has started giving assignments/homework to the kids to keep them busy.

The upkeep allowances of the kids have remained a challenge. Some of our partners that had been providing the monthly upkeep allowances are no longer consistent. We understand that some of them were adversely impacted by the lockdown situation. God has, however, remained very faithful as we have not had a reason for any of the kids to suffer hunger. We also had no critical health challenge that warranted running helter-skelter. We covet your prayers for improved funding as well as for our partners that have been challenged in one way or the other. Pray also for all the foster parents that have been extremely and consistently supportive that God will replenish their source.

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

Despite the economic mess occasioned by the  lockdown, our passion, and concern for the

Palliatives for the Heipang IDPs in June 2020

IDPs have not shrunk. Rather, we are much more concerned considering the intensity of their plight during the season. We continued to pray for them.  We took some time out to visit them. This month, we bought palliatives worth N300,000 for the people in the camp. We also bought additional palliative worth N185,000 for 20 selected widows at the Heipang IDP camp through support provided by our partner organization, Tabitha Arise Foundation. We also supported one of them that has a spinal cord related issue and has been on admission at the hospital. Pray that God will step into their situation, wipe away their tears, and fully resettle them. Some of them have gotten farmlands and have moved out to the farm. Pray that the Fulani Jihadists that have constantly attacked them will not return.

Conversion and Discipleship across the Fields

The lockdown did not extend to most of the jungles where our missionaries work. Therefore, evangelism, discipleship, and in some places, church services remained consistent. We received a series of good news on souls that were saved. Even in some of the mission fields like Zullawa, where churches were closed up, prayers, and bible study were held in smaller units at homes and were very effective. We also have exciting news from various fields in Benin and the Niger Republic as well as among the Kamberis where two new churches were pioneered and among the Dukawa people groups. At Oma, we also received reports of unusual visitation from God in several ways, including victories in spiritual warfare/power encounters.

Building Projects Update

God has helped us to make outstanding progress this month in the building projects across the mission fields:

Kubule church building

• v  Firstly, we had a brand new church fully built at the Kubule mission field. We used 9-inch blocks from beginning to finish. The ceiling has been fixed and it has a standard toilet for both males and females. It is the first church to be painted in the entire area. The incredible testimony is that God used just one person to sponsor the entire project as an appreciation to God on his 50th birthday anniversary. Please kindly pray for the sponsor that God Almighty will bless him in many ways beyond his imagination. Pray for many of such spectacular miracles of financial open doors.
• v  At Dir mission field, we completed a brand new two-bedroom/sitting room apartment. Our missionary couple, Yohanna and Rahila, have moved into the completed building, and the students on field trips now use the old apartment.
• v  At Tibiri in the faraway Niger Republic, the story is the same. The two-bedroom flat for the missionary couple, Liman and Abiguel, is fully completed, and the missionary couple has moved in with their family. A group had earlier drilled a borehole for us at the premises free of charge.
• v  At Tugan Maidaji in the faraway Benin Republic, the converts began a church building that they could not complete. We have completed the building. One of the sponsors also provided funds for 23 plastic chairs, and another sponsor provided funds for 20 Bibles. God has been very amazing. To have all these completed during this Corona season is truly incredible. We give God all the glory.

Staff Matter

With ten new members of staff joining our staff team and pioneering in unfamiliar terrain, a new office for coordinating the new frontiers evolved. Consequently, Stephen Paul has been transferred from the Zull mission field to handle that function. He will be visiting the new fields/missionaries to provide counsel and advice on the work. Paul was trained at our School of Cross-Cultural Missions and had served in the desert Muslim nation of Niger Republic before his transfer to Zull, where he had labored until his transfer. We covet your prayers for God’s help as he resumes work soon.

Finally, thank you for your partnership and for taking the time to read through this update. God bless you, richly. We continue to pray for you. We continue to count on your prayer.

April/May 2020 Missions' Update

Dearly Beloved,

Easter greetings in Jesus' name. We trust that the Lord is keeping you safe amidst this Coronavirus pandemic. You have been in our prayer list consistently, and we believe God that all that the word of God promised in Psalm 91 on your protection remains your portion in Jesus' name. Thank you for your consistent partnership even at these odd times.

Before the pandemic escalated, we had a very busy month in March 2020. Firstly our staff were all in Jos for a short retreat, followed by the 25th African Mission Summit (AMS 2020) during which delegate from Nigeria, South African, Cameron, Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, Benin, etc. converged together at Jos. We had, among others, Dr. Chuka Anude from Soteria Church, Maryland, USA, Rev. Govind Ramachandra from Baptist Church, Dubai, UAE, Elsie Govender from South Africa, etc. as guest speakers.

The participants were encouraged, many sick people were healed, and some of the indigenous leaders who were in attendance had the opportunity of meeting other leaders from within and outside the country. The testimonies were mind-blowing, and we give God the glory. Thank you for your prayer and financial contribution to the Summit. Pray along with us that the impacts will remain indelible and advance God’s kingdom in our various mission fields.

Pan - African Leaders Summit

Similar to the African Missions Summit, the Four Square Gospel Church had a Summit for their leaders across Africa at Cotonou, the Benin Republic, where the International Director served as one of the plenary speakers. He spoke on dealing with the scourge of Islam in Africa at the leadership Summit, which was attended mainly by leaders, including the General Overseers of some of the African nations and foreign mission directors from Nigeria, Chad, Rwanda, Ghana Benin Republic, etc.

Latin America Mission

Brazil missions trip

Also, in March, we had the privilege of ministering at Brazil across various cities and denominations but predominantly at Assemblies of God’s denomination. Although it was mainly a mission drive, we had testimonies of individuals who surrendered their lives to Christ and others who got healed. Many persons responded to the call for missions. Three of such persons are making a plan to enroll in the Grace Foundation School of Cross-Cultural Missions and another five top leaders are planning to attend The Missions Exposures and Training (MET) course at Pretoria, South African. Again, we are extremely grateful to Evangelist Peter Ikechukwu for the incredibly amazing love and support he provided that ensured the success of this trip.

Field Projects Update

Despite the lockdown, God helped us to buy a motorcycle for the Bolu mission field this week. The motorcycle was stolen two months ago when our missionary, Yohanna Ali, traveled to Bauchi. It was stolen from the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) premises. Life has been tough for them since then.

The Kamberi field under the leadership of Sunday Musa has started work on a new church project at Kubule with excavation, blending, and forming and are trust the Lord that in the next one month, the church will be completed and dedicated. Please join us to pray for God’s blessing on the donor (name withheld). Also, at Samunaka, we are fixing doors and windows. Also, at Tibriri in the Niger Republic, we are at the conclusive phase of the mission house project, which is the toilet soak away. At Oma, we are fixing pillars, doors, and windows. We give God the glory for the provision.

Home of Grace (HOG).

Before the lockdown, the kids were doing well with their studies. Blessing Garba wrote her JAMB

HoG kids visit to IDP camp

and met the university cutoff point. She is currently studying for her WAEC and NECO exam despite the lockdown, while Comfort Boubacar is preparing for her Junior WAEC examination.  For the period of the isolation, we stopped all our secular staff including the NYSC Corp member serving with the ministry from coming to the premises and insisted that the missionary staff living in the mission base comply with the Federal Government’s directive of Isolation/social distancing to avoid contact with the kids. We have stored up foodstuffs and hope the Lord will provide more funds for us to add to what we already have.  As the kids remain indoor, we engage them in learning a skill like plaiting hair. We also enjoy increase bonding as we interact with each other more and more and take time to pray together and study God’s word together.

Local Mission Field Update

Oma Mission field blessing widows

Not all our mission fields complied with the restriction/isolation order at the onset because of their rural nature, so we had the opportunity to preach the word of God and met the needs of the poor. We had over 20 converts from Oma, Bolu, and Zull. We distributed 29 new wrappers to poor widows at Oma and neighboring Kogi State of Nigeria. Pastor Bazin Maurice from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Evangelist Okezie Omerua from Lagos were part of the team that visited the Oma mission field. Films were projected and the responses were also heartwarming. Elsie ministered at Masaka, and many responded to the gospel.  At Furaka, there is full compliance with the government order as the church was locked up, and converts/members were asked to stay at home.

Missions Training

The School of Cross-Cultural Missions graduated our 24th set of students.  Altogether, 22 students

Set 24 Graduating students

were prayed for and released to the mission field. The 25th set is on. Since they are not up to 50 in number, we ensure social distance and continue with lectures. It is hoped that if the lockdown is lifted, they will proceed to the mission field for their two months filed practical. Currently, Pastor Bazin Maurice concluded his course, Biblical Counseling, and History, of Missions and Pastor James Ahmadu is presently teaching Basic Health Education.

Staff Matter     

Simon Peter got married last month. We are grateful to God for the provision, and we pray that their home is fruitful, and they will advance God’s assignment committed to his hand. God blessed our team with additional staff last month. They are:

• v  Pastor & Mrs. Adamu Ahmadu. They are Fulani by tribe and are to serve at Cameroon among the Fulanis.
• v  Pastor & Mrs. Ibrahim  Musa, who are Hausas by the tribe. They will join the team in Bolu as the missionary couple at Bolu, Pastor & Mrs. Yohana Ali prepare to relocate to Burkina Faso for pioneering work.
• v  Pastor & Mrs. Kabiru Bashiru from Mambila Plateau are engaged to work among the Zallawa people as Pastor Stephen Paul moves to Furaka in preparation for the next phase of his ministry.
• v  Also, we have Pastor Ezekiel Ayuba and Sunday Ibrahim. They are joining the team at the Kamberi field. 
• We covet your prayers for God to connect us to more and more partners that will help in adopting these missionaries and provide their upkeep allowances.

Concern/Prayer Points 

Please join us to pray for the release of eight of our colleagues serving with CAPRO that were kidnapped on March 2, 2020, about midnight from  Maruba, Kamuku  Mission Field. It is more than one month that they were abducted. Only two persons have been released since then. Pray that the rest of them will be released unharmed in Jesus' name.

We are concern about the other missionaries working in several fields across the nation. The fields are porous, and only God will shield them from this new trend of evil attacks. Please, pray for divine protection.

The lockdown may soon begin to impair some of our team and Home of Grace if there is no divine intervention. Several of our partners are impacted adversely by the lockdown resulting from coronavirus and unable to remit their monthly support. Pray for all our partners at this time – firstly for divine protection and secondly for divine provisions. As the Lord bless you, we certainly need financial support now than ever.

Also, the season of snake is here again. Four snakes were sighted entering our Bolu mission house. Three of the snakes were killed, but the fourth snake escaped. Pray for divine protection for our missionaries and their families against snake bites and for the fund to install doors in all our mission houses that are yet to be completed.

We are praying for you. Remember us in your prayers also. God bless you, richly.

His bondservant,

Andrew Abah

International Director