Some of us from Moody went to Vee-Vee's Nigerian restaraunt last friday. We had such a fun time and everyone loved trying the food. Whether moi-moi, yams or meat pies, they were all for it. Thanks to all who joined us and for the fun birthday surprise :)
Aghhh!! Pounded yam and agussi soup; life is good, oh how I miss it!
Stephanie enjoying her yam!!
Joy is a single mom and has James who is 4 years old and also positive.
Abraham came in with terrible sores on his head from HIV, and once he started treatment he improved so much and his sores went away.
My little Martha who warms my heart. She is living with her mom on a one inch mat on the floor in her small one room house. She is the sweetest thing and always loves to give me hugs and hold my hand!
Shaibu has gone from death to life! I am in such awe by his dramatic recovery, and so thankful to God for his second chance.
Shamma is a precious miracle also, but lost his mom Rose a few months ago to AIDS. He is now living with his grandmother who is beside herself, and unable to care for him well. The last time I saw him he had reduced weight again and looked very sick.
Gift is truly a gift. Her mother died of AIDS about 6 months ago, and her twin sister died suddenly a few months ago also. I suspect the twin was positive, although we will never know for sure. I worked hard with her aunty who is now caring for her to ensure she was feeding the baby well. She has learned a lot and doing a great job. She came to visit me twice before I left and brought the baby. It was so special. I really miss seeing the baby grow. I pray she is negative.
Isa is such a joy. His mother died of AIDS and because he was extra small since birth we always assumed he was positive. He was taking ARV's for over 6 months. But after testing him multiple times and getting negative results, we were dumfounded. His CD4 count is very low, yet the test shows no antibodies of HIV present??? The only indication for a low CD4 count is the presence of HIV. We cannot explain it...he is a mystery baby. But cute nonetheless.
Israel is God's chosen one for sure. He was almost dead and so skeletal before starting treatment. Clinically their is no way he would have survived, but God has a plan for his life and sustained him. He is a beautiful picture of God's redemptive plan and saving grace.
Kyauta, Ladi and Rebekah on Christmas Eve, 2005 (granddaughter, mother and grandmother).
Ruth, Ladi's other sister and Mercy. 
Mercy and her baby Rebekah named after their late mother. Becky died at the tender age of sixth months of unknown causes.
Ladi and me when she was very sick in the hospital
Ladi and the kids at their family house several months before she died.
John is Ladi's younger brother and is also an orphan, besides losing his mother Rebekah in January 2006, his father also died several years ago. Ladi left two children, Jerry and Kyauta. It has been a joy to help these kids. Kids in Africa are so used to death, it is a daily way of life for them and they aren't allowed to grieve or deal well emotionally with death. As orphans, they were left to fend for themselves, and forced to grow up way before their time. 
Shaibu has made the most dramatic recovery from a mere 7 pounds at 10 months old. Now he is over one and walking. His weight is normal and he is thriving, but a bit feisty and wants no-one other than grandma!!
Abigail has also improved so much. She is looking much healthier and the rash that once covered most of her body is gone.
WE are unsure if Gift is HIV positive, her twin sister died a few months ago, and her mother was HIV positive. At first she was small and a bit sickly, but now growing and so adorable. Her aunty is taking care of her along with her other 5 children.
Shamma is another one of our miracles. Sad to say his mother died just over a month ago. Her battle with AIDS was finally over. 
James is my favorite baby, but don't tell anyone. He is my little precious one!! I will miss him the most of all the kids.....He has gained so much weight and if his belly sticks out anymore he will fall over! It makes me so happy.
Isa is a mystery. He once tested positive and started on drugs, but after doing an additional test last week, he has tested negative. We are floored but so encouraged by his status now. I will never forget the day I went to see him at home and was able to tell his grandmother that he was free of the virus, what a joy it was!!
My dear friend Ritmwa (Grace) singing in a special worship time at her church
3. One aspect of Nigerian culture and life I appreciate is the way Nigerians are active worshippers. They don't just sit, but have such joy in praising Jesus and raise their hands while dancing and singing with all their hearts. Whether they have a good voice or not they belt it out without caring what others think. It has really blessed my heart and spurred me on to lift high the name of Jesus. The act of worship has been given a whole new meaning after being here!
Mama Martha dancing for joy
Mrs. Akwai and me eating Guate together, a common Nigerian food containing Spinach and used often as a soup
Martha and me
a family stares at the white people driving by
village women carrying their kaya (load) 
and taken advantage of by men. Whether it's a married woman with a husband has several wives or a young single woman whose boyfriend is pretending to be a Godly man while living a double life, women in Nigeria are suffering. They have no voice. Last month I hosted a women's forum where a speaker encouraged us to find our indentity in Christ alone and not identify ourselves by the man next to us. Mostly Nigerian women attended, and I am so thankful God is using that time in teaching women to respect themselves and learn how to accept God's love for them. Tonight I spent my holiday hosting Part 2 of our women's forum. Just under 20 women came and our spirit's were again uplifted by reading about "beauty for ashes" from Isaiah 61. The same speaker Fume exhorted us to recognize our ashes and take them to God. To lift those ashes of grief, sorrow, dissapointments and suffering from the way we as women are looked at in society, and to stand confidently in Christ!
Today the one week countdown begins, and it is officially crazy!!!! Every day I have people coming over to greet me and say goodbye. This morning one of my clients from work came to greet me at 7:30 am with her four month old baby. You never know when people will come by. Between packing, giving things away, running to and from work, buying gifts, organizing my house and etc.....I am so busy. Transitioning is never easy, and I feel like no matter how much I do in advance to prepare for a move, it always ends up like this anyway. I will attempt to share seven memorable experiences I have had here (not in any order of significance), one for each day that I have remaining in Nigeria!! Enjoy....
My friend Dupe came to my house this week and brought her twin girls Grace and Glory who are three months old. In Hausa Dupe is also referred to as "Mama yambiyu" which means mother of the twins. Dupe is HIV positive and feeding the twins infant formula so their risk of acquiring HIV is small. They are growing well, although Grace (fair one) is much smaller than Glory. I pray they stay healthy and remain HIV negative....
On this Father's Day I want to say a special word to my dad, who I have a great respect for. He is a man of his word, has a tender heart for people and never complains, but takes life as it comes. Whether he is bailing me out of a car flood, helping to change my oil in the car, getting tax stuff for me, or giving me advice, he has always been there for me. I miss my dad today. He is a man of integrity and very loyal. A realtor for over 25 years, my dad has been a hard worker and always faithful to those he is serving. He keeps to his promises, and wants the best for his customers. They all respect him and keep coming back to him because he has expertise in the field, and will try to get them a great deal. He knows his stuff.....
Josephine, Lami, Theresa and Ladi
Lami is one of the most joyful people I have ever met in my entire life. She is a widow with five children and living with HIV. Her husband died of HIV and only after his death did she too find out her status. She has brought much joy and sunshine to my life. I will miss her dearly.
The women are jubilating and dancing
Jospehine and Bulus enjoying pizza for the first time
Baby Elizabeth came to us a week ago monday at 10 and a half months weighing a bleak 6.5 pounds. My friend Kyenpiya saw Elizabeth and her mother Sarah at the market and seeing that they both were sickly looking and very thin, she asked them to come and get an HIV test. To no surprise they were both HIV positive. I am encouraged at ther boldness and desire to help this poor woman and her baby. Elizabeth could only wimper, and was eating so poorly. She looked like she was starving to death. We weren't sure whether the baby was literally starving, or if she had full blown AIDS already. She was so hungry and would eat as if she hadn't eaten for days. They admitted her to the hospital and put a tube in her nose for feeding. Kara and I went to visit them daily bringing them food, clothes and others things. We prayed with her and tried to encourage her to hang on. The level of poverty in this family was so sad for us to see. Sarah continued to wear the same clothes day after day. She herself could not be more than 80 pounds. We encouraged her to hold onto her faith in Jesus and to put her trust and hope in him. It boggles my mind the level of ignorance and lack of education and resources these peole have. Sarah had no idea that she herself or her baby were so sick. How could she not know? How could she wait so long to bring her baby for treatment? I will never as long as I live understand this. I am so sad because she could have been helped months ago, and yet she continued to starve month after month until a stranger on the street had to tell her to go and get help. There is something so wrong with that.
Last week Kara and I went to Blindtown, an outreach to Muslims where many people are suffering from Leprosy and blindness. We gave much needed drugs to those who are unable to come to the hospital for care. This woman had Leprosy in her hands, feet and eyes. This disease eats away at the nerves and results in numbess of the affected parts. Often times when those with Leprosy bump themselves or trip on something, they don't realize they have an infection in the leg or foot because their body doesn't register pain. It severely affects their mobility and quality of life. 
