Prayer Request from Nigeria

This weekend started out normally, I was helping with a Community Health Evangelism - Vision Seminar in the village of Foron on Friday and Brent was going about his work in the office as usual. On Saturday we attended a repertory production of Nigerian cultural theater and organized a meeting afterwards with some fellow missionaries about a potential borehole project.– nothing was out of place until 7:15am on Sunday morning when our windows rattled violently and our whole house shook. I had come downstairs to make some coffee and open the front door. All my stuff was ready for my Sunday School lesson and I was preparing for another “normal day”. It was not to be so, because a bomb had just gone off at COCIN - Church of Christ in Nigeria church, situated less than a mile from our house exploded. A man disguised in a military uniform driving a small car was able to get past the security gate and speed through the church parking lot towards the church and detonate his car bomb. The explosion was powerful enough to break the windows and cause pictures to fall off the walls of friends of our who live only a little closer to the church than we do.

6 people are reported to have died and many are in hospital with injuries caused by flying shrapnel etc. This is now the second church bombing in Jos since Christmas.

We of course were able to communicate with others via Skype and cell phones to find out more and put all our plans on hold for the day. Church was cancelled and we barricaded ourselves in at home - just in case of retaliatory violence which often erupts after such incidents and it’s best to be in the safety of one’s own home.
Please pray with us for safety and wisdom to understand the conflict and religious tensions that are boiling up around us. We pray for God’s love to prevail and that His word will conquer evil.

In Jesus name
Eugenie, Brent, Micah and Zander

VBS 2010: Night FOUR

VBS students, Bethany and Pastor pray over missionaries Brent and Eugene Freidrichs

Brent and Eugene share musical instruments with the VBS kids. The Friedrichs work in Jos, Nigeria, in Africa where they coordinate services for and other missionaries. 

Sarge Bee and Barb Bee discuss hive-land security issues.

3rd & 4th graders enjoy outdoor game time

5th and 6th graders found time to burn off energy on the old Noah's Ark playground

PK and Kindergarteners blow bubbles in front of the Sunday School House.

Money for Missions

From: Brent Friedrichs

Sent: Monday, February 08, 2010 8:42 AM

Subject: Here is how we spent the $500

A donation of $500 (from our home church) to help get Shaibu and his family back into a house somewhere.  

You can divide all naira values by 149 to get back to dollar  (Don did this and I have added the amounts in US dollars.  NF)

= =N=0.00 starting balance

+ =N=74,500.00 from $500 x 149

- =N=20,000.00 two foam mattresses at N10,000 each     ($67.11each or $134.22 for two)

- =N=25,000.00 for first year in a rental house     ($167.78)  

- =N=8,900.00 One queen foam mattress           ($59.73)

- =N=7,500.00 One small foam mattress             ($50.34)

- =N=5,000.00 several bundles of firewood so to do cooking.      ($33.56)

- =N=8,100.00 some pots and pans as well as some very used furniture.    ($54.36)

= =N=0.00 closing balance

We have receipts/supportive docs on the above and can forward photocopies if needed.(?)

Shaibu, his wife and the entire Danjuma family have been very very appreciative.

They asked to use our pickup to haul these things over to their rental/temp home and John Udo is presently out doing that with them right now.

Brent

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NOTE: Shaibu is a friend and gardener of the Friedrichs in Jos, Nigeria. His home was destroyed in a recent wave of sectarian violence in Jos. Last month, the Voter's Assembly of St. John Lutheran voted to send a special gift to help Shaibu and his family relocate or rebuild.