Wow! What a not bad trip! 3 weeks has escaped similar a vapor and here we are back in the United States again – where it's cold!!!

Iii guys (Jim Vanden Bosch, Jim Neagle, & Matt Wilson) that barely knew each other before this project lived and worked together for three weeks and became three good friends. 3 generators – a new 3 stage service on the Miango Dental Dispensary – and some other 3 week projection scheduled for February 2008.

Leaving was every bit much of an adventure as arriving, but we left knowing that the Ministries of the Miango Dental Clinic and the Kent Academy has the Ability they need when they need information technology. On the trip habitation I (Matt) read one of the most thoughtful and well written letters of thank you that I had ever seen. My vision clouded upward with tears as the words of the Porter family addressed to me (our team) came off the folio and into my heart. The Porter famioly talked almost the chaos and confusion caused by the pieced together electrical systems that are common to many missions around the world. The danger – the abiding concerns and fears that they crusade the missionaries are frustrating. The tears began to gyre downward my cheeks when they wrote of the burden that was lifted from their lives every bit we removed the old electrical system and installed a new one – a modest portrait of the astonishing transformation that happens in a person'south life when they inquire Jesus Christ to reconcile them to God – taking away the fear of death and a frustrating sense of emptiness in life. In the Bible, there is a poesy that says "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new cosmos; the old has gone, and the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17) My tears came non only from the Porter'south compliment to our team – but from the memory of my own chaos and defoliation before I asked Jesus to rebuild my life – from the inside out.

And what well-nigh "Generator Jim"? His very first overseas project was a smashing success. Merely the question had to exist asked "at present that the generators are working again, how can we brand certain they are properly maintained?" How do you convince someone that preventative maintenance is non an option – information technology must happen!
Jim realized that teaching mechanical skills is only part of the answer to that question. Jim used the piece of work we were doing and the condition of the generators to illustrate a spiritual lesson to the Kent University (KA) maintenance staff. God gave us His book, the Bible, as a manual for our lives. When nosotros read and sympathise His word and utilise it to our lives, we too avoid major problems and breakdowns. When nosotros get as well busy to read His directions and talk to Him in prayer, we start seeing bad results. Just like when we are too decorated to maintain a slice of equipment information technology begins to break downwardly. Eventually it will completely fail, costing us far more in the terminate than a elementary maintenance program would have ever price us. I (Matt) will admit that prayer and Bible written report can exist fourth dimension consuming & hard piece of work, but I agree with Jim – it is the cardinal to avoiding life's major breakdowns. When we do our piece of work to the very all-time of our ability information technology stands every bit a testimony of God's work in our heart. Colossians 3:22, 24 says "Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and practice it, not only when their eye is on yous, and to win their favor, but with sincerity of center and reverence
for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that y'all volition receive an inheritance from the Lord equally your advantage. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

Now there's a man you don't mess with!
Lord willing, Jim Neagle volition return to Nigeria to stop rebuilding this generator for the Miango Remainder Abode in tardily February of 2008. At the aforementioned time, Factor Flewelling (Operations Manager / Lineman Volunteer) and I (Matt Wilson) will also return to acquit a wiring survey of the entire campus. After the survey is complete we volition be able to assist the mission of Serving In Mission (SIM) in achieving their goals of upgrading the campus electrical system. Start, by developing a plan and later past forming a Team of I-TEC volunteers to carry out the plan. We are looking forward to partnering with SIM on this projection. Y'all can learn more nearly the ministry of SIM by visiting their website at sim.org

A Sharp Dressed Human being! Accurate Nigeria garb – except for the I-TEC hat. Jim received this conform of apparel along with several other gifts and a stack of thank you lot notes from the students and staff of the Kent Academy. Side by side time you see Jim inquire him to model his outfit for you – I really retrieve he should habiliment it at Garden Chapel in Middletown, PA the adjacent fourth dimension he speaks in that location. But, I volition let it up to yous guys to put the pressure on him.


The ladies in the picture below are making pounded yams. This procedure is a cross between making mash potatoes and chopping firewood. But we certainly enjoyed the end result. A spicy soup is poured over the pounded yams and served in a basin. The lady holding the "mixing basin" is Laime. She and her married man Joshua, pictured on the family motorcycle with their youngest daughter just finished building a new business firm in Miango.
Al & I had the privilege of visiting with them at
their new dwelling.


During our fourth dimension in Miango we noticed that our Nigerian friends enjoy going "to greet" each other. These impromptu visits are welcomed by their surprised host. Kids play together outside with soccer assurance and home fabricated toys while their parents sit down and talk. It'south really kind of nice!

These final pictures were taken outside of the Evangelical Church of West Africa (E.C.Due west.A) church we attended on our last Sun in Nigeria. The E.C.W.A. churches are all over this function of Nigeria. The man in the purple robe is the Pastor and the other 2 gentlemen are elders in this church. Nosotros really enjoyed experiencing worship here in Miango. Thanks for traveling forth with us on this journey. We hope that the blog has been helpful and enjoyable. It is a new tool for us and in that location is still much the nosotros need to learn about it. Once again nosotros would similar to thank all of you that take been supporting our Squad in prayer. Nosotros are looking forward to getting dorsum to Miango shortly.
Until then,
Al, Jim & Matt