Better than expected!
Thank you for your faithfulness to the work here in Makoko. You can’t know how much it means to me to know that there are Christians like you who care about this work. Sometimes, I all of a sudden feel afraid. This is the kind of afraid that I never felt in the US. I really can’t explain it and it doesn’t happen often or for very long. But in those moments, I think about the verse that says, “…perfect love casts out fear!” And in this regard, you are there – as part of the God love that I have been surrounded with. Thank you for letting your love shine in this work.
I haven’t been able to find Hunsa and Sesi yet. As you may remember, they were suppose to join me in the missionary house. As it is Prince Taiwo and his family are living with me. It might be God's providence in that it gives the visiting missionaries an even extra sense of safety being under the Prince's care. Prince Taiwo said that he would find them but we have not yet found them? Solomon, my translator and guide said he knows where they are and he said he will take me to them tomorrow. If they have already found a place to live then I have another plan for Hunsa – I bought a bunch of tools for my project and when I leave, I will set him and another good young man (Faruki) to work in making wood chairs as a business. In this way, perhaps they can earn a better living with this skill. I’ll set out to teach them woodworking before I leave. Faruki has been my muscles here – he literally went under the water to place the water filtering clams.
Our first Tomato plants for the aquaculture system. We found them growing volunteer along the canal going into Lagos. Pray that I can find seeds and various other hardware for the system.I don’t know if I would have survived that dunking! My legs hurt from just being in the lagoon water the following night – it’s bad. Being a “good steward” of the Land (and water) is a message I will be bringing to the people before I leave. Hopefully I will have done enough good by then that they will really listen to the words I have to say. It’s taken a while, but I’m winning people with the Lord’s backing – he keeps blessing things that I do and they notice. It’s a good feeling! I, like you, feel that Hunsa and Sesi are part of the mission to Makoko, so I will find them and assess what it going on.
This guy can walk on its front fins! He lives in the Lagoon - I've seen lots of them. If you can figure out what it is, please let me know.As a last note of thanks, the aquaponic project got expanded into something that might be repeatable in other poor parts of the world. Someone donated filters that clean dirty water to the same degree as bottled water. We will be receiving the 25 filters on Sept. 28. I was able to build a computer model that showed that if the people worked together – pooling the money they now spend on water, they can form a cooperative. This cooperative would be financially able to build cisterns in each of the members houses and to buy more filters for new members. The filters last 5 to 10 years depending on how they are maintained. The filters are then used to further refine the water to drinking standards. It is hard to fathom how much the poor have to pay for bathing and drinking water. There is enough rain to supply their needs with a cistern and filters. This is a Biblical principle that I have rarely seen employed on this broken planet.
Acts 4:32-35
32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.
33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all
34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales
35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
Matt 12:48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!
I believe this is how the first Christians pulled themselves out of abject poverty. They shared as though they were truly family. Cooperatives do work and when they are bonded with Christian love through sharing – I don’t think poverty has a chance! At any rate, we will be walking on streets of literal gold in a little while anyway, so I just keep thinking about that and about love when I share with the poor.
So, we have been given filters and the means to start a Christian cooperative. The Cooperative should be able to grow past water quality to other utilities like electricity and trash and sewage needs. Wouldn’t that be wonderful if we – our little band of troopers were able to find such a pathway among the poorest of people. One thing is for sure, by God’s grace, we are going to try in the next few weeks and see! Keep praying!
Let me know what you think and if you have any questions.
Love
Jack
Aquaculture and Compassion for the Poor (ACP)
If you would like to give financially with a card – go to the following page and find the heading called:
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If you would like to write a check, write the check to:
· Cross Connections of KC
· PO Box 901945, Kansas City MO 64190
· This is the non profit that takes care of my accounting and gifts - Cross Connections is a NonProfit with the EIN 45-4548192 for your records. They enable small mission projects like the this Makoko Project.
· please leave the memo blank and add a posted note with either my name or (ACP)
· Cross Connect will send you an annual report of giving for your taxis
Please pray about forwarding this to others who might be interested in praying for this work…
May the Lord continue to bless you and protect you. What a journey you are undertaking.
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