Friday, January 12, 2018

The changing world (38) Aug - 1975

1st Doreen Collingham, sister at Boi, called unexpectedly at 9pm on a medical trip.
2nd Clarks from Zamko with her parents visiting came with us to Tase Rock for picnic lunch then supper at ours. Their two and our two love playing together.
3rd Same visitors came after church where I preached.Children love the paddling pool.
4th To stay in Jos via Kabwir.Rivers seemed full.
5 and 6Th Car being serviced
7th To Mango via Vom for antenatal.
9th Mission prayer conference started Mango.
10th Philip Hacking preaching. Too jovial for me.David Carling I found irritating with his message that we should back our leaders. That does not deal with dissent in the camp.
11th Much rain. Our Jonathan loves playing with Debbie Clark.
13th Byang Kato stimulating on Christianity and Culture. His death later in the sea at Mombasa was a great loss.
14th Back to Langtang. Kimbers staying here.
15th Took Kimbers to see Wase. I had known Geoff since he was a classics undergraduate and a contemporary at London University. His was a lengthy journey. He started from a Strict baptist family. When he left Nigeria he became an ordained Anglican vicar, his wife a deacon.
16th To Jos by taxi. Bought ticket for bus to Ibadan.
Addicots of MAF in Jos as was Mrs Joy from Panama who beat me at Scrabble. Latterly I went on to Boggle. Great battles with the brilliant Hugh Jos translator later of the Kanuri New testament.
17th Up 5:30. 7am bus for Zaria left 10:15. Kaduna, Kontagora, Juba, Ilorin, Ibadan at 2am. Van to Ife by 4:30 am. The compound is cleared out of the rain forest. Outside the perimeter fence is thick jungle.
18th Toured campus and town. Met with Jim Pluedeman of SIM. He is Lutheran and not like your average primal SIM people. We discussed plans for TEE.
19th TEE planning before conference on Evangelisation started in the evening.
20th Met John Boer of CRC who was to become one of my best and closest of reformed friends. Met up with my closest Nigerian friend, Dele Onamusi, baker of Kano. All speakers were Nigerian with good messages.
21st Talks are good but not expository. Byang Kato on Christianity as African religion.Bitrus Gani the blind physiotherapist spoke on sin. I had met him when he was a student London. His skill in navigating the London underground was wonderful to behold.
22nd Still no event expositions. Talks on social action, and francophone countries.
23rg Byang kano the best speaker. On evangelism and culture.Entertaining drama from university students, Zaria and Nsukka. I afterwards pointed out to them that the words used in pigeon for busily functions are not words heard in English speaking polite Christian society.
24th Yemi Ladipo I found poor on the Holy Spirit and Evangelism.
25th Highlight for me was conversation with Harry Boer of CRC the principal of the Theological College of Northern Nigeria, Bukuru.
He is of the more liberal CRC strand. 26th Bishop flop good on Christian home and family life. I am now leading the TEE group.
27th Final day. Good speaker on Christian in public life.
28th Left Ice 3am. Ogbomoso, Ilorin. Long queue at Jebba bridge. Kontagora. Kaduna. Jos 9:45 pm.
29th My Jos roommate was from the Free University of Amsterdam . Showed him round Jos.
Left Jos with Maureen Harford. Vom . Panyam where Maureen stayed. Discussed TEE with pastor at Panyam. Home to langtang. Maureen was from Potters Bar, a lab technician and seemingly lonely. She eventually left the mission. She wanted to retire in Nigeria and the way she found was to join the Roman Catholics. She entered an order of nuns bur AFAIK ended her days in a convent in Portugal.
31st pastor Damina preached morning I in the evening. Clarks here all day.

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