Fireplace fires in the depths of summer? It’s true. The photo shows one in our own living room from just a few weeks ago. You’d be surprised at how good it felt, unless you also live at about 4,500 ft (like maybe Denver, CO) and experience a lot of rainy, wet afternoons. With dampness that just seems to go right through. Then you’d understand.
The ladies in the picture are a couple workers here. On the left is Dee. She is from Texas and is a long term worker here in City Ministries. The other is Jessie, a short termer also from Texas. Jessie stayed a few weeks to help our kids develop their jewelry making. Back in San Antonio Jessie is a professional running her own shop.
On the evening of the photo we were together (they live not far away) and managed to drive away some of the damp and cool.
A Burning Fire for Jesus
The idea of “Keeping the Fire Burning” is an ongoing theme for Dee. Her special emphasis is discipleship and she develops study material for our children and then trains our Nigerian workers who teach it. She also instigated a monthly prayer emphasis that goes by that same name, “Keep the Fire Burning.”
Other Fires
But fires in a fireplace are not part of the routine for average Nigerians. Wood fires used here are mostly outdoors for cooking and it is common to see them keeping guards company during the cool evening hours.
Unfortunately, fire hit our ministry this month as a weapon. Our Lafia Gidan Bege and CARE Center (Lafia, Nigeria) came under attack when it was mysteriously set ablaze one night. This caused only a small amount of damage. But in the nights that followed fires mysteriously returned. By the end of the week our property suffered fiery attack on five different nights leaving most everything destroyed.
Thankfully all of our children and adults escaped without injury. Christians in Lafia responded immediately, taking in our people, providing housing and care. Praise God too that this bizarre attack caught the attention of the governor. He made a promise to help with the reconstruction and even the ongoing support of the center.
Obviously, God is still in control protecting lives and City Ministries work. He is also initiating something new between the ministry and the government.
By the Fire. In the Fire.
Looking back at our photo, it looks pleasant “by the fire.” But when thinking about Lafia, we recognize that our world forces us to be “in the fire.” As Christians we don’t have much choice in the matter.
Pray for each of us and about your own situation. Pray that we are not so comfortable “by the fire” that we do not effectively “face the fire.” Which fire? There could be many: opposition, doubts, or the fire of un-involvement.
