Report on Nigeria Trip

Report on Nigeria Trip

(Faith & Victory : Feb. 1966)


To the dear saints scattered abroad, we send greetings of love:

First of all, we want to thank you for your gifts of money which made our trip to Nigeria possible. In all our lives we had never thought it possible that we could make such a trip.

My husband, Cecil Carver, says that when mention was first made in the "Faith and Victory" paper that someone needed to go to Nigeria, he felt burdened to go. Then we heard that Bro. David Madden was going; afterwards that Bro. and Sis. Wilson were planning to go; but his burden never left him. When it was decided that someone else needed to go, he was ready to say, "Here am I, Lord, send me."

I had no burden to go as a missionary, for I do not preach, nor could I speak their language, and so felt there was little that I could do. But I did have a burden to go to help take care of him-to cook his food, boil the water, wash his clothes, and to help him take the precautions necessary to live in that unhealthful climate. And, so, against the advice of children, relatives, (some of whom thought I had lost my mind) and many of the saints, I made preparations to go. I suppose this was the hardest thing I ever did. When the saints at Monark, Mo. camp meeting bade us farewell, there was much weeping; also a short time later at Pacoima, Calif. Camp meeting, the saints there bade us farewell, and again there was much weeping. I can understand and appreciate their concern for us, as our first missionary to Nigeria, Bro. David Madden lived only a few days after his return to the United States. Then our dear Sister Opal Wilson died while in Nigeria. We hardly know how to express our appreciation for the love and concern of the saints for us, all unworthy though we be, and especially for your prayers which, we are told, went up for us day and night, and much fasting as well. We felt your prayers underneath us, lifting us up, and it seemed that with them and the everlasting arms of God underneath us, we had nothing to fear.

We found ourselves among a very sweet and warm­hearted people, eager to learn more about the word of God. When we went to the various missions, of which there were seventeen, we were welcomed with smiles and much appreciation, and were showered with gifts, which we felt was a great sacrifice to them. After the services, the women and children gathered around us, eager to touch our hands, as if we could bestow some blessing upon them. Many times we were brought to tears to see their eagerness to be near us. It rained almost every day we were there, but that did not keep them from coming to the services. They came through the rain with their little ones strapped to their backs, and an umbrella, or banana leaf, or a large "elephant ear" (caladium) over them.

Their church buildings, or missions as they call them, are built of upright bamboo canes with palm fronds woven between them, and mud or clay plastered over the walls inside and out. The rafters are made of large bamboo, with a thatched roof of palm fronds. The floors are dirt, or clay, packed down hard with some charcoal mixed in. The thatched roofs last about two years, as the rains and the white ants cause them to deteriorate, and they have to be replaced. The roof on the mission at Ukpom, where we lived, was replaced while we were there. There were many requests as we made our trips to the missions. Many were for new missions, where the mud walls were cracked, and they were in general dilapidation. Some congregations had outgrown their buildings and needed larger ones. Some requested zinc roofs which would not have to be replaced. There were other needs, also.

Some requested a place where the sick ones could be cared for, not a hospital in our sense of the word, but really a house of prayer, where the sick could stay while being prayed for. The sick were brought to the mission at Ukpom, where we lived, and lay on a mat on the floor or on the bare benches. There they stayed until the Lord healed them. There were several remarkable cases of healing while we were there. The bell (a brake drum beaten with a tire tool) rang around five o'clock in the morning, calling the congregation for prayer meeting, mainly to pray for the sick. They had meeting each night and stayed sometimes until 10 o'clock. The pastor, Bro. Sunday Udo Udo (Udo means "second son") was very faithful and others of his congregation in their devotions during the day, and praying for the sick. A girl, perhaps 14 years old, was brought there unconscious. Her mother was a heathen. She stayed there for many days. After a while she was able to walk around, but was led, because she was blind. One arm was paralyzed. Some time before we left, she had gone home well, but visited there almost every day. Another woman was brought there in a basket by her people who thought she was dead, and were ready to bury her. That night the drums beat louder, and we wondered what was happening. We were told about her the next morning. On the next day she was over at our house carrying her small baby around. Bro. Etuk's son, 11 years old, was brought there unconscious. While prayer was being offered he sat up. The fame of this mission has gone out over the country, and some are coming to be healed.

Some asked for bicycles. There is no means of transportation out there except to walk or ride a bicycle. We did not see a horse or a donkey. Only Bro. Etuk has a car among the group that we visited. Some of the missions were 19 miles from where we lived. One request for a bicycle has been granted since we came home--­to a young preacher who had to walk 13 miles to his mission.

There is little industry where we were. They gather the palm oil nuts and take them to market. Nearly every house has a small patch of "yams,"-a potato-like root which is their main diet, more like our Irish potato, but very large. They have "cassava," a root which when ground resembles coarse yellow corn meal. Then they eat the roots of the caladium (elephant ear) which they call "cocoa yam;" and one sees large patches of them. There seems to be many oranges and bananas in the markets, also papaya and pineapple. There are many chickens, and we saw lots of eggs at the markets. Peanuts also seem to be plentiful. There are many of these markets through the countryside, as well as in the towns, and hundreds of people gather there to buy and sell.

It is very hard for the children to get an education, as it costs more than the parents can pay to send them to school. However, we saw many schools, and lots of school children; but the poorer ones have little opportunity to go. We visited a mission where adult classes were held three times a week, to teach the young people and the older ones to read their Bibles in Efik. These classes were started while Bro. and Sis. Wilson were there.

We were visited by the elders of the local village, who welcomed us, and told us they appreciated our coming. The elders of Ukpom village gave the land for the mission there, and told us they would give more land if other buildings were needed. They also said the Church of God mission had been a help to the village.

Cecil took every opportunity he could to talk on the doctrines of the Bible. We were visited day after day by ministers and other workers of the missions. One afternoon all of the ministers came together to ask questions on the Bible. He also was able to bring a message at the missions we visited.

One of the greatest blessings of the trip was his visit to Benin City, 214 miles away, to a group there who wanted to be in fellowship with the Church of God. After preaching to them on baptism, Cecil baptized the whole group, pastor and all. Then he preached on the ordinances, and they observed the Lord's Supper. They hadn't made enough preparations for feet-washing, but that would come later, they said.

We contacted another brother near us who promised to come out of the organization he was in, and take his stand with the Church of God. He has 52 missions scattered over an 80-mile area.

We have had good reports since we have been home. We left on Sat., Oct. 16 as our visa expired that day. The next day, which was Sunday, over 700 met at the central mission; over 60 took part in the Lord's Supper, and 117 were baptized. From some of the pastors we have heard that people are stilI getting saved.

Surely this is a great and needy field. The people seem to be hungry. The driver of the car which took Cecil, Bro. Etuk, Bro. Nse Umanah and Bro. Brownson Udeme to Benin City belonged to the Qua Iboe church, which has a large number of churches there. The car broke down (driving through the water so much had washed the grease out of the front wheel bearings and they froze and locked the front wheels, first one and then the other) and they prayed much for the Lord to help them out. Seeing their faith, and how the Lord helped them out, he soon was converted into the church of God.

Bro. Ostis Wilson has been sending Bible lessons each month, perhaps several a month. The preachers come together, and these lessons are read and interpreted to them, so that they can go and teach them to their congregations. People are turning from worshiping idols to the worship of the living God. There was an idol burning in a new convert's home while we were there. The whole group at Ukpom, with bright lights and drums beating, marched singing down the road. We heard them coming back about midnight, after walking for miles. Only the next day did we know why they went.

I must tell you of the chorus groups who sang for us at the different missions, boys and girls from ten or twelve up. There were two groups of perhaps fifteen or twenty each, and they had good leaders and were well trained. On the day before we left Nigeria, one of these groups walked fourteen miles to sing for us, and walked fourteen miles home. I don't know how far the others walked. Our hearts were really touched, and how we wished for transportation for them.

We lived in one end of the house where Bro. Etuk and his family were living while we were there. They seemed real close to us and were always so kind and good to us. We were in tears when we said goodbye to them, knowing that we would probably never see their faces again. But we do want to be faithful and meet all of the saints around the great White Throne of God one of these days.

May God bless each and every one of you is our prayer.

-May Carver

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