tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68115118969882358712024-02-19T08:49:43.721-08:00NAATZ NEWS NIGERIARick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-89467335133242221842014-09-22T20:25:00.001-07:002014-09-22T20:25:45.424-07:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Why Are You Afraid <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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“And He said to them,
“Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” “<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mark 4:40<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is in the context of the story of the great storm that
was taking over the boat that Jesus and His followers were in. Jesus was asleep in the boat when the storm
became very fierce and the disciples woke Him up and asked if He didn’t care
that they were about to drown.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Then He calmed the storm with a few words.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Why did He rebuke them after calming the storm? They came to Him in their need. It was a genuinely fearful situation they were
in.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This night in the boat followed the feeding of the 5,000. They had just seen Jesus miraculously meet
the needs of 5,000 people! Why would they think he couldn't take care of them in a storm?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Maybe He rebuked them because they needed to learn to wait
for Him to take care of things without panic, trusting that He <b><i>did</i></b>
know the situation even though it appeared He didn’t. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Many people are amazed that we are returning to the 'storms' of life in Nigeria.</div>
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They have asked us if we are afraid.</div>
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<br /></div>
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We are not afraid. We're excited to return to our friends and the ministry there and have peace knowing this is the journey God has for us. We know there will be stressful storms that will be out of our control. But we also know that Jesus is 'in the boat' with us. He knows what is ahead and can take care of us.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Do I trust Him when the storms come? Do I call out to Him in fear and desperation
or do I call to Him in faith and confidence in His power and wisdom? He is not surprised by my storm, He is
waiting right beside me to help when I call out to Him. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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He doesn’t always calm the storms and seas around me. But He does tell me to ‘Be Still and Know
that I Am God”. He always holds my hand through the storm giving me strength to endure.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-46838516008817385492011-02-09T02:35:00.000-08:002011-02-09T02:54:13.943-08:00Changes from CrisisThe Jos crisis brought many changes for us in the month of January.<br /><br /><strong>The SIM office</strong> was closed for a week due to a tense situation in and around the city of Jos so Brenda did not go it to work. When she returned after three weeks of Christmas break and one week added there was a lot of catching up to do for travelers and immigration. It is now good to be back on a regular schedule.<br /><br /><strong>School was postponed</strong>. The governor of Plateau State called for all schools to postpone the start of classes until Feb. 4 due to the tensions here and to give residents the opportunity to register for voting in the upcoming elections. Voter registration was taking place at schools and other locations around the city. Hillcrest school did petition to allow our upper classmen to return on Jan. 17. They were granted this exception and Jacob was happy to return after a very long Christmas break. He also enjoyed the shorter days and quieter campus. Other students returned on Feb. 1 so all is back to a normal schedule at school.<br /><br /><strong>Jacob's senior class trip</strong> to Egypt was cancelled due to the crisis there. This was a disappointment for the class and they are now making plans to go to South Africa.<br /><br /><strong>Rick is now in MN</strong> undergoing many medical tests. He began experiencing shortness of breath and extreme fatigue early in January and the cause could not be determined here. Our medical staff thought it was best for him to travel back to the States to get this checked out and taken care of. So he is there and enjoying his time with family amid many Doctor appointments.Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-35648332642714243342011-01-31T14:08:00.000-08:002011-01-31T14:35:56.223-08:00January in MIANGO<div>We began the month of January at our SIM Conference Center in Miango for our SIM Spiritual Life Conference Jan. 5-9. It was a great time of sessions, study, and relaxation together.</div><br /><div>We also ended the month of January at our SIM Conference Center as we held a memorial service at Kirk Chapel for one of our fellow missionaries.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Anne Burke, our SIM guest house manager in Jos, died suddenly on January 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAVnbdhOT6vBqEMTn-qQS06vngY2Dd4bwJJ56LiRiRPFdg-0vw5KKcvIAHrG8TzmGg_dFyUO7Xg370fOGzCWPS13_A7mJXI9v-vWgRyWMYNcXP9m3OIxSUFdJ3kMg1xiWIYXIocxYLHE/s1600/Anne+crop.png"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 125px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 218px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568481347767438802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAVnbdhOT6vBqEMTn-qQS06vngY2Dd4bwJJ56LiRiRPFdg-0vw5KKcvIAHrG8TzmGg_dFyUO7Xg370fOGzCWPS13_A7mJXI9v-vWgRyWMYNcXP9m3OIxSUFdJ3kMg1xiWIYXIocxYLHE/s320/Anne+crop.png" /></a>8 from a leaking aortic aneurysm. Her death was a shock to our entire mission community. Her funeral was held on January 22, a very sad day as we laid to rest one of our own in our cemetery here. But it was also a day of rejoicing in the life Anne lived for the Lord. We were all blessed as we heard testimonies from many Nigerians of the way her life had touched them and how thankful they are that we all are willing to make a sacrifice to come here in obedience to Christ. It was a two and a half hour service of tributes, singing, and a message to remind us that those who are in Christ mourn in a different way because we have HOPE. And that even as we mourn we can be a testimony and light to the lost as they see our HOPE.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Please pray for Anne's husband, Peter, as he has now returned to Australia to spend time with their daughters. He is our SIM finance and projects manager here and we look forward to his return in a few months.</div>Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-31502086677780664222011-01-31T13:49:00.000-08:002011-01-31T14:07:57.454-08:00CHRISTMAS 2010I kept meaning to write about Christmas here but things have been crazy since then and I have not taken the time to sit down and do it. Where do I start?<br /><br />We enjoyed a special Christmas service on Dec. 12 at Hillcrest Chapel called Nine Lessons and Carols. Nine scripture passages were read in nine languages...Hausa, Tiv, Zulu, Danish, Indonesian, and Arabic to name a few ad a Christmas carol was sung after each one. This evening truly reflected the diversity we have in our Hillcrest Chapel family.<br /><br />On Christmas Eve we again met with others for a service at Hillcrest Chapel of singing Christmas carols around a blazing, crackling fire and listened to a special Christmas story one of the missionaries had written. We had invited a few friends to join us after the service at our house for more caroling, goodies, and coffee. The house was decorated and ready for the guests before we left for the service but we never made it back home that night.<br />just as the service at Hillcrest ended a friend and member of our mission security team told us that we should consider staying somewhere for the night as reports were that two bombs had gone off in our neighborhood. We called one of the hospital staff and they confirmed that bombs had gone off and they were treating many casualties. They recommended we not come back home that night as the roads were blocked and there was a lot of chaos on the street. So we joined others of our mission community for a soup supper and then stayed the night at our SIM guest house in Jos.<br /><br />Christmas morning we were invited to join a few others for a brunch and then went to a missionary friend's home for lunch.. It was a nice morning but we were anxious to get back home. We decided that by late afternoon all seemed quiet so we returned home at 4:00pm. We enjoyed the evening together opening gifts and chatting with our kids in the States.<br /><br />It is our tradition that we go to the hospital pediatric ward on Christmas Day to sing and pass out gifts to the patients. We were not able to do that this year but we did go on December 26. The kids were very happy to see us and although we decided not to sing our small gifts brought joy to the faces of all the children. There were many burn patients and w pray that they will heal well with no complications of infection. <br /><br />So as you can see our Christmas was quite busy and VERY different this year but God was in it and blessed us.Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-84350008308375232142010-12-14T12:00:00.000-08:002010-12-14T12:44:47.863-08:00From Anguish to Joy<div>As I was reading from the book of John this week a verse struck me in a new way. John 16:12 says, "Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the JOY that a child has been born into the world."<br /><br />This of course reminds me of the birth of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Christ</span> and the pain that it brought Mary but then what JOY the birth also brought not only she and Joseph but many others as our Lord grew and ministered to multitudes through the love and power of God.<br /><br />This verse also has brought to mind the pain and anguish that many couples here in Nigeria feel as they see their friends and family members give birth to tiny babies. Yet year after year they remain childless themselves. But when we place a b<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">aby</span> in their arms we see the anguish and pain replaced with JOY because of their new child.<br />Many have asked us how we can care for and love a baby for several months and then give that baby to someone else. They see how we <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">embrace</span> the baby as our own and love them deeply. We tell them that it is because we see this as a ministry to bless these couples who desperately desire a child but can not have their own. We do see the JOY that the baby brings them as we hand the child over to them and pray God's blessing on the new family. Yes, we feel a loss for a few days as our house is much quieter but we are also filled with JOY, knowing that God is using us to bring His JOY to couples in Nigeria.<br /><br />The daddy of our most recent placement, 'Aaron' who is now named Joshua, told us last week that although they had wanted and waited for a child for many<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDWURJza54AfebiX_EUhyphenhyphenZUvMVnuTdngGn5m97ckVomjvRdHH35qjutWKC2DUGb4UZ7EwayKEgKO_P9GYejak-vJKt6Bh1Af7ry2M5PrNpoFQTRMIn8eeamcx924k5lc9hr0veXS_79pk/s1600/DSCF7889.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 301px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 224px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5550641174213826482" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDWURJza54AfebiX_EUhyphenhyphenZUvMVnuTdngGn5m97ckVomjvRdHH35qjutWKC2DUGb4UZ7EwayKEgKO_P9GYejak-vJKt6Bh1Af7ry2M5PrNpoFQTRMIn8eeamcx924k5lc9hr0veXS_79pk/s320/DSCF7889.JPG" /></a> years, he was a bit fearful and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">apprehensive</span> on the day we came to bring their son. "I knew it was a big responsibility", he said, "and I was not sure I could really love this child as my own and as I knew I should". But he said, "I soon found God gave me a changed heart and a great love for little Joshua that I never knew existed. I am sure I could never love a child of my own flesh any more than I love him. " Now when people ask him about this adoption and his son, he shares with them of his changed heart and love for little Joshua.<br />The pain and anguish of this couple has <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">truly</span> been changed to JOY!</div>Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-1034406402875667362010-12-07T07:06:00.000-08:002010-12-07T07:29:54.370-08:00Christmas party for Babies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKTl5UJq_945_TCYIeP-4Hzrop1hIhCHEgXIQrzxQi7nP5PY_LvkVhIvzVr2InuUw7W2x4fW566lJpP9pQYigSy7UbpDbefXiLJE9INDgYV7ztABzSMavFon5Byv0P_MFIFvjXWYD4ss/s1600/kids+crop.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 328px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 228px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547961139351003554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKTl5UJq_945_TCYIeP-4Hzrop1hIhCHEgXIQrzxQi7nP5PY_LvkVhIvzVr2InuUw7W2x4fW566lJpP9pQYigSy7UbpDbefXiLJE9INDgYV7ztABzSMavFon5Byv0P_MFIFvjXWYD4ss/s320/kids+crop.JPG" /></a><br /><br />We were busy last week as we prepared to host a Christmas party for 'our babies' and their new families. We made special foods, decorated the house, and wrapped some special gifts for these families. It was so much fun to see how these little ones have grown and to hear what a blessing they are to their new families. One <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">family</span> could not attend so we are expecting them to come by at a later date. We also enjoyed meeting the Pro-Life <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">directors</span> wife and two small children.<br /><br />Here is a photo of us with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Liah</span>, Joshua (Aaron), Sarah, and Destiny (Elizabeth)<br /><br />I now have a cookie exchange to bake for, a ladies meeting to attend, and a Christmas fellowship time to organize this week. Normally things are much quieter here for Christmas but this year it seems that we are involved with a few more groups of people so there are more events to attend.Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-32328256691849032552010-11-10T05:02:00.000-08:002010-11-10T06:02:19.643-08:00Weddings & Babies<div>Yes, once again we have been caring for a newborn! It seems that as word gets out more about the Pro-Life ministry at Evangel Hospital we are seeing more women in crisis situations bring their newborns to us for care and adoption. Some of their stories are very sad.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>One of the babies that came in two weeks ago is a two month old little girl who is an orphan as a result of HIV. Her father had died a few months ago and her mother has just died leaving three small children. The family is able to care for the other two children but do not have the means to care for the infant so she is now in foster care with a missionary. The family is still looking for a relative who may be able to take the baby but it is very likely they will need to place her in an adoptive home. She was quite small when she came to the center but is growing and gaining weight well now.</div><br /><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1Pi97j3i4uiMwlos-O2O71bZkMSLvmMmakYnvXF2SaCbKqT2OK2QQice24MlVd2x3yBAqYsqTUsz1VUVbVig2VWrlINz2K92Wog45tU_ItaB5bb2H7vKniBhM5r_vuZrPFhyiCARoY4/s1600/DSCF8178.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 162px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 224px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537912355307949602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1Pi97j3i4uiMwlos-O2O71bZkMSLvmMmakYnvXF2SaCbKqT2OK2QQice24MlVd2x3yBAqYsqTUsz1VUVbVig2VWrlINz2K92Wog45tU_ItaB5bb2H7vKniBhM5r_vuZrPFhyiCARoY4/s320/DSCF8178.JPG" /></a><br /><div>The baby we are caring for was abandoned. Someone found this little wrapped bundle by the side of a road and brought her to the hospital. We are thankful her mother placed her where she could be readily found. She was maybe one day old when she was brought in and seemed quite healthy. They kept her on admission for two weeks to observe her but we brought her home on Oct. 29. She is a sweet little thing that we have named Adaliah, Liah for short. Because we don't know the HIV status of her mother we have started her on drugs and will have her tested in six weeks. We are praying that she will be HIV neg.</div><br /><br /><div></div><div>There is also another woman who came to inquire about leaving her baby last week but she has not returned. We pray that she has found the help she needs or will return soon.</div><br /><br /><div></div><div>We have three lab staff weddings this month to attend. Weddings here are an ALL day affair. We enjoyed two nights in Abuja this past weekend to attend one of the weddings. It was a long hot day but we had a nice time and were the only missionaries there so her family appreciated our presence very much.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMm2RCQNv7wzfEcv309wzlRMPZoW9UhMY2QZ9ZKdZDzWybgWgooZ8gWWsdohClZYOi-AJ8Fb_vGuf16c0bQRu6HYNAbX9qnsVK5fuu9wiflGZ0-zyt5TpVJvlxO5DM2t9igV-kwDws7c/s1600/DSCF8193.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 230px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537916248700086066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMm2RCQNv7wzfEcv309wzlRMPZoW9UhMY2QZ9ZKdZDzWybgWgooZ8gWWsdohClZYOi-AJ8Fb_vGuf16c0bQRu6HYNAbX9qnsVK5fuu9wiflGZ0-zyt5TpVJvlxO5DM2t9igV-kwDws7c/s320/DSCF8193.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>The next two weddings we will attend in Jos. For most of these occasions we have had matching 'lab uniforms'. It is very common here for groups of people attending a special event to have outfits made of matching fabric. The lab staff have been appreciative that we have chosen to do this with them. We were given the fabric and then had a tailor make the style we wanted.</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div>Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-84358296914434507102010-10-26T01:05:00.000-07:002010-10-26T01:23:17.258-07:00EMPTY NESTWe now have a quiet house. Jacob is still here, so no, it is not really the 'empty nest'. But after fourteen months with four different newborns in our home it seems empty and quiet. The crib has been put away, baby clothes, blankets, and bottles are all washed have been stored away for over a month. I now have time to update this blog and keep better contact with friends and family!<br />We loved each of these babies and continue to pray that God will bless them and their new families. <br /><br />This past week was one of much celebrating at our house. Jacob turned eighteen on Oct 15 so he invited five friends to spend the night. They had a lot of fun and finished off six pizzas.<br /><br />We also attended the Send Forth Prayer for Henrietta, one of the lab staff. She is the daughter of a Nigerian friend on our hospital compound, whom we helped with school fees. It is customary for the bride's family to have a service of prayer and dedication for her before her wedding. The church was full and there was much singing and prayer. There was also an offering at the end of the service and rice and minerals (pop) were served to all the guests.<br />This is just one of three weddings that we will be attending in the next month. Rick has three of his lab staff getting married in November. We will be having lab 'uniforms' (matching outfits) made for all of them.Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-57234369089861944252010-02-01T13:11:00.000-08:002010-02-01T13:54:43.629-08:00New Year News<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvWU9THL5n58qqIjRwybJNY4YyZ_utCdxT3eFT1XMZjaBcuaQKYz6YBb9w-D7Fq8EhR-WL-1D28AzwcbOxRj9CFbmgPcfRRRLMrJUFSi5XlwRC5fVR_TIiRVVRaNYd1bU1yoHy37I6Xk/s1600-h/DSCF6886.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 224px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 161px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433392708421625938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvWU9THL5n58qqIjRwybJNY4YyZ_utCdxT3eFT1XMZjaBcuaQKYz6YBb9w-D7Fq8EhR-WL-1D28AzwcbOxRj9CFbmgPcfRRRLMrJUFSi5XlwRC5fVR_TIiRVVRaNYd1bU1yoHy37I6Xk/s320/DSCF6886.JPG" /></a><br /><div>Christmas was relatively quiet at our house but the new year started off busy and with much excitement.</div><br /><div>The sound of a baby's cry, gunshots, and teens having fun were part of the month of January 2010 for us.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>On New Year's Eve we picked up a new arrival from the hospital. She weighed only 5 lbs., a very tiny little thing. A young unwed woman gave birth to her then told the doctor she could not care for her and her family would not treat the baby well so she did not intend to take her home. The Pro-Life Ministry was asked to find a place for the baby so we were called. We have named her Sarah and she is a sweet cuddly baby who is now 8 lbs. and 18.5". We pray that she will soon be placed with an adoptive couple.</div><br /><div></div><div></div><br /><div>The first week of January we attended our missions Spiritual Life Conference. We were blessed by the speaker and enjoyed some time of rest and relaxation with our fellow SIM missionaries. The theme for the week was "Press On", which was a very timely reminder and challenge to us in light of all that we would experience in just one week.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Jacob had friends over often during the school break so there were many boys here off and on eating, playing Xbox, and eating some more.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Just as school had started again a new crisis broke out in the city of Jos. </div><br /><div>We returned home from church on Jan. 17 and later in the afternoon began to hear gunshots. By evening we could see smoke in the sky from homes, churches, and mosques that had been set on fire. This new crisis kept us home most of the week and things are just now getting back to a sense of 'normal', with a curfew and military presence still in place.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>We are praying that February will be a bit less eventful.</div>Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-79270079228426066042009-12-13T06:12:00.000-08:002009-12-13T06:42:21.107-08:00Christmas Celebrations<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Christmas</span> is much different here. MUCH less <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">commercial</span>, dry, dusty and hot, which is much <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">different</span> that we experience in Minnesota. This is not all bad but the change in weather and festive surrounds did always help set us in the mood to bake and think more about this season being special <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">because</span> of Christ's birth.<br /><br />Yesterday we did have the opportunity to celebrate and spend a special afternoon with our Nigerian co-workers from the SIM office and their families. I was struck by the fact that our three wise men we <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">truly</span> 'men from afar', they were from New Zealand, Australia, and Switzerland. We had men, women, and children from many tongues, tribes, and nations all helping in the program to honor Christ, the reason for this season. <br />It was a special day and we feel very honored to be here bringing the good news to all people.<br /><br />As we worshipped in the chapel this morning it again struck me that we are part of something so much bigger than just one family from Minnesota working in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Jos</span>. We worship at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hilcrest</span> chapel with people from many countries and Nigerian tribes ALL honoring and bringing praise to the same God and Father. The family of God is a great, diverse family, one which I am SO thankful to be a part of. One of the Christmas songs we sang this morning was, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel". The fourth verse really hit me as I think of the people we have been sent to work with and bring the love of Christ to:<br />"O come, desire of nations, bind all peoples in one heart and mind;<br />Bid envy, strife, and quarrels cease; Fill all the world with heaven's peace.<br />Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!"<br /><br />Tonight we will celebrate again with this diverse family as we attend the Nine Lessons and Carols Service in the chapel and enjoy a tea time afterwards for fellowship.<br /><br />May your times of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Celebration</span> this year reflect the true reason for this season, Christ coming to save the world. He is GOD WITH US.Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-41917558447423597612009-11-27T01:33:00.000-08:002009-11-27T02:00:44.861-08:00Empty Nest<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-R_43gfM-vMguDcbCXGKJaBfIryXdY2mATN5n-nMh48Vvh1pxAAeSFFRbs3qcON3d_E5pd5JrjztirmdC4FSUny_NNTt8OvaTWScJXVgnb9Y_ymy6LO050ypV7j4PN2e8RShQuFyLAvk/s1600/Baby+and+Max+crop+compressed.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-R_43gfM-vMguDcbCXGKJaBfIryXdY2mATN5n-nMh48Vvh1pxAAeSFFRbs3qcON3d_E5pd5JrjztirmdC4FSUny_NNTt8OvaTWScJXVgnb9Y_ymy6LO050ypV7j4PN2e8RShQuFyLAvk/s320/Baby+and+Max+crop+compressed.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408719667660161506" /></a>
<br />Back on the site again!
<br />After a short visit to the US this past summer to spend time with our four college kids we returned on July 9.
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<br />Just 10 days after our return we received a call from the Pro-Life ministry here at Evangel Hospital that there was a new born, who had been dropped at the hospital, in need of a foster home. We gladly welcomed Maxwell into our home just hours after his birth. He has been a joy to us as we nurtured him for the past four months.
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<br />Last week we received another call saying there was a woman who had just delivered and this newborn needed a home. Yes, we did indeed take in another baby! So for the past week we had four month old adorable Maxwell and a newborn Elizabeth in our home. Needless to say there were many bottles to prepare and diapers to change. But these children are SO precious.
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<br />On Wednesday of this week we had the joy of giving these sweet babies over to their new adoptive parents. These couples were SO excited to receive these precious children after praying for a child for many years. It was a great privilege to pray for them and be a part of this special event.
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<br />But of course we are feeling like empty nesters as we now only have nine year old Luke, also a foster child, and our own seventeen year old Jacob in our home. We can sleep through the night and do not have to have an ear open for a waking baby in the afternoons. We do love to do foster care and will continue to pray for Maxwell and little Elizabeth as they settle in their new families.
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<br />Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-60181444940119736972009-03-29T10:07:00.000-07:002009-03-29T10:40:06.635-07:00SPRING BREAKWhile our four college kids in the US were returning to school after enjoying their spring breaks together in MN with grandparents our spring break was just beginning.<br />We traveled four hours to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria for a three day stain in a hotel. It was wonderful to have unlimited water, power, and air conditioning in addition to a beautiful pool. We enjoyed the pool side each day for several hours and I was reminded that it only takes about ten minutes before I begin to burn in the sun here. We brought food from home for most of our meals but we did enjoy some great food as we tried new restaurants in the evenings.<br /><br />The downside of our break was to return home from Abuja hot and tired from the long drive and find that we had a couple of leaky ground pipes which resulted in us loosing all of the water we had stored in our high tank (hundreds of gallons). That meant NO running water in the house and only a little in our two ground tanks. It was a 'welcome back to reality' moment. I fetched two buckets of water before dark to use in the house and we washed up a bit but no showers. Twenty-four hours later the plumber came and we now have water in our high tank once again but none in our ground tanks as we pumped it all to the high one. We are planning to have a tanker of water delivered tomorrow to fill all our tanks which should last us a month. The rains will hopefully come before we get low again and begin to give us some water in our well.<br /><br />With both ground tanks empty it was a perfect time to clean them out good. They get VERY green and disgusting in this heat. So today it was Jacob's job to climb inside them and bucket out the little remaining water then scrub them down and finally rinse them with bleach water.<br /><br />Since I last wrote we have seen Gud Luk (Good Luck) and he is doing very well. He was able to return home from the hospital a week ago to the joy of his parents and sisters and he continues to thrive.<br /><br />I received an encouraging visit last week by a former student of mine from JETS, Jos ECWA Theological Seminary. He is now an ECWA, Evangelical Church of West Africa, missionary in a remote village to the north. He came to Jos with his wife and young son so she could deliver their new baby in a hospital. He needed assistance to buy medicine for his wife and also told me about his ministry. He said that my English class continues to be a blessing to him as he studies to do evangelism and preaching in his area and he will never forget what he learned in that class.Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-24620928953985586952009-03-01T10:46:00.000-08:002009-03-01T11:36:11.411-08:00Wow, what a month February was!<br /><br /><br />We have not gotten city water since my last blog on January 28. We are pumping from our well but only 5 min. a day as it is very low and we are in major water conservation mode. But so far we are doing fine and praising the Lord for that as many around us have much less in reserve than us.<br /><br /><br />Our son, Isaac was sworn in as a US Marines and left for basic training on Feb. 17. However, two days later he was told he was being discharged because they found he had glaucoma. This was a real shock to him and to us. How do you comfort your child when you are thousands of miles and oceans apart? He is now back in MN where he is looking for a job and waiting on God's leading in where to go to school again in the fall. Many people were praying for him in the past two weeks as he processed all of this and he is doing great. He feels it was a good learning experience and he grew tremendously in his walk with the Lord.<br /><br /><br />We have also asked many people to pray for a three month old baby, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Gud</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Luk</span>. He is the nephew of our driver and has had a blocked intestine since birth. He finally became too sick to eat so they brought him to their doctor. He was admitted and put on an IV drip but was too weak to have surgery. After two weeks and many prayers he was finally a bit stronger so the surgery was done. He came through it and is gaining strength! We feel this was a true miracle as we saw him a few days before surgery and did not think he would live. We plan to go back to the hospital he is in and visit the family tomorrow and again pray with them.<br /><br /><br />Rick has done quality control training for the lab staff this week and plans to do more in the coming weeks. He is also trying to help with the plans for a new building for the lab.<br /><br /><br />We just had two short term missionaries from the US leave after a month of work here. We will welcome a medical student from Switzerland on Tuesday and one from the US later this month so I have been busy keeping the apartments cleaned and stocked with supplies. We often have them at our house on Saturday nights for pizza and a movie and they come by to use the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Internet</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">occasionally</span>.Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-3958293839064229902009-01-28T07:16:00.000-08:002009-01-28T07:37:39.074-08:00Good NewsOur son Isaac called last night to tell us he will not be going to basic training this week but will leave in Feb. as originally planned. That is good news to us as that means we can arrange to be there for his graduation ceremony and spend time with him during his 10 day leave in May. We may not see him for quite a while after that.<br /><br />I am now the Evangel Compound Hostess once again, which I enjoy. This ministry involves welcoming visiting medical students and residents, or new long term missionaries to the Evangel compound. I get the apt. ready with food and water, help them with orientation to life and ministry at the hospital as well as introducing them to the others living here. We have made some very special friends from around the world through this ministry opportunity.<br />We welcomed a new resident yesterday and had him over for supper. We sat around the table for quite a while after the meal answering his many questions.<br /><br />This has also been a good week because we have gotten city water twice. All three of our water tanks are now full, we are praising the Lord for this blessing.Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-53569245128569239502009-01-24T01:09:00.000-08:002009-01-24T02:14:53.236-08:00Rick's lecture went well on Thursday and there were many questions from the residents. He actually did not speak on blood banking but on a few of the new tests that are now available at Evangel, primarily thyroid testing. This test is very valuable to many missionaries and Nigerians here and formerly not available.<br /><br />Last night Jacob had friends over for the night and now they are off with Rick and their dad to play a round of golf. MIND YOU, this is not like golf in America. The course here is mostly sand and there are the occasional hoof tracks and cow pies left from wandering Fulani herds. But it will be a fun morning for them and Rick was excited to get a club in his hand again and work on his swing.<br /><br />I am meeting with a local travel agent this morning still trying to finalize travel to Ghana for a group of our missionaries who are to leave tomorrow. Nothing here it seems is done quickly! Our conference speaker challenged us a few weeks ago on how God often does things through us the long - difficult - painful way and I am feeling that as I plan this trip. But God is in control and He is teaching me things as I do this ministry. Please pray that this conference will be a blessing and encouragement to our missionaries who attend and that their travel will be smooth and safe.Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6811511896988235871.post-73982777119279791192009-01-22T05:43:00.000-08:002009-01-22T06:14:01.058-08:00We have finally gotten a blog site.<br />I will try to keep updated news and prayer requests here for those of you who love to read the daily news online.<br />This really will be a great way to keep in touch with people and I can hopefully add some photos for interest and to illistrate our life here better.<br /><br />Today Rick is presenting a lecture to the doctors and hospital staff on blood banking.<br />I have been busy in the office getting the final arrangements made for a group of our missionaries who are traveling to Ghana for a conference.Rick & Brenda Naatzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604403039421502999noreply@blogger.com0