Greetings from Gembu!
Not having the Duty Waver, we left our home in Pine River on January 11 and got our Covid test. On January 12 we headed to the Minneapolis airport for a flight to Chicago, we got to the airport and found that Dan’s Covid test from the day before was dated for January 7. Fortunately, we arrived at the airport with plenty of time. We called and called and emailed the testing place and finally got in touch with one of the technicians who looked up the test, changed the date, and emailed it to Dan. It is better to have a hard copy for Nigeria, we found that the airport had a business center, went there and some very sweet people printed it for us. We then checked in and were ready to fly! The leg from Minneapolis to Chicago was uneventful, fortunately. We next were headed to Frankfurt, Germany, which was another good flight. After a two-hour layover, we headed to Abuja. We got over Africa when the pilot came on the loudspeaker and said that the navigation system of the plane had gone down. In Europe, he was able to navigate from ground towers, but in Africa was flying blind. We were going to go back to Italy, wait for a plane (as we didn’t have enough fuel to get all the way back to Germany) then go back to Frankfurt. After 11 hours on the plane, we were back to where we started! We got to our room about midnight, ate a granola bar, and went to bed. At 6 the next morning ate a wonderful European breakfast and went to the airport at 7:00. We boarded the plane to Abuja. We arrived at Abuja around 6 p.m. on January 15 and we were picked up at the airport and taken to a new missionary’s home. We stayed with the Patrick’s and enjoyed getting to know this young couple that is serving with the Independent Baptist in Abuja. Sunday we went to church with them and met our good friend, Sabrina Holmes there and went home with her and spent two days there with her and their wonderful children, Mark was preaching at a conference out of town so we missed him! It was so good to catch up! On Monday, we picked up chicken breasts, butter, and cheese, put them in her freezer, and got our Covid test required after 2 days for entry into Nigeria. On January 19 we packed our cooler, grabbed our luggage, and took the flight from Abuja to Jalingo. It was too late when we arrived in Jalingo to safely drive to Gembu so we spent the night at a hotel there. The next morning we left at 6:30 and made it to our home on January 20 at about 1:30. Lady was very glad to see us and wonderful to see and catch up with our co-workers in Gembu!
We found things moving forward and our staff has done an amazing job of that! Our new partnership with Christian Blind Mission is already working on training and empowering Cameroonian refugees, vulnerable, and disabled members of our community. Each of the different areas here on the compound and ministry has had challenges and has handled them with grace and good decision-making skills. We are very proud of how our leadership team has progressed and the differences and growth in so many areas here!
We still do not have the duty waiver, please continue to pray that it comes in the timing that God wants. We have decided that we will plan to pack the container after that is received.
On our first full day in Gembu, our vet came to check on Lady and I talked to him about getting a new Russian Shepherd puppy to replace Tramp who was poisoned. Much to my surprise, a few days later Lionel joined our family here in Gembu. He is a clumsy, cute, large-footed puppy that will grow into a wonderful guard dog! We are thankful for him!
It is Harmattan season here so the weather is cooler in the morning and evening, around 50 degrees and the wind and dust are blowing everywhere. There won’t be any rain likely again until March or so. We are enjoying the change from the snowy, 30 degrees below zero weather when we left Minnesota.
Remember that Converge has changed their mailing address for donations to Converge, P.O. Box 772802, Detroit MI 48277-2802 if you are sending checks to Converge. They also will not be sending out envelopes with receipts monthly.
Another reminder: If you are interested in being in a regular internet prayer meeting for the Gotel Initiative, please contact Tammy Biggerman at tammyb@converge.org. The meeting day and time for the prayer call is yet to be determined, based on the availability of those that would like to participate. Even if you may not be comfortable to pray out loud with a group of strangers, please don’t let that prevent you from joining! We covet partners to stand in the gap with us!
Thank you for your year-end donations and how you partner with us so well! We appreciate each prayer and each dollar to further God’s work here in our remote area of Nigeria. We are so humbled and grateful, thank you!
In His Service,
Dan & Tina Gibbs
Visit our website at www.dtgibbs.com
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Staff person of the month: Please pray for Mr. Bright. Bright is our new teacher and is doing a wonderful job with our students. He is single, soft-spoken, and started full-time at GECHAAN January 1, 2022.
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Financial Report
Our Personal Support is currently 98%, ,
Click here to support us.
Please Give to the HIV and Hospital Project funds!
Click here to give to the Project Funds.
Please support the Gotel Initiative!
Click here to give to the Initiative.
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Prayer Points
- Please pray for the duty waiver and container, that all will go well and in God’s timing.
- For wisdom, discernment, and cultural awareness for Dan and Tina
- The staff, as we are exploring how God wants us to move forward.
- An Initiative Director for the Gotel Initiative.
- Global Workers to join us. The process will take approximately 2 years to get them on the field here with us if they start now.
- Please let us know how we can pray for you!
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Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GibbsMission/
Connect with Tina on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tina.gibbs.921 (Tina Gibbs (Bowden))
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