He is God

Hope you had a great Christmas!

Thanks to many of you emailing me, I realize many folks are praying regarding my health and I want to give you an update. I will not be able to return to Nigeria in January as I hoped.

I saw my pulmonary doctor yesterday and because I still have a cough and lung pain and a small hole in my lung, his wise recommendation is that I remain in the States for now. When I pressed him for a time that I might be able to return, he suggested we be flexible, but perhaps in March. I am continuing to take medications to kill the bacteria in my lungs. The doctor asked that I focus on resting, so for the time being, I am not available for any speaking engagements. Resting sounds a bit boring to me, but wise and just what the doctor ordered. :)

I realize that the Lord answered our prayers for a wonderful doctor and God placed Dr. Beckendorf in authority over my health. Because of this, I am at peace.

Although this is not what I had planned... that is the beauty of it - that the LORD is in control and His ways are better and are full of love and wisdom.


"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine." Isaiah 55:8

"We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps." Proverbs 16:9

Content to trust,
Erin

www.webmissions.net/erinrigsby

Christmas with the family

Merry Christmas 2006 !!!!

So many of you have been praying and I wanted to give you a short update.

Usseini : This is our 8 yr old boy(in blue) who went missing last Thursday. He is still missing. The Jos police stations have his picture and information and the local TV station has broadcasted the situation. I called Nigeria yesterday and the boys are having a hard time with this, understandably, as to why God allowed this and what really happened to Usseini. We are assuming that he was kidnapped. A praise, though, is that the staff are feeling more at peace in knowing they have done all they can, and putting complete confidence and trust in the Lord. Please pray that if he was kidnapped, and if he is still alive, that God would make a way for him to escape unharmed.

Me : After many blood tests, the only one that was abnormal shows that I have Melioidosis. Never heard of it? Me neither. :) The bacteria (Burkholderia pseudomellei) is found in soil, vegetation, and water. As much as I love Nigeria, I have never claimed it to be a clean place. :) So, now I will start a 4 month treatment of meds to kill this bacteria. I am not a perfect picture of this disease process, but my physician feels confident enough that my lab tests and symptoms qualify me for treatment. By the way, if you are in the Central TX area, I highly recommend Dr. Richard Beckendorf, if you have any lung problems. He has been incredible.

I will re-do a CT scan at the end of December to monitor if the little leak in my lung has worsened at all. Please keep praying for complete healing so that I can return to Nigeria in January as planned.

Thank you so much for your prayers!


"The Lord is near. Be anxious about nothing." Phil 4:5&6

My best friends and a wedding

helping with invitations....

I was so thrilled to be in TX for the wedding of a dear friend, Jessica. She has been a constant source of encouragement, prayers and laughter since we first met our freshman year of college. God has blessed her with an incredible love, David, and will surely use them powerfully as they serve Him together.


with the bride!!, with Becca Jean

Touched By Joy

"The kids have such joy in their faces." "How is John doing, the boy with depression?" "What do I do to become a missionary?"

These are a few of the things I have heard during the past three months. -- After seeing my DVD about Nigeria, numerous people have been touched by the joy in the eyes of the boys in Nigeria . These kids have every reason to be angry and bitter, yet they choose to be free and to trust in the Lord.-- Prayer warriors have been interceding for John, who I told you all about 5 months ago. John is OK. From what I have heard, he still battles depression, yet has not been suicidal. I have been so blessed to know that people really pray for the boys by name. Check out the the November prayer calendar! -- How thrilled I am when someone shows an interest in serving God’s people overseas!

One goal of being back in the States is to plant seeds of interest into people’s hearts.September was an incredible, abundant, God-filled month! He just LOVES those kids in Nigeria ! He wants hundreds of people to hear about them and I get to be the spokesperson! I spent three weeks in Chicago and was able to share with a Chinese youth group, the Moody Church congregation, ten Sunday schools, house groups, Moody Graduate School, individuals, kids in inner–city Chicago –- it was SO much fun! Currently I am involved University of Mary Hardin-Baylor's Missions Emphasis Week. I graduated from UMHB in 2000 and it is fun to be back on campus. I have had the opportunity to share in classes and seminars about how God called me to missions while I was at UMHB. http://umhb.edu

Chicago!!!

I LOVE CHICAGO!!

AIDS Walk with Sue and Cheri,

time with Amy and kids,

at the Bears game with Laurie...

so many wonderful memories were made.

Click here for more pictures.

If I were to move back to the States, I would want to return to Chicago. If you have never visited this incredible, beautiful, clean and friendly city - check it out! The warm months are preferable, of course :) and those are usually late May - early October.

In the States

Time is flying by and I am enjoying my time in the States. I am eating lots of Mexican food, catching up on movies, and enjoying fellowship with family and friends. This weekend I travel to the Dallas area. The ‘Crazy TX Team’ from Rockwall has been visiting Nigeria every year for 5 years. I look forward to spending lots of time with them, along with other contacts in Dallas , over the next 5 days. Please pray for safety as I will spend lots of time in the car and for all the people I am meeting with - that they will be encouraged by what the Lord is doing in Nigeria.

This pic is of my bro and me at the airport when I arrived.
To view new pics of my first month back in the States, click here.

Travelling and Speaking
On September 12th, I leave for Chicago for three weeks! God has opened lots of doors to share with many people.

Women and Girls
Praise God! I received an email that our Women and Girls Center just opened last week! There are 10 girls who have moved in. An older Nigerian woman will care for them, teach them trades, and disciple them. Because of the prevalence of male orphans and street kids, our ministry has focused on them the last 10 years. Unfortunately, more and more girls are being kicked out, abused, or orphaned. The work will never finish. God will continue to use me and use YOU as we are available to Him.

Encouragement
Mom and I were blessed with tickets to a Women of Faith conference last weekend. One thing God really taught me (nothing new, but the lights finally went on)…

The past is over. There is nothing we can do about it.
The future is not in our control. We are not promised tomorrow.
All we have is the present. Enjoy it! Embrace it! For it will not come again.


Enjoy today, friends.

On US soil

I am in America! It has been great to spend quality time with my family here in Salado, TX. Leaving Nigeria was tough. Part of me was fighting it -- I feel at home there. I know that is strange. It is a difficult place to live. Yet, I was not anxious to get out of there and have a break. I love living in Nigeria. Must be a God-thing :) Click here to see photos taken before I left.

As I prepared to leave, the boys were getting sad, too. For them, January is a LONG ways away. But they felt better knowing that I was coming to the States to raise awareness and support for them. I am excited to see you and to catch up on your lives. I also have a video and pics for presentations (large or small groups - Sunday school, children, home groups, corporate, individual, etc).

I am SO thankful for the partnership of so many of you. It is because of your prayers and support that I was able to stay in Nigeria the past 2 1/2 years. I look forward to seeing you in the coming months!

Andy

Andy is a 12 year old boy who was crippled in a motor accident 7 years ago. Since then, he has walked with a limp. We have been discussing his case with various doctors and a visiting orthopedic surgeon recommended that his leg be amputated above the knee and then a prosthetic be placed to allow for better mobility.

We discussed this with Andy and with his grandmother who lives nearby and they were both in favor of the operation. Here are some pics of Andy before the operation, with his grandmother, after the operation in the hospital. He is such a brave boy. All who know him, love him.

Leaving for furlough

God has allowed me the blessing of living in Nigeria for the last 2-1/2 years. I have loved it and am finding it difficult to prepare my heart to leave for my furlough. Yes, I do plan on coming back here in January, when my furlough ends. It is difficult for me to leave this place that I now call home. However, I am excited to see many of you and to catch up on your lives! I will arrive in the States in late July. After some serious family time, I will be notifying you of various meetings, Bible Studies and the likes where I will be sharing about these precious kids in Nigeria. For those of you in Chicago, I will be coming to visit the last three weeks in September.

Prayer for the boys
Andy had his leg amputated and is healing well, getting around quickly on his crutches, and awaiting the prosthesis to be made. Thanks so much for your prayers! Also, please keep praying for John, who has started seeing a counselor for his depression. It will be difficult for these two boys, specifically, that I am leaving, because of all the time I have spent with them and their physical needs. I need your prayers! As I finish this term in Nigeria, I am delegating a lot of medical responsibility to others. I need to let go of control, to know that I have tried the last 2-1/2 years to train the staff for this, and to trust that they will do well. The hardest part, though, is preparing my heart and the heart of the children for my leaving. Please pray for Aunty Erin’s emotional state.

Project Nutrition*** As our ministry keeps growing, we have on ongoing need for funds to help improve the nutrition of the kids. It takes just $5/kid/month to improve the food! To donate online, check out prayer and support on this site. Or mail a check to SIM, PO Box 7900 Charlotte, NC 28241. The gifts need to be designated to "Erin Rigsby - Ministry/Nutrition Plan."

Saying Good-Bye to Nicky

My dear English friend left on the 24th to return home, raise support, and come back as a long-term missionary! I am really thankful because she has been such a wonderful friend to me. In typical Nigerian style, we held a send-forth party for Nicky to celebrate her and all she has done in the past year. While I am the medical consultant, Nicky was the educational consultant and she worked mainly in our rural Care Center, Gyero. She will really be missed… but we are praying she comes back quickly!

(PS - those are bottles of soda :)

Medical Update

As the nurse for the boys, I am 'on-call' to help with various illnesses and wounds and the like. I am also training the Nigerian staff to care for the boys, so that they will not be dependent on me. A missionary is always trying to work ones self out of a job! Recently, I was asked to look at one of the boys, Caleb. As soon as I saw him, I knew he had the mumps! Now, I have never seen mumps before in my life, since the States provides the mumps vaccine. So, from the medical viewpoint, it was exciting. But poor Caleb, and then two other boys after him, were in a lot of pain. We are so thankful that the complication of sterility did not affect them!

Joseph was carrying boiling water in a bucket on his head and tripped. The water burned a portion of his back and chest. Very painful, but no infection or dehydration has resulted. We also tested all 58 of our boys in Gyero for HIV and all are negative! One of our boys was in a motorcycle accident. The witnesses told me they thought he would surely die because of the severity of the accident, but no broken bones! In the 10 years of this ministry, not one boy has died! Continue to pray for protection and wisdom for those of us caring for the boys.

Meet Christian

Age: 10 yrs old

Likes: Football, Ice Cream, Bicycles

History: "Our parents who are not true Christians brought up my seven brothers and me. I grew up in Miango but my father grew sick and so my uncle took us to a woman who called herself a herbalist. "She said we are in a secret cult and she beat us. My father agreed we are in a cult and said we must leave, so he made my brothers, my mom leave and me. "My mom had no work and could not look after all of us so some of us left to live on the streets and beg. A staff member of Gidan Bege found Sunday and me on the street, he then took to us to Gidan Bege's Transition House, where I now live with my brothers (Timothy, Sunday and Daniel) I am the youngest boy there. "I received Christ at Gidan Bege. When I grow up I want to be a Pastor."

Sponsor one of our boys for only $25/month! This covers food, education and other necessary expenses. Email john.sawyer@sim.org if you are interested in adding one of our beautiful boys to your family!

Kenya

Nigeria does not have any giraffe's, lions, or the such, except for the ones in wildlife parks.

Since I was in Kenya, one weekend at the conference, I used Christmas gifts and saved money to go on a safari.

Incredible. For more pics, click here.

In Kenya

On Sunday I arrived in Kenya to attend the Christian Medical Dental Assoc Conference for missionaries serving in Africa. It was recommended that I come to broaden my understanding and knowledge of medical care in Africa. I am really excited to connect with other missionaries who can share their wisdom, to be challenged intellectually, and to be fed spiritually. I am especially praying for a woman to bond with and share heart needs with while I am here. I return to Nigeria on the 18th.

Another friend goes to heaven

You have heard about the Musa family. I shared with you that Rebekah, mother of John and Peter, died on Jan 3rd. It is so sad to share that on Feb 3rd, one month after her mother died, Ladi also lost her battle to HIV.

Ladi loved Jesus and ended her days singing praises to Him so all in the hospital ward could hear that she was not afraid of death.... for now, she really lives, with her Savior.

She leaves behind a 5 year old, Jerry, and 10-year-old Kyauta. John, Ladi's brother, is dealing with a lot of anger at God. And what becomes of Jerry and Gift? Please cry out to God on behalf of this family!

www.juststopandthink.com

He is healed!!!

On January 13th I received one of the best calls of my life. Abner's doctor called to tell me that Abner is able to walk! He is assisted by the use of braces on his legs and crutches, but he is no longer crawling on the ground! Praise God! Abner travelled to his village to visit his family, who are missionaries. He told me later that his father was crying, he was so happy, and that many people in the village called Abner a miracle.

He returned to Jos on Jan 25th and was greeted by 100+ fellow classmates who began dancing and crying and laughing, praising God that their friend was walking! When I saw him walking towards me, I was filled with awe of our Lord's goodness and His love for this precious boy. God used many people in the States to partner financially and to pray (you!). Many others in Nigeria helped in so many ways over the months to ensure that Abner received the best care. Thank you, Lord for this team of people you used to change the life of this dear one. Abner wants to follow in the footsteps of his father and be a pastor when he grows up.

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news."

Abner, may you not only walk, but run to tell people about Jesus!

In Memory of a friend

Rebekah Musa (in blue), mother of John and Peter who live in our Care Center, passed away on January 3rd from AIDS. She was a precious friend of mine. This picture was taken just a couple days before Christmas, 2 weeks before she died. My friend Susan and I visited her and her daughter Ladi (in white, also HIV+) to bring some Christmas presents and to visit.

The day before she died, as I sat down to pray with her, she laid my head on her lap. She must have know that she was leaving soon and I am so thankful for her display of love and affection.

We do not grieve as those without hope, for Rebekah knew Jesus as her Savior and now she is healed, dancing, and is ALIVE.