Second Trip to the Nigerian Leper Colony

Dear Friends, Family and Partners,

My recent trip to Nigeria was so BLESSED of GOD and the ministry time to the Leper Colony with Carl Conley and Nnimmo Bassey, absolutely wonderful! Truly life changing for the people and for me, too! I got to speak at the FCF International Africa Strategic Conference, taught SOUL WINNING at the Bible school, as well as preached at churches in Benin, and even shared my testimony at a FGBM meeting in Lagos, Nigeria. GOD was in this trip from start to finish and wonderful things were accomplished for the Kingdom of GOD!

The conditions in Nigeria are very difficult for people to live in. The electricity was down almost the entire time I was there. Water was available by bag or bottle only, in most places. Sometimes I preached in the dark with only a few candles to light the entire church. It was over 100-degree heat (37 C) and 100 percent humidity. I was wet the entire time. Hair and clothes sopping, but the people were so wonderful I could do it over and over again! I loved every minute I was there!

I brought in Christian books, Gospel tracts, toys, sweets and other things from South Africa. Once in Nigeria FCF Missions Director helped sponsor 90 Bibles. This was the first BIBLE of their very own they had ever received! We want to give the entire colony of 2,500 people who live in the camp at least one BIBLE for each person. There is only one doctor to attend to 2,500 people in the camp, and 500 people in the hospital. I would like to see that Doctor receive a DAKES study Bible as he sacrifices much to attend so many precious people. I made up gift bags with a BIBLE, a loaf of bread, sweets, and JESUS scarves, tambourines, toys for the children, soap, handkerchiefs, and washcloths. We also got 13 balls for the children to use communally. It was a real party at the colony! I wish you could see the BIG smile on their faces and the JOY in their hearts! These people have NOTHING materially. There were so grateful!

We were also able to help establish an adult library with Christian books. I bought some in Nigeria, and brought some from South Africa. I will be sending in more from the USA and South Africa. You are also welcome to send books, tapes or videos. We also established a video library there, however we found they don't have a video player, so we are trusting God to help them get one. Can anyone help with $200 to purchase them one?

43 children were killed near the colony in a school bus accident, the weekend before we arrived, so we decided to help start a children's library in their memory at the colony. Through our TREASURES FOR TOTS program we were able to get 40 children's books. Also a first for the colony and the many children who live at the camp. Isn't this Wonderful!

GOD gave me so much grace to hug and kiss them and hold them in my arms - it was precious! I felt so much of GOD's love and I love them with all my heart! One night after I preached at a church, I invited the choir to come with me to sing and minister to the lepers and they did! The lepers were so BLESSED by their singing and dancing before the Lord! Most people are afraid to go to the colony for catching leprosy, - but it is not contagious once treatment has begun. Unfortunately, most people come too late, only after losing their fingers, or toes, or an arm, or a leg. Then when they come to hospital they are helped with the necessary antibiotics to stop the disease.

The local people in the interior live in great hardship, yet I never hear anyone ever complain! I went to visit a small village where James, who comes out on the street team with us here in South Africa, came from. I was very humbled to see the conditions from where GOD had brought him from. Many people in the village, hundreds, have died from lack of food and no water. It is very serious there. Please pray!

A bag of rice will feed 100 people and cost only US$25. I will try and raise money to feed at least the elderly each month. If you want to be a part, I will send it to them with what I am sending. It is $20 to truck in water to the colony, and they need a truck to come twice a day. They do not have money for this. They have a borehole, but it does not work and there is NO water. Let's pray and see GOD do a MIRACLE on their behalf!

I was blessed to see people get SAVED, filled with Holy Spirit and I led one prostitute at the Hotel back to Jesus and plugged her into local FCF church. The Pastor, Dr. Felix Omobude (has 8,000 in his church) met with her, she cried her eyes out. She went to an Apostolic Church, not born again, but church goer, she felt she had to feed her kids so took to the streets. Hundreds of other women to this in Benin, very sad. The church will help her learn computer and help her where they can. I gave her money to feed her kids, but the average worker there gets 2800 maira which is about $25 a month to live on.

I was also blessed to spend time teaching them how to pray! I took in maps of Africa, the World, and the USA and asked them to pray for other people around then world. Think of it! These people are in bed most of the day, yet GOD can use them to change the world through prayer and give them so much meaning and purpose in life to touch others even in their situation, causing them to make a difference in the world through their prayers. If you would like to send a prayer request to them, you can send it to my South Africa address and I will forward it to them. I left a prayer book with my friends and ministry partner's names for them to pray over. Also, I would love to see people from different states and cities send postcards with their prayer requests - they can pray over your city or state and family. Let's help bring purpose and meaning into their lives. Who knows, Destiny can even raise them up as Mighty Intercessors for GOD! Nnimmo said, now the men's ward wants maps to pray over too! So send a map for them to pray over if you have one! I want to go once a month from Johannesbug to Lagos to pray and minister to the Lepers and surrounding cities. It will run about $600 per month and will have to be sponsored. We are trusting GOD! If you wish to help please see the insert coupon.

Sorry, there is not enough room to tell you all of this adventure that I experienced there, or about all the lives that were touched, but it was everything good and wonderful! Please pray and see if you can help me help these precious ones in Nigeria Leper Colony. $25 would help feed 100 people, $200 a VCR for the teaching videos. Or sponsor BIBLES. If you want to send books, tapes or videos please contact me by email and I can tell you what to do. Until I hear from you. GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRAYING FOR MY TRIP! It will have ETERNAL rewards!

God Bless You in JESUS' Name! I LOVE YOU!
Your Sis, Serving JESUS in South Africa,

Sondra Berry Young