What's New at EIB |
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| A Lending Library for Christlight School | |
 Books waiting for shipment. |
In all of Nigeria there are four libraries open to the general public. Nigeria has 230-million souls. In the city of Lagos, a city of 12-million, the public library has been under construction since 1968, with no completion date in sight. Owning a single book is out of range for most Nigerian families. Think what a library could do. Our partner in Nigeria, Azuku Gbogboade, has a dream to have a public lending library so that people will have free access to books. We share her dream. We have worked hard to bring books to her school where she has set aside space for the library. As it grows, she will open it to the public. To date we have shipped about 750 pounds of high-quality books and curriculum materials. First United Methodist in Mt. Pleasant [Michigan] chose EIB as their Vacation Bible School service project. They collected over $300 towards shipping books. |
 New library at Christlight School. |
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In September we linked Azuka G. with a librarian, Chris Zeien, who designed the cataloging system for the library. EIB purchased $500 worth of library start-up materials. Shortly after, Stephen Carey, a young friend felt led by the Lord to go to Africa for a time. “As it happened”, he was invited to stay at Azuka G.’s home. Stephen was able to help establish the library system that our friend Chris has set up (see picture above). In May we had an entire room of remaindered books donated by AB Publishing. One week after packing the boxes, the United States Postal Service raised their rates worldwide and eliminated the media rate to foreign countries. Instead of $1 per pound our 1218 pounds of books would now cost $4 per pound to send, which is $4872. Since May, we have researched alternative ways to ship and learned of a freight consolidator who will ship to Nigeria for $2.25 per pound or $2740. We have $700 donated so far and we believe God will touch hearts to provide the additional $2000 before Christmas. |
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| The Well Is In! | |
 Original source of water. |
In November 2006 Jim, Bridget and Sheila went to Nigeria to establish a training center and dedicate two village schools. Azuka G. took us half a mile from the village of Olopemeta to show us the water source. As you can see from the picture, the water was sludge brown. Azuka remarked that there were many waterborne diseases in the village, such as cholera, as a result of the water. In addition, the villagers had to carry the water half a mile to their homes. In the village, fresh water was far below the ground and the villagers had no way to tap into it. We talked about how important it is to make clean water available to the villagers. Our mission statement defines our role as providing curriculum, training and a library. But, what good is a school if the children are too sick to learn? When we returned to the United States Bridget made a PowerPoint for her youth group. We put this need out to you, our friends. Within 6 weeks, the $4000 for the well had come in. The well was hand dug. Water was hit at 285 feet and now the village has a readily available source of clean water Thanks to all of you for your prayers and financial help. See the box below for a word of thanks from the administrator of Great Joy School . |
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| Where we've been & where we're going | |
| Highlights of 2007 | |
| 1. The well at Olopemeta completed 2. Azuka G. spent a week in May training with us. 3. Generation of Hope School in Avutu Village begins third grade using our curriculum. 4. Friends of EIB party in June. (We had a great time!) 5. A ton and a half of high-quality library books donated. 6. 750 pounds of books shipped. 7. Supplied the two village schools overseen by Azuka G. with first grade curriculum materials. 8. Grade Five completed (Grade Six is next). |
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| Future Goals for 2008-2009 | |
| 1. Help Generation of Hope School in Avutu Village find funders to put an addition on their school. They will be starting fourth grade in Fall, 2008. 2. Establish two new schools. 3. Research digitizing the curriculum (School on a Disk). 4. Develop training DVDs. 5. Complete the library project at Christlight School. 6. Develop a pre-school program. 7. Find someone interested in writing a Nigerian history book. |
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Men digging the 200-plus foot deep well. 
