In 2014, Nigerians experienced much psychological trauma due to instability in our country, which affected our Compassionate Home School as well. After Boko Haram attacked in Northern Nigeria last spring, our MOJ missionaries encountered refugees wandering in Eastern Nigeria and we took them into the Home. Also, one of our postulant brothers was almost killed in a Boko Haram attack in his home state of Kaduna before joining us.
In spite of this northern regional instability, life in the Home is peaceful and the security threat is minimal in our locality. Umuagwu village is located within the Niger Delta zone in the south and far from the northern areas besieged by the Islamic sect, Boko Haram. The service we render is attracting the support of our neighbors in the Niger Delta. Recently, the Niger Delta Development Commission approved and completed the construction of a road into our facility in Umuagwu.
If we ever need to escape for security reasons, this road will be crucial.
Although we are relatively secure for now, we must be prepared in the event of a raid by terrorists in the future. HEAL, therefore, in conjunction with Water for Life Mission (WFL), must have a safety plan in place for our orphans and widows. We have identified a land area in Akpim village, where WFL began its ministry in the 1990’s, as an ideal escape location from attacks. We envision a “safe shelter” in Akpim as a destination point in the event of an emergency escape from the Home in Umuagwu.
Facilitating such an escape will be our new bus, donated by HEAL, for swift transportation from the Home to the Akpim shelter. We MOJ missionaries are most grateful to Richard and Maria Portis for their magnanimous gift to us through HEAL for the bus. How can we thank the Lord for all His goodness to us? For the life and health of Richard, Maria, and their children, we will continue to raise the cup of salvation and call on the Lord’s Name!
In addition to the Akpim plan, we are arranging for security detail with the military base at Obinze, Imo State. The Obinze base is about forty minutes from the Compassionate Home and one hour from the Akpim site. Thus, security will cover both places when necessary. Of course, the Akpim security plan must be budgeted and funded first. We need two large halls for seventy students with three classrooms, a clean water well, and a generator for light and heat.