SCHNEIDERS' NIGERIA UPDATE #2

ABA, NIGERIA Wednesday, November 12 10:00 pm
By Marti Schneider, On location

Getting organized. That was the job for today . . . along with figuring
out how to get money, finding drinking water . . . and the breakfast
room. After breakfast we had a meeting with the visiting speakers of the
10 meeting sites that surround the city of Aba plus the local pastors of
each site. I met the camera team that will be my partners in producing
the daily special feature. They come from Abidjan, from the division
media center.

Then off we went to the East Nigeria Conference office where the
conference president, the union president, and Don met reporters for a
press conference. Next stop was the office of the NTA (No, I didn't mean
ATN, Adventist Television Network.) It is the Nigerian Television
Authority. There we met with the entire administrative staff. The
general manager, after much greetings and introductions, asked Don to
tell why he had come to Nigeria. Don told the story of the change that
the message he is going to preach made in his own family . . . the story
of how when Don was a boy his father stopped drinking as he became
acquainted with Jesus, that he grew up in a happier home because of
Jesus. "And I want other people to find that same message. I want them
to discover that God has the answers to their needs. I have an
obligation to my own family, to my own country, and to the world. From
Aba we will share this message with Nigeria, with Africa, and with North
America." We watched the faces soften and smile. When Don finished
telling his story, the people sitting around the room clapped. The
general manager, Jerry Louis Ugwu, gave a beautiful testimony of his own
and he challenged us to be faithful in sharing our message.

Don and Conference President Gideon C. Nwaogwugwu were guests of Cliff
Nyose who is the moderator of the NTA talk show called "Talking Points."
Although Mr. Nyose had a number of questions prepared, there was quite a
discussion about the upcoming evangelistic meeting. As he wrapped up the
show, he spoke directly to the television audience urging them to attend
the "Visions of Victory" Evangelistic Series. The production crew came
out of their little room and spoke warmly as we left the studio.

With a couple of hours left before supper, Bob Folkenberg brought over
the equipment so Don could practice using the hand-held automatic
advance as he studies his sermons.

Then back to the conference office we went for the evening meal.

Funny . . . this morning Don said, "We don't have a lot to do today.
We'll get some studying and work done in the room." What a lot we did
out of the room . . . and so little in the room!

Good night!

Marti Schneide