SCHNEIDERS' NIGERIA UPDATE, #4
ABA, NIGERIA Friday, November 14
By Marti Schneider, on location

What an intense three days! Until today, November 16, we were unable to
get on CompuServe. Our hotel finally got the satellite internet
hook-ups. Benny Moore sat down at my computer and reconfigured it so
that I could get on through the Internet Explorer. When I saw the
CompuServe screen come up, it was a thrilling sense of reconnection with
the rest of the world!

= = = = =

Everyone was scrambling to be ready for the opening meeting. Don had
been through his sermon with the translators. I had worked with the
cameramen who were assigned to help me prepare a short "special feature"
that I am to present nightly. I wanted to showcase the welcome that we
received as we came to Africa, to Nigeria. We staged some video clips
and pieced them together . . . arrival at the Lagos airport and being
met by Pastor and Mrs. Luca Daniel, the Pathfinder escort and the
motorcade from Port Harcourt, meeting the conference staff, going to
Nigerian Television Authority, going to our new home, the Terminus
Hotel, our home for three weeks. Were we welcomed to Nigeria?
Wonderfully! Do we feel at home in Nigeria? Perfectly! Thank you,
Aba! Thank you, Nigeria! Thank you, Africa!

Everyone at the stadium was working to be ready for THE moment. Choirs
had been practicing for two days at the church by the conference office.
At 6:30 p.m. the pre-program began . . . choirs, family singing groups,
a soloist, the Shepherdess women all dressed alike - - bright green
skirts, white blouses, and beautiful bright green headwear, the Women's
Ministry in their bright blue and white outfits, the Pathfinders . . .
ALL came marching across the platform to drums and music . . . uplinked
to Africa.

Don and I had prayed together in the morning before we started the day.
We were praying all day long. And we prayed together again as the time
ticked down for the opening of the "Visions for Victory" Campaign.
As I looked at the height of the platform and the steps I would have to
climb, I wondered if I could do this little two- to five-minute task.
But the moment came. I went to the top of the steps as Pastor Dankwa
announced me. You just follow your cues . . . keep following the
schedule, that's what you do . . . it was the same feeling I had once
when I was rolled into the operating room. Just do it! You can't stop
now! But God blessed. I didn't fall. The words came . . . I was able
to express it just as we had planned.

That was how it felt for me. And I could tell that all of those same
emotions were playing through Don. "I can't get off now . . . keep
going . . . I'm not up to this . . . God, You'll have to do it!" His
was the main part. And it was a beautiful message about the Daniel 2
image, but mostly about the Rock. The computer teleprompter system
worked well. Don was able to put himself into the sermon.

Good night,

Marti