By Marti Schneider, On location

PLEASE BE IN PRAYER . . . (Tuesday evening) A crisis has arisen
regarding the stadium and our contract to use it. The football (soccer)
team of Aba is in the playoffs. God worked a miracle so that we had use
of the stadium to start on the date advertised . . . they wanted to use
it for a week longer. Then yesterday a letter came from some government
official saying that they want us out by next Monday. (We are supposed
to have it through Saturday night, November 29.) For some reason they
want to bring one of the games to this stadium. Yes, we have a
contract. Yes, we paid money. But there is a very small clause in the
contract that says "barring unforseen circumstances" the stadium is ours
for the dates shown. A contingency met with the writer of the letter.
No change.

Wednesday morning: Dr. Frank, Kandus, and some of the conference
representatives will meet with the stadium management at 9:00 a.m. and
with another official at 10:00 a.m. We are praying for God's wisdom and
God's words for them. We are praying that God will guide the hearts of
those who will make decisions. We are praying that God will bring good
from all of this. Please pray!

Wednesday afternoon: It sounds like we can be in the stadium through
Friday night. We're not sure of all the logistics, but it's getting
better.

Yesterday, Tuesday, we had a hard time getting off the ground. Our
vehicle had a battery problem, and the driver could not have it replaced
and arrive at the hotel until 10:00 a.m., he said. My camera team sent
a text message on our cell phone that they could not find a ride from
their hotel to ours. I messaged back that I would come there "soon."
We had an 11:00 o'clock appointment in Ovom Amasa (an hour away) with
the person I wanted to interview. But our driver did not get here until
after 10 o'clock. By the time we got to the other hotel, they could not
be found. I called Femi and found that they had taken a ride with the
translators to our hotel. So back tracking I we returned to the
Terminus. They were not waiting in the lobby. Asse was filming the
teams from the outlying meetings . . . and we have an appointment!
Finally . . . we set off for the village.

On Monday, Luka Daniel, President of the West African Division, flew
back to Abidjan for a few days. Sister Daniel remained here in Aba in
order to accompany me. I learned that she, in spite of her great
dislike for traveling, came here just for that purpose. So now I am
including her in our outings. So as we set off, she was with us in the
car.

We went to the very same village where I was on Sabbath. I had made an
appointment for an interview at 11:00 a.m. with Chief Etufugh at his
home. Just before 11 o'clock I called his home to let him know that we
were on the way . . . no answer. I called several times . . . no
answer. Maybe he is next door?

We were on the pothole road with major traffic all trying to avoid the
potholes when we came to a group of policemen stopping cars. Since we
had passed the same thing on Sabbath, I wasn't concerned until they
pulled us over. "Give me your 'particulars' on the car." The car
registration was found in the glove compartment. "Give me your driver's
license." That was produced. Then he asked for something else. I could
see the driver slump back in his seat, defeated. They talked too
rapidly for my non-Nigerian ears. I think the driver was questioning
the policeman's need for the last item requested. The driver opened the
door and stepped out. And the policeman slapped his head several times
very hard. When the driver questioned that, he said, "What are you
doing? Disrespecting me?" and he slapped him again. I tried to get the
policeman's attention, but I was in the middle of the back seat.
Someone told him that we were missionaries, I think, because he turned
to me and said, "Where's your Bible?" I told him that my husband
preaches each evening and that I do an interview. He looked kind of
confused. Someone produced an "official" badge from the evangelistic
meetings, and he turned to leave us . . . telling us to remain. After a
few minutes (of prayer) he told us to go ahead. At that moment, we
weren't really praying about the stadium problem.

We drove into Chief Etufugh's compound about 45 minutes late . . . rang
the bell . . . sure enough, he was NOT at home. But I had spoken with
him on Sabbath and the cameraman had a picture of us together. His home
was extremely large with a second building nearby. His grounds were
spacious and beautiful, with flowers. We got pictures. Then we walked
through the little wooded area to the Nkire Hospital and Maternity Home.
It was a quiet, small hospital. I spoke with the nurse all dressed in
white, Sister Salome. "We had a baby boy born last night," she beamed.
"Where is he?" "Just there . . ." and she pointed to a bed through the
door in the next room. There was the mother, Delight. The baby will
receive his name in eight days. He was sleeping so sweetly beside his
mother. Sister Daniel and I prayed for the little fellow and his mom.
As we got into the vehicle, all the nurses, mother Delight, her visitors
. . . the entire occupants of the hospital were on the porch waving to
us. I guess young son had to take care of himself. The last view in my
special feature was of the sleeping baby's face.

Don's message was on the Judgment. He wants very much to make these
Christ-centered. I saw a number of people standing accepting Jesus for
the first time. After the meeting, a lady who had come from a different
conference to see "the man of God" asked for prayer so that she would be
free from evil spirits. We couldn't understand her too well so we
didn't get the full story.

The women's ministry leader had a uniform made for me. Unfortunately,
they think little . . . I might think little . . . but I'm NOT that
little. Now what shall I do? How do I inform them without hurting
their feelings?

Don is still feeling well. We appreciate your prayers and notes.

I'll write more later.

Marti