Story number 3 for 25 Oct 2002

(Nigeria)–Many in Nigeria see an education as the key to changing the future. However, that can also be one of the challenges to literacy program outreaches that missionary Heidi Rosendall works with. “The Gbari people have not, to date, expressed a strong interest in literacy. They’re more a farming community that has seen the outside exploit them. I’d say the traditional attitude has been that they don’t want to send their children to school.” Rosendall adds that while the attitudes toward literacy and education are changing, there are other obstacles. She asks people to pray. “It’s a real political issue now, whether you’re Christian, or Muslim, or Animist or ATR (African Traditional Religion). We haven’t worked, ourselves, in evangelism, seeking to be in the background doing the translation work and giving the tools to the Gbari church, which though small, does have a burden for its people.” The Rosendalls are staying at D&D Missionary Homes in Florida while in the United States.