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New OPD at Egbe Hospital

Posted: October 26, 2013 by Patrice Miles in Egbe Hosptial, Egbe Nigeria, Miles In Missions, Mission Trips

I had a conversation recently with a local Nigerian and this is what he told me. “Once the new OPD is finished God will bring people from towns all over to come and be healed. Watch and you will see! Everyone will talk about this hospital and how it is up to international standards so they can come and be healed.” I have only been here for a little over two months and watching the progress is amazing.

A little over a year ago the demolition of the current OPD started so construction could begin on the new one. There is more than the OPD that is under construction by Samaritans Purse. Compound housing upgrades, water, electricity and so much more. Every two weeks we are greeted with new smiling faces of volunteers that take time away from family and friends to come and help paint, install cabinets, run new electricity grids and more. Click Samaritans Purse to see how you can come and volunteer.

Once the OPD is complete and the patients start coming we are going to need a lot of staff to help. If you are in the medical field in any capacity we need you. Come for 2 weeks, 1 month, 1 year but just come. I have been told that anytime a Western Doctor comes to Egbe people come from all over to be seen. I cannot wait to see this as we have an OBGYN doctor and her nurse coming soon. The increase in patients helps the hospital so much which in turn helps this community. Ophthalmologist, AIDS/HIV specialist, Teaching Doctors, Ear Nose and Throat, OBGYN, Family Medicine, Physicians Assistant etc etc…. come and let the skills God gave you heal the people of Egbe. Click World Medical Missions to volunteer.

Last but not least we are hoping to release short term team schedules for 2014 for churches, bible study groups and individuals. Just because you are not skilled in construction or medical doesn’t mean you cannot come and help the people of Egbe. The ministry opportunities here are endless from Orphaned children, teaching opportunities for pastors, doctors and school teachers, administrative, cooking & baking, Fulani outreach, agriculture and farming and more. Watch our BLOG for the exciting announcement of Team Trips!

Shola and Mommy Day

Posted: October 19, 2013 by Patrice Miles in Egbe Nigeria, Miles In Missions, Uncategorized

“Lord God, you know who will be helping us in Egbe when we arrive. You know her name, you know her face and you know her family. We pray for her right now that you would take care of her and her family and prepare her heart for our family. ” This was my prayer back in June, two months away from our departure to Nigeria. I get teary eyed now knowing I was praying for Shola the whole time.

Shola is amazing in so many ways. Her beauty is inside and out and we are so blessed to get to be a part of her life. She comes Mon.-Fri. 8:30am-5pm, Saturdays 12-5pm and stays late many nights. When I first arrived I thought I could handle all this cooking and cleaning ko si whalla (no problem). Yeah right!! Without Shola I don’t know where we would be. She cleans, cooks, goes to market, loves on my children, brightens my day, feeds our Aja (dog), and helps me with cultural questions. She allows me the time to focus on educating my children, keeping up with our ministry and finding new ways to be a light for Gods kingdom in Egbe.

Shola and Mommy Day has recently started on Fridays since Courtney, the Oyinbos (missionaries) from HELP started teaching Cason and Jolie. This gives Shola and I time to talk and pray. I asked her what she wanted to learn and she said typing. So on Fridays we are learning typing and next she wants to move onto the printer/scanner.

When I moved to Egbe I never thought part of my ministry would be in my own home. I love this place, I love the Yoruba people and I love watching God work in our lives and the people around us. Please pray for the next person to join our family. We are seeking God about the need to hire a guard/driver/gardner/handyman/mechanic. We know God has the perfect man with all of these skills picked out. We are trusting him to lead us to this Godly man just like he led us to Shola.

African Time

Posted: September 27, 2013 by Patrice Miles in Egbe, Egbe Nigeria, H.E.L.P., Miles In Missions
Tags: Egbe, Egbe Hospital, HELP, Lenny Miles, Miles In Missions, Nigeria, Patrice Miles

Hillary and Courtney at our house on Pizza and cookie night!

As I was excitedly collecting different odds and end snacks from my cupboard, Shola was pulling hot cinnamon rolls out of the oven. I put several of them in a ziplock bag. Two young missionary girls, Courtney and Hillary, arrived last week at HELP care center. They are staying for six months and were craving some US food. I know how quickly you start to miss your comfort foods and American things so I wanted to deliver some Joy to them.

I rushed out the door with all my goodies thinking is would only take me 10 minutes at the most to get to HELP. We had a dinner to be at at 6pm so I had to hurry in order to get everything done. I dropped Shola at her house because it was on my route to HELP and then I stopped at the supermarket and paid my bill. Once at HELP I was on a mission to deliver the goods. I found the girls and walked right passed John the coordinator and Uncle Charles who watches over the boys. Uncle Eman who also helps with the boys was sitting with the Courtney and Hillary and I didn’t even say anything to him. He greeted me after I had been talking to the girls for a few minutes and seemed a little hurt. We started to head to the car to get the box of goodies and Hillary stopped and greeted John the coordinator as we passed. He looked at me and said “You didn’t greet me?” His tone sounded hurt and it then hit me of every mistake I had just made in the past 15 minutes while on my mission to bring Joy.

When I dropped Shola off I greeted her children but there was a younger man there and I didn’t greet him or even find out who he was or his name. At the supermarket, I said hello but that was it. I didn’t ask the owner how she was or how her children were. At HELP I pulled in and barreled my way past everyone on my mission. Some of you in US may be saying, “What’s the big deal?” In Yorubaland greetings are a very big deal. I had just left a trail of disrespect and unkindness on my mission to deliver Joy. I started to wonder how many times in the US I did this same thing. How many opportunities did God put in front of me to build relationships and my task was more important?

I used to get frustrated at African time, but now I am starting to understand it. If I am late 15-30 minutes my host will understand. That 15-30 minutes will have been used to be a light to people and relationships will be deepened.

I know I am forgiven but it still pains my heart to know the impressions of the “busy American” I had left on the hearts of these people. God is helping me to remember that everything I do all day even the mundane things like paying a supermarket bill have His name written all over it. I am to be a light everywhere I go not just when my calendar says it is ministry time. I used to get so mad at people that were late. Now I am thinking African time isn’t so bad if God gets to touch people along the way. God please help me to slow down and see the opportunities you put in front of me everyday to be a light for your kingdom.

HELP West Africa, Inc. Egbe Nigeria Care Center

Posted: September 20, 2013 by Patrice Miles in Egbe Nigeria, H.E.L.P.
Tags: Egbe, Egbe Hospital, Egbe Nigeria, H.E.L.P., HELP Inc, Miles In Missions, Patrice Miles

When I think of an orphanage I always think of the movie Annie. The song “It’s a hard knock life for us,” rings in my mind. Nigeria has changed that picture for me. Most of the orphanages are called care centers, not orphanages. The children in these homes have parents but the parents either sold them and the child was rescued or the parents gave them up because they were too poor to feed them or too sick to take care of them.

The kids and I have had the pleasure of getting to know these children over the past few weeks. Cason normally hangs out at the ping pong table with the boys while Jolie and I hang out with the girls. We play games like duck duck goose, I see something you don’t see and more. We just love to be with them as they are some of the most happiest little girls we have been around. They have so little but yet find so much joy in everything we do together. Their smiles are contagious. Check out the video below and you can see for yourself how much fun they are.

The HELP care center is just a small part of what this organization does. They also have a widows ministry, outreach program, micro finance, agriculture and more. In 1999, some medical missionaries moved to Nigeria with their children. During their years in Nigeria, they fell in love with the people and culture of Nigeria, particularly the Fulani. After their return to the United States in 2005, HELP West Africa, Inc came into existence. Check out their site by clicking HELP. I don’t know what God has planned for my kids and I at the center but I know that the joy I experience when I am there is so fulfilling. I am looking forward to getting to know these girls and their stories as we spend two years in Egbe.

Pray for Cason Jolie and I to be a light for these children. Pray for God to use us in any way he sees fit at the center or in any other part of the HELP ministries. Pray for the staff at the center. They are amazing and need Gods strength daily. Pray for the other ministries within HELP to grow and spread Gods kingdom. Pray for the Starns family that is coming to live at the care center in January for 6 months. We are so excited about their arrival and know God has great plans for their time in Egbe.

A Day in the Life of Oga

Posted: September 3, 2013 by Patrice Miles in Egbe, Egbe Hosptial, Egbe Nigeria

By Lenny Miles

Oga means “boss” and this is just one of the many names that I am called around here. Some of the other names I am called are Engineer Miles, Oyinbo, and Master. All of these are hard to get used to, but most awkward of all is Master. It is not a term like we would consider it to be in the United States, but is more used when speaking to someone to say, “I am at your service”. While Oga is a term that I am getting accustomed to, it is still hard to see that these men are looking to me as their boss, since I have only been here for two weeks. But it is a sign of respect and way of showing that they look to me for some direction in their daily work.

So, Oga wakes up between 5:30-6:00 am every morning, does bible reading, drinks plenty of coffee, and eats, more often than not, a cup full of dry homemade granola (no milk, as I am not daring enough for the powdered milk yet). Cason and I dart off to devotionals in the maintenance shop at 8 a.m. (our last blog post has a video of this). We are in a study of the book of Romans were we read a few verses and then have discussion.

At 8:30, Cason runs back up to the house (school) and I meet with several of the maintenance staff to plan out their day. There are the grounds crews, which consist of Sunday, Gabriel, and Mody who have to follow a mowing/trimming schedule weekly to keep the 33 acres here maintained and looking sharp. These guys are also in charge of collecting the garbage (including medical waste) and burning it in designated spots.

Next, Moses who is in charge of general maintenance of the hospital including plumbing issues, making sure there is water for the hospital, and many other things, meets with me and go over what is most important to be fixed that day.

Last are the drivers/mechanics Ayo and Yemisi and we go over what they are going to do that day. Since in general I am not a mechanic, I can only watch them work and try to understand all that they are doing throughout their day. They are in charge of vehicle maintenance, generator maintenance, fuel for generators, driving the volunteers to and from the airport, etc.

Eventually, I make it over to the MDG building.. It is a complete remodel that is about half way complete. The Samaritan’s Purse (SP) Project managers on the ground have allowed me to be the “General Contractor” to complete this remodel. It is a good way to “get my feet wet” and see how things are done with the labor force here, quality of work, etc. At this building, I meet with John (a Nigerian worker), who is a sharp guy. John will also translate for me to the men that speak more Yoruba than they do English, so that hopefully nothing gets lost in translation.

The rest of my day is spent running around checking on everything that I had discussed with workers. Also, I am sometimes pulled away to the dam that is about a mile away from the compound. Currently there is a leak. It seems that a small leak would be easy to fix, but as you can see form the picture, patience, planning, and muscle play a huge role in getting it done right.

The maintenance staff gets off work at 3:30, leaving me with an hour and a half to check on things and get an idea of what should be accomplished the next day. I go to the house around 5 p.m. and Mon-Wed-Fri. we go running with the Egbe running club. I am still slow as molasses, but it’s good for us anyway. After that we eat a great meal, talk with some of the short term volunteer, and let the kids play with their new friends. We end up at home around 7:30 to start baths for the kids and try to be in bed at 9 p.m. for some much needed sleep.

I feel so blessed to be apart of something so big. This project and what it will do for the people of Egbe and surrounding towns is amazing. It is all being done in the name of Christ and everyone that visits the hospital knows this. The people of Egbe praise God for this project and know that without him none of this would be possible. Just today in my email Inbox was this “A nurse just gave report of a male patient coming to Christ this morning! Just thought I would pass along an impact this hospital has had on the community.” Mark Anderson Project Manager for Egbe Hospital Revitalization Project Nigeria.

For more information on how you can volunteer in Egbe with the project click Samaritans Purse. For more information about how you can be a medical or administrative volunteer at the Egbe Hospital, click Egbe Hospital.

“What are you doing here?”

Posted: June 25, 2013 by Patrice Miles in Egbe, Egbe Hosptial, Egbe Nigeria, Nigeria
Tags: Egbe Hospital, Egbe Nigeria, Lenny Miles, Miles In Missions, Patrice Miles

“Come on kids, its time to go visit the M@sque.” I yelled. “Mommy, tell me again why I can’t tell them about Jesus when we visit?” Cason asked. I never thought I would be explaining to my 10 year old son why you cannot walk into a M@sque and start telling everyone about Jesus. It was precious conversation that I will never forget and a huge educational opportunity.

We have finished 2 weeks of our cross cultural training at CIT (Center for Intercultural Training) in Union Mills, North Carolina. We have two more weeks to go and it has been an eye opening experience already. They have helped us identify cultural, spiritual, and emotional issues that might arise while in the field. They are also giving us the tools to equip us once we encounter these hard issues. They want us to get uncomfortable in our American ways so we can truly understand how hard it is going to be in Africa. One of the uncomfortable assignments was to visit the primary Religious worship service for our country we are heading to. According to a 2011 report, about 50.8% of Nigeria’s population are Christians, 47.8% are M*slims and 1.4% adhere to other religions. So we decided to head to a M@sque along with 4 other families.

Nigerian M*slim Women

Upon arriving at the M@sque we were greeted by the parking director. “What are you doing here?” he asked. Telling him we just wanted to visit, he sent us in to find a congregation of men standing at the entrance. To say we were the center of attention would be an understatement. The looks and stares we received were just a little uncomfortable. Upon realizing there was a separate entrance for women, our group separated. We found the women’s entrance and immediately realized that our long skirts and long sleeve shirts were not the only requirements. Every women had on a head covering. The stares again were overwhelming and I was very uncomfortable. One of the missionaries I was with made her way to a table were one women was sitting and sat down. I followed her and we began to strike up a conversation with the Mu$lim women. She was from Nigeria….too funny!

I am excited about what God has in store for us in Egbe Nigeria and we would love for you to partner with us. We still need financial partners, 3/$100 partners, 7/$50 partners 9/$25 partners and 3/$10 partners. We also have 189 prayer partners and are wanting 400 prior to departure August 15th. To sign up to be a monthly financial partner click here. To become one of our prayer partners click here.

They Don’t Have a Walgreens in Africa?

Posted: June 7, 2013 by Patrice Miles in Egbe, Egbe Nigeria
Tags: Egbe, Egbe Hospital, Lenny Miles, Miles In Missions, Nigeria, Patrice Miles

Yes this was the question I received when talking to the physician assistant at my allergists office. I really didn’t know what to say except….”Are you joking?” I had called to request them to change Cason’s prescription for his inhalers. We needed to stock up on them as they do not sell inhalers in Nigeria. She wasn’t very helpful or understanding of our upcoming trip and ended our conversation with “They don’t have a Walgreens in Africa?”

I had never really thought about all the things we relied on until I had to pack it all up and move it across the globe. Medications are the hardest thing to come by in Africa. We will be taking a two year supply of all meds and 2 nebulizer machines just in case one bites the dust.

Once we started talking to friends on the field we found out a few of our favorite foods didn’t exist in Egbe either. Peanut butter, coffee and chocolate……oh no! There is a grocery store, but as you can see it is very limited. We were told we can order American food items from the lady that owns the grocery store. They take a few weeks to get to her and it is very limited. They mentioned Pringles being a commodity. There is no rhyme or reason to what flavor you get, but they can be ordered.

I know once we arrive and are immersed in the community helping the locals, orphans and SP workers, these things will not hold the same value to us. However, now standing on the other side of the globe and having taken for granted all of these wonderful things….I am in preparation mode.

We shipped over 30 lbs of coffee beans, 20 jars of peanut butter and 12 packages of chocolate chips among other things. The chocolate chips will be melted but we have been told to throw them in the freezer, then just chunk off with a knife what you need. HAHA, never thought I would be saying that. So, when you drink your coffee in the morning, make a PB&J sandwich or eat some chocolate….enjoy it and realize that you are very blessed to even have the opportunity to consume those items.

Thanks to our current 39 financial partners, visas and plane tickets for August 15th are in the works. We still need a few more people to partner with our ministry in order to be 100% funded. We are currently in need of 4/$100 partners, 9/$50 partners 9/$25 partners and 4/$10 partners.

We are excited that we now have 180 prayer partners! We still need more people to partner with us in this area too. We are wanting 400 prayer partners before we leave in August.

Do not let this blog leave the impression we are not ecstatic about this journey God is taking us on. We are so excited words cannot even begin to express it. I just felt that if the PA didn’t know there wasn’t a Walgreens in Africa…maybe you didn’t either.

Here are a few ways you can join this ministry. Click one option below:
1. Support this ministry monthly
2. Pray for the ministry
Still have questions about becoming a partner. Click here Miles In Missions

Why Egbe Hospital?

Posted: May 23, 2013 by Patrice Miles in Egbe, Egbe Hosptial, Egbe Nigeria
Tags: Egbe Hospital

By Lenny Miles

Last November, on my two week mission trip to Nigeria, that was the hardest question I had to answer. After all, there are many hospitals in America that can be built to help people as well, so why Egbe Hospital? Patrice and I set out to find out why…

When we met with a couple now living in Indiana, but originally from Eruku, Nigeria, just 5 1/2 miles away from the Egbe Hospital, we knew it to be yet another confirmation that God had led us on the right path. Joseph and Grace described what a blessing this hospital was to them and their families while living in Nigeria. Joseph brought back memories of his mother taking him to the hospital on a bike because he was a “very sickly child”. He went on to say that the Hospital and the doctors there literally saved his life. Grace summed up the conversation about the hospital by saying, “The Hospital is like God sending the Messiah, you know, to save people” and finally, “without the Egbe Hospital, I don’t know where most of us would be”.

As we look forward to our August date of departure to Egbe, we take Grace’s last statement to heart. This hospital is used every day to save lives in the physical sense and is a beacon for Christ’s love and a spiritual healing. The impact of this hospital is a lasting one that touches families for generations, allowing people in this region of Nigeria to be physically healed and to also put their trust in their ultimate healer and redeemer, Jesus.

This impact is not only felt by the 1500-1600 patients seen every month, but also with the hospital staff including nurses, doctors, and maintenance men. A recent email from the Construction Manager, Mark Anderson with Samaritan’s Purse on site, spoke of two maintenance staff members that recently prayed for Christ to come into their hearts. He ended his email saying, “Keep praying for the work here. A hospital is being built, but more exciting than that is seeing these men come to Christ. The real reason for being here.”

There are plenty of people in America that need our help. However, Americans have access to 1 Doctor for every 400 people. Nigerians have access to 1 Doctor for every 3500 people and their life expectancy is 51 years of age. As you can see they need this hospital and they need missionaries to come alongside them to help re-build, re-store and maintain. This is where our family comes in.

Please prayerfully consider supporting us and this mission in Egbe, Nigeria. Our departure date is still projected to be August. Our monthly support is currently up to 76%, our one time support is at 80% and our 400 prayer partner list is up to 146. Click on the the following link to become a part of our financial team, GIVE. Email Patrice if you would like to become a part of our prayer partner team at Patrice@MilesInMissions.com.

Video of Our Journey to Egbe, Nigeria

Posted: May 7, 2013 by Patrice Miles in Egbe Nigeria, Fundraising, Nigeria, SIM

Many of you already know our story and many of you don’t. We have made the final touches to our video that guides you in 5 minutes and 22 seconds through Our Journey. I hope you can take a few minutes to watch and share with as many people as possible.

Less than a year ago we went on our first mission trip. Our hearts were changed. We felt God was calling us to something bigger than anything we could imagine. We started to look for opportunities to serve locally and internationally. After searching for months through different service projects, Lenny came across the Egbe Hospital Revitalization project. We both kept coming back to Egbe even when we tried to push it out of our minds. We felt God calling so we answered with a “Yes”. Lenny made a site visit and was given confirmation that this was where God wanted us.

Now only a few months later, we have SOLD everything we own and plan to head out in August for Egbe, Nigeria. We have committed to 2 years, but we know that this is something God might be calling us to for much longer. We are open to his plans and cannot wait to get to Egbe to help serve and evangelize.

Lenny will serve as the maintenance supervisor and I will be homeschooling the kids. We hope to also get involved with the local HELP orphanage and visiting hospital patients. Thanks for watching our video and feel free to visit our site at www.MilesInMissions.com for more information on how to give to our mission. You can also find out more information on Egbe Hospital and the project by visiting our site.

We’ve Moved

Posted: May 1, 2013 by Patrice Miles in Egbe, Egbe Hosptial, Egbe Nigeria, Fundraising, Nigeria, Prayer

Well we officially moved over the weekend to my Dad’s house at 12334 Dominion Way. Last week was a roller coaster ride to say the least. Broken foot, Jolie breathing problems, debit card number stolen, closing on our home cancelled and more….. I immediately sent out an emergency prayer request to our 400 prayer partner list. We had so many people show up to help us pack, help us move, cook us meals, help us unpack, organize everything, clean our house for new owners and just call and pray with us. I was truly overwhelmed at the support we received from so many of you! Thank you! Thank you!

Lenny and his father (Lenny Sr.) started their drive to Ft Lauderdale, FL Sunday afternoon. I was a little nervous of what a mom with only one foot was going to do, but putting everything on hold was not an option. Once again my family was there to take care of us. My mom has helped with shopping. She pushes the cart as I navigate the aisles in my electric scooter. My poor step mom Minette hasn’t sat down since the kids and I arrived at her home. Cooking for us, cleaning up after us and then disinfecting everything for her cancer patient, my Dad. I have to constantly remind myself as he lifts boxes and helps me that, he has cancer!

This past week has been a week of perseverance. My memory verse for my DC class was James 1:2-4,Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Lenny and his Dad arrived safely in Ft Lauderdale at 5:30am Tuesday morning. They had to make a quick stop in Tupelo. There was a hospital that was remodeling and they donated all their old stuff to Egbe Hospital. Lenny and his Dad added everything to the Uhaul that will be shipped out on a container to Egbe in a few weeks. It will take about 60 days to arrive.

Now that we have moved, the question is when will we be leaving for Nigeria? We are currently 60% funded on our monthly support and 55% funded on our one time set up cost. SIM will not order our VISA’s until we are 85% funded. We are waiting on Southeast Christians’s decision on our approval but we still need your help. Please prayerfully consider joining our team. We need prayer partners, monthly and one time financial partners. Email me at Patrice@MilesInMissions.com to be added to our prayer partner list. Click here GIVE to be directed to our online site to become a financial partner.

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