Archive for the ‘Lenny Miles’ Category

Developing Co-Leaders

Posted: September 13, 2016 by Patrice Miles in Egbe Nigeria, Lenny Miles, Miles In Missions, Nigeria, SIM
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chris and lenny“As Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17

This has been our motto in Egbe for the past three weeks. It is our memory verse, our prayer for the people of Egbe, and more practically our whole goal. We want to “develop co-leaders”.

We were privileged to have a SouthEast Christian Church (SECC) member here for three weeks and his wife has stayed for almost five weeks. He does not come from a medical background, nor from a construction background so he didn’t feel like he could help our ministry with the Revitalization Project. He had concerns,  “what will I do?” and “how will I be effective?” After some collaboration, we decided he had all of the right things at his fingertips and God would take care of the rest.

DSC_0052This member and his wife are dear to our family. (I will not name them, because sometimes they visit “closed” countries and I do not want to endanger them or the people they meet in the fields there). We met them a little over four years ago, when Patrice and I took the Prospectives class at SECC. They were the “course facilitators” and this class was instrumental in helping us to become missionaries. With their heart already set for missions, this couple was determined to go to the field to see graduates of their class, SECC members, and friends (us).

DSC_0032Also at SECC is another great program which many know as simply DC which means Developing Co-leaders. It is a 21 month class based on bible study and meeting in a small group to discuss many topics throughout the two years. It can also be thought of as discipleship training. Both Patrice and I have completed this course in the past, which is dear to our walk with the Lord and so had our fellow SECC member who was coming to join us on the field. It was brought up one day that he could come here and teach a few of these classes and build into our sphere of influence here on the ground in Egbe. We picked two topics, Managing Conflict and Intro to Leadership.

DSC_0067We used the scriptures for many discussion questions on judging others, tolerance, where each of us sees conflict in our lives, how to handle that conflict, and many more topics. We even covered the book of Philemon (only 25 verses). Where Philemon was asked to take back his old slave who had stolen from him and ran away. Talk about conflict!

We had classes with the ECWA DCC (District Church Counsel) President and 22 other pastors from in and around Egbe. Classes with the Hospital leadership including the Medical Director and HODs (Heads Of Departments) in the hospital. Classes with the building and maintenance crews for the Revitalization project. And even classes with the older boys from C.A.R.E. Africa. In total, there were more than 75 people that have been impacted by these classes!

DSC_0083However, our motto for the three weeks wasn’t about managing conflict, it was about iron sharpening iron and one man sharpening another. Our thought and prayers through this teaching is that a few of the 75 in attendance will step up and say they want to be able to sharpen other men (and women). We offered the entire course of DC lessons to them when they are available to start up their own small groups. We ask you to pray that the seeds that were planted bring good fruit, that at least two or three of these groups gets started and we begin to have a multiplication process of leaders developing co-leaders, in turn developing more co-leaders, and so on.

Stay tuned for a story on this man’s wife, who is a great nurse and worked in the hospital for the five weeks she was here….

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New OPD Welcome Video

Posted: June 14, 2016 by Patrice Miles in Egbe Hosptial, Lenny Miles, Miles In Missions, Nigeria
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Since I arrived in Egbe almost 3 years ago I have always been confused by the procedure for seeing a doctor in the OPD (Out Patient Department). In Africa the hospital process works a little different than in America. You have to come to the reception area and present your blue card with your ID on it. If you don’t have a card you have to buy one. You go to the cashier and pay for the blue card and then come back to show you paid. Once you have a blue card they then get your record or start a new record. They take your record to the nurses station where they call you to take vitals. Once your vitals are taken you see a doctor. The doctor may order labs for you which you must go to the lab and get them to write the price of the labs on the paper. Then you have to go to the cashier and pay for the lab. Then you take the receipt to the lab and they do your labs. Once your labs are done the doctor will see you again and then they will probably write a prescription. You have to go to the cashier and pay for the prescription and then go to the pharmacy and pick your prescription. Are you tired of reading this cause I am tired of typing it. HAHA. Its Africa and its not right, its not wrong, it’s just different.

My amazing husband has recently created a Welcome Video that explains this process to waiting patients in the reception area of OPD. We have a flat screen TV now and speakers that play this message throughout the hospital. Take a peak and see what it is like in an African Hospital.

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Here We Are, Send Us Back!

Posted: October 15, 2015 by Patrice Miles in C.A.R.E. Africa, Egbe, Egbe Hosptial, Egbe Nigeria, Fundraising, Lenny Miles, Miles In Missions, Missionaries, Nigeria, Orphans, Patrice Miles, People of Egbe, Prayer, SIM
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IgoSAIAH 6:8 THEN I HEARD A VOICE OF THE LORD SAYING, “WHOM SHALL I SEND? AND WHO WILL GO FOR US?” AND I SAID, “HERE AM I SEND ME!”

HERE WE ARE! SEND US BACK! It has been over two years since we said “Yes” to God and sold everything we owned and moved to Egbe, Nigeria. Many of you have journeyed with us in prayer and or financial support over the past two years and we cannot thank you enough. We are excited to be on home assignment for the next 3 months. During this time we will be traveling the U.S. to share our story, do debriefings with our agency, work at the Global Missions Health Conference and so much more.

Lenny is in phase two of revitalizing the hospital. Construction work has slowed and he is now working towards discipleship of the construction staff in both construction and spiritual growth. The hospital administration is also in phase two as most of the buildings are built and equipment is in place. We now need short term and long-term medical missionaries to say “YES” DSC_9862and join us in Egbe.     

C.A.R.E. Africa has grown and we now care for 25 orphans. We still have many applicants that want to join our program but we are waiting on God to show us next steps in this ministry. C.A.R.E. Africa is also exploring synergies with Spring of Life, which is an HIV clinic that evangelizes to the community through HIV testing and counseling. God continues to use us in Egbe as the needs are big.

Screen Shot 2015-08-21 at 4.45.51 PMPlease come out to our open house in Louisville, KY @ Southeast Christian Church on Thursday Nov 5th from 6pm-7pm so we can share the past two years with you through videos and stories of our time in Egbe. There will be catered food, African handmade products, unbelievable videos and pictures even from Cason and Jolie. Our time is short in Louisville and this may be the only way for us to see several of you.

We are excited about continuing with SIM as long-term missionaries in 2016. We were blessed with many financial supporters over the past two years but due to other obligations several have been unable to continue to journey with us financially. We will need to raise an additional $2,500 a month in monthly supporters to make up for the ones that are unable to continue with us. We also have a goal to raise $20,000 for ministry projects, as well as one time fees needed for things like airfare back to the field. We know God will provide and have already booked our tickets back to Egbe for Jan 3rd, 2016. Will you come and journey with us?

Click this link to sign up now and support Miles In Missions.

To become a prayer partner please click PRAYER.

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2 Years and Counting

Posted: August 21, 2015 by Patrice Miles in C.A.R.E. Africa, Egbe, Egbe Hosptial, Egbe Nigeria, Lenny Miles, Miles In Missions, Nigeria, Patrice Miles, Prayer, SIM
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IMG_2606Wow! Have we really been living in Africa for two years? It seems that time fly’s when you are in your sweet spot. I do not even know where to begin on how to tell you what this journey has been like for our family. The only words I can say is that God has provided everything we’ve needed along the way. He has provided a house that our whole family feels is our home. He has provided safety from snakes, severe illnesses, Ebola, kidnappings, and robberies. He has provided a stronger marriage for Lenny and I. He has provided friends that I will cherish for the rest of my life. He has provided a different perspective on life and his word. He has provided financially through supporters, as we never fell below 100% in our support. He has provided success in our ministries and he has provided Peace in a country full of unrest. Jehovah-Jireh, God will provide!

IMG_2748God has also provided a desire to remain in Nigeria until he calls us home. We do not know how many more years that will be. Since arriving we have helped revitalize and construct many areas of the hospital. Operating rooms, the men’s ward, women’s ward, maternity, pharmacy, a new guesthouse & duplex, wall around the compound, missionary housing, fencing around our water supply reservoir, and so much more. In addition, C.A.R.E. Africa was created. Through this ministry, orphans and widows in Egbe are being empowered through the Bible and education.

Egbe WorkersAs the revitalization is slowing down it is time to focus on mentorship and discipleship. The hospital was days away from closing prior to revitalization. We do not want this to happen again. Training of the Nigerian staff and finding more missionaries to say “YES” to Egbe, is the second phase of this revitalization project.

 

In order for us to be able to participate in this 2nd phase of the revitalization project we will need to raise additional support and go through some long-term missionary training. We will arrive in the U.S. for home assignment in mid-October. We know God will again provide for us, so we have already booked our return flight back home to Egbe for January 2nd 2016. Our home church, Southeast Christian Church, will be hosting an open house for us on Thursday November 5th at 6pm so we can share video, photos and information about our time in Nigeria. We will be traveling to over 7  different states during our home assignment to meet with supporters, go through long term training, debriefing and more so our time in Louisville, KY. will be short. Please mark your calendars now for this event so we can see you. 

DSC_9963If you are currently one of our supporters we cannot Thank you for journeying with us over the past two years! We are asking that you pray about continuing to support us long term. If you currently are not one of our supporters, we ask that you pray about signing up to journey alongside us in growing God’s kingdom in Egbe, through this revitalization project and C.A.R.E. Africa. Click on this link to sign up now, MILES IN MISSIONS. See you in October!

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Concrete Blocks

Posted: May 20, 2015 by Patrice Miles in Egbe, Lenny Miles, Miles In Missions
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                                                                                         Guest Post by Debbie Parker
885739_10205734876805479_1425482419253386569_oThree weeks ago, tomorrow, we arrived at Egbe. This construction is happening beside our housing. You can see the great progress that has been made in three weeks. It has been amazing to watch. The blocks are made on the compound so that the quality is good. It cost more and is more labor intensive but the building is better. The foundation is sure and block by block the walls come up under the hot African sun. Makes me think of The Church. Blocks, we are, especially crafted to be excellent in quality. Mortared together to form a church.

11096617_10205734871605349_4070631506318868194_oLenny Miles is the “Oga” (boss/sir). He has been know to knock down a few pillars and demand the work done over if it is not done perfectly. The foundation is important, the blocks are important, the walls are important. All together, the building is excellent. Let me say what I have been thinking. We are all a part of the building, living stones, that make up the church. One block is a contractor in Africa. One block is a bank executive, in the city, helping the homeless find shelter. One is a real estate entrepreneur that seeks schooling for orphans in a distant land. One is a praying pastors wife in a small town of Western Kentucky. See, what is important is that all the stones are fitted together making the building-The Church.

10983142_10205734884285666_5792543197410201397_oSometimes, our greatest challenge is to see the value in the block that is mortared right beside us. Or to see that without all of the blocks, the whole building would not be. I am thankful for all of the blocks. That they have been made special and put together with excellence. Nothing less. The Oga knows what He is doing. With every block he lays, He is mortaring together The Church.11059933_10205734880365568_8620491370666207475_o

Super Support

Posted: October 30, 2014 by Lenny in Egbe, Lenny Miles, Miles In Missions, Prayer, SIM
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Super Support

back_patReach your hand up in the air, bend your elbow down so that your hand go towards your back, raise your hand up and give yourselves a great big pat on the back! We wanted to take the time to say thank you for all of the wonderful support for our first year in Egbe.

Thanks you to all of you that have joined us in one way or another, from financial partners, prayer partners to people gifted at sending care packages. We pray you are feeling the blessings of your sacrifices to God’s work here in Egbe. It certainly couldn’t be accomplished without you.

Let me just say that our family is blessed by having a firm foundation of support for our ministries here. We have only lost two monthly financial supporters during the first year in Egbe. God has been faithful and it seems each time he has an answer for the needed support that was lost. We are so very blessed to not have the added stress of looking for more donations while we serve from more than 5,000 miles away. This is an important thing to note because this happens too often to many missionaries in the field and takes away from their focus on their ministry.

Screen Shot 2013-12-06 at 1.07.13 PMMany of you have answered the call to sponsor several children’s school fees. You have no idea what this can mean to a child and their family here. If you could see the huge smile on their faces when we tell them that they get to go to school it would melt your hearts. Many times their family is so thankful that they periodically bring us fresh fruit or other items from their farms. It’s the one thing they can bring to us that says, “Thank you”. Just this morning, a man came to bring us several bunches of fresh picked bananas. It was more than our family could ever eat, so we had to give some away to other missionaries.

Prayer warriors! I wish I could know just how many times your prayers put a hedge of protection over us when evil was lurking in. I guess I will find out in Heaven. We certainly feel your prayers in everything from safety, to the progress of the work getting done, to emotional stability and also being able to see changed lives when God acts and they choose to follow him. It’s really amazing.

DSC_0242Some of you seem to go into stealth mode for our support, acting like spies trying to go under cover and figure out what we need or like so that you can send it to us. This is a great encouragement to us too! We know that you took time out of your day to shop for us or ship something to us and it really means a lot.

We’ve had several opportunities at receiving things directly from you and every time it’s like Christmas morning opening gifts. Some of you have sent boxes and things to the containers that come sporadically, while others have taken advantage of groups that have come to visit us. They bring extra luggage with them so that we can have some creature comforts that we cannot find in country here. The most recent example is when, “Grandma” came to visit us and we went through customs with 12 checked bags, five carry-ons and five backpacks. We certainly gained the customs agent’s attention and turned heads everywhere we went!

After all of this, the point is to say a huge THANK YOU to all of you. We look forward to continuing to share our lives with you from here in Egbe and pray for your continued support in every way.

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Back to Normal…… Sort Of

Posted: October 4, 2014 by Lenny in Egbe, Egbe Hosptial, Lenny Miles, Miles In Missions, Missionaries, Prayer
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willSince returning back home to Nigeria from our three week break, a few things have changed. Most significantly for myself, I have been asked to take the role of Construction Manager. This has happened for several reasons;                    –The role just fits me better. With my past experiences in building new homes and other construction experiences, this is where God can use me most.                                                  –We had to say goodbye to our friend and Samaritans Purse Construction Manager, William King. William had served two and a half years in this role, but he is moving on to another part of Africa.                                                                       –New missionary Rick Bradford and his wife, Martha, arrived less than six weeks ago. Rick has become the new Maintenance Supervisor, filling my vacant role. He has extensive maintenance experience with a large steel company in Canada.

teamSo, along with change come new challenges. Work has gotten much more demanding for me. I feel the pressure coming from all around. Some of it is brought on by myself, but other things are external forces that seem to weigh me down. The pressure of running a multi-million dollar project, accounting, ordering, directing, and managing, all the while trying to make sure no one is stealing or cheating, is exhausting! The thoughts of, “I’ve got to do all of this myself!”, has really started to creep into my thinking.

In addition to the construction, our Family has been on the ground serving in Egbe for the longest, just 13 months. People many times look to us for answers to questions that we have no answers to. Our missionary community has grown leaps and bounds since we first arrived. In August of last year, there were only three other full time missionaries on ground, now there are 12 plus our family. This is great, but along with it comes its own challenges. We all live within a one and a half acre area, where we serve, live, work, and on most weekends eat together. Everyone has different demands, opinions, needs, and life experiences that can be challenging.

All of this is happening while we are trying to keep our families healthy and happy. We also hope that God is glorified through it all.

Screen Shot 2014-10-04 at 4.10.25 PMWait… wait just a minute! This doesn’t sound right. Aren’t we taught as Christians that we should glorify God first, take care of our family second, and thirdly take care of work? Why is it that everyday I have this order reversed? Even while writing this blog, I have done the list backwards. Work first, family second, and then God. What is wrong with this picture? What does it all mean?

I don’t say all of these things to complain or seek sympathy, but just to simply say that we are all human. Some people seem to put missionaries on a “spiritual pedestal”, but in reality we are just like everyone else. We can all let our circumstances drive us. In the process, we can easily leave God out of it and try to control it ourselves. This isn’t God’s plan for our lives. He wants us to seek him first and then all else will fall in place. Including our families and work.

I was challenged by our small group here in Egbe to make sure that I am seeking God first. Truly it’s made a difference in a few days already. Things that I’ve wanted to get off of my to-do list are getting done, emails rolling off my fingertips, and other administrative stuff getting plowed through. Sometimes, even with a little time left over for fun! How can you allow God into your life to take away the weight of your to do’s? Seek him, ask him, and watch what he can do in your life. He loves you enough to take it from you!

Please continue to pray for our family. Dry season is approaching and the heat and dust can be extremely uncomfortable. This can add stress and irritability, so continue to pray for us to put God first through it all

 

1 Year Furlough

Posted: August 9, 2014 by Patrice Miles in Lenny Miles, Miles In Missions, Patrice Miles, SIM
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milesSoon my family and I will be heading out on our one year furlough. Four months ago when my husband started planning this, I wasn’t that excited. I love Egbe so much that I didn’t feel like all the work to plan and leave was worth it.

Traveling out of Egbe isn’t so easy. The first battle is planning your trip through limited internet access, blocked websites and emails because we live in Nigeria and bad phone service. Once that is planned then you have to book tickets trying to use points so we can travel for close to Free.  Then plan your 8hr drive to the airport that will be an exhausting venture for our family. Both Lenny and I have roles and duties in Egbe that have to be delegated out to other Missionaries and national staff. We have to plan for the care of our dogs, cats, house, yard etc. and pack our entire family for different climates than we are used to. Sometimes you need a furlough just from planning your furlough…haha!

workAfter all this planning we are less than two weeks from our furlough and I am so glad my husband made us do it. We are exhausted from the past year of work. Just in the past two months alone we have prepared 5 new missionary houses, oriented 6 new Missionaires to Egbe living, hosted over 24 volunteers, moved into the new OPD, moved CSR, put a facelift on maternity, built a new guardhouse and gate and I am forgetting so much more as the past two months is a blur. Needless to say our family needs this time together on furlough. So why do I feel so guilty for taking it?

kids 3As I think about the comfort and rest that this furlough will give my family, I also think of so many I leave behind that can barely afford to buy food and water.  How do I not feel guilty? When our supporters see our pictures on Facebook and wonder if we are using their hard earned money to play abroad, how do I enjoy my time away? These are the thoughts and feelings I battle with as we prepare to leave.

towerMark 6:31 Then because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them. “Come with me by yourselves to a quite place and get some rest” This verse reminded me that even Jesus and his disciples needed to get away from their ministry to rest. We all need rest. So many of us go go go no matter what country we live in. When we finally sit down we feel guilty because there is still so much work to do. I have come to the conclusion that I am good to no one without rest. When you burn the candle at both ends it burns out so much quicker. When you live were you work you have to leave to find rest.

We are excited to find rest in Europe in less than two weeks. I hope you will enjoy our pictures on Facebook as we find rest in multiple SIM guesthouses. I pray you will celebrate with us as we get to spend time alone with God and our children as we re-energize for another year in Egbe!

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

Posted: August 5, 2014 by Lenny in Egbe Hosptial, Egbe Nigeria, Lenny Miles, Miles In Missions, Nigeria
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The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. The unexpected realities of working at a mission hospital…….

seyiWhen preparing for our new lives as missionaries over a year ago, I had never put much thought into the fact that we would be serving at a health care facility. Having never worked in a medical field before, I wasn’t really prepared for the sights, sounds, and smells of all that comes with it. This blog piece is about those new and interesting things that I’ve learned in the past year of living here.

First the Good. Wow, praise God for the miracles that do happen! I have been around many patients with hopeless diagnoses and have gotten to see those ailments get cared for and healed. This is very up lifting and it shows the power of God working through his servants here on the ground. Hearing the surgeon come out of surgery and tell us all that the patient will make it when the case could have went one way or the other on the operating table, is very, very encouraging. Also, when a patient that had a particular “rough case” gets to go home and is smiling from ear to ear, it is very rewarding for us here serving in this capacity!

burnNext, the bad. Lets face it, death is not pretty. Sometimes it can be welcomed for the elderly family member that has been suffering for a long time. However, generally death is not welcomed and no-one really ever wants to say good-bye. One of the most sobering and impactful things for myself is seeing death up close and a little too personal.

Several cases come to mind as I write this, but I want to tell you particularly about a 20 (+/-) year old man that came in with major chest trauma. I remember there was yelling and commotion at our gate so I went to investigate. This is usually the case with most road accidents because someone is usually irate at the other party. The young man was just being wheeled out from our x-ray unit. I stood on the side of the walkway and could see the mans lifeless eyes as they wheeled him by. It hit me like a ton of bricks. An alive an energetic man just a few minutes before, was now dead and had died while they were taking x-rays of his chest. The story is that this man was a “tree cutter” and with this job, they load large logs onto the back of dump trucks. He happened to be standing between two trucks when one backed up and crushed him at chest level. So very sad. 

oubres and jospehLastly, the ugly. Well, lets just say that sanitation is not the utmost priority here. During times of maintaining equipment its very common to open up a panel and find dried blood and other unrecognizable things inside. Next, the morgue at the hospital is not a place that I frequent. I’ve been there a total of two times in a year just to maintain several air conditioners. The smell of death and decay is something I will never forget, although I would like to.

Also, the reality of amputations has hit home. The doctors might explain that a person has to have an extremity taken off due to gangrene or a severe injury and I wonder where that body part goes. Well, lets not go there at all!  There are no garbage trucks, no biomedical waste trucks, or anything else that comes to this hospital. These things simply do not exist here and all of our waste is contained within our 33 acre compound.

team photoOur revitalization team here is doing everything in our power to improve the conditions I described. Most comes from educating the staff, doctors and nurses. Other things such as improved morgue facilities to care for our dead and an incinerator to take care of the biomedical waste, comes from us the maintenance and construction crews. Please pray for God’s continued blessing on this project through financial partners, wise missionaries, and our Nigerian counterparts to bring this hospital up to its full potential.

mgirlsThrough all of this, God has shown me many things in my heart to love on people more and truly appreciate my family. As we all know, life if very fragile and it can be taken away at any moment. Love God, love your family, and love your neighbor as yourself. These things are the most important acts we get to chose to do everyday.

People of Egbe: Samuel a New Believer

Posted: April 1, 2014 by Lenny in Egbe, Lenny Miles, People of Egbe, Prayer
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ImageA few days ago there was a blog from us about the spiritual fruit in Egbe. There was one man that was mentioned that has given his life to Christ in 2014. He works in the workshop and his name is Samuel Ariyo. He is in his early 20’s, working in our general labor force (very hard work). Admittedly, when I first met Samuel I was a little stand-offish. He was rough, tough, and had an almost permanent scowl on his face. I remember saying to myself, “that boy is so angry that his face is always distorted”. So much so that it was in an evil fashion. I hated thinking these things of him, but it was the truth at the time. 

Well, I am extremely happy to say that is not the case anymore. This young man has been through such a great change. I can distinctly remember one Friday morning after devotions, our Project Manager took Samuel aside to talk with him more about Jesus. By the end of the conversation, Samuel had given his life to Christ. From that point forward, I have not seen that angry, nasty scowl again. It was quite an amazing change to see so quickly. It was evident that his heart had changed and that Jesus had released this young man from some kind of bondage that I might not ever understand. Thank God!

Upon trying to make sure that I had his name spelled correctly, I Googled a couple of different tries at his last name. Finally, with the winning combination, Google told me the meaning of his Yoruba name, Ariyo… “There is cause for me to rejoice”. Amen. Please rejoice with this young man!photo 3

I’ve attached a couple of pictures of Samuel for you to pray for him. I tried to get him to pose and let me take a picture of him with his “old scowl”. Remarkably however, he couldn’t do it! All he could do was smile and laugh at me. It was more evidence for him and I that his old self had truly been buried and another person rose as a new creation. 

 

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