We were honored to get to tag along to a medical outreach to Oga on Christmas Day. We visited a few houses and invited people to a free medical clinic. They received testing for HIV, were seen by Dr Jen, met with a counselor to talk about their faith, given free drugs and other provisions. It was a long day but so rewarding.
I am sure everyone reading this blog has had life smack them in the face before. I know that I have. Sometimes it is my own stupidity and disobedience that brings on these trials, at other times it is just LIFE. We live in a broken and sinful world so we are going to experience disappointments, heartbreak, sadness, and much more.
Recently, three of our monthly donors have had life smack them in the face. One lost a job. Another is going through a disagreement. The last one has an amazing ministry and his large donor just backed out and left all the financial burden on him. I know God uses these trials and that they will refine all three of these supporters of ours. I know their walk with the Lord will grow stronger as they have to have faith that God is going to provide and heal the hurts.
These trials have a domino effect and affect our families monthly support by $1,500 a month deficit. We along with our 3 supporters will be putting all our faith in God to provide. I am excited to get to watch him work in our supporters lives and also in our own. Below you will see a wonderful infographic my husband created for this new monthly campaign. Please let God use you in Nigeria and become a monthly supporter of ours. Click Miles In Missions to sign up.
Recently one of our C.A.R.E. Africa caretakers, Gift, had a baby. She called me when she arrived at the hospital. Within 15 minutes she called again to tell me that she had the baby. I rushed down to the hospital and there she was sitting up in a chair with the baby next to her already dressed in some clothes. In a total of 30 minutes, she had a baby naturally. The baby was dressed, she was out of labor and delivery, in the ward at her bed, sitting in a chair making phone calls, and all ready to go home.
I was in complete shock and awe because when I had my two children, both of my labors lasted over a day. I had an epidural so I could handle the pain and I pushed for hours. My recovery was another day with pain pills and ibuprofen brought to me every so many hours, food delivered to me three times a day, the baby taken so I could rest, air conditioned room, and a comfy remote controlled bed. I am so weak!
When it was time for Gift to go home there was some confusion on her bill and I had to go down to the hospital during dinnertime to make sure she could go home. I immediately was inconvenienced as I was trying to enjoy dinner with my family. Then as I am trying to get out the door my seamstress stops by to drop a new outfit and a Chief from the town drives up to give me paperwork on a school that C.A.R.E. Africa is about to lease. Uggghhh……. I finally got to the hospital, flustered of course, and see Gift. She has her new daughter on the breast and 3 large bags all ready to go. I looked at everything and said, “Gift, how are you planning on getting home?” She looked at me like I was stupid and said “Okada” (the motorcycle taxi that everyone uses to get around). Really!!!! How was she going to get this new born baby and three large bags down to the road, hail an Okada and then get on the motorcycle with all this stuff and the baby.
I of course didn’t let her do this and got a car to take her home. I have no doubt Gift would have managed without me just fine. Nigerian women are so strong in dealing with what they endure on a daily basis just by living life. Not to mention what the deal with in this male dominated culture and poverty stricken environment amazes me. They are so strong and I am so weak.
Ngozi, Our C.A.R.E. baby seeing her new baby sister for the first time.
I looked at my self and thought about how I stomped down to the hospital perturbed my dinner was interrupted and that my seamstress and the Chief delayed me. I think about how I constantly worry I am too fat, how I complain about my kids messes and what they leave laying around or how I am so hot in this harmattan season that I can barely function every day. It amazes me that after living in Africa for 3.5 years I am still so weak. I think I already knew this but today God is showing me that I am always going to be weak. He is the only one that can make me strong and I have to find satisfaction in him and not in my surroundings. Pray for me as I continue to find strength and satisfaction in my Father in heaven.
August 2013
This past Sunday morning, Patrice and I sat on the back porch of our home in Egbe and discussed what we are thankful for. We both were very thankful for what the Egbe Hospital Revitalization Project provided for us when we arrived into Nigeria in 2013. Most missionaries have to raise one time support for cars, kitchen appliances, house furnishings, generators and more. All of these things were provided for us in Egbe and it made our transition to the field so easy and stress free.
Now that we are moving to JOS, we will have to leave all this behind. We will have to purchase everything for our new home. We realize that we are asking for God to perform a miracle. Most missionaries would go back to their home country and spend 3-4 months visiting supporters to raise this kind of support. It would cost our family almost $7,000 round trip to fly to the U.S. We just don’t feel like this is being a wise steward of the resources God has given us. We do plan to come back for home assignment, but not until summer of 2018, after Cason and Jolie complete their first year of school.
This brings up another area that Patrice and I are very thankful. We are thankful to all of you who have supported us in so many ways over the last three plus years! You have supported us by prayer, by financial support, by sending us much needed items (excluding all the candy and pop tarts!), while others have helped heavily with C.A.R.E. Africa in sponsorship.
We need you and more partners to come alongside us in a huge way. Our “one-time” support seems large to us, but we know that God will provide. Please pray how you may be able to contribute to our work in Nigeria with an end of year one time contribution or joining us as a monthly supporter.
Maybe you can be creative before the end of the year and “sponsor” a room of our house or one of the kids school fees with your church group or family members this holiday season. Please remember that all giving is tax deductible. Click on Miles In Missions to donate.
Our One Time Support Needs are below;
Two cars – $15,000 (Includes the over the boarder customs fees and taxes for purchase in Benin)
Generator and Inverter Battery/Solar Power System – $3,000
Cason and Jolie school fees – $10,000 total per year
Tents are not an option! Beds, dresser drawers, mattresses, and cabinetry repairs for closets are needed in all three bedrooms. $500 per bedroom.
Additional furniture for dining room, family room and office – $2,000
Repairs on the home we are moving in to – $2,000
Equipment for ministry – $6,000
Kitchen and Laundry Appliances – $2,500
About four months ago we were posed with the question, “What do you think Cason should do for high school?”
We were shocked and then almost saddened to realize that our children are in fact growing up way too fast. We asked Cason, “Do you want to go to a real high school or continue in Egbe with homeschool curriculum?” He said, “I really want to go to a real school for high school.” Then we asked, “Do you want to go to college?” Once again he said, “Yes, and I want to study business!”
Living in this very rural setting, an education that will prepare our children for an American university is hard. We thank the children’s teacher, Katie, for all the amazing work and education she has provided for our children over the last three years. She felt undoubtedly that she could provide a high school education for Cason, but her resources in a one-bedroom house turned schoolhouse would be limited.
Since then, we have been in prayer and seeking guidance through SIM leadership for what should our next steps look like to accommodate a high schooler. We visited Jos, Nigeria recently and went to look at Hillcrest School. The school has a deep history for many missionaries in this region that we have grown to call family. We are glad to announce that our children will be attending school there starting August of 2017. Cason will enter as freshman for 9th grade and Jolie will enter middle school as a 6th grader. They are both very excited about this, but are of course sad about saying goodbye to their Egbe friends.
So what does this mean for the whole family? It means that we have a large transition ahead of us. We will be moving from Egbe to Jos where we will resettle at another SIM station. SIM Nigeria has recently appointed a new director and with him comes a grander vision to reach 75+ million least reached people in northern Nigeria. Our family feels God is calling us to move closer to the north and live in Jos to assist with this new vision.
One of Lenny’s Masterpieces
Patrice will continue to manage the C.A.R.E. Africa and Spring of Life HIV/AIDS Project in Egbe. She will travel back and forth between Egbe and Jos many times a years utilizing the resources of a number of other ministries in Jos to grow these two ministries in Egbe. She is very excited to now be able to dedicate her full time to these two ministries, helping to grow them and make them more sustainable in the future.
We are planning our move for the middle of the year 2017. At that time we will have served for almost four years in Egbe. We feel like God has used us mightily and his kingdom has grown through the revitalization of the hospital, C.A.R.E. Africa, Spring of Life HIV/AIDS clinic and through our relationships with the many Nigerians we now call family.
This move will be costly, but we trust God will provide for all our needs. We were blessed to be able to borrow furniture, cars, generators and appliances loaned to us in Egbe from the hospital project itself. However, in Jos we will be required to buy all of these items. Plus we will now be responsible for full school tuitions for Cason and Jolie.
Please be in prayer on how you might be able to help our family continue to serve in Nigeria to grow HIS kingdom.
With love,
The Miles family
See below for pictures of our new home and Cason and Jolie’s new school.
The Miles Hotel opened June 1st 2016 when Southeast Christian members and friends Joe and Wyatt Brown, Payton Sheeran, and Nadia Miles arrived. Joe and Wyatt served in construction and HIV outreach for almost two weeks. Payton served with C.A.R.E. Africa for one month. Nadia was our jack of all trades for two months serving as meter maid, reading teacher, inventory clerk, babysitter, pen cleaner, AWANA helper, and brochure stamper. Having a full house for the past two months has had its ups and downs. We’ve laughed a lot and also wanted to hurt each other a few times. We had no clue that God might be preparing our hearts and minds for something so much bigger.
Nick and Katie Riddle, two fellow missionaries have been fostering three C.A.R.E. Africa kids. (See their story by clicking on Riddle Blog). They were scheduled for home assignment after two years of service in Egbe. They applied with the US Embassy for VISA’s for the kids and were denied due to the fact they did not have legal guardianship. They hired an attorney, eventually received legal guardianship, and went back to the Embassy. They unfortunately were denied again and this time were given no reason. We were all traumatized and in disbelief as to why this was happening. The Riddles had no clue what to do as the thought of leaving the kids behind was to much to bear. Through prayer, tears, and silence we all realized that the Riddles needed to go back to the U.S. to visit family and friends. Also, they need to get re-fueled financially, physically, and spiritually for another Egbe term. It was not an easy decision but we all felt that it was God’s will.
The Miles Hotel is once again full. We have three new beautiful faces that are teaching us so much about Nigerian culture while my kids are teaching them about Nutella, sorry Nick and Katie. I have tasted Golden Malt, rice and palm oil, and laughed till my belly hurts when Testimony says the funniest things. I know we are still in the honeymoon stage but these kids are the sweetest. Katie and Nick have done an amazing job at parenting. My kids and the Riddles kids have always been friends, after this experience I believe the bond will be more like brothers and sisters. It will be a relationship that lasts a lifetime no matter where in the world they all are.
Thank you Lord for unexpected bumps in the road. We grow closer to you as we jump over them. Please pray for Nick and Katie as they seek God’s wisdom in next steps for their family. If you would like to support them in their next Egbe term either one time or monthly, they could use your help as their family has grown. Click Riddle Family for a donation link.
“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.” Ruth 1:20-21.
Sitting at MTI (Missions Training International) in Colorado for debriefing and being forced to reflect on the past 26 months in Nigeria, I realize how bitter I am. The excitement of moving to Africa has worn off and the adventure has turned into life. Living in a different culture is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Leaving everything that was comfortable and adjusting to new foods, language, climate and sicknesses while trying to be in relationship with people who don’t think like you, act like you, feel like you or even understand you. I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty.
Many of us on the Egbe compound are overwhelmed due to the many roles we play. No one has just one hat, we all wear many hats due to the lack of missionaries on the ground. This leaves us exhausted and empty, feeling like we have nothing else to give. I was encouraged today to read Mark 14:33,34 in a different way. He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” Jesus was overwhelmed, distressed, and troubled as he was growing his Father’s kingdom in a culture not his own. If Jesus, the perfect man, experienced these emotions then why in the world would I think my frail humanness wouldn’t? Praise the Lord…I am normal! No comments please!
No one ever told me doing God’s kingdom work would be easy. Why would I think Satan would stand by and watch an entire community be revitalized through a beacon of hope, Egbe Hospital? Why would he just casually watch as missionaries come one by one and pour into peoples lives in Egbe? Oh no….he is going to do everything he can to make it hard so we become overwhelmed, bitter, and give up hope of the miracle that Egbe was and is. Over 20 buildings revitalized, help from over 300 volunteers, unheard of partnerships with Samaritans Purse, Banyan Air, World Medical Missions, SIM, ECWA, 16 containers successfully shipped, no robberies on the road, no serious illnesses, no missionary or volunteer harmed, over 300 staff employed, our own personal cell tower on the compound, 1000’s of lives healed physically and spiritually all in a bush town called Egbe. These Miracles are evidence that God is doing a mighty work in Egbe, but this also means we are a flashing red siren for spiritual warfare. The Miles Family is on the winning team and we pray you will join us!
I am encouraged today to reflect back on the miracles that I have experienced in Egbe and am honored to return in January to continue to watch God work. It doesn’t mean I won’t get overwhelmed, distressed, troubled and even bitter sometimes, but I know who’s team I play ball for and I am up to bat! Will you join me?
We need short term and long term medical and non medical missionaries. Click “YES” to see all the opportunities to serve in Egbe.
We need monthly financial supporters to allow us to continue to serve in Egbe. Click “SUPPORT MILES FAMILY” to sign up.
We need you to pray for the spiritual warfare we face daily. Click “PRAY” to be added to our prayer partners.
We desperately need a General Surgeon ASAP, short term or long term!! Our hsopital is surgeon-less as of December 19th. Please tell everyone you know to spread the word!
“Do you have any coffee?” Cason asked Shannon in the missions department at Southeast Christian yesterday at 4pm. I had to explain to him that he would never go to bed if he drank coffee a that hour. He just looked at me confused. Its hard to believe we have been in the U.S. for almost 2 weeks now. We have adjusted to the time zone well, but are still tired and need many cups of coffee a day. The food has started to grow on us. Only a few of us have thrown up, so we think we are doing pretty good. HAHA:)
We haven’t stopped running since we touched the ground. Visiting with family, working on videos for our presentations, planning for Global Missions Health Conference next week, mailing out over 450 support letters and still managing our Nigerian staff and projects back in Nigeria. We see rest in the near future at MTI in Colorado and then some time as a family in a chalet in the mountains for missionaries.
We are excited about the many opportunities we have over the next few weeks to present what God has been using our family for in Nigeria. Please join us on Thursday the 5th at 6pm for our open house at Southeast Christian Church ED 216/217. We will have several videos, speakers and food to share with you.
We will be taking a small Uhaul on our road trip of support raising over the next few weeks. We will be picking up supplies for Egbe along the way. If you would like to donate anything please let us know. Below is a list of items we are hoping to collect to put on a container in December in Fort Lauderdale. If there is anything on this list that you have extra of or would like to send to us, please click EGBE to email me. You can also bring donations directly to the Open House on Thursday the 5th. Please feed the Uhaul!!
Thank you to everyone that is continuing to support us financially and in prayer. See you on Thursday the 5th at 6pm!!
Hospital Donations
10 adjustable exam room stools
100 fitted twin sheets (35in wide x 77in long)
50 standard size pillows
Plastic coated pillow covers and cloth covers
2 pairs each of size 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14 closed-toed crocs
10-15 shoe box size and slightly larger plastic bins with covers for storage
50 visitors chair, 1 per bed
Portable carts with TV/Monitors and DVD equipment for evangelism in 4 places
Yoruba and Hausa tracs
Jesus Film in Yoruba and Hausa
Yoruba Bibles
CARE Africa Donations
Backpacks
Pens, black or blue only
School sandals, see picture (sizes 6-9, boys and girls)
Durable flip flops (sizes 6-9, boys and girls)
White socks, over the ankle (all sizes)
Boys boxer briefs (all sizes)
Girls under ware and bras (all sizes)
Soap, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste
Gently used boys sport shorts and shirts (all ages)
Gently used girls cute tops, skirts to the knee and dresses (all ages)
SOCCOR BALLS
Soccor jerseys for training
Beads for bead making
New or slightly used labtop with Microsoft programs and wireless internet capabilities
New or slightly used digital camera with SD card
New or slightly used printer
Children’s books all ages
Any AWANA program items
Plastic spoons, napkins and med size tupperware with lid
Egbe Hospital Construction Donations
Wood and or Metal Lathe with tools
Dewalt cordless hammer drill and impact drill 20V lithium battery w/charger
Honda 5500 and/or 6500 watt generators
12 volt sirens for housing security systems
Mechanic coveralls (sizes med, large and x large)
Black Ink HP 85A Laserjet
Pictures or decor for new duplex and other housing
Nightstands for new duplex
Heavy duty rain coats for the security staff/revite workers
I
SAIAH 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” 
and 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.
Please 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.
Wow! 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!
God 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.
As 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.
If 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!
Through grace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ, the disarray we create with our choices and actions transforms into our testimony.
"Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.” (Mark 8:35)
my words sound better coming from my hands than my mouth,
A writer whose passion is to encourage others to live joyfully!
"Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.” (Mark 8:35)
"Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.” (Mark 8:35)
"Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.” (Mark 8:35)
"Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.” (Mark 8:35)
"Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.” (Mark 8:35)
"Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.” (Mark 8:35)
"Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.” (Mark 8:35)
"Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.” (Mark 8:35)
"Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.” (Mark 8:35)
"Only those who give away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.” (Mark 8:35)
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bluewatergigi
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Patrice Miles
Lenny
Miles In Missions 