Banquet!
It’s May! Where has the time gone?
TOMORROW is our annual fundraising banquet. Are you coming? We hope so! Saturday, May 9, at 10 a.m., we will hear more about what’s been happening in Nigeria with African Hope Ministry. Please join us at Southtown Baptist Church (2600 W 82nd St, Bloomington, MN) for some tasty food, music, and updates about all that is going on. Also, bring a friend!
Remember, our goal is to raise enough funds to finish the girls’ dormitory and get a vehicle to use for the ministry, too. We originally said we needed $20,000 for the dorm, and we are down to $16,986.80, but this estimate was made several months ago. According to our quantity surveyor/engineer, the cost of fuel in Nigeria has skyrocketed, and inflation is just messing with costs. For example, cement, which happens to be a major building material, has significantly increased in cost due to this inflation. We were told this week that we should expect to spend an additional 25% to complete the dormitory, meaning we will probably pay an additional $4,000. Therefore, we still need about $21,000 in total. But the good news is that we have a donor who has given $5,000 in matching funds for this fundraiser, and we’ve already had $1,500 donated toward this purpose. Therefore, to achieve our fundraising goal for the dormitory, we need a balance of $14,500. We thank God for the generous donations so far and believe Him to help us achieve this goal.
Similarly, the used vehicle we are planning for will cost $10,000. For now, our target is to get a used pick-up or cargo van that will enable us to convey our harvested farm produce, food from the market, and haul things around. This is especially needed as we approach a new school year, when we will need to move additional furniture to our site. Together, we can achieve these goals! Please consider making a donation towards these projects.
Meanwhile, on May 1, a small team of volunteers went out to harvest a portion of our cassava. The harvest was bountiful, praise the Lord!! A truckload is now being processed into Garri, a common local food, that our students and staff can enjoy. As we continue with the harvest, we plan to preserve the cassava produce and possibly sell any excess to raise additional funds for the ministry. This is only the first load; there is more to harvest! We have also started a new planting season. (Check out how long that cassava is, I thought it was a walking stick!)
Thank you again for your prayers and support. We are beyond blessed by every person who prays for this ministry, and those who have given of their time, energy, and money. Thank you for giving to the Lord! We hope to see you next Saturday at the banquet, by God’s grace!
