One Great Hour

That’s what I wrote in my notes after the visit to Afana.

It was my second visit there. In 2008 Lucy and Jim Logan and I saw the place and heard the bishop, the Rt. Rev. Wm. Diya, outline his plans. Now I was seeing it two years later and through the eyes of the Fulani pastor, the Rev. Saleh Isa Danfulani, who was moving the vision to reality.

Afana is the name of the land that the Diocese of Kafanchan has purchased and where they are preparing a safe place for villages of Fulani Christians to come and develop a new life.

Cattle will always be at the center of the life of a Fulani, but Afana will enable them to keep a smaller herd yet have a larger life.

The parcel of land, about three-quarters of a mile square, was purchased in 2006 after the bishop had surveyed several other pieces. This tract was chosen for its size, the stream going through, the government road, the hills for grazing, the vastness for several villages, and the varied landscape for the specific uses anticipated.

The mill will grind their corn, the food processing plant will make yogurt, the laboratory will develop drugs from cattle urine, the veterinary clinic will care for the sick cattle, the orchard will provide foods, the paddock will keep their pigs, the school will provide education for the children, and the chapel will be their place of worship. The vast land will provide ample grazing for the many herds that will be there.

Pastor Saleh knew where each of these would be located. As he described the many plans, he pointed to precisely where each function would be located. Already the school and housing for staff is built, two fine structures awaiting pupils.

Two developments indicate the blessing of the hand of God on this. First, the government recently rebuilt the road to where it is a solid and wide road for the vehicles coming to serve Afana. This includes a new bridge over the stream. All this, of course, at no cost to the diocese.

The second involves the annual Fulani Christian conference. This usually is held the first Thursday in March in Jos. I recall seeing the place on a previous visit there. Because Jos has become such a hot spot, the committee decided they needed a new location for the conference. They have chosen Afana.

That means that on the new dates, October 14-18, over 300 Fulani Christian leaders will be at Afana for their annual conference, with indication that this will become their permanent place of meeting.

For St. Stephen's and our interest, this gives much encouragement as well as specific prayer concerns.