BACKGROUND

Missions 1 embarked on a storytelling effort and missions outreach to the Bassa, Gbayi and Fulani tribes in Karu and Nasarawa LGAs of Nasarawa State, Nigeria, from Monday, May 8th to Wednesday, May 10th, 2023.

The Bassa people are an ethnic group in Nigeria that traces its history back to 1805. They originally inhabited Gbara which was formerly the capital of the Nupe Kingdom. The Bassa Nge migrated from their homeland in Bida due to a dynastic feud in about 1820. They were formerly the largest of Nupe groups, with a population of about 15,000 in 1820 before they dispersed throughout Nigeria.

The Gbagyi people are widespread in Niger, Kaduna, and Plateau states and the Federal Capital Territory. Some live in Kogi state. In many places, particularly in FCT, Kogi and Kaduna states, they are interspersed with other people.

The Fulani people are scattered mostly in Nigeria and Cameroon. These semi-nomadic people passionately oppose anything they see as incompatible with their way of wandering with their cow herds.

Location: Giddan Shaho, Ariga and Kwanta communities in Nasarawa and Karu LGAs of Nasarawa. Note: The Kwanta community is about 15 minutes drive (on the motorbike) from Karshi town in AMAC LGA in Abuja.

Karshi is about an hour drive from Central Business District via the Nyanya-Karshi road.

The objectives of the mission effort were as follows:

OBJECTIVES
1. Minister salvation, healing, and deliverance to the people living in Giddan Shaho, Ariga and Kwanta communities in Nasarawa and Karu LGAs of Nasarawa.

2. Provide medical treatment to the people of the Giddan Shaho and Ariga communities.
3. Minister to the missionaries working among the Fulani, Bassa and Gbagyi people groups in the

communities.

..

4. Provide financial and material support to some of these missionaries during the outreach.
5. Tell compelling stories of these missionaries and their efforts among unreached people groups in the

state.
6. Deploy stories of the missionaries in video, photo, audio, and written formats via media platforms, in order to create awareness and raise support for the missionaries and their efforts.

REPORT TIMELINES
Friday 14th April:
Preparatory visit/Recce to the mission field by a 4-man team.

Thursday 4th May – Saturday 6th May:

Fasting, prayer, and preparatory meetings.

Monday, 8th May:

Day 1: A 24-man outreach and storytelling team travelled from Abuja, Lagos and Nasarawa states to Giddan Shaho town, Nasarawa LGA, Nasarawa State. The journey from Abuja lasted for about 4 hours.
On arrival at Giddan Shaho, the medical team conducted a medical outreach in the community. The medical team counselled, treated, and administered medication to 137 members of the community, and neighbouring communities. The storytelling team captured the life and ministry of Pastor Amos Yinze and his community and also shot his reenactment scenes.

The outreach team simultaneously preached and ministered to over 130 people.

Night: The outreach team hosted an open-air crusade program in the Giddan Shaho community, during which the “More than Dreams” movie was played. An evangelistic sermon was preached and the outreach team ministered salvation, healing, and deliverance to the people. Over 160 people were in attendance and over 120 people came out to receive salvation, healing, and deliverance.

Tuesday, 9th May:

Day 2: The medical team conducted a medical outreach in the Ariga community. The medical team counselled, treated, and administered medication to 197 members of the community, and neighbouring communities.
The outreach team simultaneously preached and ministered to over ane 190 people.

The storytelling team captured the life and ministry of Evang Joseph Shamaki who resides in Kwanta and shot his reenactment scenes in Ariga.

Night: We hosted an open-air outreach program in the Ariga community, during which the “Jesus film” was played. We preached an evangelistic sermon and ministered salvation, healing, and deliverance to the people. Over 130 people were in attendance and over 100 people came out to receive salvation, healing, and deliverance.

Wednesday, 10th May:

Day 3: The outreach team hosted a ministers’ conference for missionaries and church leaders working among unreached people groups in Karu and Nasarawa LGAs at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Kwanta. A total of 174 people (101 ministers) attended the conference. The storytelling team also conducted interviews with a few missionaries who were in attendance, stating the impact the message they received, at the ministers’ conference, had on them. An interview was conducted for Pastor Abraham Emmanuel , where he talked about his ministry and the progress of Project 1000 Churches.

Evening: A 23-man team travelled from Kwanta town, Karu LGA, Nasarawa State back to Abuja by road. The journey back to Abuja lasted for about 4 hours.

OUTCOME AND IMPACT

1. During the outreach period, we offered prayer, salvation, healing, deliverance, and medical treatment to over 700 persons.
2. Ten Church leaders were given financial aid of N71,000 to support their efforts. We also donated clothing items, footwear, and Christian literature to the church leaders.

3. Captivating accounts of two missionaries and their work among the Fulani, Bassa, Gbagyi and Egon people groups in these locations were captured (in video, photo, audio, and textual media). After the videos and photos have been edited, these stories will be deployed on media platforms to generate awareness and support for the missionaries and their activities.

CHALLENGES

1. In the Giddan Shaho community, there is an incessant need for good drinking water, as their only water source in the dry season was in the poorest condition. There was also no school structure in the community which leaves the children with nothing to do but to help their parents on the farm.
2. Ariga also had similar issues with water, healthcare and school structure. The lack of rain also affected their major source of income, which is farming, leaving the community with little to no means to take care of their families.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The completion of the borehole structure in the three communities will be beneficial to the people there and also those in nearby communities.
2. Building schools for the communities will play a part in providing educational opportunities for the children.