Nigeria Emergency Relief

As we stepped into 2025, Send56 has continued to help the victims of the 2023 Christmas Eve massacre. But we still need your help! Hopefully, you have watched the film "Sojourners and Exiles" ( https://www.49tenfilms.com ). It gives the powerful account of Pastor Gideon, who lost his family in the attack. We also hear from Rahila, the daughter of Baba Addu'a. Rahila is the point person for our team doing relief work at this point. Our initial goal was to give $10,000 to the effort and work through another organization. However, we quickly realized how grassroots it was. We needed to build and run the team ourselves; this way, we could ensure that every penny went to the work. We could ensure accountability and oversight. No other groups are rebuilding in the area, except for our team. Redevelopment is the greatest need expressed by the community. A recurrence of the attack is unlikely since a small contingent of army and police are posted at most of the villages. There are 27 more villages that still need help. The Lord far exceeded our plans, and now we are ramping up efforts in coordination with the film's release. We have three villages under our belt, helpful relationships in the area, and local carpenters we trust. We have learned about supply and materials, and the work has been efficient. A huge thank you to those who have already contributed. Below are three phases of this project and an explanation of the new goal.

Round One: We raised $25,000 more than our initial plan, which we implemented in the first half of 2024, immediately after the Christmas Eve massacre (Read about it here: https://t.co/E4CHUDOx5O ). We delivered 600 care packages to the wounded and IDPs. We also enlisted a group of trauma care specialists to visit the region and counsel victims. We personally visited villages right after the attack, that is when we witnessed the Church in Laghai and saw where Baba Addu'a was killed. The Local council overseeing relief and IDPs shared with us that the greatest need was rebuilding so people could go back to the villages and rebuild their lives. We came up with the idea of adopting Langhai village because the story of Baba Addu'a moved us so much. We could at least help families in one village. We found an experienced local builder who had a team of six guys and got an estimate for 15 houses. Mostly, the mud brick designs were intact, but the roofs were destroyed. Each roof costs about $700 to $1000.

For more stories and pictures from the first round of relief work, follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/jesse.digges/posts/pfbid02j6cJbCAErpbBeoPjCRUKH1x9wvyNSQGgfm9F7pJ6Y942biN9oahkTESkKCzj7sjCl

Round Two: While we were working in Langhai, the elders of Mbong visited us and shared about Gideon and his family, whose 5 daughters were killed. The church building where he pastored was completely leveled. Eleven people in this village were killed, and food stores in the village were destroyed. Our hearts were deeply moved after visiting and seeing the wreckage first hand. We decided to make another effort to raise funds at the village elders’ request. To our surprise, another $25,000 came in! We could do more housing and rebuild the destroyed church. The people of Mbong have returned to their homes and begun rebuilding their lives. It is incredible. That was the second part of 2024.

During our work in Mbong, Reed and the film team visited Nigeria and filmed. What an amazing connection. We are so thankful that these stories of Christian suffering and heroism are being told to the world.

***ROUND THREE***

At the end of 2024, we received another large donation. We are now working in a third village, Tahore, which was the hardest hit. In Tahore, there is a mass grave containing 25 innocent people who were killed that night. Over 80 families had buildings and property destroyed. We are working together with the community to see their homes restored. We are also taking the opportunity to share the gospel with the surrounding communities of this village. These were potential perpetrators in the attack. May the gospel run swiftly and be glorified! We have enough resources to do 25 roofs in this village. We want to do 15 more. We also want to help fully restore a church in Tahore and a destroyed local school building. The village also needs a security building to house local police. We are very open to working in more villages that need help if we complete the effort in Tahore. That is why we have raised the goal. Thank you for your help and your love for the saints! May God do more than we ask or think to restore these communities and bring peace.

God Bless,
Jesse Digges
Co-Founder Send56