Holy Child

Since we have been here, we have been attending church at Holy Child church on Sunday mornings. Of course, we didn't go for the month of August because Father Jerry was in the U.S. visiting his family and there was not another priest to fill in for him. It almost felt a little bad not going to church during that time...but, there wasn't a priest to have mass. So, we have started up again in the beginning of September, and we are able to go weekly now. Father Jerry is a Jesuit priest who has lived in Lagos for over 40 years. He even has his Nigerian Citizenship. he was born and raised in upstate New York, but has served most of his time in the priesthood in Nigeria. he is a really great priest who is able to explain the readings each week with so much enthusiasm. You can really tell he has a God given talent to reach out to people and help them understand God's teachings. Thank goodness for his talent to keep us all interested in the readings because if it wasn't for him, I am sure that many people may not attend mass each week. Like most local places in Lagos, the church is not air conditioned and we have just entered into the dry season here. It will start to get scorching hot and there will be no rain until around March or April. Last year, several of the ex pats who attend Holy Child contributed money to have air conditioners( you can see them on either side of the altar in the picture taken inside the church. They are tall and white) installed in the church so it wouldn't be so, pardon me, "Un Godly" hot in there. So, the air conditioners are in the church, and they look really great. They are all shiny and new and ready to go. But, like so many things in Nigeria, just when you think the job is done, you realize that it isn't. The air conditioners don't work because the generator at the church is broken. So, as I sat in church today fanning myself with the missal, and watching the sweat beads come down the back of Elizabeth and Jeremy's necks, I couldn't help but see the irony of the whole situation...brand new air conditioners sitting right up in the front of the church, but could not be used. Like so many things in Nigeria, good intentioned people try to help out....but there is so much more work to be done here.