Jan 2003
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Below is a letter to our support team from our Nigerian national director:

Great Commission Movement of Nigeria

10 Secretariat Road, P.O. Box 500                Jos, Nigeria             Phone: 234-73-464448    Website: http://www.gcmnigeria.org

A Ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ International

Dear concerned ministry partner,

            I am writing you because of your key role in partnering with Tom and Rosie Thacher in their ministry in Nigeria.  By reading Tom and Rosie's newsletters, you are already well aware of the tremendous impact God has brought about in thousands of lives during their 15 years on our staff.

During their early years serving among Nigeria’s Eggon people, Tom and Rosie faithfully shared Christ and equipped teams of community health evangelists to meet physical and spiritual needs.  The impact of these fruitful years of outreach is still increasing today as those they led to Christ and discipled are in turn continuing to reach others!  In fact, one health evangelist now pastors an Eggon church.  Additionally, Tom and Rosie expedited translation of the Jesus film into the Eggon language.  Just last year, they trekked into the remote hills where the Eggon tribe originated and showed the newly-translated Jesus film. For many, this was the first motion picture they had ever seen.

            Today, Tom and Rosie continue to develop African Christian leaders who can personally minister to their peers.  God has greatly expanded their outreach through Tom’s strategic position as Head of Family Medicine at the university hospital in Jos, one of Nigeria’s major cities.  Tom oversees the care of more than 45,000 patients each year in his department, and his medical research has advanced the understanding and treatment of rickets.  He teaches medical ethics to final-year students, an area in which most Nigerian doctors have no training, and offers an elective in biblical ethics.  Several hundred hospital staff have been trained to use the Four Spiritual Laws and now witness regularly to patients.

Tom and Rosie present workshops designed to help executives share Christ through one-to-one conversations and outreach dinner parties.  They are also trained speakers for Family Life Conferences throughout Nigeria, and recently spoke to executive couples in Abuja, our nation’s capital.  Already this year, they have been asked to speak for three more Family Life conferences.  In addition, they helped organize training for additional Nigerian conference speakers.

Using FamilyLife’s HomeBuilder’s materials, based on biblical marriage principles, Tom and Rosie lead small group Bible studies.  Of the 41 couples they have led in HomeBuilders groups, 17 included doctor colleagues from the university hospital.  Eight couples have gone on to lead additional HomeBuilders groups, multiplying their ministry three generations.

            Because of their current strategic position of influence in the medical community and among Nigerian executives, Tom and Rosie’s impact is literally being multiplied thousands of times over.  Through those they train, God is using them to effectively reach families and individuals throughout Africa—more so now than at any time in their 15 years of ministry.

            Because I was not sure if you were fully aware of their current situation, I wanted to write you to share my concern.  For some time now they have been averaging a shortage of $890 in support each month.  This is significant because Campus Crusade is a faith ministry, so Tom and Rosie are responsible, with God's help, to discover the support for their ministry and living expenses.  So as you can imagine, this shortage could have a real impact on their ministry.

I believe you share my concern in wanting Tom and Rosie to have the monthly support they need to continue effective ministry in Nigeria.  So before our Lord, I'm turning to you and others who are vitally interested in Tom and Rosie's ministry.  You have already been faithfully supporting them and that has meant a great deal to me and to them. 

            But I would like to ask you to prayerfully consider increasing your monthly gift by $15, $25, $50 or even more per month. If you do not currently support their ministry, I'd like to ask you to prayerfully consider starting to financially support them on a monthly basis, by whatever amount you are able, possibly $25, $35, $50 or even more each month.

            Obviously, the amount is between you and the Lord.  As each person or church now in partnership with Tom and Rosie increases their giving, the support shortage will be erased.  After you decide about your additional involvement at this crucial time, you can learn more about how to make a donation through their web site.  Click here.

            I thank you in advance for prayerfully considering this additional level of partnership with Tom and Rosie.  I would like to request that you pray for them in this time of special need.  Your help at this time will greatly encourage them, and will be much appreciated by me also.

                                                                        On Behalf of His Ministry Through

                                                                        Tom and Rosie Thacher,

 

                                                                        Tony Idoko

                                                                        National Director
Great Commission Movement of Nigeria