From curse to blessing: a Nigeria Roofbreaker story
Freedom to move for girl who lost her Mum in Mozambique.
Greg speaking at the Roofbreaker event.
Janet Eardley shares a moving story of Greg, a disabled speaker to 140 people at the Roofbreaker event in Lagos Nigeria.
Greg contracted polio, aged 5, and now uses a wheelchair. His father believed Greg’ s disability was an attack from the enemy. So he started taking Greg to churches; Greg still has physical scars from them‘ removing the demons’ so that he would walk. At church, children couldn’ t play with him. He was isolated because every parent said,‘ I don’ t want my child to be like Greg.’ This mentally affected Greg so much that he tried to end his life.
Through all these challenges, Greg went to university, and tried a nearby church. But to get Greg in his wheelchair into the church they had to lift him, and he was uncomfortable at the attention it brought. So, instead, he went to a very small church. After Greg visited this church once, by the next Sunday they’ d opened a new door and fitted a ramp. From that day, he started attending that church. After one month, two other people in wheelchairs started coming. Then the church welfare people realised it was costing Greg a lot of money to get there. They said“ You can’ t afford this. We will be taking care of your transport.”
As Greg says,“ These are the little, little things that we can do and then we will draw people with disabilities, and they will come and worship.”
Praise God for teaching hearts that disabled people too are‘ made in the image of God’.
Mozambique mission: disappointment and opportunity
Trustee and Mission Leader Rob Dalton shares: Our spirits were high as we travelled to Mozambique. Our team were excited to fit wheelchairs to some of the neediest people in the country. Then after 8 hours at the border it began to sink in … Mozambique was closed for our team. A temporary political situation arose where teams like ours were not allowed in at that time.
We would not be entering Mozambique. Many hopeful recipients had already arrived at our partners. TTR quickly setup a remote distribution where our team could support local therapists to fit chairs to people with complex needs.
Amazing stories unfolded and chairs were given, including to a 10-year-old girl( pictured) who lost her mum during childbirth. This is her first-ever wheelchair! One team member said:“ We all felt compelled to‘ move heaven and earth’ to do what we could to help her!”
Returning to the UK, we were called to be as faithful in our disappointment as we wanted to be faithful in service. God, our Master Potter, does not need us. But he delights to use us and work through us. He sees our heart and cares more about who we are than what we appear to accomplish. God calls us to be faithful, not always successful.
We’ re grateful to all involved and to our sovereign God who works all things for good for those who love him.
Vital Link Spring 2025 | www. throughtheroof. org