In two weeks...

As you know if you're reading this, we're headed to Jos, Nigeria to serve and learn (and do cool stuff). We will be departing on April 14, and returning on June 15. That gives us about eight weeks there, plus one week at the end to visit friends in Germany as we return home. We are very excited about the opportunities we will have to volunteer and learn from the Nigerians we'll be working with.

Some brief facts about Nigeria::
location: West Africa
size: 910, 768 sq. km (roughly twice the size of California)
population: 130 million
ethnic makeup: more than 250 ethnic groups; the most populous and politically influential are:
Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%
religions: Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%
languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

What we'll be up to::
Ryan: I will be doing photography and design for a variety or organizations, including Faith Alive, NIFES (InterVarsity Nigeria), and the Nigerian Evangelical Missions Association. In addition, I will be shooting video for 2100 Productions to be used at Urbana in December.
Hillary: I will be working at an HIV/AIDS clinic (Faith Alive Foundation Hospital), assisting with public health-related projects and clinical activites. FAF provides holistic care to HIV+ patients free of charge. This learning opportunity “counts” as an international medical school rotation, and should be a great transition back into clinical medicine for me.

We will be staying with Dr. Christian Isichei, founder of Faith Alive, and his wife Mercy, who have extended great hospitality to us. We appreciate your prayers and encouragement as we travel to Jos this spring, and we hope to learn a lot during our stay. Please continue checking this site as we plan on sharing our experiences and reflections here throughout our trip.

Preparations

Ryan and I will be traveling to Jos, Nigeria from April 14 - June 8. I'll be volunteering at an HIV/AIDS clinic called Faith Alive Foundation Hospital, involved in public health projects and some clinical experiences. Ryan will be helping with photography, web, and video needs of the clinic, as well as other Christian organizations in Jos.

We're very thankful for our gracious Nigerian hosts and connections. Our preparations are well underway for our trip to Nigeria. We received our visas yesterday!