The Maskeys in Nigeria

August 2016

Dear Fellow Laborers,    

Here is an update from our daughter Carissa concerning her missions trip to Brazil:

Hello! I would like to take the time to thank all of you for praying for me and the Brazil trip I was raising money for. Unfortunately I was just recently informed that the trip is now closed to ladies due to a lack of participants. I was made aware that only two men are now going on the trip to Brazil and I am not able to go. Thank you nonetheless for your support and prayers. The Lord has greatly encouraged my heart through your giving and prayers and I am truly grateful! To those who have given I am returning the checks as soon as possible. Thank you so much again! And God bless! 

    Sincerely, your servant in Christ, 
          Carissa Maskey 
            Psalm 73:26 

First Anniversary, Grace IBC, Omoku - 183 in Attendance, 63 Saved

7th Nigerian Christian Ladies Spectacular 

     The Maskeys in Nigeria

June 2016

 

Dear Fellow Laborers,    

What’s been happening...

On April 24^th, the Grace Independent Baptist Church in Omoku, our fourth church plant, celebrated their First Anniversary with a record of 183 in attendance.   We made the two hour journey to be with them that morning, and I preached in both the Sunday School and morning services.  God blessed again in a great way as 57 souls responded to the invitation to receive Christ as their Savior.  The church has been meeting in the living room of Pastor Osueke’s house and also in tents outside.  However, that morning the crowd was so much and because there was not enough chairs, many were just standing or sitting wherever they could find a spot.  Thankfully, they have already begun building the foundation for a larger building for the church.  They are really going to need it now!  Continue to pray for their provision, spiritual strength and growth.

 

For over a year now, the financial situation in Nigeria has been deteriorating due to the falling price of oil, which is the mainstay of their economy.  Jobs are few, and many are being laid off or not getting paid.  It has affected many of our people as well, and some of them who were already living in poverty are really suffering now.  We are doing our best to help them, but our offerings have also been affected and that is limiting what we can do.  There has also been some unrest in some of the communities around Port Harcourt, and even some clashes between militant groups and Nigerian forces.  Please remember to pray for our safety, provision for our people, and peace and stability in Nigeria.

 

In spite of all this, we are also praying for an open door to start a new church this year.  We have located some properties in the nearby city of Yenagoa where we’d like to start one, but still need to raise about $5,000 more to purchase any of them.

 

In May we had our 7^th Nigerian Christian Ladies Spectacular with 265 ladies attending from eleven Independent Baptist churches across the country.  Rose and our church ladies worked very hard to make it a good success once again.  This year they had the Holmes family from Abuja and Miss Shari House from Thailand as the special speakers, and they did a great job.  From what we heard, the ladies had a wonderful time and received some very helpful instruction on the home, marriage, and Christian womenhood.  We pray that God will continue to use these conferences to strengthen our Christian homes throughout Nigeria.

 

We really appreciate your faithfulness in supporting and praying for our ministry here through the years.  May God supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Amen!

                                        Yours for His Service,

 

                                        David, Rose, Cayla & Justin

     The Maskeys in Nigeria

April 2016

 

Dear Fellow Laborers,    

 

Church Growth and Multiplication

We thank God not only for the growth we have experienced over the years in our first church plant (now over 660 in attendance), but also for church multiplication.  From that church in Port Harcourt, God has helped us to start three more churches, and it has been a blessing to see them experience church growth and multiplication as well.  In 2005, our first Bible institute graduate, John Abili, started the Eagle Island Independent Baptist Church and they have grown to around 150.  They also have their own Bible institute, and one of their first graduates, Augustine Okoye, is now going out soon to start a new church in his home town of Onitsha.  This area is literally the center of Catholicism here in Nigeria and it will not be an easy place to start a church, so he will certainly need our prayers.  What a blessing it is to see one of our church plants now planting churches!  Another one of our graduates, Royal Idakari, is also planning to start a new church, with the help of Independent Baptist Church of Calabar, in the town of Ogoja in July.  Please be much in prayer for him as well.  On March 20^th, the Igwuruta Independent Baptist Church (our third church plant) celebrated their 4^th Anniversary with a record of 398 in attendance, 83 souls saved, and 14 baptized.  I was invited to preach in that service and God blessed in a great way.  Continue to pray for Pastor Elvis Ohwojero and this church.  Also pray for Pastor Dennis Osueke and our fourth church plant, Grace Independent Baptist Church in Omoku, as they celebrate their First Anniversary this month. They have been doing very well and have grown to over 60 in attendance. 

 

Other News & Prayer Requests...

1.  We have raised about $10,000 towards property for our 5^th church plant, but unfortunately, the places we have found are all demanding at least $15,000 now.  Please help us in prayer for either a less expensive place to be found or for the remaining $5,000 to come in.

2.  In March, it was a blessing for us  to meet with Pastor John Wilkerson from our sending church, First Baptist Church of Hammond, IN, for his first time to Nigeria.  Our family and about ten of our church members attended the Soul Winning & Leadership Conference in Abuja, hosted by Missionary Mark Holmes, where Bro. Wilkerson was one of the guest speakers.  We had a wonderful time with them, and the preaching was a great help and encouragement to all of us.

3.  Please be praying for our 6^th Nigerian Ladies Spectacular Conference, 19-20^th May.  Rose and our church ladies will be hosting this as other Independent Baptist churches from all over Nigeria will be coming, along with special guest speakers.

 

THANK YOU again for your prayers and for having a part in our ministry.  God bless you all for your faithfulness!

                                                                 Yours for His Service,

                                                                 David, Rose, Cayla & Justin

Fourth Anniversary, Igwuruta IBC - 398 in attendance

Pastor Abili and Bro. Okoye

21st Anniversary Sunday, January 31, 2016 - 1,258 in attendance, 383 visitors, 156 saved

Mrs. Kaine Enyindah, Visitors Contest Winner

                                The Maskeys in Nigeria

February 2016

Dear Praying Friends, 

“I shall come forth as gold”...

That’s what Job proclaimed while he was going through his firey trial, and a similar experience happened to one of our faithful ladies last year.   Mrs. Kai-ne Enyindah is a professor at the College of Education here in Port Harcourt, and also a very faithful member of our church.  In May 2015, she suddenly became very ill with what the doctors here believed to be a severe case of meningitis.  Within a few days she was completely bedridden, unable to walk, and in constant pain.  According to her, the pain was so intense at times, that she could not even cry out, but just had to lay there with tears streaming down her face.   Our church at once began to pray fervently for her, and the doctors did everything they could, but for three months she laid like that in the hospital, and it seemed as if she would not recover or at least, never walk again.   We continued praying, however, and gradually she began to improve.  Many times when visiting her, she would encourage us with her good spirit and the fact that she was trusting in God to get her through this.  Mrs. Enyindah continued to get better, and it was a wonderful day in October last year when she was finally able to attend a Sunday morning service for the first time in six months, and walking under her own power!  She recently told us that as a result of her experience, she has drawn closer to God, and she now prays and reads her Bible even more than before. 

On January 31^st ,we celebrated the 21^st Anniversary of our first church plant in Port Harcourt, and we had encouraged everyone to pray and invite everyone they could.   God gave us a glorious day with 1,258 in attendance, 383 visitors, and a total of 156 souls saved that Sunday.  However, the highlight of the day, I believe, was when Mrs. Enyindah came with 47 first time visitors she had invited (many of them getting saved), and won the visitors contest.    She has truly “come forth as gold”!   You can see pictures of our Anniversary Sunday and Mrs. Enyindah at www.maskeysnigeria.blogspot.com .

Prayer Requests:

1)     A open door to start our fifth church plant this year.  Thank God, some      have responded and have given, but we still need about $5,000 more to            purchase land for this.

2)      Our upcoming Ladies Conference in May.  We haven’t had one in a              while, and we are looking forward to a great conference this year.  Pray              especially for Rose as she prepares for it, and for the guest speakers and            ladies who will be coming.

Thanks again for your prayers, gifts and faithful support, especially to those who have stood with us for the last 21 years.  We thank God for you!

                                                                        Yours for His Service,

                                                                        David, Rose, Cayla & Justin