Shana's First Impressions
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Hi All, I was supposed to write you my first impression of Nigeria … So here it is. We arrived at the Airport in
Abuja in late morning. It was hot but not quite as hot as I expected. We got off and were greeted by some
Nigerian airport workers who directed us into the building and to the customs desk. They asked us what we
were doing, where we were going and stamped our visa for one month. Once that month expires we must go
to Lakoja (capital of Kogi state) to get them restamped. Then we headed to the baggage claim where some
young men had loaded up a couple of our bags on carts to take out . All except one of the bags arrived
safely on our flight. And of course it was mine. J Then we went through another checkpoint and they asked for
a list of all our things. And again asked us where we were going, what we were doing … Then sent us through
to the next checkpoint and again we were asked where we were going and what we were doing. Then told we
had to pay I think it was 4,000 nyra to bring our stuff into the country. My grandparents continued to explain that
we were here to help at an orphanage. The stuff in the bags was going to be used to help the Nigerian people.
Somewhere in the course of the conversation one of the men said he knew Daniel Edeh ,who was to pick us
up. He let us go without paying a single cent. Then in thanks my grandparents gave him a Bible and we were
swamped with requests for a Bible. We gave some of them one until we couldn’t find anymore in the case we
knew they were in. we had only about four left over. Then T.J and I met Daniel Edeh. He greeted us with hugs
of great joy it had been 30 yrs since he’d seen my grandparents. So we loaded up his car and sent a couple
bags with a friend till he could retrieve them and my bag the next day when he picked up some couples who
were coming to adopt. I was hot and very dusty and humid, but beautiful. There is loooooong lines at the petrol
station….. very long I’ve never seen so many cars at a gas station in my life. J We drove to Lakoja. Where we
stopped at the orphanage. We stepped from the car and took three steps and the children came to us arms
stretched up wishing to be held. There were 21 babies sitting out on the front steps and on a carpet there were
5 nannies/aunties out there with them. There we about that many upstairs as well.These babies crave affection.
I sat down and three of them sat on my lap and two wanted to hold my hand. These children are between the
age of a couple months and 2ish. The Orphanage was in dire need of repair. It’s an old stone building and the
stairs to the second floor, where they keep many of the children ,were crumbling . and many many other
things needed to be repaired. So we were there for only an hourish before Tom Wheeler came to pick us up
and take us to Anygba.I wished I could have stayed there. It took a while to untangle myself none of them
wanted to let go. So We drove Caroline Grosses home.I rode in the back and everytime we went through the
villages the children would shout Emenefu! Emenefu! White person white person! So we arrived at Auntie
Carolines and ate and went to bed. The rest of our time there was spent relaxing for the most part .The house
girls wouldn’t let me lift a finger to do anything. J So Tom came to pick us up on Tuesday and take us to
his house where we’ve had a rousing amazing fun time with his children Christine, Benji, Julie, Plus five extra
guys who left this afternoon to go back to work. My Grandparents are recovering all of wheelers chairs and
their Grandparents as well. Wow this got really long sooo you basically got my whole trip so farJ anyways I
miss you and praying for you all. With love,shana there you go enjoy!