Nigerian Village Transformed By Clean Water

If ever there has been a struggle for the heart and soul of Nigeria, that battle is being fought right now. The victories won for the Gospel, did not come with acts of violence, but with acts of mercy. This is the amazing story of Yusef and his village.

The story of Yusef and his family is an absolute miracle. Yusef was a Muslim and his family was Muslim. In fact, most of Yusef's village of 2,000 people is Muslim.

Yusef said, "I have been a Muslim for more than nine years."

Everyday, five times a day, Yusef bowed to the East to pray. But as he continued to practice his faith, something else began to stir in Yusef's heart.

He said, "We go to the mosque on Fridays, I pray in my house, but I have no fulfillment."

According to Yusef, life has been hard. As a subsistence farmer, he and his family eat only what they can grow. Water has always been a big issue for his family. The family often had to collect water from unsanitary 'water holes.'

Yusef explained, "We get the water from the pond; it has all kind of organisms that are really dangerous to our health."

But, just a year ago, a gift of mercy flung open the doors of the Gospel to this entire village. Yusef's people were 'an unreached people' - that is, they had never received the message of the Gospel ever before. But a gift of mercy opened their hearts -- a water well.

Pastor Daniel pastors a church for the few Christians in this village. He said, "A miracle happened and we got the well. It became the center of attention. And it ministered physically to everyone in the village."

He added, "It encouraged everybody. We have seen the love of God in a very practical [way and in a needy] time. So it encouraged me to stay, to stay here."

Amazingly, God began to use the well to touch people like Yusef. He had been amazed that Christians would bring such a precious gift to his village and to his family. It wasn't long before Yusef the Muslim became Yusef the follower of Jesus Christ.

It wasn't long before his 18 children, their wives and his grandchildren came to faith in Christ too. Today, Yusef's family makes up the core of this thriving church in the Nigerian bush that has more than 120 members.

Yusef said, "Since we have become Christians, actually there has been joy. Despite the situation and the hard circumstances, I have inner peace and joy. And I have hope. Many people around me have seen that my life has changed."

But the good news doesn't end there. Because of the well, Pastor Daniel decided to stay in the area. In just the last year, he has was able to start six more churches.

And, he has also sunk two more wells in neighboring villages. Now, more than 400 precious souls have come into God's Kingdom, many of them former Muslims. The Gospel is advancing in these remote areas of Africa - to these precious people, who are so loved by God.

Yusef said, "I don't know how to express my joy, but I am really thankful inside. I thank God. I love Jesus and I love the brethren."