The hotel we used last night just hasn’t turned out to be the quality of an establishment we had hoped for. The payment that was made in advance through one of the rental websites never came through, so as we settled the bill for last night we decided to just check out and move over to another, the Protea Hotel. This is a place Cody has stayed in the past, and it is really very nice. I can see this being a hotel I’ll be happy to use in the future!

Two of the local members, Osas and his father James Ahemi, came over to the hotel late this morning. Mr. Ahemi first came in contact with the Worldwide Church of God many years ago, and was baptized in 1971! It is very encouraging to hear his story, and begin to understand all he has seen and all he has been through over the past 46 years of being in the Church!

Osas, his son, is the one who has done most of the communicating with me since I first began working with Nigeria from afar. In fact, the return air tickets we need to get from Benin City to Lagos we were unable to secure online. So instead Osas went to the airport and was able to purchase the tickets for us. He was concerned that if he didn’t do that, the plane might be full and we’d be unable to get seats. We greatly appreciate his help!

Shortly after lunchtime we all went over to the Randekhi Hotel, a place we are hoping to be able to use for the Feast here this year. We met with the manager, and he took us around to see the facility, which I think would work well for the Feast. All the members would be able to stay here as well as having services in the same facility. Now it is just a matter of seeing if he will work with us on the prices. We had hoped to hear back this evening, but perhaps in the morning.

While we were there a third member came and found us, Mr. Rodrick Smart. He is a retired member who, like the other two, has lived nearly all his life in Benin City.

We all went back to our hotel where I enjoyed getting to know them all better, and we were able to discuss a number of items of importance to the congregation here.

Tomorrow, our last full day in Nigeria, we will be able to visit with several members around the city, and end the day with a Bible study. Then Wednesday morning we will begin the long trek back home!