An unfortunate scam

Today I received the most articulate, compelling scam. When I first started reading the e-mail, I thought it was another Ethiopian Prince trying to ask for money. But those always end up in my Gmail spam folder, so I went on reading the e-mail curious of how it found its way into my inbox.

A Nigerian pastor explained how he found my e-mail online (believable… my e-mail address is all over the Internet and a few times it’s affiliated with religious fliers). Then he tells me how he gave his life to the Lord and started a small house church and was looking for someone to send him Bibles. He provided an address. He didn’t want money, food or beautiful virgin brides, just bibles and prayers for the persecuted church. Because I read hundreds of e-mails a day, I was also reading it relatively quick which allowed my mind to project maybe more than what was really being communicated.

I forwarded the e-mail to a friend living in Africa requesting her feed back. She confirmed my small fear that it was a scam. She said that these types of Internet scammers resale the Bibles for profit, and that Nigeria and Kenya are most notorious for these scams because they are more technologically advanced than their neighbors. While she warned me to block this person, she did end with the perfect response. “Take it as an opportunity to pray!!” Yes… Pray, pray, pray because our Christian brothers and sisters in Nigeria are being persecuted and martyred every day.

I did a quick searched on Google for the spam e-mail I received and hadn’t seen any posts. I figured I should contribute to the Internet community in letting them know it’s a scam. And also challenge and remind the Christian community in America to pray for our family of believers in Africa as well as encourage you to send a Bible through one of the many trustworthy organizations listed below:

• American Bible Society
• The Gideon’s International
• Wycliffe Bible Translators

Here is the text of the e-mail:

“Greetings in Jesus name,

May this letter find you blessed in Christ. I am writing fromWest Africaand it is a blessing getting to you in the other part of the world. It is my prayer that you become a friend of me and the local church here.  I got your email when I searching online and got into the web site and I know that it is God’s arrangement.

By His grace I am a Believer bought and washed by the Blood of Jesus Christ. I am married with three children. I am a pastor of a small local church non denominational or affiliated to anybody. The church was founded in 2006 and now has about 30 members. I gave my life to Christ in 1987 when I was still in the high school at Zaria. A campus fellowship student by name Femi was my roommate at school and his life of faithfulness unto Christ and his prayer and teaching me the Bible led me to Christ. This Brother told me then that he sensed that God was going to use me for His cause. I was never ready to hear that because my dream or thought was never in the ministry but to finish my studies and get a nice job. Five years after school and already working I started having the stronger urge and sensing that God was calling me but I kept on putting it off my heart because my job and life was sweet to me and I felt I needed nothing else. One day a guest speaker was ministering in our church and he singled me out in a crowd of over a thousand and told me that God has called me to the ministry and cannot hide. After he left I told my pastor that I have accepted and my pastor and other elders of the church prayed with me. I immediately joined and headed the evangelical outreach of the church and I saw many coming to Christ in the outreach. I let go of my job in 2005 and returned toEdomy State. I joined a small local church and was assisting the pastor as the second pastor. In January 13th 2007 a pastor of a little church of about five families in my area walked up to me telling me that he is leaving the state to his home state where the Lord has asked him to go and start the work. He said he has been praying for over a month that the Lord has asked him to tell me to take over the little church he founded 2006. I have not had relationship with this pastor before now so it amazed me. He asked me to pray to ask the Lord. I did prayed and without wasting time I knew the Lord ask me to hold that little church and that was how I became the pastor of this church called Victory Chapel. The church is a growing church and we meet at a temporary rented building. We are earthly rich but rich in Christ, riches that will last for eternity.

2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. The reason why I am writing is to appeal for your assistance in the area of a Study Bible which will be of help to me in my research and study of the bible as well as lesson preparation as a pastor, and bibles for our aged members. These items are very scarce here. I need The Dakes Annotated Reference Bible. It is a very good study Bible for ministers of the gospel. Please help me for it. There are many in our local church who do not have bibles and cannot afford to buy. I want to specifically make a request for the elderly ones who cannot work and earn money to buy for themselves. There are 12 of such very old fathers and mothers in our church who read and understand English and they are very devoted. Please on their behalf I request that you send them 12 Bibles the very big letters which is the super giant print 18 point type would be preferable for them because of their sight. We would also appreciate used bibles provided the pages are complete. Bibles are needed in King James Version, English. Thank you for considering this request. And as you help to meet this kingdom need the Lord will bless you finance abundantly. If you send the bibles through post office a registered postage the bibles will get to us safely. I was told at the post office thatEMSpostage or post office insured mail is safer and without charge. My home and postal address is 72 Izekogbe Road-Gpgo 5870,Benin City,EdoState, 30001, Nigeria. Please write when you get my mail. I do not have full access to internet but I can check at least three times weekly. Ecclesiastes 11:1 “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days”

Continue to be obedient and the Lord will honour you in His time. Exodus 19:5, the Lord spoke to the children of Israel through Moses saying:  ”Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:…”  The Lord bless you and keep you in His perfect love.

In His Service,

Godpower Izeklor

72 Izekogbe Road-Gpgo 5870,

Benin City,

EdoState, 30001,

Nigeria

P.s. Please pray for the persecuted Christians attacked by Muslims in Nigeria.”