The Holmes Family: July/August '22

On August 18th, we returned to the field to begin our 18th year as FBMI missionaries in Nigeria. For the first time as a family, we endured four flights, but everyone adjusted well, and God has kept us healthy. Missionaries Graham and Olivia Young were waiting for us in our home, having arrived about five days before; they quickly found a vehicle and place to stay, yet we were glad to have them around for a few weeks of good fellowship prior to their move into an apartment.

Before our departure from Louisiana, several milestones were recognized. Birthdays for Brian (15) and Ladonna (8) were celebrated, and, upon our arrival, Aaron counted down the days for his 4th birthday on September 10th. In July, Sabrina and I with our three teens traveled to the church where I was ordained 19 years ago for their 50th Youth Conference [pictured]; I was honored to give two “Missions Moment” testimonies at the same meeting where God called me to preach 28 years before. FBMI held its Missions University during the week of youth conference, and I had the privilege (for the 6th time) of teaching multiple classes while Sabrina had her first opportunity to address the missionary ladies in a split session.

With contributions from our sending church and five other meetings where I reported during our last two months of furlough in July and August, the need I presented concerning the roof of our dormitory has been more than fulfilled, and we are moving forward with plastering the walls on the second floor [pictured]. Once the roof is actually attached, I will give more details on what it will take to add windows, doors, electrical, plumbing, ceiling, and tiles in the next phase of work. Thank you for partnering with us in this project.

A new semester of Providence Baptist College & Seminary [student body pictured] with five new students started the day before our arrival to Abuja. The next week, our 11th Student Missions Institute for Training in Evangelism was held at Truth Baptist Church. At the beginning of August, the 5th Annual S.M.I.T.E. in Ogbomoso was organized successfully in my absence. Between the two youth camps, there were 234 campers from 54 churches; they conducted 48 Bible clubs with 2293 children enrolled and 1370 who professed salvation.

Missionary Graham Young of Vision Baptist Missions gives an account of his arrival to Nigeria:

Praise The Lord, we have made it to Nigeria! We arrived on August the 13th at 4:30 in the morning and have been busy setting up since then. Our first weeks here have been full of visits to the bank, exchangers, car lots, potential houses, immigration, road safety, new stores, and church. Things are moving along. We have bought a car already and are hoping to sign on a house we like within the week.

We have been welcomed here with open arms. We have enjoyed getting to know the city, meet new people, and begin serving here. There is much to learn. This week, Truth Baptist Church hosted SMITE. We have enjoyed observing this teen camp that focuses on training young people to reach children with the gospel in their area. Evangelist Tunde and Pastor Adewale have done a great job with this. We are encouraged by the ministry we have seen already going on here. The Holmes family has been used of God to see many people saved, trained, and churches started.

We want to thank the Holmes and the Christiansen families for all they have done to help us. Olivia and I have repeatedly said to each other that we don't know what we would have done without them. They have given us their time and resources. God has truly blessed us by putting them, along with two other missionaries families here, in our paths. We look forward to working together to reach Nigeria with the Gospel.

Who We Are

Mark Joseph Holmes was called to the ministry at the age of fifteen, five years after he was saved. He went to Hyles-Anderson College to receive his training and graduated summa cum laude in 2000 with a degree in Pastoral Theology. During Mark’s senior year, God placed on his heart the desire to reach the people of Nigeria, so he spent an extra year in preparation by taking missions courses. Mark served on the same bus route each college year, as captain for three years.

Sabrina Michelle (Hopkins) was saved at the age of eight and surrendered her life to God five years later. While at Hyles-Anderson College studying music education, she served in the Bible Club and deaf ministry and also traveled one summer with a tour group. After graduation with a Music Education degree, during the year before their wedding, Sabrina taught fourth grade at her home church’s Christian school—Central Baptist in Baton Rouge.

As newlyweds, Mark and Sabrina served at their sending church where Mark oversaw the bus ministry and helped in the youth department, Sunday schools, and junior churches. He was privileged to start a children's church and young adult class during his two years of service, and he also regularly preached at a prison ministry and taught for a local Bible institute. Sabrina taught private piano for two Christian schools; she played often in the church services and also taught the beginner Sunday school class. Mark and Sabrina started full-time deputation at the end of May, 2003. Mark Joseph, Junior was born on December 4th of the same year.

In June of 2005, the Holmes family began their first term as Fundamental Baptist Missions International missionaries in Nigeria. Soon, Truth Baptist Church along with Temple Baptist Institute was started, the church now averaging 220 on Sundays with 42 graduates from the ministry training school. Property with buildings was purchased, and Providence Baptist College & Seminary opened its doors in August 2009 and has now produced 30 graduates. 35 churches have been started by those who have been trained or ordained by their ministry, including one of the most recent, Grace & Glory Baptist Church in Abuja, in which the Holmes family is also involved. Mark and Sabrina have returned to the U.S. for the birth of: Victoria Noel 12/14/05
Brian Michael 8/20/07
Noah Preston 2/3/12

LaDonna Elizabeth 7/3/14
For nearly a decade, Truth Baptist Church has been the home of a national pastors' conference, an annual youth camp, a full curriculum DVD correspondence college, and the City of Refuge recently became their newest ministry.

Where We Are

The Niger River is Nigeria’s most remarkable physical feature, as well as the source of its name. Formerly a British colony, Nigeria gained its independence in 1960 and became an independent nation of three culturally distinctive regions and at least 250 different language groups—more than any other African country. Home of the world’s largest black population, it is estimated that almost one out of every six Africans resides in Nigeria.

Upon independence, Nigeria inherited a currency that was more valuable than the U.S. dollar at the time. Yet the country has consumed itself with the sell of oil and other natural resources and all but abandoned its agricultural sector, leading to Nigeria’s diminished currency value and heightened reliance upon imports and aide from other countries. Military coups, ethnic tensions, a thirty month “civil war” that claimed over a million lives, and economic corruption have been the driving forces behind Nigeria’s instability of the last forty years. In 1998 a democracy was established, ending fifteen years of military rule.

Baptists have enjoyed a presence in the country for over 150 years with the Southern Baptists growing their own national convention and an estimated Baptist population numbering more than 3.5 million people; the former President of Nigeria was a claimed Baptist. However, Muslim influences are growing greater, indigenous beliefs are still popular, and many existing Baptist churches have abandoned biblical doctrines. There is a great need to reach the rest of the more than 170 million people of Africa’s most populous and possibly most influential nation.

The Holmes Family

July/August '22

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