Your assignment is to prepare and submit a paper on preliminary knowledge on the pongu tribe. My experience with the indigenous community ‘Pongu of Niger’ during my internship in ‘1-Way Ministry’, a New Jersey-based Christian non-profit organization, altered the way I perceive the world. 1-Way Ministry’s Sow the Seed Nigeria was an extensive evangelical mission funded by HOPE International. I interned at the organization’s crisis center as a voluntary receptionist and tutor for three years since 2005. The experience with Pongus taught me unforgettable life-lessons and imbued me with the true sense of gospel and practical wisdom. I was shocked to see the intensity of the problems the Pongu population faces and how they respond to issues in terms of their limited access to social privileges. I had some preliminary knowledge of the Pongu tribe. Their limited access to the outer world and exceeding dependency on traditional beliefs have become constraints to their development. My professor told me that many other socio-cultural aspects, like ethnic stereotyping, also impeded the Christian mission’s progress in this area. Since my childhood, I have had a strong will to exercise all my potential for a good cause, and that took me to the field of social work. Interaction with the Pongu gave me a clear exposure to the problems of an alienated section of society. I dealt with many things, including but not limited to the rehabilitation of delinquents, education of children, and nutritional deficiency disorders during my internship.

He narrated his background. He had his graduation in Applied Science from Michigan State University. He had both parents and three siblings, all in Michigan. There was little connection between his education, and the missionary work was engaged in.

John told me that I could call the Pongu Stone Age people because they lead such an uncivilized life I would not believe.