It was a fateful Sunday evening as I went on with my tasks and thought to open WhatsApp to see what was going on, and right there in my church’s WhatsApp group was a call for mission volunteers. Now, we usually have outreaches to neighboring communities in our church, but there usually isn’t a special call for volunteers cos it would be open to everyone.
This was different, it was an outreach to somewhere farther and it would be for 3 days. Curious, I opened the registration link even when I wasn’t sure of my attendance and registered.
Well, well, well, a series of many events and church services later, and this outreach turned out to be a coveted one to take part in. That form for volunteers closed shortly because there was a cap on the number of those who could go for the outreach. Now, when PT (our overall district pastor) talks about a program, the whole church becomes interested and wants to participate. This happened and everybody now wanted a slot on the already concluded list of 40 people. Let’s just say we turned out to be almost 60 persons who showed up to volunteer in the outreach.
But hey, I’m getting ahead of myself, let’s talk about the outreach itself, Project Nineveh: an evangelism and medical outreach to a city in Badagry called Ilogbo. Organized by the evangelism team of Faith Church, it was an opportunity to carry the name of Jesus to a land held bound in darkness; we call this Rural Rugged. It was to be a crusade for two nights (Friday and Saturday) and a medical/counseling/prayer outreach on Saturday morning. I recall when the ‘spies’ who went to observe the land returned and gave a report of how uncomfortable it would be for those going, we would sleep in a place with little comfort and definitely no luxury, but everyone’s mind was made up, we would not back down.
In preparation, we organized daily prayers with fasting, held vigils and impartation programs, asked people to donate clothes and shoes, and we also purchased food and other items to be donated to the people we were going to reach out to. Now, this was more of a spiritual activity than physical, so, efforts were concentrated on spiritual readiness and this was very key in the results we would later achieve.
Initially, I wasn’t very big on my spiritual preparation for the program, but as we began the vigils, I caught the fire and excitement and began to actively prepare. From the vigils, we knew by divine revelation that Ilogbo would be a battle, more reason why the impartation sessions were very important.
On Friday, the 5th of May 2023, our evangelism entourage would take off from Akoka, Lagos, and would get to Badagry (my first time there) in about two hours.
The journey began and ended with prayers as the bus and cars dropped us off at the Deeper Life Bible Church, Ilogbo. As we were to be lodged in the church premises, we got to work, dropping off our loads and preparing the ladies’ lodging area before going out for publicity.
The lodging area wasn’t as ‘bad’ as I thought it would be, and as people went out for publicity, some of us in the choir stayed back to prepare for the praise and worship session that we would later take at the crusade ground.
By 5 pm, we were on our way to the crusade venue, and boy, did God move! So many souls came to Christ that night, you should see as they were rushing to the front during the altar call. Oh yes, we wanted to see other miracles, but this miracle of salvation is the greatest and so, we took records of the souls that were won and returned to our lodge for the night.
After eating, many thanks to our volunteer chef for the outreach, we had a powerful prayer and impartation session for all volunteers led by our very own PT (our own Jesus model, modeling Jesus to us in all areas), and this was very needed cos the next day was going to be long.
Saturday came and everyone set out first to create awareness about the morning program we had. By the time we came back from the field, the outreach ground was full of people, old and young who came for medicals, to receive welfare packages, counseling, and prayers. The people were so many, over 200 people, that those who were supposed to return to the field for evangelism had to stay back to assist.
We counseled, we prayed, we gave, and we met so many people even in the rain. I fondly remember a family I spoke to in the morning whose husband later shared testimony in the evening after the crusade about how the medical outreach was very impactful for him, his wife, and their baby.
Some memories have me teary when I remember how much suffering and pain people go through, it emphasizes the need for us to leave our ‘comfort zone’ and go reach out to them just like Jesus would do; some other memories have me giving thanks for the Light that has been shone on these people and the chains that have been broken. Oh yes, chains were broken, the enemies that came to test us, went back ashamed.
Suggested Read: Dear Abba: A Prayer
Saturday evening, the last night of the crusade was a fiery one, the atmosphere was already charged; the people had been praying, and we were ready for a spectacular move.
As the minister mounted the pulpit and started with worship, I knew it was going to be terrible that night in the camp of the wicked. So many people fell under the ministration as they were set free from the chains that had held them down, the counselors were ready, as everyone moved in demonstration of the power of God. It was a powerful ministration topped off by an altar call that had souls coming out to be saved.
Oh, what a joyous night as we rounded off the crusade with great miracles, testimonies, and rejoicing on the crusade field, dancing, praising, and praying. But, we didn’t stop there; we moved en masse to our lodge, playing music as we danced, declared, and rejoiced, not minding that it was already late, even till 10 pm we kept dancing and rejoicing. Of course, we topped this with prayers when we got to our lodge.
The move of God was quite evident and not only did it touch the people we went to minister to, but it also touched, blessed, and changed our lives. Is it the power of God that rested on us and gave us boldness? Or the miracles that we also got?
I, for one, had embarked on that outreach with a pain in my right ear that I’d been praying about. Together with my husband, we believed that I won’t return home with that pain, so, every day of the crusade, I’d also pray that God should heal me. My people, guess who came back home fully healed? Help me shout Hallelujah!!!
Project Nineveh outreach to Ilogbo was a move, God’s move, and what we experienced was a breaking of the fallow ground, planting the seed of righteousness & deliverance, and changing the order of things in that land. The land of Ilogbo will never remain the same again. Amen.
And we didn’t just leave like that, we had fellowship with the church at Ilogbo on Sunday, even ministering during their service, and encouraging them to keep the fire burning.
To Ilogbo, we went, and we witnessed. We admonished, and we administered. God came through and delivered His people. God was glorified and forever will be.
What was super inspiring for me was the way young men and women left their jobs and all they had to do to serve and do Abba’s will.
To you, my dear reader, I hope this inspires you to commit to a life of service to God. And if you are unable to go for missions, you prayers and money can go. You can look out for the missions or evangelism team in your church or the non-denominational ones to volunteer with.
My generation is ready, we will serve God and WE WILL BE MANY!!!
To the church in Ilogbo, keep the fire burning.
Selah!