By Ogochukwu Soludo
Planted on good soil, a mustered seed can
become like a giant oak!
I could not have imagined what far-reaching impression our little acts of kindness and goodwill would inspire in people; but now I know: Good deed does have a multiplier effect with far-reaching transformational testimonies.
Thirty-one years ago, I was a student of missions and cross cultural ministry at the Christian Missionary Foundation (CMF) School of Missions, Idere, Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State.
During that time, we used to fellowship with the local missionary church there. The assembly was planted and pastored by one of the pioneer CMF-missionaries, Pastor Ibitayo Kolapo and his wife, Moyo.
Pastor Kolapo was also a teacher at the School of Science, Idere, a government secondary school, where he distinguished himself as the best science teacher in Oyo State at the time.
He mirrored the character of Christ in his lifestyle, preaching and teaching about the Kingdom of God, both in words and deeds.
By his godly disposition, character and comportment, he won most of the teachers and students in that school to Christ and also discipled them unto maturity in Christ.
Pastor Kolapo and his wife were good role models, highly disciplined, diligent, dedicated, free, friendly, responsible and hospitable. The couple was highly regarded and remained a reference point for good within Ibarapa Local Government Area and beyond.
The couple mentored and nurtured many people, pastoring the local missionary church, a model new testament congregation of believers and disciples of Jesus Christ.
Their home was a discipleship centre where they raised many distinguished disciples that are still standing in faith to this day
Pastor Kolapo was my Field Leader; I laboured as a missionary at Ominigbo, Ibarapa Field, from 1996 to 1999.
Pastor Kolapo and his wife have paid their dues with a track record of excellence in missionary service, spanning over four decades.
Pastor Ibitayo Kolapo recently celebrated his 70th Birthday Anniversary. His wife, Mrs Moyo Kolapo celebrated her 60th Birthday also.
Pastor Alex Adewale Ekundayo, is one of the young men that the Kolapos discipled and mentored in ministry
By 1995, Alex was a teenager and still in secondary school, a student of Government Science School, Idere, and under Pastor Kolapo’s discipleship training.
He was diligent and dedicated, fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord.
One day, Pastor Kolapo permitted him to preach to the congregation and he did exceptionally well, in my view.
I was impressed by his performance and decided to encourage him by giving him a pat-on-the back after the service, for motivation.
Little did I know how much that simple “pentecostal handshake” would impact him; not until he opened up to me recently, after nearly three decades of our separation by different lines of duty, and not being in regular contact with each other.
Last week, Pastor Alex found my telephone contact from a social media platform and reached out to me with his testimony that drew tears from my eyes.
He wrote:
“Good afternoon sir, I have been longing to re-establish contact with you.
“This is one of the boys that God used you to nurture when you came to School of Mission, Idere, years ago.
“What you did for me on the day I preached in church for the first time, as a teenager, in 1995, has continued ringing in my mind to this day
“You called me aside, after the service; patted me on the back; shook my hands and gave me money, a brand new ₦50 note, which was about the highest denomination of the Naira at that time.
“That simple act of yours registered symbolically in me as a memory of Christ’s goodness and the reality of salvation.
“By the grace of God, I am now one of the senior ministers at Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria.”
“This sounds very interesting,” I replied, unable to contain the surge of emotions.
“Can you tell me more, and what is your name?” I asked.
“I am Alex Adewale Ekundayo, a student of the School of Science, Idere, during your time at the CMF School of Missions, Idere, in 1995.
“Your love and care for young people that time drew me closer to you, together with some other youngsters.
“Your relationship with us, your encouragement, corrections, counseling and support helped in establishing my feet in Christ.
“Even after I finished my secondary school education in 1995 and went to higher institution, the seed you had planted kept growing.
“I could not afford go out of Godt presence.
“I am now happily married to another disciple of yours, Nike, a younger sister of Pastor Kolapo’s wife, and we both serve as ministers in the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Ibadan District.
“Thank you most sincerely for demonstrating Christ-like life to us.”
“I am very pleased to reconnect with you, my beloved brother.”
“It is a great pleasure connecting with you again, sir.”
What more need I say?
“God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform” (Isa. 55: 8 -9, Rom. 11: 33)
● Soludo, PhD, General Missions Director,
African Missionary Empowerment Network (AMEN) Ltd/Gte, sent this via WhatsApp and can be reached at osoludo@gmail.com