Sunday January 13, 2019 was the day Eleshin Village lately received the Immanuel College Chapel Group. It was our fourth visit in all the 18 years of our campaign for Christ in the Olorunda area, in rural Ibadan, Nigeria.

Compared to our first outreach in the village in 2003 Eleshin has certainly undergone physical changes.  Gone are the mud huts which have since been replaced by houses built with concrete blocks.  The tall, very tall grape, fruit- bearing trees heralded our entry to this peaceful community compared to the bustle and hustle of city life.

More remarkable is the not-so-physical dimension – the attendance of seventy villagers, more than half of whom were children and youth, all of them enthusiastic, singing christian songs as we arrived.  They were led by the villagehead.

Certainly about half of the congregation were people from four or five village communities nearby.  So, who are we, the Immanuel College Chapel Mission Team not to be encouraged by this relatively large turnout when, during our previous visits, we were used to no more than 15-18 people.

The important thing, though, is our message and whether souls are saved, not the size of the congregation.  The preacher for the day, our Assistant Chaplain, Very Revd Joseph Ayodele, tried to reach the hearts of the people.

Why do they attend church services? As a routine or as a means of relating to God, the creator and sustainer of life, through worship and service?

Why have they come to the outreach, to hear the message of salvation or simply to partake in the food items, clothing and refreshments which we have brought along from Ibadan.  Are they their brothers keeper? Jesus is coming back again and when He arrives He will take back with him only those who are ready and fit for the kingdom of Heaven.

As for the non-christians among them Jesus loves them.  He does not want anyone created by God to miss the eternal union with Him on the Last Day.  So they are welcome into the christian fold should they take the decision to come in.

After the message the materials we brought were distributed to the villagers following which there were prayers for the sick, the poor and the needy.