Immanuel College Chapel

Mission And Outreach Committee

2019 Village Love Feast

Christmas is celebrated all over the world, wherever there are christian communities. Our Olorunda-village mission field is no exception.

But our own celebration begins on the second Sunday in December when our Mission Team organise what we call Village Love Feast. 

In 2019 our host village was Eleruwere, where people from as many villages as can make the trip, from the 99 other villages converged for the Feast.

For the Immanuel College Chapel Mission Team preparations begin with mobilization of resources, that is money, foodstuff, soft drinks, clothing, footwear, on a scale and volume that every participating villager-men, women and children, would go back home with a smile.

So on the appointed day, Sunday December 8, we departed the Immanuel College Chapel in a convoy of 3 14/18 seater buses, for Eleruwere village, led by the Dean of the College and 3 other senior ministers.   One of the buses ws fully loaded with 8 50kg bags of rice and other gift items, especially for children.  On arrival at Eleruwere a big crowd was already waiting, singing, in local language,

O come all ye faithful

Joyful and triumphant

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem…  

These typically simple people were gaily dressed reflecting the joy of the season. For another half-an-hour Christmas choruses dominated the air.

Then it was time for prayers, led by the Dean, who recalled that our 2018 Love Feat was held at Adeyipo village, and thanked God for bringing our Mission Team and the villagers together again, in health and strength, this time at Eleruwere. He covered everyone, their family members and even those who could not make the trip, with the blood of Jesus.

Thereafter a member of the Mission Team announced the arrival of Father Christmas, a student member of our group, who had all along stayed back, hidden in one of our 3 buses, until it was time for him to disembark, with his bags of gifts.

The children, more than 300 of them, surged forward, hoping to reach the august visitor. They were persuaded in vain, to wait in line, to have his handshake and gift at the scheduled time.

Thereafter every member of the Mission Team, led by the Dean, The Subdean, The Chaplain and The Assistant Chaplain, had a hectic time, organizing the crowd- 306 children, 167 youth, 33 adult men and 77 women - totalling 583, such that everyone had a gift or two.

It was a joyous occasion, which is why villagers, including non-christians, look forward to it. Everybody is welcome. During His earthly Ministry it did not matter to Christ that you were a Ruler of The Synagogue, Mk. 9:22-24, 35-42, a Centurion, Matt. 8:5-13 or a Syrophonician Woman, Mk. 7:15-30. He would attend to you.

To us too, as disciples of Christ, we welcome all and sundry to our faith.