Warri greeted us with open arms, the first embrace being a feast fit for champions at Pastor Okey and Laura’s. Laura’s pepper soup, a symphony of fiery spice and tender meat, banished the hunger pangs of the train ride like a charm. Pastor Okey, a FUTO chemical engineer like Ekene, showed us his blossoming home farm, and for the millionth time, my dream of a backyard Eden flickered into life.
Then came the soul-stirring conversations – theology, doctrine, the Nigerian Christian tapestry. It was music to my ears! And their support? Oh, they outdid themselves. Two giant bags, bulging with notebooks and backpacks for the Patani kids, promised smiles and learning. 5-Alive and Chivita, blessings in plastic bottles, would combat the inevitable inferno from the journey. Beautiful people!
Bidding farewell to Warri, we hit the road, hearts full and arms loaded with blessings. At the Patani checkpoint, the rest of the team materialized - a vibrant kaleidoscope of familiar faces like Chizzy, Precious, Ebube, Favour, Chinomnso, Patience, Uchechi, Nenye, Kenneth, John Timothy, Deme, and new ones like Hope and Immaculata. Seeing their faces brought another wave of warmth.
Patani village surprised us. Tarred roads and bustling shops painted a different picture than the usual rural scenes. But our destination lay beyond civilization, tucked away in Bro Elah’s home, where Rev Sam had graciously arranged our haven.
Orientation night was a tapestry woven from introductions and shared journeys.
Immaculata, the seasoned missionary, spoke of discovering a new part of herself in each trip, a sentiment that resonated with me as our trip neared its end.
Hope, her shy bubbly friend, yearned to heal with faith, igniting a ripple of applause and a spark of shared hope in the room.
Chizzy was Mission Titus' most loyal lieutenant, having missed just one trip out of the five.
Ebube hoped to use the trip as a time to retreat and recalibrate - a word that would find itself on many more lips during the session - before the year ended.
And there were us; Favour, Uchechi, Precious, Hope, Chinomnso, Patience, and myself, the wide-eyed rookies, thrilled to see what the Lord had in store for us and the community.
📸: Chinny & possibly Timothy
Rev Sam, a veteran of three decades with NEMA and his NGO, shared his wisdom, while Bro Elah, our resident Apelebiri missionary, painted a picture of the community with its joys and challenges.
Meanwhile, inspired by the constant "Did you take any pictures?" reminders from Ekene, I hijacked Deme’s phone, declaring myself the trip’s official chronicler.
The room buzzed with anticipation, a symphony of mosquito whines and excited murmurs. But even the stifling heat and pesky bugs couldn’t dampen the smiles as Ekene, launched into his only song for the trip, a serenade to the adventure about to unfold.
There is a redeemer
Jesus, God’s own Son
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah
Holy One
Jesus my redeemer
Name above all names
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah
Oh, for sinners slain
Thank you, oh my father
For giving us Your Son
And leaving Your Spirit
'Til the work on Earth is done
Written by Chinny with facts from Precious
Edited by Bard and Chinny
