More than 10 years after they started a ministry to help transform their home country of Nigeria for the better, 'Segun and Titi Olude continue to be astounded by the ways God works in their lives.
The Oludes visited the western states of the West Africa nation for five weeks this past spring as part of Promisedland Ministries, an organization they founded in 2002 in an effort to encourage Nigerian-Canadians to make a difference in their home country, as well as to educate Nigerian pastors and community leaders in faith-based community development.
The Oludes visited the western states of the West Africa nation for five weeks this past spring as part of Promisedland Ministries, an organization they founded in 2002 in an effort to encourage Nigerian-Canadians to make a difference in their home country, as well as to educate Nigerian pastors and community leaders in faith-based community development.
When the Oludes showed up to give a Sunday morning seminar on marriage at a church in Osogbo, a city in Nigeria's Osun State, they expected to speak to 100 pastors from the surrounding area. Instead, the church's pastor surprised them by asking them to speak in the church's three worship services that day, and they spoke to more than 1,700 youth and adults.
"It took us by surprise," Titi says. "It just felt like a dream. You can make your plans, but God knows how to expand [them]. What an opportunity it was to reach out to the moms and dads who were in that church."
In addition to the seminars the Oludes gave on leadership, marriage and family life, 'Segun—who works in Winnipeg as a graphic designer—also visited colleges to share his expertise on graphic design.
The couple also visited some of the communities Promisedland has helped in the past by building wells, renovating schools and providing educational and medical supplies to those who need them.
"We wanted to go back and see if there was any fruit to any of the work we had done, and see that the momentum was kept up," Titi says.
The Oludes were encouraged by what they saw.
"We had the opportunity to see a project we had worked with a local pastor on, and see how far it had come. The pastor has really caught the vision, and really worked a lot in his community, so it's always exciting to go there and see what he is doing."
'Segun and Titi started Promisedland after being involved with a prayer group in Winnipeg that was organized specifically to pray for Nigeria, an impoverished country that struggles with a variety of crime, violence, human rights and education issues.
Titi says that in her experience, churches in Nigeria are extremely open to hosting visitors.
"I would have expected that pastors would be so careful about who comes into their [churches], but they just sort of welcome you," she says.
The welcome the Oludes received has given them a better sense of what it's like to be part of the body of Christ.
"Spending time with them also changes us," she says. "It gives us a bigger understanding of who God is. It's stretched us and helped us become more accepting. We're learning to see the body of Christ the way God sees it. He really meant it to have that variety in there."
The Oludes hope that more people decide to make a difference in Nigeria and in other parts of the world.
"There's so much work to do out there," Titi says. "There's so much impact we could have, so much reach God could give us."
"I pray that people catch the vision to reach the nations, and that people would find a way to … release the potential that's in the church," she adds. "That's the message I have."
"It took us by surprise," Titi says. "It just felt like a dream. You can make your plans, but God knows how to expand [them]. What an opportunity it was to reach out to the moms and dads who were in that church."
In addition to the seminars the Oludes gave on leadership, marriage and family life, 'Segun—who works in Winnipeg as a graphic designer—also visited colleges to share his expertise on graphic design.
The couple also visited some of the communities Promisedland has helped in the past by building wells, renovating schools and providing educational and medical supplies to those who need them.
"We wanted to go back and see if there was any fruit to any of the work we had done, and see that the momentum was kept up," Titi says.
The Oludes were encouraged by what they saw.
"We had the opportunity to see a project we had worked with a local pastor on, and see how far it had come. The pastor has really caught the vision, and really worked a lot in his community, so it's always exciting to go there and see what he is doing."
'Segun and Titi started Promisedland after being involved with a prayer group in Winnipeg that was organized specifically to pray for Nigeria, an impoverished country that struggles with a variety of crime, violence, human rights and education issues.
Titi says that in her experience, churches in Nigeria are extremely open to hosting visitors.
"I would have expected that pastors would be so careful about who comes into their [churches], but they just sort of welcome you," she says.
The welcome the Oludes received has given them a better sense of what it's like to be part of the body of Christ.
"Spending time with them also changes us," she says. "It gives us a bigger understanding of who God is. It's stretched us and helped us become more accepting. We're learning to see the body of Christ the way God sees it. He really meant it to have that variety in there."
The Oludes hope that more people decide to make a difference in Nigeria and in other parts of the world.
"There's so much work to do out there," Titi says. "There's so much impact we could have, so much reach God could give us."
"I pray that people catch the vision to reach the nations, and that people would find a way to … release the potential that's in the church," she adds. "That's the message I have."
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