Home at Last

Home At Last

(Psa 107:8 NIV) Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men,

I came home from Nigeria just about 3 hours ago. The journey started from Ibadan sometimes around 12 noon yesterday (Oct0ber 21, which is my birthday). A delegation of 3 from First Baptist Church, Idikan, Ibadan took me to Lagos in their church van. I was met at Lagos by a close friend of mine, Rev. Dr. Remi Olaleye of Estate Baptist Church, Lagos. It was an eleventh our change of plan. My original plan was that FBC Idikan folks will drop me off at the Murtala Airport, Lagos. But considering the time of arrival in Lagos, I felt much better with hanging out with someone I know rather than waiting for my evening flight for almost 6 hours. Apart from such being a waste of a precious time, it would be so boring.

I stayed with the family of my friend, Dr. Remi Olaleye, from around 3:00 pm till around 6:30pm when he took me to the airport. My time with him was well spent. We have many updates to share with each other since we have not seen each other for a while. We were classmates at the Nigerian Baptist Seminary, Ogbomosho in the 1980s. Also, back in the 1980s when I was serving at First Baptist Church, Kano he was the pastor of First Baptist Church, Katsina. We were able to catch up with old information that we have not been able to share before now. His wife treated me to a delicious pounded yam with fish and vegetable. I called it my special birthday meal.

God gave me a smooth check in process at the Lagos airport. This is probably one of the first times in many years that I was not given any tough times by the airport staff. My luggage was of the required size. I think I did my homework well. My siblings were at the airport to see me off. My brother, Dele Oluwole and his daughter, Ayomide and my sisters, Toyin & Sade met me at the airport. As usual, it was a painful parting.

I flew on Delta Airlines from Lagos to Atlanta and Atlanta to San Francisco. The flight was smooth without any incident. It is somehow a coincidence that I was assigned seat 40A on Lagos to Atlanta flight and 40G on Atlanta to San Francisco flight. There is something remarkable about sitting on the window seat. Looking through the window in a flight like this makes one to appreciate the creative work of God. No one in his or her right mind would fly over the Grand Canyon and not appreciate what God has done.  I expressed my praise to God several times during this trip as I viewed God’s creation. The flight was so long. It took us about 11.5 hours from Lagos to Atlanta and 5.25 hours from Atlanta to San Francisco. We left Nigeria at 10:35pm Nigeria time last night and arrived Atlanta at around 5:20am. We were delayed a few minutes before disembarking the plane because the US customs opens the door by 5:30am. The delay allows me to send some text messages to friends and families awaiting the news of my arrival in the US.

One of the custom officers at Atlanta wanted to cause some delays. He asked me the question: “What do you have in the ‘Ghana must go’?” I inquired from him about what he meant because I did not have a “Ghana must go” bag. He was upset. Because of that, he sent me to where they normally screen bags for foreign agricultural products. The bag that the man was talking about was not a “Ghana must go” bag. It was a bag containing a portrait presented to me at Kaduna and a carved calabash presented to me for my birthday at Ibadan. But God granted me favor. The other custom officers screened my bags and I came out clean. To God be the glory.

While waiting for my connecting flight in Atlanta. I used the opportunity to put the order of service for tomorrow together. I also sent the order of service to those on program this Sunday right in Atlanta. It is wonderful that we have a very reliable internet system here which was something that I have missed repeatedly while in Nigeria.

I arrived San Francisco airport at 10:30am. I traveled on BART to Pittsburg arriving there around 1:10pm. My son, Julius picked me up at the BART station.

This is the first time, as far as I can recall, that I went on a trip like this by myself. I have always gone to Nigeria with a group on a trip like this. Unlike the other trips that I have made in the past, this one is purposely scheduled as a revival ministration. It was about a year ago that the pastors of the churches contacted me about the possibilities of coming to minister during their revival service. The churches are not in a position to pay my airfare. But I planned on going there at my own expense. It must be noted that both of the churches gave me gifts at the end of  the revival ministrations.

Everything looks great for me financially until a few months before the trip. For those who are so close to me, I am not used to appealing for outside help. But I put my pride aside and I attempted it this time around.  But my appeal to friends and well wishers for sponsorships did not turn out as I envisioned. In view of this, I turned to our church, Agape Bible Fellowship, for a pay advance (loan). I thank the Lord that the later granted my request and this was how I was able to purchase my ticket at the eleventh hour. I thank God for my church for providing for me this much needed relief. I will be eternally grateful to them. I also thank God for two of my close friends who assisted me personally. One sent me a personal support before I left the US while the other friend sent his assistance to me while I was in Nigeria. Their assistance really helped me in meeting several obligations that surfaced while on the trip. I am grateful to these friends. 

 Looking back at the happenings and the activities of the past 2 weeks, I cannot but thank the Lord for counting me worthy to be of use in His ministry. I thank the Lord for all the lives that have been touched and transformed. I want to thank the Lord for my prayer warriors who continuously prayed for me prior to and while in Nigeria. I thank the Lord for my co-laborers in Christ at Agape who held the fort of the ministry while I was away. I also thank the Lord for two of my close friends who gave me assistance prior to and during the trip. I want to also thank my wife and my children, whom I missed so dearly and who also missed my presence when I was away. I know that they all understand that my trip is for the right purpose. They are perfectly happy for me to go to Nigeria for these revival ministrations.

Please see the links below for some of the pictures taken at the revival ministrations.

1. Revival at Ife Oluwa Baptist Church, Kaduna

https://picasaweb.google.com/106464098022588829175/RevivalAtIfeOluwaBaptistChurchKadunaOctober2011

2. Revival at Idikan First Baptist Church, Ibadan, Nigeria

https://picasaweb.google.com/106464098022588829175/REVIVALMINISTRATIONATIDIKANFIRSTBAPTISTCHURCHIBADANNIGERIAOCTOBER2011

I will make video clips available to everyone soon through our church’s YouTube channel. The link to our church YouTube channel is here below:

http://www.youtube.com/user/agapebfm96?feature=mheeI am uploading the videos to the our church channel now. You can check the links from time to time to see the video clips.

The way my presentations above appears should tell you how I am doing. My body is off its normal balance as I am battling with jetlag. But otherwise, I am excited to be home at last. There is no place like home.

John

Brentwood, California