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Our team arrived in Ile Ife on Thursday ahead of the outreach at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). Accommodation had already been arranged before our arrival, saving us the stress of searching for a place to stay.
The area around the lodge was known for prostitution and other forms of immorality. It was an unusual place to stay, but we settled in and headed straight to the university that evening.
Our first stop was the prayer ground.
The atmosphere was open from the moment we began praying. As the meeting progressed, the direction of the prayers gradually shifted. Although the outreach had been planned for the university campus, much of the burden in prayer centered on the land itself. We prayed with unusual liberty and received specific impressions concerning the territory.
After the meeting, we returned to the lodge, had dinner, spent some time together, and rested in preparation for the next day.
Friday: The Assignment Unfolds
The morning began with another extended prayer meeting.
Once again, the emphasis remained on the land. The university became part of a wider assignment rather than the entire assignment. We continued praying as the Lord directed, trusting Him to prepare hearts before we stepped onto the campus.
By afternoon, we began speaking with students around OAU.
The first few conversations were difficult. The atmosphere felt unusually stiff, and progress was slow. We continued, trusting the Lord to open doors.
Before long, the atmosphere changed.
Students began stopping to listen. Conversations became longer and more personal. Many spoke honestly about struggles with sin, addiction, and other hidden battles. Some encounters stood out because the individuals involved appeared unable to walk away from the conversation. They listened carefully, asked sincere questions, and remained until the gospel had been shared fully.
Several people made decisions to follow Christ. Others who had drifted from their walk with God were encouraged to return to Him.
One conversation was particularly memorable.
A Muslim student stopped to speak with us and openly shared some of the struggles she had been facing. The conversation was honest from beginning to end. She listened attentively as the gospel was shared, received prayer willingly, and expressed her desire to continue the conversation after the outreach.
Many other encounters followed throughout the day. While we did not keep a numerical record of every conversation or every decision, there was clear evidence that the Lord had gone ahead of us.
Thanksgiving
The outreach demanded patience from the beginning, but God gave us grace to remain faithful to the assignment. The resistance we experienced at first gave way to meaningful conversations, open hearts, and genuine responses to the gospel.
We returned from OAU grateful for what the Lord did among the students and for the direction He gave us concerning the land. We trust that the seeds planted during this outreach will continue to bear fruit, and we look forward to all that He has prepared in the days ahead.
"The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it." — Psalm 68:11