Beloved,
Thank you so much for your love for the Lord. Your interest in seeing the nations worship our precious Messiah, Jesus, is obviously a work of the Spirit of Christ. It is this work of love by the Spirit that I desire to see many more hearts experience in my country, Nigeria. I was born in Nigeria and at 24 I have never left the country for a single day. I am not going to lie that I have stayed here for this long because of some patriotism or because I especially feel a strong call here. Frankly, I have stayed here because in many ways its home.
Nigerians are lovely people, passionate and deeply connected with their ethnicities, often corrupt, quick to share their opinions, prone to tribalism and always open to the idea of having a good laugh. Nigerians in other words are human, not unique. 250 million sinners. Just like you and I. But one exciting and heartbreaking thing about Nigeria is the sheer enthusiasm to associate with ‘God’. In almost every institution there is a Christian and Muslim Fellowship, to be Nigerian means to have had a religious experience.
There aren’t many healthy churches as a result because most Churches have that very assumption that the gospel isn’t alien but just part of our Nigerian heritage. Jesus is Nigerian. The gospel is Nigerian history. We might not say it but we act that way. I really hope that God would somehow use my study at Bethlehem College & Seminary and the challenge of living in light of the Gospel in a foreign land to make me see the strangeness of the Goodnews. And that this work on my vision would bring joy to some people back in Nigeria in due course.
I am deeply grateful for you and your gift. You are truly sowing seeds of hope that are blossoming into cries of praise to our Lord and Our King, the one who is himself the Vinedresser. Frankly, I can’t envision the many ways my time at Bethlehem College & Seminary will impact my home, I am still asking the Lord to make the paths of ministry clear. He knows where I am and I know he will meet me. I trust him to do the same for you and your family.
The Lord is good. He will lead sinners in the Way (Psa. 25:8). Do not be weary, beloved. Our Heavenly Father is delighted in co-laboring with you. Labor in His Strength.
Jeremiah Ogazi
1st Year Seminarian