A young man in Nigeria with an ardent desire to
serve the church as a missionary joined a missionary congregation. After his
ordination his superiors saw in him the son of the local soil who understood his
people and would be of great help in the evangelisation of his people of Itire,
a district in southwestern state of Nigeria. On his part he felt his dream of
becoming an overseas missionary was completely shattered and he saw no sense in
working among people who had already accepted the Good News.

    After three and a half years I met him and asked how he
was doing and his response has been a point of reference and reflection for me
ever since. He said; "Emem, over the years I have come to see my stay in my own
town and among my own people as a blessing and all my previous disappointment
has melted away. Not only have I purified my motives for joining this
congregation, I have realized how much my people needed re-evangelisation
because they still clung to old superstitions, consulted fortune-tellers and
went around with charms, amulets and the like. But somehow God has, through me,
enlightened them and more than 80% of the people have openly renounce those
things. The result is that the people are more united and there are less
disputes. They now know that being a Christian goes deeper than being baptized
and having a new name." As he spoke I could see a contented missionary because
he spoke with an overflow of joy and gladness. Finally he added: "I’m glad God
made me a missionary to my people,"

    Later I compared his discontented years before to his
present state and I remember the old saying of the Igbos that What the old can
see sitting, the young cannot see even if they climb a tree; time alone will
reveal it.