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Melodies for the Unreached
By
Wale Adenuga
 It’s
been over 5 years now that I met Bro. Sam Kputu. Bro.
Sam is responsible for mobilization of resources for
the Calvalry Ministries, aka CAPRO one of the leading
mission oriented ministries in Nigeria and Africa.
The first time we met he said to me that he would
love for us to work together and possibly go with
them to the mission field. It remained a dream for
5 years until a few days ago.
Together with another music group, Footsteps Foundation,
we partnered with CAPRO with respect to mobilizing
the church in Kenya for mission work for the unreached
peoples of their country and beyond. It was really
an interesting mission.
We
took off on Friday 12th September, 2003. We had live
interviews at Hope FM and also got a chance to sing
a few songs. Thereafter, we ministered at Nairobi
Pentecostal Church and at the headquarters of The
Redeemed Christian Church of God. One thing I noticed
about Kenyans is that they extremely expressive people
when it comes to praising the Lord.
One
of the most touching moments during this trip came
when we had a two day outreach at the Kibera Slum.
This is reputed to be one of the largest slums in
the world with a population of about 700,000 people.
The one thing that hits you in
the face is poverty. It was an open air meeting we
had. We just set up our equipment and started to praise
the Lord. Even though we didn’t have perfect
conditions, it was such a wonderful time lifting up
God’s praise in that place. At such times, we
didn’t do it because we wanted to impress anyone.
If we tried to impress, it would have been a waste
of time as they would not have noticed. People did
give their lives to Christ.
We
had another time of ministry at Daystar University
during one of their morning devotions. It was here
that I learnt that people we lead in worship would
want us to be who we are. Initially, we had done one
good song which was in English. Of course we did that
to sound as it were, politically correct. I was shocked
to bone when one of the lecturers who had listened
to OF A TRUTH came out and said, I should come out
and teach them to sing Bukky Williams’s Baba
loke! We did the song and it we had so much fun
and release in God’s presence.
Thereafter, we started to do lots Nigerian songs,
especially pidgin ones. At the Nakuru Christian Centre
where we had a 3 day meeting, someone always stood
up to ask us to do the song “Jesus na you be
Oga!” That song was just a trip for the Kenyans
everywhere we sang it.
In
Nakuru, which is about 200 kms from Nairobi, we had
worship seminars which was facilitated by Bala Khamofu
(Footsteps), Tosin Odumosu (Fountain of Life Church)
and myself. What transpired there has put a desire
in my heart to see us have Effective Worship Seminars
happen there. And it will happen.
What’s the greatest lesson I learnt on this
trip? This is it: that worship is not just a private
affair. In our churches, we enjoy worship. And that’s
cool. But there are lots of people out there who don’t
worship. God is unknown to them. I think its time
worship teams started to think globally. We should
start to think of how we can take out worship to the
streets, declaring that Jesus is King. This is not
about producing worship CDs and stuff like that. It
is standing out there and singing your heart out and
passers by looking out you, and some wondering if
you are crazy. Guess what, they won’t be the
first. Michal thought David was crazy but God said
he was a man after his heart.
In
the future, I am too sure that we will having benefit
concerts for people who are in dire need of the gospel
and basic needs of life like water, clothing and housing.
And God will help us.
Wale
heads Fountain of Praise Music. He is a songwriter,
worship leader and an assistant pastor in his church,
RCCG, Jubilee Christian Centre. He can be reached
at info@fopmusic.com
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