“We are Nigerians who have gone back to our homeland....”
--Abiodun Faleke, CCO missionary in Nigeria
The Difficulties of Returning Home
The Lord lead the Faleke family out of their homeland, trained and equipped them, only to lead them back again. Abiodun and Kennie Faleke sacrificed their all-American lifestyle in Olympia to return as missionaries to their native Nigeria.
“We are Nigerians who have gone back to our homeland, knowing the language and culture of the people that we are ministering to. We were both born and raised in Ibadan City, Oyo State, Nigeria - from the Yoruba tribe,” says Abiodun. Yet, despite the familiarity with the people and the terrain, the transition back to Africa has not always been easy.
In many respects, Nigeria is a country of extremes: very rich and very poor, very religious yet very corrupt. “There is need for balanced Biblical teaching because the Christianity... is not sound on doctrine. Christianity here in Nigeria is described as ʻa mile wide and and inch deep.ʼ" His homelandʼs shallow faith is one that makes Abiodun question: “ if Nigeria has a 50 percent Christian population, why is it that the country is one of the most corrupt nations in the world?”
These are some of the issues that compel the Falekes to feel burdened for their native land. Their fellowship ministry in Ibadan, population of nearly 4,000,000 people, leads them to teach the Bible in practical, traditional Calvary Chapel form: chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Additionally, the Falekes reach out to university students and minister in some villages outside of the metro area.
But the ground is not always fertile. “The challenge is for the Lord to bring more people to our fellowship. Sometimes the work is discouraging.” However, “I have been blessed in that the Lord uses me in the area of being able to teach the word, I'm improving,” says Abiodun.
Click here to send a message of encouragement to the Falekes in Nigeria.
Abiodun1 or Abiodun2
Kennie