Always at church

My mom appeared to take seriously the verse about dwelling in the house of the Lord forever! Growing up in a university town in south-eastern Nigeria, from infancy we were in the university chapel for Sunday morning service, back again at 5pm for a follow-up class for (in our case, perpetual) new believers, and we finished the Lord’s Day with an evening service at 6pm. Wednesday was Bible study; Thursday, prayer meeting; Saturday, kids club. The best times were Sunday school, largely taught by university students, where we had fun, especially preparing for Christmas productions.

Despite spending my life in church, however, I was far from God. Even at that early age, my heart rebelled against him. My four brothers and I responded to altar calls every Sunday, but this only gave me temporary relief from my sense of guilt and condemnation. I had no understanding of a personal loving relationship with the Father.

A personal interest

Until Chika started teaching us in Sunday school… She was a beautiful Accountancy student, who was full of life, fun and warmth. She visited us at home. She invited us into her life and her family home. She exposed us to a world of interesting but also deeply spiritual books. We could scrutinise her life, inside and outside church. She took a personal interest in each and every one of us.

When I was around 12, she started a Bible study with three of us girls and I remember the first book we studied together: Ruth. I began to see a God who wasn’t just interested in ‘saving’ me every Sunday, who wouldn’t just assure my eternal destiny in heaven, but who was also interested in holding my hand and doing life daily with me – just like this young university student was doing with us.

In our late teens, she introduced us to the Navigators. Attending the yearly youth conference was a highlight for us. My youngest brother got saved at one of them. Another brother today enjoys doing what he learnt from the Navs: coming alongside people as a chaplain.

Invited to invade her life

I had been a painfully shy child, but I have learnt to allow Jesus to stretch me and woo me out of my comfort zone. And this was what God taught me through Chika. Naturally introverted, she is content alone with a book, but she invited us to invade her life, for God’s purposes to be realised in ours. When two of us (from her Bible study group) moved to the UK some years after her, she housed us in her flat in London for a long while.

What excuse do I have to not love as I have been loved? That desire to see Jesus formed in young women through relational discipleship has continued. My husband and I continue to share our lives as much as we can.

I took the liberty of asking some others Chika discipled for their stories too:

Nnaeto:

‘Chika was a remarkable Sunday school teacher who left a solid positive impression on me during my teenage years. She represented the near-perfect balance between friendship, mentoring and discipleship. My most lasting impression of her was one of a gentle and steady grown-up influence that made a relationship with Jesus nothing that resembled a chore. It seemed like a joyous natural way of being. I can trace many of my big life decisions to the way she modelled her faith and ministry within our local church and through Navigator Bible study groups.

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2 Timothy 2:2) 

I thank God that she heard God’s voice, followed hard after him, and went on to pull curious young people like me along on a wonderful faith adventure. Now that I have the language, she was an alongsider that helped mould me into the growing disciple of Christ that I am today. It only makes sense to me to invest my life into something as worthwhile as what she did for me. I want to pay it forward!’

Chinwe:

‘I met Chika in my early teens, during that critical time when I was starting to think for myself about life and faith. As one of my Sunday school teachers, she played a pivotal role in accompanying me and others on this journey. Until then, church was something I did because that was what my family did. Sure, I loved listening to Bible stories and hanging out with my friends there, but I mostly went to church out of obligation. Then Chika took some of us aside and we started meeting regularly to read and discuss the Bible together. I honestly don’t remember all we discussed, but I do remember how it made me feel. Here was a young adult who took an interest in me, who wanted to know me, and who cared. As a young girl, it was helpful for me to see a young woman who was confident in herself and who did not diminish herself in order to follow God. This played a crucial role in my spiritual development. Having Chika in my life was invaluable.’

Chika:

‘I met Chika as a young child in Sunday school, and one thing that stood out was her warm, friendly and caring nature, she became more than a Sunday school teacher, and became my friend as she went beyond just teaching us Bible principles but took an interest in our lives. I remember her visits and even the games we’d play when she came around, there was never a dull moment with her, I would confide in her about issues I didn’t really feel comfortable discussing with my parents, and as a teenager, I started attending the Navigator youth camps when she volunteered for the camp and encouraged us to attend.

A tight relationship developed between her and some of us girls she taught as kids, we became support systems for each other, developing deep relationships that last till now.

Though I had Christian parents and was involved in many religious activities, I had questions that Chika helped me find answers to. Introducing me to the Navigator youth camps helped me grow tremendously in my walk with God as well as learn how to help others grow in theirs. I’m grateful that God brought her into my life to come alongside me for this purpose.

NB: We are all taller than she is now, but she is a giant of faith.’

Chisom:

‘For me, Chika captures 1 Thessalonians 2:8, as she not only shared the word but her life and home (even clothes 🤗) as well and has remained a friend for life. Really appreciate the fact she was humble enough to see us as friends, even though we were much younger.’