Brother Francis Odudu, the Regional Director for Mainland Europe, arrived in Belgium on Saturday 11th May, visiting a group of Apostolic Faith Church members who currently live there. It was the first of such visits that he was making to the saints there.
Brother Seun and Sister Tobi Owamokele have lived with their little daughter in Belgium for about two years, while Brothers Eric Etone and Doyin Odunsi have been around for less than a year.
Eric is from our Church in Douala, Cameroon while the Owamokeles and Doyin came from our Church in Lagos, Nigeria.
Upon arrival early in the afternoon of Saturday, Seun was on hand to meet Francis at the Train station in Mechelen, from where they walked for about 10 minutes to the Owamokele’s which is in the neighbourhood. While Doyin was already waiting in the house, Eric later joined us.
Subsequently, we had a good informal fellowship over lunch with Brother Francis encouraging them to start meeting up, even if periodically, and encourage each other marking the Church’s presence in Belgium. Drawing from Psalm 37:23,24, Brother Francis said their arrival in Belgium must have been orchestrated by God Himself; and that like, Joseph, who was sent ahead of the Israelites to Egypt to save lives, as seen in Genesis 45:5-8, God must have sent them here for a purpose. In a similar manner, he made reference to David’s defense of his venture to the war front when his brothers challenged him by saying in 1 Sam 17:29, “Is there not a cause?” Certainly, there is a reason for God bringing each of them to Belgium. We thereafter prayed.
Francis rounded off the meeting by pledging the support of the Western Europe Headquarters to them in all ways possible. There was another informal fellowship at the Owamokele’s on Sunday 12th May, which was again rounded off with a prayer.
Francis safely returned to London on Monday 13th May.