THE knitted house of kinsmen, Morrow, Oji and Daleka, continued to be home for the American missionaries in Ede – till they’d secured land for their mission work in the town.
For they were later handed large pieces of free lots that were nothing more than hard ground.
Indeed, the missionaries got land on the steep slope of a rocky hill, looking over the ruler’s palace in those years.
Then in that hard ground, they built their first church, and it prospered.
Townsmen turned to God in large numbers, yielding their lives to Jesus. They joined the church with their wives and kids.
They got baptized, too, and picked Christian names.
That parish soon became the church which Morrow’s family chose. His wife was baptized, then she took this name... Maria.
The whole house of Morrow, Oji and Daleka joined the church for worship.
They went from their settlement on a street off the King’s Market, near ‘the Border Gate’ called same to date.
Then, the seed of God’s love came to thrive in that time of hate. Falling in bare ground like those of desert dust, and then pushing forth like a miracle.
Like human beings standing out of dust, to be.
So, the American mission sought yet other lots for retreat camps. And what they got available were burial lots in the thick wild beyond Osun.
They were called Black Forests known to be plagued by dark spirits. So the ruler yielded this to the preachers.
Even still, the visitors weren’t plagued or spelled by strange things. But they built, and went on building people.
So, this went on till the group found a good footing in the land.
Now, while the American Christians lodged with Morrow, he volunteered to guide them through town, helping them with whatever they needed.
The mission workers soon shared a bond with the man’s family, together with his brothers’ households.
They formed great friendship, so the team was able to persuade them to educate their kids.
So, when the Americans built their first parish, and then built a mission house there, they got to leave their host’s household.
Yet that departure was the start of a new thing. For those men didn’t leave the chief host as they’d met him.
It was after dinner one night and the missionaries related their plans. They were at Morrow’s place, so they told him they were leaving the day after.
The Christian group showed their appreciation to the host family for having them, as well as to the brother’s houses.
They went on to show more gratitude to the head of the clan, Morrow, for lending the hand and truly helping.
Still they had nothing they could give the wealthy man in his own land. So they chose to bless his family in prayer.
Morrow called for his wife with their little boy.
So then, the missionaries prayed. And when they did, they stirred Heaven.
Yes, the Author and Authority over Destiny heard them and poured down answers.
He called Tomorrow out.
‘Here what the Spirit of God says:
‘“O House of Morrow: You have honoured Me and welcomed Me in your home, when nobody took Me in.
‘“Therefore I will visit you and your wife Maria again. And nine months from now you will embrace a son.
‘“He shall fulfill your hopes and gladden your heart. He shall lead your name to great promise.
‘“Then your name shall not be forgotten.”’
Those were the words that fell while the team lead prayed, the lead for the mission group.
So Morrow and Maria simply said amen. They couldn’t find how this could be.
Still, this was late December in 1924, with the harmattan starting. And it was good weather.
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