New Bedford Church with strong roots from the African continent. African culture, history and spirituality has been a recurrent theme in African life in the United States for centuries.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
By REBECCA AUBUT
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
January 02, 2010 12:00 AM
NEW BEDFORD — Faith has transformed a small storefront on Pleasant Street into the Chapel of Mercy City of Joy, and while the church may be located in New Bedford, it can trace its roots back to Africa.
Pastor Ebenezer Oyebamiji was only in his teens when he moved to Jos, Nigeria, to stay with an elder brother, a minister of a local church.
"When I met this great man of God," said Oyebamiji, "my own brother asked me if I was born again? And that day he led me into Christ, and since then my life has never been the same."
He dove headfirst into his work within the church, learning every aspect of the ministry. Having already earned a degree in business management through a university, Oyebamiji spent 18 months studying at Eleos Bible Institute in Nigeria. After finishing his studies, he continued to serve at his brother's church.
Working as a missionary in Lagos, Nigeria, Oyebamiji met a pastor from New Bedford.
"When I met her, I told her I wanted her to be connected to us in Nigeria," he said. "She came after five months with two other people to see me, and to see what we are doing with the children in Africa. We work with destitute, less privileged children."
The three missionaries, all nurses, were able to offer medical care, and for the next three weeks the group traveled, helping meet the needs of many of the children in the area. What Oyebamiji could not have known was that there was supposed to be a fourth member of that group who was unable to make the trip due to an injury.
And that with a simple exchange of e-mail addresses, the fourth member would soon become his wife.
"I lived a rough life as a youth," said New Bedford native Shalonda Oyebamiji. "I knew who God was, but I just didn't follow him at that time."
In her mid-20s, Shalonda attended an event held by a local church, and then gave herself over to Christ, she says. After spending the better part of a year doing missionary work in Los Angeles, Jamaica and Arizona, she came back to New Bedford but didn't feel complete.
"I felt like I wanted to do something else for God," she said; "and my heart was burning for Africa — I just needed to get to Africa."
An injury sidelined a scheduled trip, but incredibly there was already a piece of her in Africa, says Shalonda, she just hadn't met him yet.
"My spiritual mother said I have a daughter in the states that has the same heart and compassion as Pastor Ebenezer," said Shalonda, who began to communicate through e-mails. "We were encouraging each other as a brother and sister through Christ; we didn't know anything like this would come out of it."
In 2007, Shalonda traveled to Africa to meet Oyebamiji and shortly thereafter got married. Three weeks later, Shalonda was back stateside and began the nine-month process to get Oyebamiji to New Bedford. On July 11, 2008 — exactly a year to the day of their marriage in Africa — Oyebamiji and Shalonda held a second marriage ceremony in New Bedford. Within weeks of that ceremony, the newlyweds felt a new calling.
"We knew we were going to start a church eventually, but we didn't think it would be this soon," said Shalonda, who personally wanted to concentrate on a home and having children. "But God told us that it was time. We were scared, but we walked in faith. God told us we needed to build His house and fill it with His children, and then he would give us our house with our children."
The church grew from holding Bible studies out of friends' homes to taking out a lease to a small storefront.
Opening the doors Nov. 1, the church was official dedicated in mid-November.
Chapel of Mercy City of Joy, 486 Pleasant St., holds Sunday service at 10:30 a.m. and Bible study from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday. All are welcome. For more information, call (774) 849-0137.
No comments:
Post a Comment