Ariticles
Thoughts and
Lessons from my Nigerian Experience (UYC 2006) by Greg Peoples
For many years I watched Mr. Horchak’s videos from Africa at church and dreamed about traveling to the African Continent one day. I didn’t think it would be a reality until 2006. It seemed like the time was right. I had saved extra money that could be used for travel and had the needed time off from work. So why not go? I talked to my wife and daughter about how I felt and that it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity. So I applied for Ghana West Africa summer camp. I poured over the application and made sure to cross all the T’s and dot the I’s. Well, the day arrived and I found out that I had not been accepted for Ghana, but there was a slight chance that Mr. Horchak could use someone in Nigeria. The rest is history now, I was approved to go to the 1st ever UCG Nigeria Camp.
I will admit that the days leading up to my departure for Nigeria made me a bit nervous. When going on a trip I will usually read up on the area I am going to and try to educate myself on people, customs, what not to do, etc. It is like planning for a mountaineering trip for me. You must check, recheck, and then check again all your equipment. I did this with Lagos, but the more information I found out , the more uneasy I became. The Internet is full of some interest stories about taxi drivers being shot as an American visitor is being taken to the airport. Even the Lagos International Airport has a reputation of being a place you don’t visit after dark. Well, I was flying in at dark, so a sense of security was gone. Not to mention the diseases a visitor to Nigeria could contract. I got a few shots at my family Dr’s office that made both arms sore for days. I was scheduled to go back for more, but decided that the CDC only recommended shots like yellow fever, typhoid, and a few others. I felt I had enough vaccinations anyway. The final days leading up to my flight out to Nigeria, I would have dreams about getting yellow fever. I started second guessing my decision. So I just prayed a little harder for protection and hoped for the best.
On August 20th I left from DFW International Airport at 5:00PM. My route would take me through Chicago and onto London. The trip from Chicago to London seemed to zoom by. The flight from London to Lagos seemed like it was longer. I finally fell asleep and was able to sleep a small amount on this leg of the trip. When I arrived in Lagos and disembarked, I was just thankful to be on solid ground and walking. I moved through the terminal taking in the sights of the Airport. My expectation of the airport wasn’t high, but it looked nice to me. After going through customs and picking up my bags I headed through some doors and the first thing I heard was Mr. Horchak’s voice calling my name. It was a wonderful feeling. I then saw a tall strong looking Nigerian stranger heading my direction with a grin on his face. This I hoped was Dare. With a big Nigerian bear hug, he welcomed me to Lagos.
We had some car problems as we traveled to Dare’s house, but were extremely happy to make it to the Akinbo home safe and sound. Sitting down on the couch with Mr. Horchak I had an overwhelming feeling that I was in another world. What I had experienced and seen in my first few hours in Nigeria was not what I was used to. The next day we were on our way through Lagos to the small town of Aiyetoro. Dare made one stop at a Lagos Market during our trip to give us a small taste of what a day at the Food Market was like in Lagos. It was very different; I am not accustomed to the many interesting meat selections. The smells of the market were things I had never smelled before either. I was glad to be on the way to the next stop, camp.
We made it through the gates of the Afobaje Hotel after a small car accident when a commercial bus coming out of a petrol station almost took out the rear passenger door of the car! I felt very bad about Dare’s car, but he was so calm and cool about it, which I found my new friend was like most all of the time. The Nigerian brethren welcomed and greeted us with smiles and handshakes. We had made it to a little slice of paradise, as I later found out. The Afobaje Hotel was to be my Oasis for the next 6 days. We had all the necessities of life. Nice rooms with AC, ceiling fans, comfortable beds, bathrooms, and a wonderful hall that was used for our meals, church, and other activities. There was even a lounge across the courtyard where you could buy a soda, and even an occasional cold beer. I was shocked at how nice the facility was. I was prepared to sleep on a cot with mosquito netting tucked under my bed and bug spray covering my body at night. I was still wondering where all the mosquitoes were.
UYC 2006 in Nigeria was an enjoyable opportunity to teach and share with the Nigerian teens and staff. I was so inspired by their willingness to work together and enjoyed every minute of camp. A few of the Nigerian staff, Paul and Barry, were the instructors of the Football activity. These Nigerian men taught me some great soccer skills that I was able to try out while on the football pitch. I would have to say I feel I learned and grew more from the Nigerian experience than I was able to give both physically and spiritually. The brotherly love and support that the staff gave to us Oyinbos (Yoruba for “white man”) was wonderful. Dare was an enjoyable person to work with in the Team Challenge activities. His leadership and teaching experience burned brightly for all the teens and for me as well. The Sabbath was a highlight during camp. Everyone was dressed in their best Sabbath dress, and the hymns, messages, and special music were wonderful. Being from Texas, I enjoyed seeing the many traditional outfits that both the boys and girls wore. I felt like a proud UCG parent on that day seeing many future leaders of the church.
Mr. Horchak was responsible for giving me the opportunity to participate at UYC Nigeria 2006 and I will always be grateful for this blessing. It was hard to leave all the lovely Nigerian brethren behind, but we all have lasting memories that we will cherish for a lifetime. I also have a better appreciation for our Nigerian Brethren, and pray for their safety daily.
Greg Peoples is a Computer Sales Engineer from Texas, USA. He is married with a lovely daughter.