The first missionary endeavour to Mali by Pastor & Mrs. Oyelude took place in August 2002. Again the couple was on their annual leave from their work places.

The journey from Cotonou to Bamako on road in a public bus took two days and two nights. The rigorous journey afforded the Oyeludes the opportunity to embark on personal witnessing to the Malians who traveled with them in the bus.

The first prospect who showed some sign of positive response was Mohammed, a young Muslim Malian in his thirties. The Oyeludes cultivated his friendship in the course of the journey by showing him the love of God in practical way through sharing of meals. God's plan of salvation to humankind was also carefully shared with him. Before the end of the journey on the third day, Mohammed confessed his conviction of the Truth of the Gospel that was preached to him. He however wanted to discuss more with these preachers before he surrenders his life to God in Christ Jesus.

Mohammed collected the address of the Oyeludes at Bamako and promised to visit them. Unfortunately, he did not fulfil his promise within the period of four weeks the Oyeludes spent in Mali. It was also not possible for the Oyeludes to look for him since he made it clear that it is not advisable for the preachers to visit him for fear of his Muslim folks.

ABOUT THE FIRST FRUIT

It is actually true when the Scripture declares that "God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform". The Oyeludes arrived Bamako safely into the warm embrace of their family members including an elderly Uncle who was met lying on his sick bed.     The couple was emboldened by the power of the Holy Spirit. They immediately explained to the family members that they have come this time not just to visit the relations but also to witness to them about the Love of God to humankind as revealed in Jesus Christ.

They immediately invited all family members present to a prayer of thanksgiving in Christian way. It was at this point that the elderly Uncle who was met on his sick bed managed to sit up on the bed and started shedding tears as he related how much he has suffered from his protracted illness.

The couple explained to him that with God all things are possible. He agreed to join in the prayer. Pastor Oyelude was moved in the course of the prayer by the power of the Holy Spirit to lay his right hand on the Uncle's head as he prayed to God to heal him.

Amazingly, but to the glory of God, the Uncle woke up the following morning to exclaim that something strange has happened to him. He explained that he felt a strange sensation in his body while the prayer was being said the previous night. And when he woke up in the morning, he no longer felt the severe pains he was having for the past weeks.

The couple explained to him that the power of God in Christ Jesus has healed him. They went further to explain to him that God is able to heal him not only physically but also spiritually if he is ready to surrender his life to God through faith in Jesus Christ. The elderly uncle in his mid-sixties who had been a Muslim all his years willingly accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and personal Savior. He gladly prayed the believer's prayer.

Two days later, the Uncle announced elatedly that he felt perfectly all right and was ready to return to his village. He was advised to join the fellowship of the Christian Church in his village. He readily accepted to do that on the one condition that he was given a letter of introduction to the Pastor of the local Church.

Rather than giving him a letter, Pastor Oyelude received the prompting of the Holy Spirit as they prayed with the Uncle the night before his departure to the village, that he should be followed to the village so as to hand him over to the local Pastor for effective follow-up.

Not knowing that God has a bigger plan for which He was leading this couple to the village, they readily yielded and arranged to follow the Uncle to his village. The Uncle was led into the warm embrace of the Pastor of The Protestant Church of Dioila (L'Eglise Protestante de Dioila). The Pastor was full of praises to God for the way He has answered his prayers.   He explained to the 'Missionary Couple' that he has prayed persistently over the years for a Soul from the Uncle's family, which is not only the Royal Family of Dioila town but also the largest and the most influential.  He was thrilled that it would take God to mobilize a couple all the way from Nigeria to come and actualize his dream of many years.

The Pastor further explained to the Uncle the import of the decision he had just taken. He did not only affirm his confession but also went further to pledge his readiness to identify fully with the believers by submitting himself to the believers' Baptism.

 ABOUT GOD'S BIGGER PLAN

The bigger plan of God was later revealed when the Missionary Couple followed the Uncle to his family quarters. Another elderly uncle in the family, a retired Army Officer in his seventies and his wife, also a retired school teacher were very glad to learn that the visiting couple have come as witnesses of The LORD Jesus Christ. They told the "Missinaries" that they had many unanswered questions about the Christian Faith.

The missionaries pleasantly surprised, immediately realised that God was already at work in the life of these elderly grand parents and therefore decided to join Him. It was about seven o'clock in the evening and since they along with their younger brother, a young Air Force Officer who graciously offerred to drive the car must return to Bamako that night; an arrangement was made to return to Dioila by the weekend.