Wherever you find yourself living, my guess is that the route you took to get to where you are today may not be quite as dramatic as the path taken by Father Soloman Ebi Ekiyor. His passion for mission took him from Nigeria to Ukraine, before the Russian invasion forced another major upheaval. He now lives in London where he is studying Digital Theology.
I started my ministry in the Anglican Diocese of Western Izon in Delta State, Nigeria as a parish priest. With a young man’s heart and strength, I always loved to use my gifts to develop relationships with young people, praying for them and sharing the good news of the Kingdom. I had various ministry and administrative responsibilities in the diocese, and in time, I became an Archdeacon and Residentiary Canon of St Matthew’s Cathedral in the riverside city of Patini.
Western Izon Diocese is a missionary diocese spanning Delta State and Bayelsa State in southern Nigeria. It includes the Niger Delta region, a vast and low-lying wetland filled by lakes, swamps and creeks. Countless distributary rivers and streams meander towards the sea where freshwater marshland gives way to brackish mangrove swamps along the Gulf of Guinea coastline.
The people of Bayelsa State are some of the poorest in Nigeria. Many who live in the delta region are cut off from the mainland by rivers and wetlands. They lack access to clean water, electricity, health facilities, transport links, schools and other basic amenities. With rising sea levels caused by climate change, flooding is becoming a huge challenge, adding to other problems such as contaminated soil and water from oil pipeline leaks and toxic fumes from the illegal burning of crude oil (locally called ‘kpo-fire’).
My heart has always been for cross-cultural mission and in 2017 I moved, with my wife, Elas, and our children, Jemima, Jedidiah and Jesaiah, to Ukraine where I was appointed to pastor Nigerian students and the wider English speaking international student community. I served as the head of the Fellowship of Christian Students International in Chernivtsi and Ternopil in western Ukraine and I was also involved in ecumenical ministry, building bridges with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Baptists and Evangelical churches.
My heart has always been for cross-cultural mission and in 2017 I moved, with my wife, Elas, and our children, Jemima, Jedidiah and Jesaiah, to Ukraine where I was appointed to pastor Nigerian students and the wider English speaking international student community. I served as the head of the Fellowship of Christian Students International in Chernivtsi and Ternopil in western Ukraine and I was also involved in ecumenical ministry, building bridges with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Baptists and Evangelical churches.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine profoundly disrupted our lives and the wonderful ministry I served. In the days that followed, I was very busy helping Nigerian students who were struggling to leave the country and were being turned away en bloc at the Polish border. I soon found myself acting as the link between the students and the Nigerian embassy officials in Warsaw.
After that we tried to leave Ukraine ourselves. We first headed for Slovakia, but the border crossing was completely clogged with cars. We then tried the border with Hungary. This crossing was less congested and eventually after much prayer we made it through. After about six weeks in Budapest, we secured visas to relocate to the UK and for the last year, I have continued in missional ministry with the Diocese of Southwark in London.
Also in London, I am now studying for a master’s degree at Spurgeon’s College. It was there that I was introduced to APF and the eVitabu app which is such a great resource for the Church in Africa. I love APF’s approach to mission. Training missionaries and sending them to foreign nations is worth it but it is far more sustainable to raise up, train and equip indigenous people for the work of ministry in their own communities. I believe I am in a good position to understand and appreciate this as a missionary in Europe who was born and raised in poor and marginalised rural communities in Africa.
I look forward to APF extending their work in Nigeria, especially in the Diocese of Western Izon. Let us continue challenging ourselves to step outside the box and seek the Lord’s guidance on how to passionately and faithfully live out His call for mission.