NYSC Diaries is a 6 part series on my blog to commemorate my successful completion of the mandatory National Youth Service. It’s me sharing the stories, experiences and lessons I gathered during the year. Some will be serious, some will be funny, and some almost unbelievable. The one constant thing though is the faithfulness of God through all the seasons. Enjoy! … xX.

I can’t put my finger on the exact time and place where the idea to start a fellowship dropped in my heart. What I can tell you however is why it did. My church in Ibadan was quite a distance from my house, so I could only attend Sunday services. There was the possibility of streaming the mid-week services and this I did sometimes. A short while after settling into the mix of things in Ibadan, I began to feel a void in my heart. I craved a gathering of people where we could just sit and talk about Jesus and share his word practically. If you’re a believer, I’m sure you’ll understand where I was at that point.
I tried to suppress it. I mean I know nothing about starting and running a fellowship. I’ve only ever been in a few all my life, the thought however did not go away. About a month later, I traveled to Abuja for an event. I was supposed to meet up with Chidera Ohamobi (one of my ‘mainest’ girls) to hang out since I was in her city. Coincidentally she had fellowship on that day and invited me to come. I was skeptical at first but then she assured me that this was a fellowship with a difference. In her words, it was a group of young people who came together in a relaxed environment to talk about God and practical applications of his word. Her excitement when she spoke about it was undeniable, so majorly out of curiosity I made up my mind to attend.
I thought maybe God wanted to show me physically how to go about starting the fellowship. It turned out that my thoughts were right. He did. The fellowship was amazing! It was a complete expression of the kind of gathering my heart desired so bad. I left that day eager to replicate it.

On getting back to Ibadan, my ginger dwindled. It was replaced with concerns about how I wasn’t holy enough to start a fellowship. I mean I’m not a pastor and I have no intentions or desire to become one, (S/O to all the pastors in the world, you all are amazing). In a nutshell, I felt inadequate. The thoughts did not leave though. Over time I was assured in my heart that I was just a vessel and the Holy Spirit will do his work.

On my birthday May 28th, 2016, we held the maiden edition of the fellowship! That day was my best birthday yet! I felt so fulfilled haven obeyed God and I could feel him smiling at me. We had three editions after that and they were all so impactful.

As I type this up, this evening we are having the 5th edition. I’m leaving Ibadan, but God was careful to raise a new convener who will take it up. The name of the group is now “So Souled Out” and hearing all the fantastic plans they have, I even feel a bit sad that I’ll have to leave Ibadan because of the fellowship.
Of all my activities during my NYSC year, this is the one for which I’m most honored! There are so many lessons I’ve learnt from this but I’ll share the most important ones:

1. God can use you! He does not call the qualified, but rather qualifies the called.
2. Whatever God tells you to do, do it! He is your father; can’t your father send you on an errand again? Don’t be a disobedient child. God does not like that.
3. God loves it when we gather in his name. It is important for every believer to fellowship with the believers. Where ever you are, find yourself a group of people you can fellowship with and if you don’t find one, it just might be an indication that you should start one.

Sinmisola Nojimu-Yusuf,
Gentleman Corps Member, 2015 Batch B, Oyo state.