Missionary profile – SS Owonaiye

By Mercy Kambura

SS Owonaiye

Missionaries in a West African Country

What does anthropology have to do with missions? Anthropology is the study of societies and cultures, and it helps greatly in knowing how to effectively present the gospel in locally adaptable forms, through oral or audio-visual means. My wife and I have been planting churches and conducting anthropological studies among an unreached people group in West Africa. Understanding the culture is key to demonstrating the love and power of God in Christ in ways personal and practical to the community.

We aim to understand the culture of the people we reach by observing and asking questions about their customs and beliefs. We then make inferences about their worldview and present the gospel and worship forms in simple, culturally appropriate ways.

In situations when the gospel will challenge their worldview, we try to help them understand the implications and how the gospel is liberating rather than enslaving.

When I met my future wife, I had already been a missionary for four years. She had completed her missions training and was on probation in a field different from mine. We both attended the Last Days Gathering, a mission mobilization conference of CAPRO in 2018.

We got mobilized alright – and we also found each other. In July 2021, we got married after prayerfully studying and praying about how to match our visions and passions.

She is from Southern Africa, while I’m from West Africa. Our cross-cultural marriage has given us beautiful lessons in reaching the unreached cross-culturally. We’re more tolerant and understanding as we learn about each other, the same as we do for the communities we’re serving.

Our upbringing is also quite different. While I grew up in a happy Christian home and read Bible bedtime stories, my wife was orphaned at the tender age of nine years. Her foster family mixed African gods and Christianity. We both gave our lives to Christ as teenagers.

We are now missionaries with Calvary Ministries, CAPRO Nigeria, presently serving among one of the smaller tribes of West Africa.

As church planters, we seek to witness Jesus in places where his Lordship is not known. We have been evangelists, pastors, and teachers during different ministry periods. Our ministry among the communities has seen us live among them as farmers, medical workers, and educators.

Our greatest achievement as a couple is helping the unreached navigate the unfamiliar terrain of Christian fellowship. Adjusting to harsh environments, discouragement, and language learning has been the most challenging part of our ministry.

Our study of cultures and beliefs is helping us to break barriers and taboos among tribes. Believers of different tribes are forming solid relationships, and non-believers are beginning to see a new tribe called “Christians”.

Missionaries must strive to break through barriers other religions have set to the gospel in our modern age. We see an increasing unwillingness to discuss religious topics, which we challenge. It takes much effort and time to get many locals to hear the gospel clearly – sometimes years. But we are persistent.

#Pray:

For the Lord of the Harvest to send forth labourers into the harvest.
For the Lord to soften the hearts of the community we’re reaching for His glory.
For our young family and newborn baby.

Representative photo