HEAL Present at Sunrise Prayer Service

Sep 6, 2018 | Events, Prayers

“This is why I don’t think you should go!”, my mom said to me in 2014 before my first mission trip to Nigeria. She handed me an article in the Chicago Tribune about a Boko Haram terrorist attack that claimed many victims in northern Nigeria. I reassured mom that the...

On the South Side, Jesus Promises Eternal Life

Aug 16, 2018 | Appeal, Leo Okonkwo

“How many of you want eternal life? Raise your hand!” exclaimed Deacon Leo Okonkwo in his mission appeal homily last weekend at St. Dorothy Parish on Chicago’s south side. I raised my hand and looked around. Sure enough, everyone had their hands high in the air! But,...

A Welcoming I’ll Never Forget

Jul 19, 2018 | Mission Journey

I stepped out of the car into the BOMCA courtyard, ready to be received again on this my fourth mission trip to Nigeria.  A little girl named Rosemary, who I know from previous visits, placed a small plant in my hands. Two others wrapped me in a colorful fabric and...

Agricultural Skills for Life

Jun 29, 2018 | Projects

On my first trip to Nigeria in 2014, at the airport, I met a baggage carrier named Jasper who had a university graduate degree. Because of government corruption and lack of connections, Jasper struggled mightily to find employment that matched his level of education...