Evangelist (Mrs) Christabel Oyedayo Adefila is a director in the Ministry of Commerce, Co-operative & Empowerment, Osun State. She is also the shepherd in charge of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Holiness, Bankefa, Oke-Omi, Olodo, Ibadan. She shares her worldview with Tunde Ogunesan. Excerpts.Background: I was born into the family of Chief and Mrs Abraham Oyebisi Oyadiran. My late father was a Permanent Secretary in the old Oyo State and later Osun State. I am a Christian from birth and the first born in the family of six.Growing up: My growing up was normal because of my parents professional backgrounds. Also I had the grace of living within a close circle, a grace I enjoyed having attended religious schools.Education: I'm one of those few lucky students who attended Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo, Oyo State. I proceeded to the University of Ife (now OAU University), Osun State to bag the Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree in Geology. I taught as a teacher for four months before I joined the civil service of the Old Oyo State after my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. Since then, the Lord has been very gracious to me.Career: I am a geologist by profession and today, I am a director in the ministry of Commerce, Cooperative and Empowerment in Osun State.Marriage: I got married to late Reverend Elisha Oluwagbenga Adefila and the marriage was blessed with children before he joined the saints in year 2000.Calling: It all happened around November 1984. I used to see Jesus Christ, though I was not born again but I was religious and active in the church. During one of my encounters, the Lord Jesus Christ, told me that He was going to use me in the ministry. Before our marriage, my husband was my mentor and was always encouraging me as a pastor. When he started his church in 1986 ' Christ Apostolic Church, Holiness as a house fellowship, then I had become an intercessor, a minister came from Ikoyi mountain and told me that God directed him to our fellowship and that God wanted the fellowship to start a ministry through me.From then, the church began to move on until year 2000 when my husband died.Mission work: Getting this far as a church was difficult. Before my husband died, he was a member of the CAC executive. We were looking for a land space before somebody pointed to his space where we are now. When we started, the population of the church was around 200 but some felt the place was far for them and opted out but we thank God today that the Lord is there for us.Career: As a civil servant and professional, I can say that I have achieved all God wants for me without any regret at all. Today, I am a director in the Ministry of Commerce, Co-operative & Empowerment, Osun State, and by the grace of God, I would be retiring by December this year. By then, I would have spent 31 years in the service and by civil service regulations, I still have four years to go but God told me to stop at this juncture to concentrate on the ministry.Challenges: My first challenge was coping with the absence of my husband who was a mentor, a pastor and everything to me. We really felt his absence at home and church but God has been our pillar. Though the pains are over, there is no time one would not just remember him when things he freely did come up and there is nobody to do it. Secondly, I can't hide it, coping with secular job and full time ministry is not easy, especially in my own case when I have to travel from Osogbo week in, week out. That would either affect the ministry or the official work. However, I never regretted my long year in the service. I'm stopping now because God says I should. Again, I thank God that I can hold my head aloft today and say Ebenezeri.Fashion sense: Coming from a very religious Christian family and living a secluded life was a normal thing and that informs my dress sense. I don't have extra-ordinary reason for dressing than to just be courteous and feel comfortable.Favourite colours: I don't like black and red. I love blue and brown. Butter colour abouits me.Advice: The ministry of woman is difficult. Such person should be ready to go the extra mile. You know the Bible says men should love their wives, so if you now find yourself in a situation to control men, it's a little bit challenging. So, you have to really show and demonstrate that the call is upon you and when you live a right life, they automatically take orders from you. Again, the church these days tend to over look certain things.Fulfilment: I am fulfilled because I've always wanted to live for God and despite my long professional career, I thank him that I lived for him up till date. Now, I want to retire into full time evangelism.Ambition: Right from my school days, my ultimate ambition had been to live my life for God. Thankfully God made it to be by making me marry a pastor who influenced my spiritual life. It is my joy that today I'm working in His vineyard. Even in my offices, I make sure I take every decision with the fear of God and to his glory.
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