Nigeria seemed a long way from home when in 1963 a 23-year-old nurse, Kathleen Lillie, set off from Lisburn Baptist Church in Northern Ireland as a missionary nurse with Sudan United Mission (SUM). After three weeks of travelling by ship and road, Kathleen arrived in Gwoza, northeast Nigeria, close to the Cameroon border.
As well as a strong Muslim community, there was a growing number of Christians and many people of the old traditional religions. It was also very hot, often over 40 degrees centigrade. The town and hospital, founded by a certain Dr & Mrs Chandler, were at the foot of the Gwoza mountains where there were numerous villages and people who had never heard the gospel.
When they were not nursing, staff and some Nigerian Christians frequently climbed the mountains, bringing both the gospel and medical help. Over time, many of the villagers were converted, and small churches were established under the supervision of missionaries and ‘evangelists’ – usually young Nigerian men who showed gifts but had little training.
Family
Daniel Gula was one of these ‘evangelists’, and in 1971 he and Kathleen were married. As they had always maintained good relationships with Muslims, many came to the wedding and some of the Christians had to stand outside! Over the years, many of these Muslims were of great help in wonderful ways. The newly-weds’ first home was in one of the small villages near Gwoza, and it had no mod-cons.
