From left: Nick Costello, HEAL President; Kevin Banet; and Br. Leo Okonkwo, HEAL Founder.
by Kevin Banet
The man who sat next to me didn’t have the appearance of the kind of leader I’d expect to see. Yet his vision has inspired hundreds of volunteers and religious missionaries in one of the poorest areas of the world.
The man was Br. Leo Okonkwo, whose blue and white festive-patterned shirt with matching pants betrayed a casual look that’s not worn by high-performing CEO’s.
While Leo munched on his sandwich and sipped his water, he excitedly explained to me the secret of what I recognized as the driving force of his ministry. It is the self-emptying of Christ, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God … but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.” (Phil. 2:6-7)
A Deep Faith
Like many Nigerians, Leo has a deep faith and upbeat spirit that are contagious. He reminded me of Cardinal Francis Arinze, also from Nigeria, whose zeal as the head of the Vatican’s office for the Mass and the Sacraments for six years inspired so many people.
As a boy, the Cardinal lived in an area missionized by Irish priests, as he recalls in his biography. When the Cardinal was in the eighth grade, the diocese asked the parish which boys wanted to enter the seminary. They all volunteered.
Over the years, Nigeria and other parts of Africa have emerged as a stronghold of a vibrant faith that promises to shape this millennium throughout the world going forward.
I’m happy that my company, TreeFrogClick, is helping to get the word out for the ministry’s U.S. presence, Home to Enhance African Life (HEAL), which supports Leo’s ministry in Nigeria and Cameroon.
Why not spread the word by liking HEAL’s Facebook page if you have not already done so? And share some of the photos there with your friends on your own page. You’ll be sharing in the self-emptying of Christ, who became man for us. You can also visit the HEAL website to learn more about their tremendous mission to serve the people of Nigeria.