A Story of Faithfulness: Oluwatosin’s Journey in The Gambia
by GSC Student Intern, Jasmine Eisener
My story is an example of how God uses faithful partnerships to shape lives.
God’s calling over someone’s life starts long before they realize. Long before he entered a university classroom, Oluwatosin Adewale Adesanya carried a deep desire to serve God’s Kingdom and share the hope of Jesus with those around him. Through faithful partnerships, mentorship through Global Scholars Canada, that calling was strengthened and equipped in ways that continue to impact not only his own life, but the lives of many others around him.
Oluwatosin, or Tosin as many call him, is one of the many students whose life has been shaped through the Christian Religious Studies program developed by multiple Global Scholars Canada’s scholars, including Dr. Glen Taylor, Dr. Layne Turner and Dr. Manhee Yoon, at the University of The Gambia. He graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in Christian Religious Studies and is currently continuing his education through a Master’s degree in the same field. Throughout his studies, he remained deeply involved in ministry, serving in the Redeemed Christian Church of God and faithfully investing in the spiritual growth of others.
Born and raised in Nigeria, Tosin and his wife, Titilayo, eventually moved to The Gambia after developing a burden for its people. Their desire to serve and share the Gospel led them to make a new home in this primarily islamic country where opportunities for formal Christian education are limited.
Tosin first became aware of the Christian studies program supported by Global Scholars Canada through the church he was attending, serving on the choir. Though skeptical at first, he applied a year later after hearing about a previous student’s experience in the program. The Bachelor of Christian Religious Studies program, overseen by Dr. Manhee Yoon, is a degree pathway at the University of The Gambia and provides students with a strong foundation in biblical studies, church history, leadership, literature, and management. While Christian education may be readily available in some parts of the world, opportunities like this are rare in The Gambia. The program offers students the chance to study Scripture in an academic setting while also developing practical skills for ministry and leadership. With class sizes often ranging from ten to forty students, the program fosters close relationships between students and professors. For Tosin, those relationships became one of the most impactful parts of his education.
“The professors follow up with their students after class,” Tosin shared. “They know when something is wrong. If a student comes to class sad, they notice. It’s like a personal relationship.”
That investment extended beyond academics. Through the care and mentorship of his professors, Oluwatosin grew not only in knowledge but also in faith and character. His studies deepened his understanding of Scripture, strengthened his calling, and helped prepare him to lead and serve others with faithfulness and perseverance.
Beyond creating and making this degree pathway an option, Global Scholars Canada played an important role in making this educational journey possible for many students. During his first year, Dr. Layne Turner (Global Scholars USA) who also served in The Gambia and Dr. Yoon worked together to ensure that Tosin could fund his studies, even though he had not initially been selected as a scholarship recipient. Their personal investments into Tosin and his education demonstrates that these are not simply students to the professors, but deeply loved brothers and sisters in Christ. In the years that followed, financial support provided through GSC helped fund his education. For Tosin, this support represented more than financial assistance. It reflected the commitment of people who believed in investing in students and walking alongside them as they pursued God’s calling on their lives.
After graduating with a bachelors in Christian Religious studies in 2020, he was sent out to help establish a new church plant. Throughout his degree, Tosin gained the biblical knowledge and theological foundation to equip him to teach, disciple, and encourage others more effectively in a predominantly Islamic society.
In The Gambia, publicly following Jesus comes at a cost. Some believers face rejection from family members, social pressure, or even the loss of housing because of their faith. Tosin’s experience continues to demonstrate that discipleship requires patience, perseverance, and a long-term commitment to helping people become deeply rooted in God’s truth.
Tosin thinks that the biggest need facing the Christian church in The Gambia is a lack of biblical understanding and knowledge of God’s truth. Many people, he explained, are told what the Bible or the Qur’an says about Jesus without ever studying Scripture for themselves. As a result, Christians can struggle to confidently explain and defend their faith. “The immediate priority is to equip Christians with a robust understanding of truth, enabling them to defend their faith through reasoned discourse rather than violent means,” Tosin said.
Today, Tosin’s ministry extends far beyond a single congregation. He now serves as a Sunday School Regional Coordinator within his denomination, helping oversee ministry and Christian education across Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry, Mauritania, Cape Verde, Senegal, and The Gambia.
While serving God in every capacity would have been part of his story no matter what opportunities were in front of him, Tosin is thankful for the reach and impact he is able to have across West Africa that his studies have helped equip him for. Furthermore, it has been through the faithful relationships and investment of Dr. Yoon, Dr. Taylor and Dr. Turner that Tosin has a deep sense of gratitude for the person he is today.
Tosin’s story is a powerful example of how God uses faithful people, meaningful relationships, and education to shape lives for a greater purpose. It is a reminder that when individuals are equipped and encouraged in their calling, the impact extends far beyond what anyone could imagine. As Tosin said himself: “My story is an example of how God uses faithful partnerships to shape lives”.
Tosin’s story reminds us that what we see today is only a small part of a much larger story God is writing. The fruit of faithfulness often extends far beyond a single person or moment. For those who give, pray, and support the work of Global Scholars Canada, your partnership reaches beyond a scholarship or a classroom. You are joining in the work God is already doing in communities and countries he deeply loves. Tosin’s journey is a story of perseverance, partnership, and God’s faithfulness.
To God be the glory for what “He has done, for what He is doing, and for what He will continue to do.” – Tosin