This is a story of great love.
Joseph Iboyi is an agronomy doctoral student from Lagos, Nigeria. He earned his master’s degree in plant breeding and is currently conducting research on carinata through the University of Florida Research Center in Allentown, Florida. Last year, a friend sent him a link to an application. On a whim, he completed it and submitted it to UF—never imagining what would come next. When Joseph learned he had been selected as the single scholarship recipient, he was stunned. At the time, he and his fiancée, Fisayo, were planning an Easter wedding. His sudden acceptance meant postponing those plans indefinitely. The opportunity was bittersweet, but together they decided it was best for Joseph to travel to the United States and pursue his studies, trusting God with the rest.
Joseph arrived in the U.S. on December 8, 2018, with one priority above all others: finding a church. At home, he attended a Methodist church and longed for a similar place of worship nearby. For weeks, he searched online for a church small enough to feel like home and close enough that he could reach it by bicycle—his professor’s bicycle, to be exact. He regularly reassured his mother and Fisayo that he was searching diligently, as they feared he might arrive in America and lose his Christian values. On his third Sunday, he chose us.
Following the GPS on his phone, Joseph was guided along the longest possible route. After pedaling for nearly two hours on the coldest December day, he arrived at our church doors trembling from the cold. He hesitated, anxious about arriving late, but he feared the long ride back home even more if he turned away. Quietly, he entered, hoping someone might offer him a ride home after the service.
It was 11:15 a.m. when he slipped into the back-left pew and sat less than a foot from me as our heads were bowed in prayer. I was startled. Too many news stories flashed through my mind. I didn’t dare open my eyes fully. I peeked through barely cracked lids and saw the knees and hands of a well-dressed man wearing a nice watch, his fingers rapidly tapping his phone. I prayed silently, Lord, please let us be safe. Who was he texting? Why had he arrived late? I asked God to give me peace if all was well—and He did. When the prayer ended, I looked into Joseph’s smiling face and welcomed him to Jay United Methodist Church. His hands were ice cold, and I held them between mine as if I could warm him completely. He explained, in a heavy British accent, that he was a student at the UF Research Center and had found us online. Forty-five minutes later, his hands were still freezing. When he told us about his long bike ride, my husband immediately loaded Joseph and the bicycle into his truck and took him home.
From that day on, my husband and another church member, Cindy, rotated picking Joseph up for church. He became part of our family celebrations and sent photos home to his loved ones. His mother was comforted knowing he had found a surrogate family in the United States.
As time passed and trust grew, Joseph shared that he and Fisayo were already legally married before he left Nigeria. Though different from a church wedding, it granted them legal marital status. He explained that their traditional marriage ceremony would take place online on September 7, 2019—and he wouldn’t even need to be present. The celebration began at 4:00 a.m. CT due to the time difference. All of Joseph’s family gathered to confirm his intentions. The ceremony included family introductions, dowry payment, a sermon, prayers, and joyous celebration. Though beautiful, the journey to that day was far from easy.
Joseph and Fisayo come from different tribes—Joseph is Igbo (Ebo), while Fisayo is Yoruba from Kwara State. Intertribal relationships are often discouraged, particularly by fathers. They met near the University of Ibadan while Joseph was working in the fields and Fisayo was running errands for her mother. She thought he looked like a “hot mess” in his dirty, sweaty work clothes—perhaps even a gardener. When Joseph boldly spoke to her, asking her name and suggesting they get to know each other, she gently tried to decline. She admired his kindness but couldn’t imagine dating a gardener. Later, they met again in an academic setting, where she realized he was a student—and that her father was his supervising professor. Because of cultural expectations and her father’s role, they began as friends. Through prayer and patience, her father eventually accepted Joseph and gave his blessing.
When Joseph told me about the online wedding, I knew something was missing. Though legally and traditionally married, they had not yet pledged their vows to God in a church. I couldn’t imagine being unable to stand before the Lord, hold my husband’s hands, and exchange vows. I felt compelled to help. I spoke first with our pastor, Rev. Cecil Jackson, who immediately embraced the idea. When I approached Joseph, he was overjoyed—he had wanted to ask but didn’t know how. The Joy Circle women eagerly offered help, and soon, plans were underway.
The wedding was scheduled for October 19, following Fisayo’s birthday. Joseph insisted it be a surprise. I panicked, imagining how I would have reacted to such a surprise—but Joseph was confident she would love it. To find a dress, he had to trust Fisayo’s mother with the secret and her measurements. Miraculously, she kept it.
At the Bridal Loft of Pensacola, the first dress shown was perfect. Joseph even posed holding the dress with an “I Said Yes to the Dress” sign. Everyone—from Publix bakery to Kelsei Frazier Photography—went above and beyond. Designs by Glenda created breathtaking florals that filled the church with beauty.
On the wedding day, Joseph pretended they were simply stopping by the church. During the drive, he asked Fisayo what she regretted most. She answered, “I wish we could have had a church wedding.” My heart stopped.
When Joseph revealed the surprise, Kelsei captured Fisayo’s raw, overwhelming joy. She trembled, sobbed, and hugged us all. Later, she saw her dress for the first time and called her mother in disbelief.
Joseph had asked my husband, Rick, to walk her down the aisle—calling him a father figure. The ceremony wasn’t legal or traditional—it was sacred. They pledged their lives to God and one another. The church rejoiced.
After the service, another surprise awaited: a reception prepared with love. They laughed, ate, cut cake, and left through a cloud of bubbles, glowing with gratitude.
But the story didn’t end there.
Joseph had gifted us something profound. His faith, determination, and trust reminded us what it truly means to be the Church. We learned not to take our blessings for granted. We were changed.
We are Jay United Methodist Church—a small rural congregation who loves Jesus, our community, and one another. Through Joseph and Fisayo, God drew us closer, and we are waiting with open hearts to see what He will do next.
