By Katie Patrick
When Francis Oleru boarded a plane in Nigeria with his pregnant wife and four children, he was stepping into the unknown. Without a prior visit, the medical laboratory scientist accepted a job at Chase County Community Hospital in Imperial, Neb. He knew America could offer his children the safety, security and opportunity that Nigeria couldn’t, and so with faith that God would provide, he and his family set off on their new adventure in rural southwest Nebraska.
Before arriving in Imperial, Francis, a lifelong Catholic, contacted St. Patrick Catholic Church and spoke to the parish priest, Father Lothar Gilde.
In a recent interview with CSS’s John Soukup, Francis said, “I knew it was strange to call a priest all the way from Nigeria, but I needed help. I told him I had a job but no place to stay, no furniture, no transportation.”
Father Gilde connected Francis to several community members, including Bill Sullivan, store manager of St. Isidore Gift & Thrift with Catholic Social Services.
Bill greeted Francis at the store and was able to provide him with car seats, household items, furniture, and more. When he needed a vehicle but had no credit history, parishioner Dan Russell guaranteed a loan.
“There’s a difference between wants and needs,” Francis said. “The need came at the right time. That’s how you know God is working.”
St. Isidore Gift & Thrift isn’t just a place to find affordable items — it’s a place to rebuild. It provides low-cost clothing and household essentials to those starting over, rebuilding, or simply trying to make ends meet. More than that, St. Isidore Gift and Thrift, as well as our three other thrift stores across southern Nebraska, offer all those who shop or volunteer with us, a place of community, connection, and compassion.
Francis’s journey to get here was not without other challenges, yet he was greeted in Denver by staff from the hospital who drove him to Imperial and helped his family settle into a hotel. Everything began to fall into place — “not by chance, as Francis and others would say, “but by divine design.”
Similarly, Francis’s good friend from medical school in Nigeria, Aloysius Aleke, was also searching for opportunities in the U.S. He had originally secured a job in Texas, but after multiple visa delays, the job opportunity fell through, leaving him just 60 days to secure other employment. Alosysius reached out to Francis, who immediately jumped into action.
Francis spoke to his manager and helped Aloysius secure a job at Chase County Community Hospital. From there, the visa transfer was approved just in time.
“It was a very difficult moment,” Aloysius recalled. “But everything that happens in one’s life is always to the glory of God.”
Aloysius, too, found comfort and resources through the Catholic Church and our thrift store.
“Wherever I go, I see the Catholic Church as my home,” he said. “I find peace there.”
Bill, reflecting on helping both men, admitted the needs were overwhelming at first — especially housing. But somehow, the right homes and resources became available exactly when needed.
“It just kind of happens,” he said. “But really, it’s not by chance. It’s by design.”
At CSS, we talk a lot about encounter vs. transaction, and by that I mean that there will always be the distribution of financial assistance, personal care items and food, but what accompanies the assistance are the smiles, the time spent learning more about the person we’re serving and the prayers that follow. To truly make an impact, one must go beyond the transaction.
As Bill Sullivan said, “We may not always have everything, but somehow, we always have just what’s needed.”
And for Francis and Aloysius, their needs were met — not just with goods, but with an encounter and the commitment we have as an agency and community, that is bringing Hope in the Good Life.
To hear the full story of Francis and Aloysius and their journeys to Imperial, visit csshope.org and listen to the most recent “Hope in the Good Life” podcast with John Soukup.
Also, if you are from Chase County or are in the area Saturday, June 28, visit us at the Chase County Fair & Expo from 5 to 8 p.m. Double your generosity by supporting CSS and St. Isidore Gift & Thrift during the Chase County Challenge. More details can be found on our Facebook page. May God bless you!
