GROWTH - Key Persons
Mrs. Olokoba Levy-Braide caught the vision for children's work in 1987 when she also acquired the necessary training. Since then she has never looked back in her undying zeal in the Lord's vineyard, taking care of children. She was the Coordinator of the Children Evangelism Ministry, Rivers State, Nigeria between 1997 and 1998. She was also the Leader of the Children's Presbytery of the Church of God Mission in Rivers State, Nigeria (2001-2010).
Thelma, just like her husband Yaabari, has been involved with the work of GTP from its inception in 1997. In her day job, Thelma works as a Psychiatrist with the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS).
Thelma has been involved in children and youth work since after graduation from medical school in Nigeria. She was involved in youth work - what used to be called ‘Younger Youth' - at the Chapel of Redemption, Rivers State University of Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Following their move to Lagos, Thelma, together with her husband Yaabari, started a teenage and youth group at He's Alive Chapel, Lagos, Nigeria.
When the family moved to the UK in 2002, Thelma became involved in the children's work at Wey Christian Fellowship, Weybridge, UK.
Pastor Yaabari Uebari leads the core project team. Yaabari has been involved with the work of GTP since its inception in 1997. He started working with children in 1983 in a university church. After graduation from the university, Yaabari spent his year of mandatory national service working with the Children Evangelism Ministry, Benue State (Nigeria). During that year he received training as a trainer of children teachers and spent most of his time promoting children's work in churches/Christian Fellowships and training teachers to carry out children's work. He later joined the leadership of the Children Evangelism Ministry, Rivers State (Nigeria), where he became the State Coordinator from 1992 to 1994. During the period from 1986 to 1994, Yaabari was also involved in the children's work at Chapel of Redemption, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.
In 1997, Yaabari had the opportunity to extend his work with children to teenagers and youths. Together with his wife Thelma, they started a teenage and youth group in their local church in Lagos, Nigeria. He was ordained as a Youth Pastor in 1998.
Yaabari and his family moved to the United Kingdom in 2002, on a job posting with Shell International. In 2008, after more than 17 years of service with Shell Nigeria and Shell International, he took a voluntary redundancy. Yaabari then pastored the Wey Christian Fellowship, Weybridge, UK from 2009 to 2018. In 2020, Yaabari successfully completed his MA in Theology, having studied with the Westminster Theological Centre (WTC).