DELIVERANCE FROM CHILDHOOD PERILS

When I was three, my older sister and I with other kids used to follow my aunt to her lesson-place (sort of kindergarten, but not in a formally organised school). There was a narrow stream we used to cross on our way then. One fateful day during the rainy season, we were going for lessons as usual, but the stream was fuller than normal and was gushing. Every other child crossed but me, I was scared of the rapid waters. So, I stayed put crying and would not cross. My aunt was angry. She could not see why I could not cross when other children (even those younger than me) crossed and refused to help me. At last I tried to cross and my foot slipped. My foot slid, but I managed to balance and cross properly. I was stiff scared. I knew, even as little as I was that 'Olorun lo yo mi' (God saved me). When I grew up and I learnt about the ministry of angels, I understood angels came to my rescue that day. I still remember everything clearly, I can see the rapid flow of the water as it was on the day and the way my foot slipped, I was supposed to be flushed off by the angry torrents, but the Lord delivered me.

Another day at age five, my mum was supposed to go out, but she kept dragging her feet and decided she would not go any more. My dad too had a plan to go somewhere, somehow he changed his mind too. Then without warning, I slumped in the passage. I was rushed to the hospital in our landlord's car. I was in coma for five days. I did not remember all these stories, I was told. But I remember one thing, I recall that when I awoke from my five-day-slumber and I sat up on the bed singing a Yoruba thanksgiving song:

Se ni ma dupe; se ni ma yin O (Me I will give thanks; me I will praise you)
Ainiye lore Jesu; seni ma dupe o Baba (Jesus' blessings are uncountable; me I will give thanks Father)
Sibi ile mi o gbolide; oku eko o won lobe (My spoon does not go on holiday, plenty of fish in my soup)
Iya eleko o wa sinwo (I am not owing any debt)
Ore Jesu se laye mi o; se ni ma dupe o Baba (For Jesus' goodness in my life, me I will give thanks Father)

My mum was there sitting down watching me with joyful relief. I remember some people rushed in (certainly the doctor and nurses), among whom was an elderly white woman--it was Sacred Heart Hospital in Abeokuta. I still wonder till today how I knew I was to give thanks immediately I woke up from that coma.

There was also this day I was riding a gate with a friend at their house. We went on visit to their house (our parents were friends with theirs). We were riding to and fro with the gate and enjoying the ride when my finger was caught in the gate's hinge. I did not remember how my hand was caught, but I can recall how we were performing our merry ride. I was rushed to the hospital.

I was told also of another day when I suddenly developed some swell-up on my body and the nanny who was taking care of me had to send for my mum in her school and I was rushed to the clinic.

The Lord has preserved me from the womb till now. I know He will keep me to the end and fulfil His plans for me.

Mi o ni ṣe bẹ́ẹ̀ mọ́

Would I have known that I would get late to work when I was leaving home this morning? And it was all my fault. I got to the train station in good time, my train was slightly delayed due to some bugs in the line. At last it came, but because there were so many people and I would most likely stand throughout the journey, I decided to wait for the next train which on a good day should come in five minutes. (I don't do this usually, I go with the first train no matter what.)

Hmm, the next train was first delayed, and then cancelled. Apologies blew over the PA system, but gosh, I was late already. I had to wait for the third train which was also delayed and came after almost twenty minutes of waiting. I hopped in and stood for the main part of the ride because it was jampacked (as a lot of commuters like me who would have gone with the cancelled train were there).
I arrived at the office thirty seven minutes late. I will never wait for the next train again on a working day, no matter how crowded it is. Mi o ni ṣe bẹ́ẹ̀ mọ́.

*Mi o ni ṣe bẹ́ẹ̀ mọ́ : An expression in my mother tongue (Yoruba) meaning 'I will not do that again'.

FOUNDERS' DAY THINGS

Abeokuta Grammar School, my great Alma mater, you turn 105 today. I am so proud of you and of the beautiful children you have sired (among which I am one).

Today reminds me of the school's founders' day in 1998. I was in SS1 (fourth secondary school year), Shade, my younger sister was in JS1 (first secondary school year ). It was the 90th anniversary. It was a celebration galore and students and teachers alike were to go to all the royal palaces in Egbaland on foot to pay tribute to the kings. There were band players playing and all of us were happy, dancing and jubilating. My sister and I spent our taxi-fare on water and meden-meden (junks).

Milo sponsored this foot parade and we all had a cup of cold milo each at the palace of Oshile of Oke-Ona amidst rapturous chants of the old Milo advert song- 'Milo! Pa, Pa, Pa!'. Right there at Oke-Ona palace, some people started turning back and returning to their houses, but Shade and I were determined to visit the five palaces. So we moved on with others. I almost missed her at a point because she wanted to follow one of the vehicles that bore some students, thank God for a friend that hinted me. It would not have been funny as there were so many people. Eventually we decided to turn back when we almost reached Ibara palace. We were not alone, some friends were with us. Remember we had spent our taxi fare home, by this time we were tired, but we knew we had no other option than to walk home (and home was still very far).

At a junction (Ijaye Junction), some friends going to Elega (our route) changed direction. My sister and I supposed to join these people because that was the shortest route  home, but we foolishly opined it would take longer so we walked down with the rest of the party to Idi-Aba (our school area). We even went back to the school compound because we were very thirsty and needed to drink water.

From school, we resumed our journey home. We dragged our feet along, tired to the bones. It was then we realised we made a sheepish decision when we did not follow Ijaye earlier, but it was too late. Normally, it should have taken us about an hour and thirty minutes to get home from there. Now, from Ijaye to Idi-Aba was thirty minutes and from Idi-Aba to Shaje, where we lived, was almost two hours. It was a real tiring-go-round. We were hungry, we were thirsty, we were koboless, we were trekking.

At last we reached home around 5 or 6 pm. No one questioned our lateness at home because they all knew it was a special founders' day edition. God bless Nice Vita--a chocolate drink in those days. That was what we prepared for ourselves, thick and cold to drink before eating. Then we vowed we would never be so silly next time. But we could not fulfil our 'vows' for the next time founders' day was to be with such jamboree was 2008 (by that time sef I don graduate from university).

A LITTLE GIRL'S SENSE OF WIT

On July 2nd in Newfoundland, I was at my friend's to do my laundry. When she was taking me back to my hotel in her car, we were chatting and I was busy with my phone. So, I didn't know a chicken crossed the road until her little daughter asked,
'Why did the chicken cross the road?'
Her mum said, 'The chicken? Maybe it wanted to cross to the other side.'
She was not satisfied with the answer.
I looked up and asked, 'A chicken? Did a chicken cross the road?'
They confirmed it did. So, we both asked her why the chicken crossed and she said,
'It crossed the road because it wanted to die.' We burst out laughing. What a sense of wit for a little girl!
And this little girl's name is Sofia. She goes to my church with her mum and dad.

© July 2013, Ayobami Temitope Kehinde

THIS TIME LAST YEAR

About this hour last year in Port Harcourt on Trans Amadi Road opposite First Bank, I entered a one-chance taxi and was robbed of a notable sum of money. It was like a dream. I was going to church and the monies were my tithes and a seed. Well, I had to cross over to the bank and make another withdrawal because I said to myself, 'Will I because of this not pay my tithes and this seed?'
It was a painful experience for me and what made it hurt more was the fact that it was the second time in the year I would have such experience. Earlier in the year on April 1st I was duped in another man's land of some money. I was an over-trusting Johnny-Just-Come and that was well taken advantage of (full story here: http://preciousay.blogspot.ca/2012/11/i-think-i-was-duped-this-is-account-of.html)
I got to church that evening, we had our Sunday School Prep meeting before the program of the day, after the prep class, one of my pastors observed that I was not my usual self and that something must be wrong. So, I opened up. A big sister was there too and a friend. I told them my anger was just the fact that a similar thing happened earlier in the year, 'Am I the only one?' They tried to encourage me, but I knew I should take it up in prayer....
I didn't tell this story to my people at home, they will all be reading it for the first time now except for my elder sister. Well, it's a story today, it doesn't hurt anymore and it has added to my story. One thing is through the tears and laughs, through the joys and sorrows, through the delays and speed, through the sighs and smiles, through the mistakes and corrections if we will let Him, He is writing a beautiful story with our lives. All we have to do is to give Him the pieces and He will turn them to a masterpiece. He has not finished with me yet, I know that.

GRAB HOLD

Back in my campus days, when senior friends came around either on invitation to minister or on visits to my fellowship, there was a thread of counsels they were always giving us. And that was, 'Seek the Lord as much as you can now, drink as much as you can from His Presence, hold Him and do not let Him go, build a strong foundation with Him now, so that when you get out there (i.e. after you leave school) you can still stand.' Sometimes they would add, 'Out there, it is not very easy to stand for God, you will meet many temptations, it might not be as easy as it is for you now to pray and seek God then, so grab hold of Him now and don't let go' and a lot more similar pieces of advice. Even during my service year in NCCF (Nigeria Christian Corpers Fellowship), I kept hearing such admonitions.

Did I grab hold of God? Yes I did, but much more He did grab hold of me. I can say that I sought God and He was found by me.

I tearfully and joyfully remember those days in my fellowship. I was in the choir (The Anointed Minstrels). I learnt what discipline in ministry is from that blessed band. God bless my coords: Sis Peju Coker (nee Ojerinde), Bro Henry Hector, Bro Dayo Adeniyi, Sis Sade Kehinde (nee Aina), Sis Gloria Nmanu (nee Ajani) and Sis Mofoluwake Babajide (nee Okekunle).  Rehearsals were always times to look forward to. There was a custom I met when I joined in 2002, the coordinator could call on anybody to share the word (exhort). The first day I was called on, I recalled I somewhat fumbled through my words, but you know what? Everyone paid rapt attention to me, it seemed not to bother them how I was performing. This greatly encouraged me. What about workers' retreats, camps and meetings that involved other fellowships under Ogun State Baptist Student Fellowship?

I won't forget how I used to sneak to Ibadan for a discipleship meeting organised by Brother Segun Ariyo of Potter's House. I used 'sneak' because my parents, especially my dad, did not know I was going on such trips. (In fact, my father did not know I was so involved in my fellowship, he might have guessed, but he never knew). I informed my mum about my going for the retreat once, and she started panicking, telling me to be careful and not to be moving around. I knew I would never tell her again. Those meetings at Ibadan I can never forget, they were great times in God's presence, seasons of refreshing, moulding and making. God poured into me, I knew and many of the prophetic releases then I can see in my life now. It will never go off my memories those blessed hymns that usually characterised those meetings.
As a corper, I was posted to a school in Port Harcourt. I went to service with a mind that I wanted to teach and touch students' lives. Fortunately, I was given CRS (Christian Religious Studies) and Agricultural Science to teach, mind you, I studied geology in school. But I knew it was not a coincidence. I made the best use of that opportunity to touch my children. I was in NCCF also. NCCF days were blessed days-- Rural Ruggeds (village outreaches),  National Conference, State Conference, GENCO, family house, family house song, family meetings, excos meetings, decorating the hall and arranging chairs for meetings and services (I was chief usher), editorial unit meetings and presentations, Bible Studies, prayer meetings....

Looking back now, I am sincerely grateful to the Lord because I went for those programmes in school against all odds. Many odds were against me then chief among which was poor finances, fear of my dad knowing I was at such meetings. Do not get me wrong, it wasn't that I was going for all these programs at the expense of my studies (most times, these meetings fell on periods when work was not serious in school and they were even weekend programmes). I am also glad that I was part of NCCF. Now, I cannot remember the last time I went for a retreat or camping programme. I can count the number of times I've been in church for Sunday Service this year, not because I have backslidden, but because of what I do. Have there been temptations? A lot! What about my walk with the Lord? By His grace, I still abide in Him, but I must confess that many times I struggle with my prayer altar, Bible study and personal worship lifestyle. However, He has always been there to refresh me when I am weak. For me, I will not say that it is difficult to walk with God outside campus and outside NYSC. My testimony is that the Lord has kept me. I work in an industry that is dominated by men, but you know, that has never been a big deal to me, because the Lord goes with me everywhere I go to.

I will not scare you about the outside world. It is very easy if You let the Lord. But I will counsel you like we were counselled in those days that you need a strong foundation with God now that you are young (Ecclessiastes 12:1). Of course I am still young too and still seeking Him for I can never have enough of Him. I remember asking God then to help me that my testimony will not be that it is not easy to stand when I get out there and He has been helping me big time. This is the season to seek the Lord, whether you are in still on campus, serving as a corper, waiting to go for NYSC or even if you are still in secondary school. Even if you have passed allthese stages like me, SEEK THE LORD, I BESEECH YOU WITH ALL MY HEART.  It is not as if you will stop loving and serving the Lord, but it pays to serve Him all the days of your life, so why postpone working with Him till the future? I Cor 3:9.

However, I am not beseeching you to take your work for Him above your search for Him. If you love Him , you can serve Him, not out of compulsion, but out of the love you have for Him (and remember that He loves us into loving Him--I John 4:19). And if you are yet to embrace what He did for you on the Cross, He is calling you again. I bring to you the most popular verse of the Bible again:
#John 3:16#
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
The Lord is standing by, if only you will grab hold of Him and not let Him go.
#Isaiah 55:6-7#
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL

About ten years ago, one silent and black night, my kid sister and I were up in the parlour, while others were sleeping, each about her business. Suddenly, around two or three in the morning, someone climbed over the fence quietly from the other compound, landed on the water tank that belonged to our landlord's family at the front of our apartment, came towards our sitting room window and was making for the burglary. I shivered in fear where I sat and motioned for my sister to be quiet. I did not know when I broke the silence and shouted (can't remember clearly if I shouted 'Yeh' or 'Jesus'). My sister screeched, she did not scream, her screech piercing the still morning hush and in the twinkling of an eye was crouched under the sofa.

Our cries woke our parents up. We told them some people were tampering with the window. Dad checked and he saw a rat. He looked at me, shook his head, not knowing what to say.

Everybody went back to sleep. I was so ashamed of myself, because, it was a mere rat that got me imagining what was not. Then I tried to figure it out. It was the rat that jumped from the fence to the tank and then moved towards the burglary trying to find a way inside. But fear accentuated the sounds and made them like human's. Honestly, I thought it were some armed robbers who after jumping over the fence attempted to put their hands inside and threaten with a gun. I was sore afraid. My sister, on a good day, would not find squeeze herself under that chair because the space was small for her, but fear made her do it without thinking.

Another instance was sometimes last year in my house, I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of jiggling metals. Who could be making this kind of noise this hour of the night? I was scared and turned off the light in the room. Later, I discovered it was Rolex, our neighbour's dog. He had a chain on his neck which jiggled each time he stepped, but of course, the sound was much more noticeable at night when everywhere was quiet.