Tuesday, 3 December 2013

The 25 year wait Week 48, 2013



You may not understand me. Even if you have waited three years, even 12 years you may not understand me. We got married in 1988 and decided to wait six months before having any baby so that we could get to know ourselves better. Six months now turned into 25 years. Many marriages have been shaken when even a year passed without the fruit of the womb. The good thing was that in the six months both of us got born again and became involved in the full gospel businessmen’s fellowship. We never went to native doctors in the period. I heard of places to go, was told of “eze nwayi  if she just looks at you, you will become pregnant” but never went. Not for one second did we go to any prayer house. We simply trusted God.
We never went outside the bible and medicine. My husband is a doctor and didn’t need to be told about that. We ran several tests and they all came out negative. “Nothing is wrong with you” we were told. Why then were the babies not coming? I had been on several prayer lines, been prayed for by so many ministers, but God took His time. He crushed us and then blessed us. I have worn blessed mantles for months, up to six months placing them on my womb (still no pregnancy) and then putting them aside. My case was like a basket into which so many people threw in prayers; no one could take the credit that after he prayed God did it.
At a point I became the focus of much attention. When prayers for the fruit of the womb were announced people would look round to see “Is Ify coming out?” If I did not some decided “She is proud” but I decided “God you know me. You know my address; whenever it pleases You, You will do it.” My husband never quarrelled with me on the matter. It never was a point of quarrel even for one minute. He only became angry with me when it appeared my faith was going down. Someone came and suggested adoption in the period to us and he angrily said “God has told me we will have children!” I am not against adoption but we believed God. Among my husband’s relations no one chided us on the matter; how would anyone shape the mouth to say it? Even my sister Nonye never rebuked me or complained. I know they all prayed. Unknown to us many held vigils, fasting and prayer sessions on our behalf. Our faith was up, very high in the period, at least in the first ten years. Then everyone’s faith went down, or let me speak for myself; mine did.
When after 25 years I was pregnant no nausea, vomiting or strange craving appeared. I was very strong. My husband insisted the delivery would be in a public hospital where all could see lest people say we arranged a secret adoption from abroad. My antenatal checkups were usually brief, but this last one when the nurses rechecked my blood pressure and urine sample I knew something was happening. My legs were swollen and when Prof Ezegui saw me that day he insisted on doing the caesarean section immediately; he would not allow me go home. And so I was wheeled to theatre and out came the twins: male and female. Suddenly protocol was broken: brethren surged in to see and UNTH was transformed into a revival ground and God was harvesting praise. Jehovah indeed has the final say.
 Prof and Mrs Gilbert Adimorah live in Enugu

No comments:

Post a Comment