I had completed my residency training and
needed an appointment as a consultant within 6 months so as not to lose my
years of service. It was customary to give residents this time after passing
the part 2 fellowship in my centre. I was however taken aback when a letter was
written by the head of administration congratulating me on my success and
reminding me I was automatically out of the residency programme, and advising
accounts I was through. In short my salary was stopped. It took the medical
director writing to the accounts and administration for me not to leave the
hospital’s employment. I had been unaware of the developments until I saw the
medical director’s directive on the matter. God fights and settles battles for
us we are even unaware of.
I definitely needed a place. An advert in the
newspapers for health professionals needed at the federal teaching hospital
Irrua caught my attention. The vacancies included laboratory scientists (my
wife is one and was in need of employment) so I decided to apply. I figured both
of us could get a job there and remain together; I had decided we wouldn’t be
separated because of employment. I wrote a draft application but when I brought
the matter up my wife calmly told me she had no plans of leaving Enugu. I tore
up the draft.
My centre finally advertised and I was invited
for the interview in November 2002. Since my birthday was in mid December I
specifically asked God to be appointed a consultant before my birthday. "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and
you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one
who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Mt 7:7-8 (ESV). After the interview I continued my work as a senior registrar. The
birthday came and went with nothing heard from the management. I continued
working, taking the calls and other duties of a senior resident right through
unto January 2003. God is worthy of diligent service. During one of the weekly
ward rounds in that first quarter of 2003 my consultant walked in and asked if
I had the letter. I was puzzled; which letter? He asked, “So you have not got your letter?” I walked down to the registry
and sure enough an appointment letter was there for me. I glanced at the date
of commencement: back dated to 2nd December 2002. I was functioning
as a lower cadre officer for over a month in the hospital after I had been
appointed a consultant! When I look back at that incident I realise that is
what happens when we do not know what God has already done for us. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge Hos 4:6(ESV). We continue to function below
par and behave lower than victors over sin and Satan. As we returned to the
ward round the doctor doing the rounds with me immediately cancelled the
caption “senior residents’ ward round” and wrote “consultant’s ward round”.
It also became clear to me my prayer for the birthday
gift from God had not only been heard but answered. Is your date passed and the
prayer seems unanswered?
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