FROM THE PREACHER"S LENSES

Wednesday, May 8, 2019
[email protected]
Lagos, Nigeria
FIVE YEARS AFTER: THE MOST PAINFUL & DIFFICULT TASKS I EVER PERFORMED -- REFLECTIONS!

Victoria Oluranti Aweda (Nee Adebiyi) (02/1955-05/11/2014)

he carried High Blood Pressure for many years. It runs in their family. Medicine defines it as "Essential Hypertension" But no one would say because it is essential and will not seek solution. The solution eventually came by God's providence one time when she visited me in the Middle East. She had appointment with Prof. George, a famous Cardiologist, one time at LUTH but Prof. travelled and I thought in the interim, we could visit the staff clinic. We saw Dr. Cavalier, a South African who prescribed a certain combination of medications. It was like a miracle. I never experienced anything like it. Only the first dose turned it around and calmness reigned. Prof. George returned and took over her management. Unbelievable! Peace and joy came to us; something that had eluded us for 25 years. This was in October 2002. She started to enjoy good health. We were happy and always giving thanks to the healer; God.

Came December 31 2013 when she gave the first complaint. Not one of us thought it was the beginning of the end. It was just a pain on the upper right flank of her back. "Don't worry, I have asked Dr. Sola Babalola to bring me some voltaren (retard) tablets when returning from Nigeria in the new year" I said. All the same we saw her doctor promptly but it was not severe as to prevent her from working.

By March, the pain was now aggravating. But no diagnosis was made. Could it be pleura pleurisy? The Doctors wondered until I suggested liver Biopsy. The Biopsy was conducted under CT guide during the Passion/Holy week, precisely April 17, the Thursday preceding Easter Sunday.

Group picture on Easter Sunday, April 20 2014 (3weeks exactly before her home calling) at the birthday service of the Pastor friend in the picture and what became her last Sunday worship on earth before she joined the Saints triumphant in daily worship.

The bomb was shelled on Easter Monday April 21. It was malignancy in the liver.

Malignancy report is death sentence, we knew it and I promptly contacted all the friends I grew up with, in faith work in all over the nations where they were located to plead with God to annul the sentence of the evil one.

Every evening when the New Beautiful Gate Church & Ministry, Antioch TN (our home Church) met on prayer line, they pleaded with God. But certainly God had a different opinion; it was time for her to return home.

On the morning of the Mother's day, Sunday May 11, I returned to her bed side 4hours after I left her. Her breathing was abnormal. Her elder brother's wife, a nurse stood by my side. In my wretched, rent heart, distressed and disturbed mind, I asked "Momo Doyin, what am I seeing" "Anti Ranti is going" she replied in a pitiful, sad mood.

The Most Difficult Service I ever conducted.

What next? I asked inward. I decided it was time to conduct an Appreciation & Valedictory service for her. With our 17 year old son in attendance, we did. What a difficult thing to do! I broke down in tears loudly, a thing, which hadn't happened to me since I left the primary school, 50 years earlier. It was my most difficult moment in life, seeing my wife of youth departing to a journey of no return! And I was helpless.

The First most Difficult Telephone call & Fastest journey

My son, Femi lived at New Jersey. I gathered myself after the Appreciation/Valedictory service. "Femi, if you want to meet your mother alive, it is time you race down" In under 3 hours, Femi walked into the house. How he did it I do not know. One by one, fiery prayer warriors started to troop in. Femi must have alerted them during his flight. It was an event that gave me the rare opportunity of meeting the famous Pastor of Trinity House, Lagos, Ituah Ighodalo. Femi's Pastor brought him. Being a sad moment however, I couldn't tell him how much I have loved to meet him. The time situation was not the type that permitted it other than to thank him for coming.

The Most Difficult and Horrible Sight ever

i. It was seeing her crossing over to the world beyond, seeing my wife departing on a journey of no return! And I was helpless. Yet I have participated in a prayer that brought back to life, a young lad that was certified dead in a certain hospital. This was either in 1971 or 1972. I have witnessed a 5 year old girl who never walked and never spoke walk and speak in one of my crusades, just to name a few. But here was I, helpless about my own situation.

I departed for upstairs. Pastor John Ekundayo came over later "Mummy is gone" He said. "It was when I did no longer feel her purse that I withdrew upstairs. I replied

ii. It is terrifying to me till today, seeing her lifeless body on a stretcher, wheeled out of our home by some staff of the Funeral Home.

The Most other Terrible, Difficult Telephone Calls I ever made

She took the last breath at about 20.30hr in La Vergne TN. That was 2.30hr in Nigeria. It will be improper to call anyone at such an odd hour. By about 500am Nigeria time, I called Femi, my son in-law. "Femi, are you up? I am sorry to tell you that mummy did not make it" Next was my elder Brother, my voice trembling still "Sir, my wife is gone" "Ha" My brother exclaimed in high pitch and promptly I could hear his wife burst into tears.

The Most Bitter Weep ever witnessed

I arrived Ilorin. The remains was planned to come after few days. My elder brother, my other sister in-law and myself were seated in the hut in my compound, contemplating whether or not we should inform Alhaja, (the eldest member of the family) that I had arrived to town. She was in her mid 80s'with mild to moderate arthritis on both knees. We decided to spear her till morning as it was getting late in the evening. Again, the young grandson who drives her might not be around. All of a sudden, we heard a bitter weeping, mixed with mournful, deep dirge on the playing ground of the School adjacent to the fence of my compound. It could not be mistaken. It was Alhaja. "Who told her?" We lamented. As I predicted, there was no one to drive her, she chattered a Maruwa vehicle. There was no way anyone will listen to such weeping, mixed with deep dirge and not be moved to tears. It was through this that neigbours knew I was already around. If tears could bring back a dead person, the tears of Alhaja and Mrs. Bose Famisa (nee Adebiyi), my wife's twin sister (actually, cousins but related as twins) should be sufficient. Alas! It was not to be.

The Other Most Difficult and Horrible Scene Ever

It was watching the casket wherein her remains laid, lowered into the grave at the 1st Baptist Church cemetery Ipee, Kw. State on Friday June 20 2014. I saw her face for the last time, sleeping quietly (the casket was opened to retrieve the casket key). I broke down again as the Church sang the parting song "Shall we gather at the river----" The young officiating Pastor, Dr. Adeyemo came to my side, patted my back in sympathy as others continued singing.

She is gone. She will not return to me but I will meet her someday in heaven God willing (adapted from 2 Samuel 22: 23). Hopefully everything will be clear to both of us then. How I wish we can still be husband and wife and be able to recount stories. Unfortunately it would not happen. Jesus said it won't (Matt.22:30)

Sweet is the remembrance of the righteous (Prov. 10:7)

Blessed be God's verdict.

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