I had to do some classes outside Port Harcourt so during the holidays, I would usually board a bus going straight home. However, I was told that I could board a vehicle that would take me halfway, and then board another vehicle for the rest of the journey. I was told that this was a faster and cheaper option, so, I decided to try it out so as to save money and get home early.
On a particular day, I boarded a bus from Calabar to Aba and got there safely, and it was quite fast. Then, I boarded another vehicle from Aba to Port Harcourt. About thirty to forty minutes into town before Obehe Bridge, I heard a very loud sound from the bus. One of the tires had exploded while the bus was at top speed on the highway causing the bus driver to lose control of the vehicle. Since the bus was moving at a very high speed, it swayed from left to right as the driver tried to control it.
Immediately, fear showed up. At that moment, I couldn’t audibly say a word but in my heart, then I remembered that I am a child of God and that I had no appointment with death. So, I began declaring in my heart, “I shall not die but live to declare the works of God” repeatedly. That was all I could remember to say. The next thing I witnessed was the bus somersaulting several times and finally halted inside the bush. By this time, I was lying in the middle of the express road. I did not know how I got there, yet I could not stand up as I felt nothing from my neck region and all the way down my body. My brain was saying, “Get up. You are in the middle of the road”, but my body could not respond to those words. I was covered in blood, which I later found out wasn’t even from my body. I actually thought every part of my body was gone. As God would have it, there was no on-coming vehicle at the time. Suddenly, I was lifted up by an unknown man, and at that moment I felt my body but with serious pains. He took me to the side of the bush placing my back on a tree and then I didn’t see him again. That was when I started feeling my body even though I couldn’t move on my own. So, as vehicles stopped, the people who were wounded were rushed into town and I was taken to a clinic that was close to my house in Woji before my family members were called. Praise God! Hallelujah!
The devil, seeing that he had lost the battle tried another move at the clinic. It is in my habit not to speak in any local language when I go to strange places. This decision was based on past experiences. I speak the general English language. As I got to the hospital, the doctor was alerted and he quickly came out. On seeing me covered in blood, he asked that I be brought immediately for an examination. When I attempted to stand and couldn’t, I raised my hand to hold the nurse for support but to my greatest shock and amazement, she just flung my hand away from her and then muttered, “You can wear trouser but you can’t walk? Do you want to stain my white?” I was dumbfounded and speechless as I only see such acts in some Nollywood movies. So, I brushed her away and beckoned on the cleaner who came and assisted me to see the doctor. It was a small clinic. After some examinations, he asked the nurse to give me an intravenous drip instantly. I was laid on a bed and after some minutes, I saw this same nurse come in soliloquizing in a particular language, “I will use this needle to pierce you very hard and you will know yourself. You know how to wear trouser but you can’t walk hmmm”. I almost passed out in fear but held my breath and kept calm. Then I exclaimed, “Oh God, help me!” She said, “Hey, my friend. I want to give you the drip now”, wearing an evil smile. My mind was racing up and down thinking of what to do as I lay there helplessly, not being able to get up. However, God was right there with me, “For He, Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).
Suddenly, some kind of boldness came upon me and I said to her, “Hey, look here. If you dare lay your evil hands on me, I will scream out loud that you want to kill me”. I said, “Look, I will not die, get that. So, about the drip, never mind, leave it there, okay”. By this time, the fluid was already dropping on the floor. However, she said, “Oh my friend, why now. I have to give you this drip. What is the matter?” I tried the bell to alert the doctor but the bell wasn’t working. I said to her, “Go away from here because you will never touch me till I leave this place. I will wait for the next person and nothing will happen to me”. She began to panic when she saw that I was very serious and went to call someone to plead on her behalf.
When the person got there, I said to him, “Please, ask her what I did to her. She said in her language that she was going to pierce my skin with the needle. I don’t know her, I haven’t seen her before, how do you just see someone and hate the person instantly?” I had never been given an intravenous drip before; so, I don’t even know what it feels like. I may have thought the pain was normal and she would have rendered my hand useless here at the hospital after God saved me from that horrible accident. “Please, call me the doctor”.
There I was, lying helplessly but God kept me till the next person came. I narrated everything to her and she took it up from there. She apologized and administered the treatment with compassion.
Later, I was taken for an x-ray where it was confirmed that I had a clavicle or collar born fracture, which made it difficult for me to raise my hand above my elbow. Again, God supernaturally healed me by causing the bone to grow back and join together. Now, I can freely raise my hand to praise Him. Hallelujah!!! That was how God, by Himself, delivered me from death and deformity. God is consistent and intentional about us. He is forever faithful and mindful of us. God loves us and He is with us always. I will forever be thankful to Him.
May His name be praised forever and ever. Amen!!! And for my pastor, Pastor Nkechi Ene, may the Lord give you more grace! Exceeding great grace to carry on. Hallelujah!