On Sunday, 22nd of May 2016, which happened to be the final day of the SOFT Games (the annual Word Competition in TCC), and therefore a day no one would want to miss service for any reason. I decided to wake up early to finish my house chores because I did not finish them, due to the outreach we went for at the Port Harcourt Prisons the previous day. Also, I was on duty that Sunday.
That morning I could not pray or study my Bible like I used to do but only sang praises to God while doing my chores. I was amazed when I checked the time and saw it was about 4:45 a.m., meaning I woke up before 2:00 a.m. unknowingly. I became worried and asked myself why I was restless and woke up before time. The answer I got was, “Just give Me the worship that is due Me.” That gave me peace. Since I had time and there was nothing left for me to do, I began to confess Psalm 91, our faith declaration, over and over again.
When it was 6:15 a.m. I left the house, and as I walked into the street, I stopped a tricycle (keke) going to Obiri Ikwerre, which is my normal route to church. Another guy living on the same street with me joined us also. On our way, the only thing I remembered was that the tricycle somersaulted in the air, but God did not allow me to fall out from the tricycle. With my eyes wide open, I was shouting “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” until the tricycle landed on the ground. I tried coming out but the tricycle was compressed such that there was no way for us to come out until people gathered and dragged me out of it. As I came out, I looked at myself and saw that I had bruises on my shoulder, knee and wrist, while the bruises on my arm and face happened when I was being forced out of the tricycle. When I looked up, I saw the other passenger’s face covered with blood. I began to thank God even though I was in serious pain.
Among the people that came to rescue us was somebody I knew, who picked all my belongings. I also thank God for keeping everything I had with me intact, including a wrist watch that was given to me as a gift few days before the incident. My director was immediately contacted, since he was not in Port Harcourt. He called one of my colleagues and a driver to come to accident scene and take me to the hospital. He also contacted his friend who is a doctor to inform him that there was an emergency. I was taken to the hospital and treatment began immediately without any deposit. I had no fracture, no internal injury or anything whatsoever. Later that day, I demanded to leave the hospital but because I was having serious pain in my head, the doctor refused, stating that I needed to be examined throughout the night. By the time I woke up on Monday morning, the pain in my head was gone and I was discharged.
Another good part of this testimony is that the hospital bill was taken care of by my director and proprietress, and an additional amount was paid into my account. Due to the preparation for SOFT Games, I had access to many messages, so I listened to one of the messages in The Healing Miracles of Jesus series. I learnt that Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law, so that she could serve Him. I was encouraged and by Tuesday I resumed work, which amazed so many at my work place. Though the pain was there, I decided not to pay attention to it but continue my work with my left hand, since I could not use the right hand freely.
By Thursday, I was in church and the healing was so fast. A thousand tongues would not be enough to thank God for all the things He has done for me. It could have been me lying in the grave but God’s mercy and grace didn’t allow me slip away. I give God all the praise.