I want to thank God for His partial and unmerited love for me. I came to Port Harcourt in 2003, after my senior secondary school exams in Imo State. I was born into a Catholic home, and not only that, my biological father was a catechist in the Roman Catholic Church! Growing up as a child, I detested going to church, because back then the church was nothing, but where children sit together with adults who would point out, at every opportunity, what they did not do well. For us then, visiting a Pentecostal church was unheard of. I used to go to church almost at the end of Mass so that my father would see that I was in church and not flog me if I dared to be absent.
My parents loved us and worked very hard to provide for our education and food. Things were working very well until my Mum’s business stopped suddenly in my final year in secondary school. At that time, two of my sisters were in the university, and four of us were waiting to gain admission into the university. Every opportunity to make it in life seemed impossible, and my mother’s efforts to get back to business proved abortive.
The best plan I could come up with was coming to Port Harcourt to visit my aunt, who was then a member of The Carpenter’s Church, and possibly get a holiday job in a boutique or a restaurant while I was in Port Harcourt. My eldest sister, who was like a second mother to us, strongly disagreed with this plan, but I pleaded with my father who said he would only permit me to be away for two weeks. That was all I needed! Deep down inside me, I knew I wouldn’t go back home until my results were out. I left for Port Harcourt and those two weeks have become thirteen years and still counting!
After a few weeks in Port Harcourt, my aunt announced to me that she had gotten a holiday job for me. I was excited until she mentioned that it was in Pastor Kech’s house. I quickly told her I was not interested because that was not in my plan. She then told me that she wasn’t negotiating with me, and it was either I took it, or I would go back home. I had to quickly accept because I was already in love with The Carpenter’s Church. It was nothing at all like the Roman Catholic Church. A few months later, I gave my life to Christ and knew what it meant to be truly born again. In the years that followed, I learnt the principles of service, and now I am a Teen Church worker helping young teenagers find who they are in Christ.
I went to live in Pastor Kech’s house, and it turned out to be the best decision I have ever taken outside of my salvation and being in The Carpenter’s Church. God not only gave me a place to render my service, but he gave me a home and a family that loves and believes in me even when I didn’t know what it meant to believe in myself. I was allowed to grow and start seeing things differently without being judged. Today I look back and I know that it could have only been God who brought me into her home.
My biological parents, love me deeply and had done all they could to raise me within the boundaries of culture and morality, but in my new home, I was raised in love within the boundaries of the undiluted Word of God. I remember when I told Pastor Kech after some years that I wanted to call her, “Mum,” and Uncle Emeka, “Dad.” She smiled and said, “I was wondering what took you so long.” For the first time, I learnt to open up and talk about real issues of life with Mum because at home we talked about everything. I have fond memories of birthday parties and family lunches around one big table. It was here I had many first time experiences like flying in an aeroplane. In our home, inferiority complex did not stand a chance. The word “house girl” is an abomination. Identity crises are erased. I saw different faces of love. Miraculously, unlike my sisters, who were not so fortunate, I escaped Mum’s flogging all these years. It was a miracle, but I saw other forms of discipline. I remember being disciplined to the point that my phone was taken from me for about a month. I learnt that excellence was not an option in life, but a way of life. I learnt that my virginity was something to be proud of, and not something to pretend I had lost, so I could “belong.” Imagine the blessing of your Mum being your Pastor and your Pastor being your Mum. It could only be God.
Based on the standard of the Word in my new family, I initially felt I was not qualified to be around the “ladies” (Zoe and Chloe), how much more to be called their aunty. It makes me laugh now when I remember how they used to call Mum back then to report me because they heard me listening to one worldly song or the other. I came to Port Harcourt without a clue of any real Christian musician, but most of the worldly musicians and their songs were at my fingertips. I did not know the importance of the words I speak. It was there I understood that “f-word” is for people on the street and not a sign of sophistication. We were not allowed to watch just any movie at home, and I also discovered the importance of what I see. Zoe and Chloe became my exuberant teachers, close pals and my younger sisters. Even at their tender ages they never failed to say, “Aunty Osi that is not allowed.” My life was being transformed daily and it was amazing.
I tried severally to gain admission into universities outside Port Harcourt, and all my efforts were futile. Eventually, I got admission into the University of Port Harcourt – the “best” university on the planet. I am grateful to God for allowing His plans for me to override the plans I had for myself. Mum came to set up my room herself in my first year on campus. She tied her wrapper and swept the room. She and the girls hung my new curtains, arranged my new furniture, fridge and generator and made my bed. My roommate and I were just overwhelmed. Mum came with a mobile policeman (Mopol) the day we came to negotiate. I found out later that my rent was placed higher than the others by the landlord because of that. I can testify that God saw me through school in a royal way. After graduation, which was a huge miracle, God did not stop there. He gave me a postgraduate degree.
Today, I have a job that the grace of God gave to me. I am still trying to get used to the name “working class” maybe I will say “favoured class.” God has mesmerized me with His love and blessings. During our year to take over, Mum and Dad surprised me and bought me a brand new, tear rubber luxury car. They hired a personal driver to be with me for a month as I learnt to drive. Look at me oh! I can never thank God enough. It was beyond my wildest dreams. Sometimes I see myself laughing in the car because naturally, it does not make sense. See me, “basket” and I am carrying water! While I was still waiting for an opportunity to testify about my car, God surprised me yet again through my divine parents. They had been saying I was old enough to leave home and start my own life and they made their words good. I got a sudden surprise of a fully luxuriously furnished one bedroom flat from Mum and Dad. It’s amazing how God goes before us when you are in His will. What I have today is what most people work very hard for several years to acquire, but look at me, from grass to grace and glory to glory! God’s grace purchased everything I needed and even more before I asked.
I am very grateful to God for bringing me to Port-Harcourt, to The Carpenter’s Church, and for giving me a family that no amount of money would have been able to purchase for me. I see the blessings of my divine family rubbing off on my biological family. I want to encourage every young girl to key into the standards of God’s Word. God has a plan for your life and it is a great plan because He is no respecter of persons. I give God all the praise. My best days are ahead!
