“And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord” – Luke 1:45.
Mrs. Uche Ojukwu of the Akoka Parish of the Watchman Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement, Lagos, was visibly overwhelmed with joy when she stepped out to share her testimony that bright Sunday morning. Even the mere mention of her name when it was her turn to testify provoked loud clapping and ovations from the excited congregation. She was ready to go on singing praises to God if there was enough time. After her marriage, she had waited and counted the years as they rolled by without any sign of conception – for a whole twenty years! But recently, God visited her and she conceived. And despite the battle of the enemy to sabotage her miracle, she gave birth to a lovely baby which was dedicated recently amidst an outpour of joy and jubilations at the Watchman Fellowship Centre, Akoka Parish, Lagos. Charismatic Signs was there, and below is her testimony:
MY sisters who testified before me all preceded their testimonies with the very songs I had in mind to sing to the glory of God; as each of them came out and started with a song, I realized they all took their songs of praise right from my mouth and I wondered which other song I would sing again to show proper appreciation for what the Lord has done for me and my family.
My husband and I were married in the year 1992, and after twenty years of waiting and expecting the fruit of the womb, the Lord finally broke that yoke of barrenness in 2012. We waited. Year one, two, three, four and five …and nothing happened. Then, year six, seven, eight, nine and ten, still there was no positive result. The years passed by in that order until the count of twenty. At the end, I concluded that it was only God that would solve the problem for me. Before I joined the Watchman, I had attended so many churches, so much so that once somebody mentioned the name of a pastor, it would not be surprising if I would be able to tell the name of his church and the location. I also attended many programmes. Wherever I was told that “it was happening,” I would go there. When I was told about the Watchman and I came, I decided that enough was enough; so I finally pitched my tent here and stayed put.
While my situation lasted, I found myself one day saying that even if God would not grant me conception, I won’t bother myself again. Sometime last year (2012), a sister came to inform me that the pastor had called out those who were waiting upon God for the fruit of the womb and wondered why I was not there. I told her that I was at my duty post (Children’s Class) but added that if God would bless those who responded to the call and came out, He would equally bless me no matter where I was.
In fact, we had been to so many hospitals, conducted many tests and even visited herbal homes before we came to the Watchman. Just name the place, and I can tell you where it is located. When I eventually became pregnant after the programme held in this church in August 2012 entitled The Hour Of Grace, my pastor sent for my husband and I for counselling and prayers. Later on, I developed some sharp pains in a part of my abdomen and when I informed my pastor about it, he advised me to go to the hospital for scan test. After some examinations in the hospital, I was told that I had fibroid. By that time my tummy had protruded and the talk about fibroid became another cause for concern. What we had all heard was that a woman that had fibroid hardly conceived. When we showed the result to the pastor, he counselled that we should pray and believe God.
Our faith in God by this time had been rekindled and we believed in the power of God to do all things. It never crossed my mind that all the experiences were geared at preparing me for the miracle that was to come. My name is now Miracle because all the doctors we consulted gave us no hope. There was a particular one that said to my husband: why have you taken shelter under a tree that cannot bear fruits? It was a discouraging statement, but I waved it aside and refused to accept that I was a tree that could not bear fruits. Though I continued to have my normal menstrual flow for the whole nine months, yet the tests conducted continued to reveal that the baby was still intact. It was said that the fibroid had occupied a large portion of my womb, yet the baby, by the special grace of God, was able to develop even in that condition. That is the reason I said that she is a miracle child; a proof that there is nothing God cannot do.
One Sunday, because of some pains I felt in my right leg, I was not able to come to fellowship. My district pastor sent some sisters to visit me to know how I was doing. The following day, while I was on my way towards Ilaje Bus Stop, I saw our pastor, and he asked me to call him later that day. When I called him, he asked if there was any problem. I told him there was no problem except that I was having some pains. He enquired if I was due and I told him I was overdue for delivery. The baby stayed for eleven months before her delivery and that is the reason I say she is a miracle child. My colleagues in the school suggested that I should go for Cesarean section wondering why I would carry a pregnancy for eleven months. The following day, which was a Tuesday, I went to the hospital and was admitted. The day after, I was taken to the labour room. After about twenty minutes labour, I put to bed. Soon my baby and I came out to the ward. Praise the Lord. Although some doctors and many other people had pronounced that there was no hope of conception let alone delivering a baby, God has proved all of them wrong. I want to give God all the glory for making a way where there seemed to be no way. Yes, I want to thank the God of Pastor Aloysius Ohanebo (our GS), the God of the Watchman, my pastors and all the brethren who were concerned and had assisted us in prayers. By this testimony, we have all become living witnesses of the power of God to do all things. Praise the Lord!”
