Achanized

The problem was obvious

She was Thirteen months pregnant

They have been to several hospitals

Doctors kept insisting they cannot perform a caesarean section because of her high blood pressure

She didn't even know where she got high blood pressure from

She was not sick at all

She just wanted the baby out of her tummy

Anybody in her shoes will be tired

She was also worried the baby might be injured

How can a baby spend thirteen months in the womb

What could be the cause of this?

Her husband had prayed and prayed

She had prayed and fasted

They go on marathon strolls every evening

Hoping to trigger labour pangs

Nothing worked!

They saw many consultants

The best of the best

Nobody could explain what was going on

They got all sorts of diagnosis

The doctors seems to be in a state of dilemma

Anybody interested in their case seemed to become suddenly busy or preoccupied

They went to five private hospitals

The Hospitals admitted her and serious talks went on about conducting a c section

The doctors chickened out mysteriously

Something was always not right!

Her mother didn't understand it

They took her to the maternity centre ran by her mother's church

Prayers went on for hours

She shouted Jesus! Jesus! Jesus! Over 1000 times

She paced back and forth for many hours

Nothing!

Her husband called their pastor

Pastor came, laid hands, spoke the word, commanded the baby to come forth

The baby refused!

Pastor said it would happen before 24 hours

Pastor left

She started counting the hours

Her pastor is a man of God

His words are always backed with signs and wonders

24 hours came and went

She didn't fall into labour

The wait was killing her

Carrying a protruding belly was all joy and gladness for nine months

Though it was quite an ordeal but she could bear it because she was looking forward to seeing her baby

But to carry it past ten months to the thirteenth month

It must be a demonic attack

Some wicked people must have tied the baby to her womb

Who did she offend?

She prayed in tongues

She prayed in understanding

Her father brought a prophetess to see her 

The prophetess gave her soap to bathe with

She knew it was diabolic and unbiblical

She was desperate!

She took the soap and had the bath

SHe carried the bathwater as she was instructed and poured it at a T-junction

It didn't work!

Prophetess retreated afterwards

The ninja's afflicting her are more dangerous than the prophetess' ninjas

Her husband was at his wits end

She was at the edge of sanity

She had been given compassionate leave at work

Her husband's eyes spoke of the horror he was going through

It was the worst experience ever

From eagerly anticipating to see the baby, she had gotten to the point 

where she doesn't whether the child lives or dies

She just wanted to have her body back to herself

Enough was enough!

It was like having a guest in your home who decided to take over your bedroom

Handshake had extended far beyond the elbow 

Enough was enough!

She cried and cried and cried

Father, have mercy on me, please bring this baby out

Her husband was a picture of frustration

He sometimes walks about the house absentmindedly due to worry

Matters came to a head when she was induced by a nurse

But instead of falling into labour her eyes turned blood red

Her tongue pushed out of its roots like a sore thumb

Her insides caught a strange fire

Discomfort was an understatement 

If it could be said that hell was inside a person

Then she had hell inside of her

Her tears flowed like a river

Nobody knew what to do

The nurse that administered the procedure on her didn't know what to do

She told them she was going to get help

She disappeared!

They carried her immediately to the nearest church

She needed the supernatural, a touch of the divine

When they got to the church

The husband left her in the car and rushed into the church compound

"Please where is the pastor?" He asked everybody

A brother came out of the church wearing Jeans and T-shirt

He looked at the husband and asked him what the matter was

The husband explained as quickly as he could

The brother in Jeans and T-shirt went to the car and looked at the lady

Then he turned to the Husband

"How much of God's money have you people stolen?"

The husband fell on his knees

The wife screamed!

The Brother in Jeans and T-shirt: Do you still have the money?

The husband: Yes, I do

The Brother in Jeans and T-shirt: Give me your pastor's number!

The husband: Yes sir

The Brother in Jeans and T-shirt: Where is the money?

The husband: At home sir

The Brother in Jeans and T-shirt: Everything?

The Husband: Everything sir

The brother in Jeans and T-shirt: Go and bring it

The husband and the wife drove off

The brother in Jeans and T-shirt called their parish pastor

The parish pastor came to the church immediately

Thirty minutes later, all the parties had returned to the church

The Brothr in Jeans and T-shirt stood outside the church premises,

the husband drove up to them and alighted from the vehicle,

The wife was left with her mother at the back of the vehicle

Brother in Jeans and T-shirt: Sir, I am a protocol officer in church and my wife is an usher

The pastor told us that whenever we have foreign currency in the offering, the ushers should hand it over

to the protocol officer on duty and such should be brought to him immediately for input into the foreign currency ledger

That Sunday, she handed the foreign currency over to me after the first service

It was in an envelope but our Pastor had to minister in another church and he was already on the move

I went to the ministration with him

By the time we finished the ministration and returned home it was late

The church bus dropped me off at home that evening

I t was during the night that i remembered i still had the foreign currency with me

Since nobody asked or looked for it, i kept it

I didn't touch it

Brother in Jeans and T-shirt: How much was it?

The Husband: 2,800 Euros

Brother in Jeans and T-shirt: Hand it over to your wife

The husband did so

Brother in Jeans and T-shirt: Wife, kindly hand that envelope over to your pastor

She did so

As soon as the Pastor collected the envelope, her water broke

Her mother shouted, "Omira", "Omira" meaning "The amniotic fluid had broken"

The husband jumped into the car and drove them to the nearest hospital

She delivered her baby girl thirty-five minutes later

The pastor was shocked

No wonder he prayed and nothing happened!

The baby was named Elishama (God hears)

PS: This event happened in Lagos, Nigeria

I have seen people steal church money seemingly without any repercussion before

They do so thinking "God does not know" or "Others are doing it"

Achan did the same thing, until he was found out

Repent now before you become Achanized!

A day of reckoning is coming

I ask you to make your ways right with God and fellow men today

If you have cheated or robbed anybody and thought you have escaped with it

Rethink! It is better to restitute and clear your conscience

Than to assume all is forgotten until you realise all is remembered 

Amend your ways today