The Firefighter

He had no say in his marriage
he was eight years old when his wife was 
chosen for him
He didn't know the process that went 
into it
He could recall his father instructing him
to be very respectful and not forget 
his manners
whenever some people from his "so-called"
in-law's family came around to visit them
He could also recall his mother instructing
him to avoid a particular compound whenever
he was going to town
His mother would say "Don't take the path
through Alagbede's (Black Smith's) compound
Take any of the alternative routes 
We don't want your in-laws thinking you
were spying on your wife so that you will
have something to hold against her in future
Her parents also gave her the same instruction
Her mother was a trader
She dealt in Palm kernel oil
She hawked for her mother and through that she 
learnt the rudiments of trading
Whenever she was set to go hawking
Her mother would pull her ears
Do not go through "Sogbo" compound
Your in-laws are there and so is your
husband to be
If they see you too often, you will become
cheap and common to them
When you hawk, avoid the route to that
compound
She kept away just as she did
He was from a Christian family
His mother was the first Women Missionary
Union leader for the Baptist Church
Her name was captured in the anals of
the History of the Baptist church
His Father married two wives
The children of the first wife (HIs mother)
followed her to the Baptist church
Through the church, they were able to get
educated except for him
His father, a farmer was scared all his 
children would run off to the city and 
the farm would fall into ruins
His father insisted the farm would be his
inheritance
He did everything to get educated
Taught himself how to read and write
But he was too much of a believer to 
disobey his father
He stayed with the farm!
She, on the other hand, came from a 
pagan family
They worshipped the god of Iron
His reverence permeated their household
They cannot pray without mentioning its 
name
Her family were traditionalists
When they have an omen, an evil dream or any
concern
They consulted herbalists to seek the mind
of the gods
That was their way
Their marriage, therefore, was a clash 
of two worlds
She knew she had to take her husband's 
religion
She did so in fulfilment of certain 
requirements
But she couldn't put her trust in Jesus
Not like that!
How would Jesus help her when her business 
was floundering
She had become quite successful as a 
trader because of the charms and spiritual 
assistance
rendered to her by herbalists and 
diviners her mother introduced her to
His simplicity was a joke to her
How can he call himself a "man" and not
have the fortification of the gods!
Their marriage was a matter of duty
She prepared him food, opened her
legs so that he could give her seed,
she got pregnant and delivered children!
He provided and she supported
But they were at loggerheads on every
other issues
She was choleric and he was a mix
of sanguine and melancholic 
She didn't understand why she had to go
to church on Sundays when there was so 
much business to be done
Money was very important to her
She wanted to make something of herself
Be a success without any man's input
She transacted her businesses with rural 
farmers
She buys their harvests straight from 
the farm at a cheap rate and sells such 
whenever
she felt she could make the maximum profit!
She thrived in business
She had her children
Their children grew up, got married and
had their own children
She stuck with what she knew with good result
She lacked nothing 
What did she need Jesus for?
He, on the other hand, wore Jesus like a 
life jacket in the middle of a raging storm
Whenever the grandchildren came around
to spend holidays with them
He would tell them wonderful and inspiring
stories
He was a gifted storyteller
Many a child would hear half of his story
drift off to sleep and dream the other
half of the story
The daily morning prayer was a must for the
household by 6 AM
He had the entire Baptist Hymnal in his head
He had psalms and other scriptures also
memorized
He prayed persistently and always
Sometimes his prayers affected her charms
She was a fire starter
He was a firefighter
Her ignorance and complicity with the
works of darkness irked him
His simplicity and obstinacy irked her
Eventually, after she delivered her 
last-child
she moved out of his room
She claimed she was advised by the doctor
to do so
He saw through her lie but he let it be
He was tired of the endless tug of war 
between them
For his peace of mind and hers,
sleeping in separate rooms was a good idea
The tension cooled after that
She was able to do whatever she wanted
and as long as he was not seeing diabolic
things with his eyes, he had to believe such
was no longer going on under his roof!
One Saturday, he went to the farm very early
He wanted to harvest some of his ripe cocoa
pods for processing
He was almost at the farm when he remembered
he was supposed to be at a meeting in church!
He rushed back home
When he got home, he saw his wife
and a renowned female herbalist and witch
in his compound, talking in hush tones!
He got very angry!
He took a long piece of cane and charged 
at them!
He whipped the witch until she ran for her 
life
His wife ran into her room and locked 
herself in!
He was livid with anger
He had warned his wife not to engage in fetish
activities under his roof!
He didn't know she did so in his absence
The witches of the community got mad
They promised they would kill him within 
seven days
By the seventh day, the witch he flogged got
very sick
Her skin was peeling off and she was in 
severe pain
Nothing anybody did for her helped her
After several nights of agony, the witch sent
emissaries to him
Please, pray for me!
I keep seeing you in my dream
I saw you praying for me in my dream
He told her she had to renounce witchcraft
She did so eagerly
She accepted the Lord Jesus as her Lord
and saviour
He prayed for her healing and blessed her
She was relieved instantly
Two days later the woman was fully back 
on her feet
His wife was shocked!
Two weeks later, the converted witch shared
the gospel with his wife
His wife's heart melted and she gave her life
to Christ
The converted witch really caught the fire
of the gospel 
She preached the gospel with great zeal
and commitment and many came to the 
knowledge of the gospel through her!

PS: This event happened in 1995
He died four years later at the age 
of seventy
The converted witch preached the gospel
for another eleven years after he died
She won many souls to Christ
His wife still lives
She is eighty years old and still waxing
strong in the Lord
This event happened in Awe Town, Oyo State!

You might be unable to reach some people
with the gospel by yourself
You just might be able to reach somebody
who in turn will be able to reach such people
with the light!
Do not relent in sharing the gospel of the 
Lord Jesus
Shout it everywhere!
Remember you live in the gospel
You have put on Christ!
Christ is what the world must see
when they see you
You also are CHRIST!