The Rebel

His mother couldn’t believe what she heard

Her ears must be deceiving her

Her son, her own only son, had pulled the mother of all stunts on her

And she would not take it lying low

No this time!

She got married on time

Got pregnant almost as soon as she got married

Gave birth to him as other women gave birth to their own children

Nursed him exclusively on breast milk for six months

Sent him to the best of schools

When he lost his father, due to an armed robbery attack at the age of 14

She could have remarried

She had many suitors, but she said no!

Even though she had only one child, he would be of more value than 200 children to her

She ensured that he never lacked anything

She was an only child of her own parents and had inherited great wealth when her father passed on, yet she didn’t spoil him

Oh no!

She made sure he learnt how to do house chores very well

She taught him how to cook, so that he would be self sufficient

She taught him how to make decisions and solve problems

She got him the best tutors’ money could buy

He was going to become a medical doctor

He chose the profession by himself

She encouraged him and made sure he got the very best of education

While he was in the University, something unexpected happened

He had a roommate who was his age mate

They became very close friends

The roommate was a Christian, a different type of Christian

Her son though a Christian by birth accepted the Jesus of the roommate

Everything changed from that moment

Her son would come home for holidays and rather than sleep at night he would be praying in tongues

Praying in tongues!

What does that nonsense even mean?

Her son would call his friend every night and they would pray over the phone for hours

They even make conference calls with other believers just to pray!

She thought it was a phase he would outgrow

She knew young men pick up habits and she was prepared for it

She was glad it wasn’t drugs, drinking, smoking or womanizing

It was prayer, though strange, she felt it occupied him and kept him out of trouble

Her son graduated, did NYSC, and gave her the first shocker!

He doesn’t want to practice medicine anymore

She couldn’t believe her ears!

She had made plans to build him an edifice for a hospital

She had spoken with hospital managers and researched what it took to set up a successful medical practice

She was investing in him big time

She had picked the name of the hospital to Immortalize his Father

Whoa!

So what did he want to do?

He wanted to become a missionary!

She cried for many days, begged him, knelt down for him

“Please, don’t do this”

Her son had never turned his back on her like that before

Never ever!

She decided it was high time she confronted the bad influence in his life

She drove to his friend’s house

Her friend was not at home

She met his friend's mother

She introduced herself

They talked like mothers

They talked for hours

The young man eventually arrived, wearing Jeans and T-Shirt

She talked to him, “Please intervene, you are his friend and he values your words, please”

His mother also jumped in on it

“Son, please convince your friend, have mercy on his mother”

They talked and talked

His mother gave him the phone, call your friend now!

They put so much pressure on him

He called his friend

They asked him to put it on speaker

He did!

He told his friend the two mothers were with him and he had a message for him

“My friend”, he said, “whosoever shall lay his hands on the plough and look back is not fit for the Kingdom”

His friend said “Amen”

The two mothers looked at the young man in Jeans and T-Shirt!

For real!!!

His friend’s mother carried her bag and left

His mother stormed into her own room

The young man in Jeans and T-Shirt looked to the heavens and thanked God

Few days later, her son left for mission school

She had resolved to support him and stop driving a wedge between them

He spent three years at the mission school

He became a missionary

He chose a town in Niger state as his mission field

She had issues with everything but she swallowed her reservations

She was determined to get her son back either directly or indirectly

It seemed she had lost her influence over him, but all was not lost

He would bring home a wife and through her she would reassert herself

She supported his missionary endeavor

The community gave him a huge chunk of land

He built a clinic, a school and a tiny church

Some people started attending the church

In two years he had a congregation of 50 but he had become very popular in the community

She prayed every day that he would give up his foolish project

But continued to visit him and supported him financially (Though he didn’t ask her for anything)

He came home that Christmas and announced that he was getting married

She was on top of the moon

Finally!

"Who is the girl?"

"Where is the girl?"

He told her the girl will arrive their house the next morning!

She prepared as best as she could

Finally! She would be a grandmother

The next morning came, the lady arrived accompanied by two people

She at first wondered if it was a practical Joke!

It wasn’t

The lady was as blind as a bat!

100% blind in both eyes!

She could barely contain herself

It was as if her son was determined to break her to pieces

That night, after the blind girl and her people left, she went to her son’s room

Why? How had she offended him? Why was he determined to send her to an early grave?

Her son said “Mummy, it is not about you. I was praying and the Lord Jesus told me that he had a gift for me that will transform my life and ministry! Then he showed me that lady”

Ha!

Religion had plunged her son into the darkest pit of insanity!

The next morning she drove to the house of the young man in Jeans and T-Shirt

She cried and cried!

This was too much!

She was dying!

The young man in Jeans and T-Shirt looked at her

“Ma’am, he said, you are anxious for nothing! God has a plan here. If you calm down you will see and eat of its fruit.”

“How would they cope, a wife is supposed to be a helpmeet, someone to help him in the mission field! He would have to be helping his wife, cooking and doing the house chores! God is not that wicked!” She responded

The young man in Jeans and T-Shirt said “Give God a chance! Please ma, Trust God here”

When she left, she felt a little better.

The young man in Jeans and T-Shirt had over the years made her see God is real! And if God talks to anybody, she can vouch God talks to him!

Six months later her son married the blind lady.

It was a very quiet wedding, held his missionary station and conducted by Pastors whose churches were around that community

They didn’t go for honeymoon! There was no fanfare

But her son was happy and the bride was radiant

She employed a cook and a maid for them! To ease the domestic burden on her son

She returned home

Four months later, on a Saturday morning, her son called her

Her son: Mummy, guess what just happened! I went for a vigil yesterday and arrived home early this morning. My wife was sleeping and I didn’t want to wake her up so I slept in the other room. I woke up this morning and heard my wife and the cook talking. As I stepped out of the room, the cook screamed and hugged me, the maid too. I was confused. What was going on? My wife stood up, walked towards me without her walking stick or any aid and said “I can see!”

Mummy, she had been blind due to cytomegalovirus infection which she had as a child!

And now, she can see me!

Hallelujah!

She had her bath and told her driver to take her to the airport

She was in their missionary field four hours later

She saw it herself

His daughter’s wife had been mysteriously healed

No laying of hands, no revival, no man of God, Nothing!

Wow!!!

The following day, hundreds of people came to the church to see the miracle

More and more people believed

Within six months, her son tore down the tiny church building and built a much bigger church, yet more and more people came!

Within a year his congregation swelled to one thousand

His wife had the gift of healing and many who were sick came and were healed by the power of the Holy Spirit through her

She remembered how much she fought and struggled with God over her son, not knowing God did have a plan all along

She gave her life to Jesus

She became born again!

Hallelujah!

This incident happened in Niger State, Nigeria

The ministry is still waxing strong

Her son and his wife have seven children

Let God be God!