FIVE ENCOUNTERS, SAME EXPERIENCE

D A V I D   P A M    M C Q U E L

Gina the hairdresser
A customer shared her story. Mrs. Fwanyil is one of her most loyal customers. For three-half years she has been a steadfast customer. But she knew two versions of Mrs Fwanyil.

The first nineteen months of her visit to the salon, she was largely quiet and reserved. She was punctual in her visits, generous in her payments but just unsociable and unfriendly.

Sometimes she looked troubled and then other times just normal. Even when she met other customers she was unengaging and indifferent.

Then the next month she came in, Gina noticed a milder Mrs Fwanyil. She opened up, became more observant and sharing a concern for others once in a while.

With time she was glowing more and more, showing a more happy person. Gina loved this new Mrs Fwanyil. In three months she was absolutely fabulous, giggling, laughing and even sometimes to tears.

Gina was itchy, she wanted to know what happened.

And one day, her husband dropped her off to the saloon. She was thanking God for her family. Gina opened up and asked what happened.

Mrs Fwanyil took her time to explain how the first few years of their family life was a total disaster. They never imagine the marriage will last this long. They were not violent towards each other but they were living as cat and dog. Easily irritated at each other always.

Although the attended church socially, they basically knew nothing about the Lord. A neighbour invited them to church for a Christian business meeting.

Although it was business, yet the speakers couldn't hide how the honoured the Lord in their business. They also stressed why a Christian should honour God in his dealings.

At the end of the meeting, she was surprised when her husband insisted the see the speaker.

Sitting before the speaker, her husband confessed that not only his business, he feels in his marriage, in his social engagements and everything, Christ had no place of honour so far.

They both knelt down and confessed Christ that evening. Then all their bitterness melt away. They found a new family church and began to grow.

As she beamed with glow as a neon light, Gina was ready to follow her steps.

Zigwai An Accountant
Busy with bank job, educated and cultured,proud and arrogant. She witnessed a tragedy, an accident and the story of a woman who will not give up on her wounded son. She was broken, wondering if she can be that persistent, loving.

Most Saturdays she works, but one Saturday in April 2008, she wasn't working so she went to visit and old classmate.

On her way back she met an unfortunate accident. A commercial bus trying to avoid a head-on Collusion tumbled into a ditch and passengers had cuts.

There was this pathetic woman and her son. She wasn't wounded that much but her son was as good as dead.

This woman didn't care about the streams of mixed blood of other casualties. She seized her son and wrapped him in her arms, praying in tongues, calling on God and pouring forth tears.

People around were crying and shouting that he was dead, she didn't even notice their presence. She persisted in her faith. She didn't change.

She stopped shouting and started talking to Jesus as if He was there. She trying presenting her case, as if before a judge, a poor helpless woman was begging.

Her fifteen years old was still, almost lifeless. No more movement. Zigwai watched, felt tears eyes, tried to maintain her pride, unemotional.

Then the paramedics arrived.

The run some basic tests, the man shook his head and replied this woman who was crying and begging, "Doctor! Doctor ! Help my son. Biko, he is my only child", "I can't help you."

As the carried the boy into the ambulance on a stretcher, he moved, eyes shut he boy spoke, audible. "Mummy! "

His mum jumped, fell on the floor, shouting "Jesus!", "Jesus!" "Thank you Jesus!!!"

That day, Zigwai was convinced she needed Jesus. She looked for the next church and accepted Christ.

Kasang A Surgeon
How could this woman survive? Dr. Kasang kept saying to herself, all day long, all night long and all week long, "There must be God." Soon she will make it longer, "There must be God, and I have to know him."

She belong to the prestigious country club. She is the best surgeon in a city of 4million people and one of the best in the nation.

As she pulls off more and more seemingly impossible surgeries, her notoriety and acclaim is breaking out on either side like a dam. He reputation is going far. The UN just recognized her with the amazing surgery she did on one of their ranking staff in the country. She saved his life.

Her awards are beginning to roll in. Special awards from neighbouring countries, WHO, regional bodies  and international universities, she has definitely arrived.

Yet she feels so empty.

More work, more friends, more conferences, socializing and a little more booze were thrown in to kill that emptiness. She didn't like what she was becoming, numb to these thinks. She was loosing who she was.

She has promised herself she won't marry, after the heartbreaking relation that caused her unimaginable stress.

But this woman's case sparked that hunger towards what she thought was for the poor, the weak and feebleminded people who needed a crouch in life.

However, this woman's miracle defied what she has learned and practiced. This woman is not supposed to live.

Could it be true that that her fifteen year-old's prayer saved her. I knew she will die. I gave her only a few hours. I waited for them to call me and inform me that she passed. Poor woman! Poor child! He was on the path to orphanhood.

Then I came back in the morning, I was surprised she was alive. Not only that but seated and smiling though weakly.

I checked her, vital organs functioning well, heart better and digestive system restoring. How do I explain in her folder. Everything failed but she go better, better than medication could do.

I ask the nurses, the had no explanation other than, "it's God oo" and I asked the son what happened last night.

"Mummy woke up at 1:00am and asked for water to drink. It is God ooo."

Then I asked Kunle, a Christian dentist to explain about faith. And that night in tears, the arrogant Doctor Kasang was on her knees, asking Jesus to take my rotten heart and give me a new one.

Kacholom The Model
Growing up in a political dynasty is a different thing. Everything is rosy. African politics is heavily corrupt and you have the feeling of being a demi god.

In this arena, children are born with a silver spoon. You don't only enjoy privileged favours but you become influential as kids fall over themselves seeking for favours.

Then suddenly, mum died in an unfortunate tragedy. All her life she has thought of nothing but modelling.

The advantage is that she met Christ while in secondary school. Although she had an experience with God, she was too distracted by family political affiliation.

The friends who were mostly ungodly, the parties, the socializing we highly demanding. There was always an internal battle between godliness and worldliness.

Kacholom's mum death brought much grief but was a clear call for her to no longer hang on the fence. She knew which side to hang on, Jesus' side.

She went on with a successful modeling career but also a successful Christian life.

Dung Bot The Farmer
Dung the farmer living a simple peasant's life in the village. Religion was just games to him and he wanted no part in it.

He had more reverence for traditional local beliefs, until the missionary mounted his projector and showed the Jesus film. This time it was different, not as the local Catholic church has preached it.

It wasn't hard for Dung Bot to give up all for his new understanding about Christ.

Romans 10
"12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
... 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ"