Between Missionary Duty and Matrimonial Responsibility

 Growing up, I had sometimes wondered how some of our pastors coped then. Many were called to attend to emergencies after hectic church services. Many would not even see their kids for a couple of days as they had probably left their homes early in the morning before their kids were awake, to return late in the night after the kids were asleep. Members infringed on the personal spaces and times of a lot of Pastors who, in fear of God, could not summon the courage to say no when duty called. I experienced this several times but let me share a funny one.

"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister." Hebrews 6:10

It was our 14th Wedding Anniversary, and it was a Wednesday. The day started well, and I had planned a series of activities with Missus and the kids for that evening. I went to work having planned to close early and make it home for the Anniversary celebration with my family. Around 12 pm, I got a call from the village that an aged woman in the church had died that morning and would have to be buried the same day as is the custom in most parts of Northern Nigeria. I called my wife to explain to her, and she told me to drive safely to the village but to make sure I came back latest by 6 pm so as to meet up with our anniversary celebration. 

I rushed to finish up my task for the day and proceeded to tell my boss I had to leave early, as it was an emergency. I told him of the demise of the church member and why I had to conduct the burial that same day. A colleague was there with me and when I finished and wanted to leave his office, the door had jammed. The key was bad, and like a joke, we were trapped in his office. Gosh! Not today of all days!!

I tried to force the door open to no avail. I became agitated while my colleague was finding fun in the situation by pulling my waist as I tugged at the door. This went on for one hour, and I was almost literary in tears. I remembered it would take me over one hour to get to the village, another hour to conduct the burial rites. How would I make it home in time for the wedding anniversary plans? The more I tugged at the door, the more it became more difficult to open.

"Pull bro, pull!"

Meanwhile, our manager was making calls to the guys in the maintenance department in the facility, to come to our aid while I struggled with the door. My colleague too became worried when he saw all my efforts to force the door open were in vain. The maintenance guys came and it took them additional twenty minutes to chisel the door open. Free at last!

Grabbing my car keys, I dashed out of the office, and drove out at full speed. I packed halfway and was looking for a bike to get me to the village. Fortunately, a Fulani man that had been seeing me park my car and take a bike to the village put a call through to a bike man who came to meet me. I quickly negotiated with him to take me to the village and bring me back to where the car was packed. It was almost 4pm. I got to the village, and the entire community had gathered to pay their last respect to the deceased. The children of the deceased were not happy with me for coming very late as they wanted to bury the woman to avoid the body started decomposing right before their eyes.

We held a very brief funeral service where we sang, danced and praised God for a life well spent.  I prayed with the bereaved family and the entire villagers and proceeded to take my leave with the Okada. For his patience and understanding, I paid him twice the amount that he charged and sped off in my car so I could meet up with my family for the anniversary celebration. When I got to the main road, I remembered I had left the anniversary cake in the office when I rushed out after being set free from lockdown! Oh God, Why!? The beautifully designed cake was meant to be a surprise as I did not tell them I would bring a cake home. In a split of a second, I dashed back to the office before I could have a second thought. I took the cake and raced back home. By this time it was already few minutes before 8 pm. I apologized to my family for coming very late but there was no way we would meet up again for our anniversary plans. Thank God, they all understood! We prayed, cut the cake and thanked God for everything. Many anniversaries we shall celebrate in future by the grace of God.

14th Wedding Anniversary Cake

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28