I met her 7 years ago.

I had just joined a church where I met some really nice people. She was one of them. One day during one of our conversations, I teased her and said,

“I will look for a Nigerian man for you. Infact I’m changing your name to Nkechi.”

We laughed about it but she loved the name and asked for the meaning. I told her it meant God’s own. Few days after that she changed her name on Facebook to Nkechi. She is be crazy like that! 😅😅😅

What happened to her within the next 3-4 years after I met her threw me off balance! I didn’t see it coming. I noticed Nkechi had lost a lot of weight. I thought she was on a diet. I had no idea that this pretty lady was dealing with a serious medical condition called Myasthenia Gravis. Don’t ask me to explain what it is, please. Google is your friend😛😛😛

Anyway, it looked like she was disappearing per second! Suddenly, she could barely talk. You had to listen closely or have her sister around to repeat whatever she said.

We both sing in the church choir and one day, she asked us to pray for her. I noticed she was crying as we prayed. Later that night, I held her hand and said every positive thing I could think of to her. I started sending messages to her as often as I could, encouraging and praying for her. That was all I could do at that time.

But you know the amazing thing about this lady? She never stopped! She showed up in church every Sunday and for any activity she was involved in. Even though her speech was slurred, she would join us for choir rehearsals, she would sing as back-up anytime she was asked. She just wouldn’t let the illness keep her bound! She was living her life as much as she could even though her health was failing.

One Friday evening, she went into a coma. I remember getting to church that evening, not knowing what had happened earlier. Our music director asked me to step in to practice for and lead worship on Sunday morning because Nkechi’s sister, who was scheduled to lead, was in the hospital with her. As we joined hands to pray for Nkechi that night, all I could hear were voices crying out to God on her behalf. We prayed. We pleaded. We cried. We wanted her back to life. We all loved Nkechi!

God had mercy and heard us. Nkechi woke up from coma and that was when her recovery began. After several weeks in ICU, she came home just in time to celebrate her birthday that year. Anytime I think about the physical transformation that took place after this incidence in her life, I can’t help but whisper a prayer of gratitude to the Almighty.

Nkechi was pretty when I first met her but her beauty at that time is nothing compared to what I see today! No kidding! The courage, boldness and determination I see in her everyday is simply amazing! Her story is one that I keep in mind so that whenever my faith is shaken up a bit and I’m tempted to doubt, I remember her journey and I spring back on my feet!

People, there is a God in Heaven! I don’t know why it’s so easy for humans to doubt this truth. God is real and if we can just believe and have faith….just a little bit…you know, the mustard-seed size of faith, you will see Him come through in a big way for you especially in these times with all the madness going on. There is no kind of trouble or challenge that He cannot solve. Dare to believe, folks! Dare to believe!

Somewhere in the Bible, it is written,

“Whoever believes in Him, whoever adheres to, trusts in and relies on Him will not be disappointed in his expectations.”

You know one funny thing about this lady? Anytime she wants a favour from me, before I even respond, she will quickly say,

“Nazo, remember it’s not easy to die and resurrect o.” 😂😂😂

That is when I become weak and it’s either I give in or I make a promise that must be fulfilled within the next few weeks. This child has eaten so many free meat-pies from my oven because of this kind of ‘blackmail’!

Naughty girl!!! 😂😂😂

Thank you for letting me share your story, Nkechi! I am so glad you made it!