*🌷 MY RICH WIFE 🌷*
*Episode Fifteen*
[Final]*
For weeks, I contemplated divorce, but my Pastor never st©pped dissuasing from jumping into such mistake. He gave me Bible pas-sages to re-ad on divorce and its consequences. This, i re-ad and within the space of time, I began to have a change of heart. All this while, Jocelyn never knew my plans of filing for divorce. Even if she did, she would havr asked me to go ahead.
After i decided to discard the idea of filing for divorce, something strange happened to me. Maggots started coming out of the wound I had on my forearm. It was later discovered that rhe knife Jocelyn used to tear my forearm was not an ordinary knife. It was one of those traditional knives by Northern warriors to infect their opponents and leave the wound to kill that enemy of theirs gradually. These warriors from her tribe had their machete, arrows, guns, and other instruments of war imbued with a special traditional water to make it poisonous against their opponents. Jocelyn saw all these happening to me, but she never was disturbe-d about my situation.
When all treatments failed, surgeries were performed on my forearm twice( my pastor paid the bills), but instead, it grew worse. The doctor advised that i be taken to US or India for another surgery and that it would cost me twelve million Naira.
Where on earth would i get such amount of money ?Jocelyn’s father could afford twelve million naira for my medical bills, but he would not help. I took to faith and fate as i remained in Nigerian hospital where it was constantly dressed for eight months, the specialist who was often dressing the wound on my forearm suggested my arm be amputated. He said the maggots have eaten and were eating de-ep into my flesh and marrow, and that if nothing was done, the maggots will spre-ad its feasting. I began to wonder, having given my life to Christ, why would GOD not show me mercy and let this cu-p pas-s over me ? The pain was unbearable. With my pastor at hand, I told the specialist to give me time to think about it and that I was going to get back to him. He advised that i should sleep on it and come up with a decision soonest.
A week after, Jocelyn moved my things outside my room to a shop attached to the rooms in the boys quarters in the compound. She did this because she could no longer stomach the stench emanating from my wound.
My parents, on the other hand, when they heard about all i was going throu-gh, they tried to persuade me to come home to seek the help of traditional medicine man, but i felt i couldn’t go back to my vomit again.
I would never go to Egypt to seek for help. I would prefer getting the hand amputated to going fetish about it.
My calanity was beyond what i could bear, hence i began to pray to God to take my life.
In all my predic@m£nts, Pastor Lanre was with me. He stood by me like a true father. If any pastor was Christ-like, it was pastor Lanre. He paid most of my hospital bills.
After much thought about my wound, I met my pastor and told him the decision i had made. We went to the hospital two days later and my arm was amputated but “it had to be done to prevent a further spre-ad, Mr Patrick” the specialist had said, consoling me.
A week after my arm was amputated. I began to see myself as a liability to the church for a year.
My church members rallied round during this trying time to as-sist me financially and whatever way they deemed necessary.
In all that happened to me during trying time, GOD remained faithful.
After the amputation done to one of my arms, I went on with my life. If not for God, my church members and Pastor Lanre that God used to as-sist, encourage and support me in all spheres, perhaps i would have died out of frustration or taken the alternative of taking my own life.
In spite of my predic@m£nts, Jocelyn never sympathised with me. She never showed any feeling of concern, but i wasn’t bothered either. This was because, even before situation(s) turned me to a one-handed person, I had become used and immune to Jocelyn’s attitude.
Although, anyone would agree that it was during a period like this my wife could have been supportive, instead she bec@m£ worse. Despite the fact that we were un-der the same roof, she avoided me like a plague. She treated me with disdain and never honoured our matrimonial vow.
Then one day, Jocelyn fell ill. Her parents c@m£ around and took care of her. I offered to as-sist but they insisted that i should not. For close to two weeks i never set eyes on Jocelyn. She was in her room on her be-d. Her father had ensured that three mobile policemen kept watch over his daugter. They guarded the door to her room, and took turns whenever one felt tired and nee-ded to rest or to eat something. This was a ploy of Jocelyn’s father so that i don’t go into the room to see Jocelyn, my own wife.
Well, i went on with my duties at home for those two weeks and lived un-der the same roof as though i were a widower. Nob©dy to speak with. I saw three policemen, greeted them but they never responded. Jocelyn’s parents often c@m£ and went on with family doctor. They never spoke to me and they instructed the family doctor never to reveal anything to me concerning my wife’s illness.
After two weeks to administering treatment and doing check ups, Jovelyn was taken to the hospital.When i realised her parents didn’t bring her home, i knew she had been admitted into the hospital.
All this time, her family sti refused to reveal to us, me and my Pastor, what was really wrong with Jocelyn. During this time, I started praying for my wife Jocelyn. I even went on dry fasting for a week, asking God to heal her.
A week after i ended my fast, I was at home that day when Jocelyn’s father called me on the phone and told me softly that Jocelyn nee-ded my pres£nce in the hospital. After the call, he texted me the address and the description to the hospital. He condluded the text that I was permitted to drive one of Jocelyn’s cars parked in the compound. That alone filled my heart with joy.
“After four months she was taken to the hospital, i was going to see my wife!” I said it aloud. quic-kly i dashed into the bathroom, took a shower, got dressed and off i dashed to hospital in one of Jocelyn’s cars.
By the time i got to the hospital, i met one of the nurses and told him the patient i c@m£ for. I got to the ward, what i saw on the be-d made me shed tears. Jocelyn wasn’t looking herself at all. She had grown thinner. She just la-id on the be-d, staring at me, with tears dropping from her eyes. As i moved to sit beside her, she stretched one of her hands for me to reach. When i held her hand, tried saying something, but i st©pped her from saying anything. ” Pa…..trick….” she managed to whisper.
“Jocelyn, plea-se reserve your energy. I am here and will still be here. You can tell me whatever you wish to say” i told her with a smile on my face and a tone of as-surance.
This though didn’t st©p her from weeping. A few minutes later, the family doctor walked into the ward, i didn’t even allow him settle fully when I enquired the illness that had eaten up my beautiful wife.
“Mr Patrick, your wife is dying” he said. “She has FULL b!owN AIDS” the doctor said.
The news shook me terribly. I just stood, moving my eyes to where my wife la-id and back to the doctor’s face.
“I am very sorry, Mr Patrick.” he said and left the ward. I sat beside Jocelyn’s be-d again, and as-sured her that i was going to stay beside her and if she nee-ded anything, I would be by her side to run errands. She looked at me in the eye, with tears still dropping from her eyes, she slowly nodded her head. I kept to my words. I stood by her all throu-gh the period she was in the hospital. I prayed for her.
For crying out loud, you may say she didn’t deserve my care, but in God’s eyes, forgiveness is the key. Besides, when we were joined as man and wife, i made a vow that, “in sickness and in health”, I was going to be with her. She may have wronged me in many ways, she was still my wife and i nee-ded her to un-derstand what forgiveness was all about.
Back to my story
I didn’t pay evil during her sickness. I was not afraid of contracting the disease from her.
I preached to her about Jesus and prayed for her to have an encounter with Jesus. I de-sired a second chance for her as i asked God to perform a miracle.
“God, plea-se make the sickness ro turn her to you, and let her experience peace Oh Lord.” This was always my prayer. As the days rolled on, the sickness grew worse and she was flown abroad. According to her father, he did that because he thought of cloning his “dearest” daughter. Six weeks later, news reached me that Jocelyn was dead. My feeling was a mixed one when the news hit me. I cried and mourned her for a few days. At the same time, i was very happy, on the grounds that before she pas-sed on, she had given her life to Christ.
Of a truth, her death was supposed to be a sad news, but it was the death that set me free from “my bondage.” I didn’t wish her dead, but her death liberated me from the shackles of marriage enslavement.
My case bec@m£ like ” In the year that King Uzziah died, i saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.”
The death of Jocelyn opened another episode in my life.
Before she died, she had written a will, willing all her properties, her savings and investments to me because, according to her, despite her actions towards me, I was with her throu-ghout her predic@m£nt. I brushed her teeth,fed her and washed her clothes while she was in be-d in the hospital. When the lawyer re-ad the will in the pres£nce of Jocelyn’s parents, I couldn’t hold back my tears. Jocelyn was worth over $100 billions in properties, savings, and investments. Everything wss willed to me.
Now i believe the saying, “Those who wait on the Lord will never be put to shame.”
Six months after the death of Jocelyn I was joined in Holy matrimony with sister Eunice. A month after, I was ordained as a pastor in my church and since then, God has been using me tremendously in His vineyard.
My story has changed from “being a slave to being king”.
I went to be-d very poor and wretched person, but woke up a billionaire. Truly, it pays to serve Jesus and hold unto Him, even during the face of painful trials.
A year after my marriage with Eunice, God blessed us with a lovely baby boy whom we named “Emmanuel” meaning ” God is with me.” Today, I am very happy. My beautiful wife, Eunice, is a Prayer Warrior.
She is in fact, an epitome of beauty(like i mentioned before).
*¤ The End ¤*
Thanks for re-ading!
And I did hope we learnt one or two lessons from the story!
Love you all😘
Sorry for keeping you guys waiting…. Thanks to those who called. I’m grateful.