Checkmate Episode 15 (By Adeyoola Ojemola)

 

Gideon was rounding off the meeting he was having with five other men. One of them was one of their earliest converts in the village; the other four were from neighboring villages. One of the four men had served as his teacher, teaching him the local dialect of that area. The Lord has given him the special grace to learn languages quickly which has been of great benefit to their service to God on the mission fields.  

 

 

Gideon has been with them in that village for about eight months. They had just about a month left to spend there before they head back home to their base. 

 

Bisi had joined him just some two months ago. Somehow, they needed to change their schedule this year. They were planning on taking the ministry to some part of Southern Africa, moving away from West Africa and Central Africa. 

 

They perceive the Lord leading their ministry in this direction for about two years now when they set up a branch of their company in that region. Also, to stabilize that company, Bisi would have to move and her younger brother, Bade, would continue to oversee the Nigerian branch as he had been doing whenever she was in the field with him. 

 

They were both excited about this chapter of their ministry as it means that God was serious about the work they do and he is blessing their faithfulness with more. Their faith in God’s ability to finance His business has been tested and tried many times and each time, they have found God faithful. 

 

Looking up and seeing that Bisi was patiently waiting for him as she sat on a make-shift stone seat under a tree’s shade, he immediately dismissed the men so she won’t wait too long. 

 

As they headed in the direction of the home of one of their converts whose wife had just put to birth their first child, Gideon held Bisi’s hand and squeezed them gently. How he loves this woman, Gideon thought in his mind. She is the strongest woman he has met in his lifetime. 

 

 

There were days when he had intentionally sought the Lord in prayers specifically for her alone. She has been what the Bible has called her to be, made her to be, in his life- his helpmeet. 

 

True, they have had shares of disagreements and moments of emotional clashing especially in the first three years of their marriage but Bisi had never at any point been disrespectful to him. Even when she was angry and she said something wrong, right there and then, she would apologise for saying such the moment she realises what she has said and she meant it. What a woman!

 

That, he believed she must have seen in her mother’s life. Bisi’s mum, down to earth she was. Bisi’s parents did a wonderful job raising her. 

 

 

At first, when they were going to mission fields for one month in a year, they went together and she made sure to blend with the women she would meet at such places. She never dressed fancily even in her hair-do.

 

Bisi never complained when they had to give up meeting some family need so that they could meet the need of a mission field instead. 

 

 

Bisi was even more frugal than he was. She is one to never waste food, never buy what they do not need. Sometimes, Gideon saw her as a saint but he always remembered that the Lord was truly renewing her mind into the same mind that Jesus Christ had and she let Him do it. 

 

Bisi is so strong that she keeps their family running and the business running. And in the place of prayer, Bisi never slacks nor jokes with it. She would also call that her ‘me time’. 

 

Sensing from her quietness as they walked, he guessed there was something on her mind. ‘Is it because we are visiting the home of a newborn?’ Gideon wondered. 

 

In all their years of marriage, Bisi had never been pregnant once. They have visited gynecologists, family doctors, fertility hospitals but each time, they were perfectly fine to conceive. Yet, Bisi has never felt pregnant nor experienced it. The first six years of their marriage was really hard on her. Anytime they went for a child’s naming ceremony, Bisi was surely going to weep hard and long all through the night. 

Bisi refused to attend Bayo’s third child’s naming ceremony because of the extended family members that would be there. She called her brother and his wife and apologised to them and after the call, she wept hard and asked to be left alone.

 

Bisi prayed through the night. Gideon can’t forget that day. It felt to him like he was seeing Hannah in the Bible. She would take no comfort from him. To make matters worse, before his mother died, she did not make it easy for Bisi either.

 

Being that Gideon was her only child from a polygamous marriage and she was not a believer until the last few days of her life, she made Bisi feel like she was not a woman, going as far as calling her ‘ako ibepe’, male papaya. Gideon had to be frank with his mother that if she ever referred to Bisi in that manner again, he would cut ties with her, never to welcome her into his home again. 

 

The old woman took it out on Bisi and upon finding out from their next door neighbor what his mother had done, the very next day, he took her back to their family house in the village and went once in four months to visit her. Gideon never spent the night. 

 

It was not until he received word that his mother was very sick that he brought her back to his home after she had spent time in the hospital. For the next one year she stayed with them before her death, Bisi proved to Gideon that she loved Christ and sought to be like Him in every way. 

 

Bisi showed love to his mother in a way that he knew he might find it difficult to do if it was the other way round. She cared for his mother as though she were her birth mother. She did not at any point despise the nights and days she spent with her in the hospital at various intervals. 

 

Bisi at many points had to clean up after his mother when she soiled her body. She went with her to every doctor’s appointment. Bisi fed his mother patiently when she was senile. Gradually, his mother began to lose consciousness of the people around her. It was only Bisi she knew and would listen to. Bisi had to constantly be close by to attend to her. 

 

 

Bisi everyday would read the Bible to his mother, pray with her, pray for her. Eventually, by herself, his mother told Bisi after she had woken up from a nap that a Man came to her in her sleep and asked her when she would like to come over to His side. She said He introduced Himself as ‘Jesu’, Jesus.

 

That same day, the older woman gave her life to Jesus. In less than a month, she crossed over to His side! 

 

He was not around to testify to all of these but others testified on Bisi’s behalf to him. During the wake-keep, many who spoke of his mother who were from the town they lived in spoke of Bisi.

 

Bisi shared so much of his mother’s progress with him but he can say that she did not glory in them.

 

That was the kind of woman Gideon saw Bisi as- selfless, forgiving. It still hurts him that they have not been able to conceive a child. One day, Bisi had sent him a letter some six years ago that God had told her to stop praying for a child that her child will come soon. 

 

It has been six years down the line but there has been no show. Gideon personally still has faith struggles and he wants him and his wife to visit some new doctor or try out something new as science has afforded but Bisi would always say God has spoken, we have heard. Let us wait. 

 

Honestly, Gideon longs for a baby of his own, a baby girl. He has considered adoption options even from the various mission fields but God does not grant him nor Bisi the release to go ahead. They know better than to force it.

 

Bisi’s prayer instead has been for the child and for them to be wonderful parents. Honestly, on this matter, Bisi’s faith is stronger than his. She knows it and would always remind him to pray that ‘Father, increase my faith!’. 

 

Suddenly, Bisi spoke as they neared the hut they were headed, ‘ Something is wrong with Theresa. She has been on my mind lately but this time around, today especially, it was heavy on me. Gee, let’s find time to specifically pray for her tonight. I know you are tired after a long day but please let’s do it. It won’t take long’. 

 

Gideon was shocked! That’s what is on her mind? Bisi has really grown on this subject! See me worrying about her. Father, please help me trust You on this. Please increase my faith!. ‘Sure. we definitely will’, he said as they arrived at the entrance of the home and gave the local greeting. 

 

 

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Wheeeeew! 

Only those who are or have had to wait can really share what it feels like. You can share your thoughts in the comments section. It is just a click away. 

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Checkmate Episode 16