STEPPING INTO MAGGIE’S SHOE (Part 37&38) – OPEYEMI AKINTUNDE

PART 37
“STEPPING INTO MAGGIE’s SHOE …” S.I.M.S
©️ Opeyemi Ojerinde Akintunde

Ray kept to himself for two days, as the thought of losing everything he had was too much for him to bear. He told me he was going to ask for the Mercy of God and permissive will of God, to let him Continue with his ministry.

I tried talking him out of this, telling him it was better to obey the will of God 100 percent.

I was not planning to be like Pastor Maggie who acted as a Jezebel of a wife, who
made her husband sin against God. For those two days he locked himself indoors, I
was fasting, asking God for a second chance for him. I cried unto the Lord telling him, I know I got into this shoe of marriage thinking it was going to be glamorous, but on getting in, it felt like stepping on broken glass. I told God I was going to stay in the marriage, but I needed him to help me work on Ray, so that I could still make something meaningful out of the oversized shoes…

On the third Day, Ray came out of the room and told me he was ready to go to Ikeji Arakeji, and he would love me to go with him. I was excited God had done what I prayed for. I put a call through to my mum, asking her to please come stay with the triplets, but she told me she was very ill.

There was no one we could trust the kids with, I suggested his estranged sister who was living close to us, but he refused. We decided to take the triplets along, but drop them off at his mother’s place at Sagamu. On getting to his mother’s home, we explained all that had happened and what we were about to do, his Mother was excited, she started jumping and praising God. In excitement, she said she was going with us, she said for years she had been unhappy about the church he established, she saw what happened as God’s show of Mercy towards her.

We couldn’t go to Ikeji- Arakeji that day anymore. Early the next day, we set out and got there in peace alongside my mother in law and the triplets.

On getting to the Church Premises, Ray kept exclaiming “Ha! Ha!” repeatedly. When I asked him why, he said the church had become bigger than how he left it.

He said it was 6 times bigger than how he left him. We asked the church secretary on how to see Baba Fire, but she told us, we had to book an appointment with his P.A for over a month, as there were people from all over coming to see him, but on seeing the triplets, she showed compassion on us by giving us a way out…

“There will be evening service today, the moment Baba is rounding up his message, go and stay around where he parks his vehicle. The moment you see him coming, start shouting his name and your name telling him the reason why you are here to see him, if he is interested in seeing you, he will ask his security to call you.”

I could see that Ray felt belittled by that Approach, but I held his hand and gave him a smile of encouragement.�

We stayed in the church premises till the evening service, few old members
recognized Ray and they exchanged greetings. Some shared their condolence about Maggie‘s death.

Others praised him over his ministry as they confessed they watched his T.V broadcast anytime they were in Lagos.

The service was a glorious power packed service, and the icing on the cake was Baba Fire’s ministration.

At that Point, I knew why they called him Baba Fire, he was a mobile fire carrier, and I could see who Ray took his preaching style from. Baba Fire was a thorough Bible teacher.

At some point, Ray could not help his tears, he kept crying in the auditorium, he was attracting a lot of attention, I had to pull him out.

“Happy, Baba Fire now speaks English, even though he still uses an interpreter” Ray said in tears with disbelief and regret in his eyes. Baba fire was still preaching in Yoruba language with the help of an interpreter who interpreted in English, but at intervals Baba Fire spoke fluent English. From that I learnt no one was
indispensable…

We followed the advice of the secretary and stayed around his car. The moment Baba Fire came out, Ray started shouting

“My Father, Baba Fire, I am back, it is your first Son Raymond, Just like the Prodigal

Son, please I am back” Apostle said in Yoruba, and I couldn’t help but cry, I felt the shame, I knew it took a lot for him to say those words, he had gotten to a high point in his life and ministry, but all of a sudden, he realized God was never with him… Baba Fire stopped in his tracks, he recognized the voice, he looked around and saw Raymond, but you could see pain and hurt in Baba fire’s Eyes. He turned away from us and entered his car….

.

PART 38
“STEPPING INTO MAGGIE’s SHOE …” S.I.M.S
©️ Opeyemi Ojerinde Akintunde

Baba Fire refused seeing us, even after staying a week in Ikeji-Arakeji. Different
people had gone to speak to Baba Fire on our behalf, but he would not set his eyes
on Raymond.

Raymond’s mother had found her way to see him on one of the counselling days, but he respectfully told her to please leave his office. Baba Fire had been deeply hurt. I heard he was always around Saturday morning for marriage
counselling, so I decided I was going to go see him.

I prayed before leaving and I asked for the Wisdom of God…
When it was my turn, he didn’t recognize me. He asked me what my challenge was. I told him about my marriage…

“I got married over a year ago, and my husband has only touched me once, it hurts knowing that my husband satisfies his sexual urge with married women under our roof.

Sir, do you know how hurting it is, when someone who ought to give you joy brings you tears that is how I feel. Sir, my husband is back and genuinely born again and is asking for my forgiveness, do you think I should forgive him?” I said in Yoruba language.

“Yes, it is a must that you must forgive him, to err is human, to forgive is divine,
meaning it is normal for human beings to offend us, but if you are a genuine child of God, you must learn to forgive… You must forgive your husband and accept him back…”

“Thank you Baba, but why are you finding it hard to forgive my husband?”
There was a moment of silence, and I didn’t need to explain who I was and who my husband was… Baba Fire was in pain…

“I trusted Raymond too much, and he stabbed me in the back”

“He is human Baba, and it is normal for us as humans to err. Please Sir, forgive my husband and let him come back to you. We are ready to serve under you. We are ready to move to Ikeji-Arakeji.

My father, God has fought for you, he has brought him back to you to fulfil his initial assignment” I wept knowing this was not also my dream,
I wanted to be the wife of a general overseer in the city wearing heels, but I didn’t know that was not the will of God for the one who would be the wife of Pastor Ray, she was to be the wife of an Assistant Pastor in Osun state.

“That assignment has been given to another, there is no more space for him here”
“You can create one for him�

Baba fire knew I was not going to let him go unless he blessed my husband.
“Where is he?”

“He is at the hotel”

“Bring him” he said I didn’t want to take any chances, so I called him instead, to rush down to the church.

He came along with the triplets and his mother.

The moment Raymond stepped in, he laid on the floor sobbing…

“Baba mi (My father) please forgive me, because ever since I left you, my life has been a mess, please accept me and let God use you to straighten my life.

With tears in Baba Fire’s eyes, he lifted Ray up and hugged him tightly, praying for him with tears pouring from their eyes…

“I pull you out from the grip of the strong woman of immorality, you are rid of all curses. I placed on you in the time of anger and bitterness in Jesus name.”

The prayer lasted about 30 minutes. He later told us to see him the next day.

When we returned later to the hotel, Ray and I sat outside at the balcony
“I have not felt this good in years, Happy I am indeed very happy. You have brought me happiness…”he said holding my hands in his…

“I am happy, God gave me the privilege, despite the rough beginning”.

We sat outside for hours talking about the relocation plans…

“Thank you for agreeing to move here with me…”

“You are welcome”…

Ray went in early than I did, I sat and had time to reflect, If I had my way, I would have wanted a better shoe that would have been my perfect fit, but I wished for another woman’s marriage and I got it.

But it now made sense to me, What John the Baptist said about not been worthy to even tie the rope of the sandal of Jesus Christ. That means there are some shoes that we are not worthy to put on, but out of greed we force our legs into them.

Most times, the pain is immediate and noticeable like mine, while others will not be noticeable but would be causing internal pain for the person wearing it, like that of my husband.�

Apostle wanted to be in the Shoes of Baba Fire, but he found himself in the mouth of the Marine sharks, because God was not pleased with him, therefore making him an easy prey for them.

We returned back to the city and did the needful. We closed down Apostle’s Church.

The Sunday service when Apostle announced this move was highly emotional, it was a Day of tears. I saw Mrs. Beecroft crying in the congregation. Apostle confessed his sin to the congregation without mentioning names.

He asked for their forgiveness for harboring them under a church, God did not ask him to Establish.

He told all the branch pastors who knew God had genuinely called them to continue with their Branch asking the Lord for the name of the Ministry He wanted to bear. He also converted some of the branches to Baba Fire’s branches.

After the service, Mrs. Beecroft walked up to me…

“We thought we were bringing in an emotionally unstable wife, who we could push around, but we didn’t know God hid a warrior, a savior, a life helper in a bipolar patient.

Thank you for everything you have done, I will forever be grateful to you, and also
thank you for not paying me in my own coin, by destroying my son. He told me
everything”. Mrs. Beecroft gave me another hug weeping profusely.
Gabriel walked up to me…

“I wish I had said something the first time I saw you seated in front of me in church, maybe I would have had the privilege of having you as my wife. You are a goldmine I missed.”

“And you are a goldmine I wasn’t patient enough to have, Gabriel, I wish you good
luck, but that is a lesson, life is an opportunity, use it well…God bless you” I also gave him a final hug and deep within my heart, I knew Gabriel was the man I should have married, if I had been patient enough.