Clarity and Confirmation

At this point in time, getting into another relationship was not on my agenda. I needed to recuperate. I was not ready at all. I was embarrassed by another failed relationship. I couldn’t believe that I allowed myself to believe a lie (that I told myself) for over a year. All the signs were there, various people tried to help me see them but I insisted that he was the “one”.

I found myself in a tug of war. God told me that the pastor is the “one” but I believed that the last two guys were the “one” also. How could I be so sure? By now, I knew without a shadow of doubt that the other two were a mistake; I couldn’t afford to make another mistake. I had to be 1000% sure. While fighting the revelation that I received about who my husband was, God started speaking to me through others.

One day my best friend and I were chatting and she sent this scripture to me: Jeremiah 3:15 ^“And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” She was trying to encourage me, trying to cheer me up after the breakup. When I read the scripture, I was stunned. She went on to say that she had been meditating on that scripture and that she was trusting God that we would marry men as described in that scripture.

 A few days afterwards, my dad called. We were catching up as usual then out of nowhere he said these words “Olubunmi, I believe that you’re going to marry a great man…like a pastor of something, that’s why it’s taking so long.” I sat there speechless, quietly thinking to myself “Where did that come from?” After these two incidents, I started to take the revelation seriously; there are no coincidences with God.

To be honest, I wasn’t excited about the whole thing. I dragged myself to the place of prayer. There were no butterflies in my tummy, no blushing when I saw him. I was neutral. A very long time ago, I made up my mind that I’d never marry a pastor or a doctor because they would be too busy and wouldn’t have time for family life. When I found out that he was a doctor, I gasped. God has a wonderful sense of humor!

So I took out so time to pray and fast while asking God for confirmation. This time around was different, I hadn’t gotten emotional involved with him prior to praying about us being together; that made things easier. I started off by telling God how the relationship couldn’t work. I didn’t know him, I was not attracted to him, he seemed too perfect for me, someone told me that I dressed too “flashy” for ministry, I didn’t see myself as a pastor’s wife, he wouldn’t accept my past and the list goes on and on.

After I finished my pitiful monologue, God still insisted that he was my husband. So I decided to let down my guard and be opened. During this time, I’d see him from time to time and I noticed that he was getting friendlier. He also encouraged me to finish foundation school faster than I initially intended to. He told me that he had “something” for me to do. I went ahead and speeded up the process. After completing foundation school at our church, you have to take an exam and then have an interview.

By this time, I had more confirmation. One night I had a dream and I saw myself and him in a certain place. Two baby girls were there and they were crying hysterically, I was frantically trying to calm them down until he showed up and helped me. I had no idea what that dream meant at the time. About a week later, we had a corper’s retreat. He was one of the guest ministers. After his message, he started giving prophetic words. One of the things that he said was that there was someone in that room that was going to get married that year but wasn’t engaged at the time. He went on to say that the marriage will be significant, that the couple will take young ladies off the streets and clean them up, empowering them to fulfill their purposes. As soon as he said those words, I remembered the dream and smiled.

Things were getting clearer…I was becoming more convinced.

To be continued…


You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:



1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_


6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi

7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestiny_mlmt

Blessing in Disguise

Hello Everyone! I hope you had a great week and I pray that you'll have an amazing weekend!

Thanks for stopping by the blog today! I continue my personal testimony today. Please view previous posts if you haven't done so already. Just click on the "Destiny Steps" tab.

****

Enjoy!

****

Even though I knew that it was time to call it quits, I took some time to draw the curtains over the relationship. I didn't want to hurt his feelings and I contemplated how to let him down gently.

While this was going on, other great things were happening. As I continued the praying and fasting, God revealed a few things to me. The first thing that he told me while I was praying one day was that he sent me to Ife for training. I wasn't exactly sure of what that meant but I assumed that it was for training for spiritual growth.

I attended God's Love Tabernacle International Church (GLT) and boy was it intense. I remember one service in particular, I thought to myself "this is how church is supposed to be". My life has been transformed by this ministry in short period of time. By attending GLT, I was inspired by people who not only "talked the talk" but they "walked the walk". There was no half stepping, these people were sold out for Christ!

During the course of the month of praying and fasting, there were daily early morning prayer meetings and other special programs. One program in particular was held on a Saturday morning, at 8 am. Initially, I had no intention of going. I had a long week and I wanted to sleep in. But for some reason, I got up that day and dragged my feet to church.

I had no idea that my life was about to change forever. As praise and worship was going on and I struggled to sing along. As I struggled to focus, a young man walked passed me and suddenly caught my attention. I didn't remember ever seeing him before. As he walked passed me, God spoke to my heart and said "That's your husband." I was stunned! Where did that come from? It made absolutely no sense to me! I shoved the thought aside and figured I was hallucinating because I was half asleep,

Another time during the service, I looked over at the pastor's wife and the Lord told me, "She's attached to your destiny, follow her." I was happy about that one! I've been praying for a mentor for so long and she seemed like a nice woman. I looked forward for the opportunity to meet her one day.

The rest of the service was long but I enjoyed it. At the end, I was glad that I came. After the service, I saw Pastor Tee and Sarah standing next to each other. I walked over to say hello. And they both started talking at the same time. Sarah said, "I had a dream about you, I have to introduce to Pastor." Pastor Tee immediately said, "I wanted to introduce her to both Pastors!" Sarah asked him, "Can I please do it?" Pastor Tee said, "No!" And before I knew it, he was taking me towards the Senior Pastor. By the time we got there, the Pastor's wife was gone. But Pastor Tee was able to introduce me to the Senior Pastor briefly. He was really nice!

Afterwards, I went home and decided to relax for the rest of the day.

A few days after, Sarah said that she told the Pastor's wife about me and wanted me to meet her. That day we both went to her office and Sarah introduced me to her. She was so pleasant. I told her why I relocated to Nigeria and answered a few questions that she had. While we spoke, she told me that the Lord just told her that he sent me to Ife to train me for ministry. I was taken aback, I didn't expect to hear that.

At one point, she stopped talking and started smiling. She asked if I was engaged and I said no. She went on to say, that she sees something but she'll allow the Holy Spirit to sort it out. For some reason, I understood what she meant. I remembered what God told me about that young man being my husband a few days ago. But I still wasn't convinced so I brushed it off. She went on to tell me to join her and her husband's mentoring programs and to work closely with Sarah on some things.

I left her office that day feeling good. There was a connection that I felt with her. I knew that I was in good hands. 

While we were walking back to church Sarah asked me, "Why did you say that you weren't engaged? I wanted you to talk to her about your relationship." I had totally forgotten! At GLT, once you're in relationship you've considered to be engaged because the relationship would lead to marriage. They didn't believe in dating. I apologized and told her that I forgot. In the back of my mind, I knew that I was done with Raymond; so I thought that maybe it wasn't a mistake after all.

The prayer and fasting came to an end after one month. And I was so refreshed and rejuvenated. I was supposed to travel back to the US during that month to get the rest of my things and to attend my friend's wedding but NYSC denied my request to travel. Many people blamed me because I refused to lie. Apparently, some of the officials don't like the truth. No one wanted to approve me going to the US for a wedding. I was highly upset after waiting for the top NYSC official in my state for about three hours to get approval. Only for him to say no and ask why I didn't bring all my stuff at once. Little didn't I know that it was a blessing in disguise. I may have lost the money I spent on the ticket but I gained much more.

To be continued...


You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:



1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_


6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi


7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestiny_mlmt

Different Paths

Hello Everyone!

I hope that you had a great weekend! And I pray that this week will be a prosperous one for you in Jesus' name!

In today's post, I continue my personal testimony. If you haven't read the previous posts, please click the "Destiny Steps" tab at the top of the page.

****

During my time of confusion about my relationship with Raymond, I met some amazing people. And I started to adjust to my new environment. With all the emotional drama that I was experiencing with Raymond, I almost lost sight of the reason why I moved to Nigeria. While everything was new to me: the people, the culture, some of the food, etc.; I decided to make the best of it.

When I met Sarah, she helped me to refocus on the purpose of my relocating to Nigeria. Once a week every corper within a specific region meets up at the local NYSC office. We all had to join community development service (CDS) groups. I joined the charity CDS group and met quite a number of people that way; Sarah was one of them. I never noticed her prior to the day when she walked up to me and introduced herself.

One thing that stood out to me about her was that she was a natural beauty. She didn't have on any makeup or flashy jewelry or accessories; yet she was simply gorgeous. She asked for my name and we started a conversation. She mentioned that she'd seen me a few times at church. She went on to tell me that God told her some things about me. She said that God told her that I was in Ife for a reason and that I'd do great things during my time there. I was taken aback, I didn't know her but she spoke with so much certainty; I was convinced that she was telling the truth. However, at the back of my mind I wondered what she meant. What did I have to offer? Up until then, I was just going with the flow. Counting down the days until when NYSC would be over.

After meeting Sarah, those words never left me. I kept thinking what exactly I was supposed to be doing in Ife. Sarah and I became very close in a short period of time. One day during the prayer and fasting period, Sarah and I were talking and I told her about Raymond. I shared my concerns and told her how confused I was. Out of nowhere she said "God will NOT tell you to marry someone who drinks and smokes" (Disclaimer: Nothing against people who drink or smoke, but that Word was specific to me). Those words hit me like a ton of bricks; she said it with so much emotion and conviction. I felt like God was speaking to me through her. She went on to tell me about how her dad was a drunk and was abusive towards her mother while she was younger.

After that day, while relaxing on my bed and thinking about everything. In my heart, I asked God what I should do and this scripture dropped in my heart: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3 KJV. It hit me! There was no way that Raymond and I could make progress because we didn't agree about each other's lifestyles, religious beliefs, etc. We were on two different paths, on two different wavelengths, we didn't see eye to eye. There was no way that we could walk together; because marriage is indeed a walk. For a successful marriage, that walk has to be in sync between the husband and wife. I couldn't see him in my future; I didn't believe that he could lead me as the head of our home. That day, I made up my mind to end it.

To be continued...


You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:



1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_


6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi

7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestiny_mlmt

I Should Have Known Better

Hello everyone! For my repeated readers, I LOVE YOU!!! Thanks for the support. For my new readers, you're welcome! Sit back, grab a snack and enjoy this post and previous posts!

Today, I will be continuing my personal testimony. To be update, please click on the Destiny Steps tab at the top of this page.

ENJOY!

*****

After his visit to Ife, I tried to give "us" another try. It was like pulling teeth, very painful and discouraging. I can't say that things between us really improved. Communication was still limited and uneventful. A few weeks after his visit, I decided to visit Lagos for a few days. I informed Raymond and he said that we'd hang out.

On the day that we were supposed to hang out, I had plans to have dinner with a friend. He picked me up and we headed to Jevinik's (a Nigerian restaurant). I was having a great time, the conversation was cool and the food was extremely good. And then Mr. Raymond starts blowing up my phone. Asking where I was and when I'd be home. 

He interrupted our dinner with numerous text messages and calls; he was trying to figure out how we'd meet up. At one point he suggested that I take a cab to where he was. My friend was not having that; he said that he was not comfortable with me taking a cab at that time of the night. You'd think Raymond would be that considerate...yea right! After going back for some time, he agreed to pick me up from home. So my friend dropped me back at home.

He came to pick me up late. It was dark but this was the norm when we hung out. He asked me to bring extra clothes because he wanted us to spend the night together so that we could "talk". I really don't know why I agreed. I guess it was because I desperately wanted the so-called relationship to work.

When he arrived he told me that we were going to a house party that his coworker invited him to. As soon as we arrived there, I felt uncomfortable. There was something "off" about the place. Raymond located his coworker and he invited us to sit with him. A variety alcoholic beverages flooded the table, I sat down reluctantly. His friend asked if we wanted to eat and offered fresh grilled fish and fries; we took the offer and waited while it was being prepared.

The party was being held in someone's compound (backyard). There was a live band performing and some young ladies decided to give everyone a show. About three of them danced seductively to the live band's tunes. They knew that all eyes were on them and they were enjoying the attention. I was irritated as Raymond, his co-worker, and other men at the table; as they sipped their drinks and grinned in approval of the show. At one point, his co-worker turned to me and said, "I hope Raymond doesn't hurt you tonight." At first, I had no idea what he was referring to. I turned to Raymond as his eyes were getting dimmer by the second and he smirked at his friend. I felt bad, I felt cheap! What did his friend think this was? I was ready to go!

We stayed there for about an hour or two; I didn't keep track of time because I had tuned out after his co-worker's statement. After leaving his co-worker wanted to hang out and have drinks at a hotel. By this time they were both tipsy. When Raymond excused himself to go to the restroom; me and his co-worker spoke. I was surprised that he was a married man. I secretly didn't like him because I felt like he was a bad influence on Raymond. When his side chick arrived on the scene, I was done! 

After a few minutes we parted ways with Raymond's co-worker and mistress. Raymond told me that this was the hotel that we'd be staying the night. By this time, he was borderline drunk. He eyes were extremely low and he was smiling for no reason. When we got to the lobby, he asked for my debit card. Apparently he didn't have any money; I was livid. At this point, I was more annoyed with myself than anything else. I knew better and I deserved better, why was I subjecting myself this nonsense?

After the room was paid for, we entered. I went into the bathroom to change and get ready to sleep; I was beyond exhausted. He stepped out without mentioning where he was going. When he returned, I smelled cigarette smoke; he went to smoke a cigarette. I laid down and laid down beside me. He asked if he could hold me and before I knew it, he was touching me all over. He wanted to have sex. I don't know why I was surprised initially; what exactly did I expect. I ran to the bathroom and cried. 

After crying for a few minutes, I returned and he was asleep. I hardly slept, as I laid there thinking about my life. I was wondering how I walked myself into this mess and if there was a way out. I looked at him as he slept and wondered if I could wake up to him every morning. It was a pretty sight, nothing to look forward to.

He woke up very early the next morning and was very frigidity; he kept saying that we had to go. I guess the "talk" wasn't going to happen after all. I gathered my belongings and he dropped me off at home. When I got home, I continued crying as I complained to my cousin. I told her that I had to break up with him, she kept telling me to give a chance. She didn't get it.

I left Lagos to go back to Ife a day or two after that. As I journeyed back, I was distraught. However, I remembered that the church that I attended was fasting and praying for a month; so I decided to take it all up to God in prayer over the next 30 days.

To be continued...


You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:



1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_


6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi

7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestiny_mlmt

A "Not-So" Pleasant Surprise

Hello Everyone!

Thank you so much for stopping by today! For all the new readers, you're welcome! I'd encourage you to go through previous posts so that you can get a drift of what's going on. Today I will continue my personal testimony...enjoy!

****

After the birthday fiasco, I made up my mind...I was done! There was no point of continuing this pseudo relationship...there was nothing to look forward to. I fell in love with a concept, not the real deal. I was disappointed and hurt. How did I allow this to happen again? Another heart break! Another failed relationship! I should have known better!

Pastor Tee was so helpful; he tried to get me to see that I was settling. But he was gentle about it. He showed me the pros and cons, but never insisted on anything. He left the ball in my court and allowed me to play it out alone. The decision was mine and he respected that. I'm sure he was praying for me because I was blinded for a while but suddenly I began to see some light.

After my birthday in September, I decided to no longer put any more effort into the relationship with Raymond. If he called it was okay, if not I didn't bother to pick up my phone. I kept myself busy with church activities. I tried not to think of him because when I did, I'd feel sad. 

One day after church while talking to Karen, I saw that I had a missed call from him. I told Karen (she was aware of our issues) and she told me to call back. I told her how disappointed I was in him and didn't want anything to do with him. But she encouraged me to return his phone call. So I obliged, while we were walking out of the church premises. He picks up and told me that he was on the way to Ife. He said he wanted to surprise me but got lost along the way. He told me that he would see me soon; he had been redirected to the right way. I don't remember saying much because I didn't want to see him. I hung up and informed Karen.

She tried to get me excited but I wasn't having it. I kept complaining as we walked along the road. I told her how I didn't have any food at home, etc. Karen, being the sweetheart that she is told me to come back to her room. She gave me some meat stew and told me to cook some rice for him to eat it with. I was reluctant, in my opinion I felt like he should starve; after the way he had being treating me. She hurriedly told me to go home and get prepared for his visit; I dragged my feet to the bus stop.

I laid down on my bed waiting for Mr. Raymond to show up. A part of me didn't believe that he'd show up. Judging from his track record, he couldn't be trusted. He called about an hour later and said that he was 30 minutes away. He also mentioned that he brought his friend along. That annoyed me further because the stew that Karen gave me wouldn't be enough for two. And I didn't have any groceries at home. The thought of going to the market and cooking was not inviting. I decided to buy them food instead.

He finally arrived about 40 minutes after the last call. His mom sent him with some food items for me. God bless her heart, she was so nice to me. We exchanged hugs and I welcomed them in. He marveled at how nice my apartment complex was. After they settled down, I told him that I wanted to buy them some food. He asked if I wanted him to drive me but I said no, they were both obviously tired.

I arrived shortly and served them both. They both devoured the food, Raymond even asked for seconds. After eating we just chilled. My flat (apartment) was very small; it was basically a studio apartment, no living room area. As soon as you walk in, you'd see my bed. So his friend sat on my mini sofa while Raymond and I sat on the bed. They both watched football. Raymond and I would talk here and there. It f'elt good being close to him, he was being nice and sweet. That's the side of him that I fell in love with. While we sat on that bed, I started to reconsider my decision to end it all.

At one point, I moved close to his face and I smelled a hint of beer. Urg! Just when I was reconsidering, his true colors oozes out! I jokingly mentioned that he smelled like beer and he changed the subject. I wanted to enjoy the moment so I brushed it off. He chilled with me for about two hours and then he had to leave; he had to work in the morning. I walked them to the car; he looked around again and said that he really liked the design of the complex. I told him that we should look into building similar complexes in the future and he nodded his head. Right before he went into his car, he drew close to me and asked for a kiss. I was surprised, he never asked for a kiss before. And of course that was a no go area, I smiled and shook my head no. He asked again and I gave the same response. He eventually got into the car and we said our goodbyes. 

I called to check on him a few times. There was a lot of traffic so they had to stop over at a friend's house and spend the night. I called his mom to thank her for all the things that she sent. 

I laid on the bed for the rest of the evening. I was confused. I liked Raymond, and I believed that he had potential. He was a good person but he needed guidance. He was gentle but I needed a leader. He was handsome but I needed someone that would love me as Christ loved the church. He made a good amount of money for a living, but would that be enough? Would I be okay sleeping beside a drunken man at night? Would I be okay with going to church alone? Was I willing to sacrifice my devotion to God for a man that didn't understand? As I drifted to sleep these and many other thoughts were on replay in my mind.

To be continued...


You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:



1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_


6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi

7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestiny_mlmt

Wake Up Call

Hello Everyone!

Thank you so much for reading the posts on this blog! I truly pray that you'll be blessed as you visit this blog from time to time. I'll continue my personal testimony on today's post. Enjoy!

*****

Things between Raymond and I went from bad to worse. He wasn't the man that I thought he was. I was disappointed; he deceived me...well I actually-kinda-sorta walked into it with my eyes wide open. While I was back in America, we used to speak every morning when he got to work. During those calls we'd talk about our plans for the day and have our morning devotion together. We'd share the Word and pray together. Fast forward to me moving to Nigeria and he barely called. I met his mom once, she was a sweetheart and we communicated often. However, for some reason he was hesitant to introduce me to his sisters (he has three older sisters and a younger brother). One of his sisters called and asked me to buy her a handbag when I was coming to Nigeria, I actually did but never heard from her after that. I never got a thank you; I figure that she didn't like it. I never met his brother physically but we spoke on the phone and exchanged Blackberry messages from time to time. 

Raymond started complaining about me always being at church. That was a red flag! To him, I was a goody-two-shoes and I needed to live a little. When I visited Lagos, he'd only take me out at night. And he would almost always have to have a drink. One day we went to meet up with his friend at the beach. His friend had a bottle of liquor and asked if we wanted some. I declined of course, but Raymond gladly said yes. A few minutes later he turned to me and said, "Are you that holy? Why can't you just have a drink? It's not like you're better than anyone". While he said those words, he had an annoyed look on his face. I was crushed but managed to paste a smile on my face and not say anything in return.

My birthday came around and Raymond disappointed me as usual. I asked him to come a visit me so that we could celebrate but of course "work" got in the way. Thankfully, Pastor Tee baked me a cake. He, his wife, and two church members brought it to my place and prayed with me. I felt special! The next day one of my Nysc friends offered to take me out for lunch; that made my day! The food was yummy and I enjoyed his company. Raymond didn't even bother sending a gift or anything. He did the norm called to wish me a happy birthday. And surprisingly he had a few of his friends call to wish me a happy birthday also. But I wasn't moved.

After that day, I started reconsidering my decision to remain in a relationship with him. I decided to pray about it and I also spoke to Pastor Tee about it. I had a plan for my life and I was falling behind schedule. I was supposed to be married at the age of 25, have my first baby by 27, travel around the world and continue to live my life on purpose. Time was ticking and Mr. Raymond didn't seem to be on the same page. He'd mention us moving in together after my service year. There was never a hint of commitment. One day I decided to randomly ask him what he felt about sex before marriage. His answer shocked me; it was different from the one he gave me when we first met. He told me that sex before marriage wasn't necessarily a bad thing because a man has needs. After picking up my jaw from the floor, I made an excuse to get off the phone. The scales had fallen off my eyes, this was my wake up call!


You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:



1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_


6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi


7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestiny_mlmt

Settling Down

My uncle couldn't send a driver to pick me up from Ife, so I had to take a cab back to Lagos. Anyone that is familiar with the public transportation system in Nigeria, knows that it is a huge risk. Many of the drivers are reckless and many drive under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Taking public transportation is a step of faith. I was nervous; thankfully a friend that I met at camp met up with me in Ife (he was posted to another town) and we traveled back together. He made sure that I made it home safely, thank God for him!

During my time in Lagos, I tried to recuperate from camp and mentally prepare for my stay in Ife. I came back from camp a few pounds lighter and about three shades darker. I need to detox and nourish myself back to normal. I was glad to be apart of "civilization" again. It was good to eat home-cooked food and a comfy bed to sleep on at night. It felt great to be free to go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted. However, I just wanted to sleep and relax for the most part. 

Remember Raymond? Well during camp, communication was inconsistent; particularly because the phone service (network) at camp was horrible. We mostly sent text messages and that was once in a while. Needless to say, after camp I really wasn't 'feeling the boy'. But I was still delusional and believed that he was God's best for me. He claimed to be extremely busy with work so I hardly saw him during the break. He promised to go back with me to Ife, but informed me about two days before I returned that he couldn't make it because of work. Well, I did not hold my tongue...I let him have it. I told him how disappointed I was in him. He pleaded with me and told me that he was getting a lot of pressure from work. I didn't understand it and I was highly upset.

****

Before you knew it, it was time to go back to Ife. I left Lagos with a lot of mixed emotions; I had no idea how it would all unfold. I sucked it all up and focused on the journey ahead. Also I was not happy that I had to travel by myself, I prayed throughout the trip. My cousin had a friend in Ife, she was a doctor and she was doing a mandatory internship (house job) at the teaching hospital there. My cousin asked her if I could stay with her until I got my own place. She agreed and she picked me up once I arrived in Ife. She was a 'big girl' (priviledged), she drove a nice car and she is from a wealthy family. 

When we got to her place, I was shocked because it was extremely small. She also had a flat mate. I felt like I was intruding on her privacy after a while, it felt like the space was too small for the both of us. She was extremely nice, we got along well. But there were so many factors that made staying with her uncomfortable. Getting to work from her place was stressful, it was far. Getting to church was also difficult. I still kept in touch with Karen and she said that I was welcomed to stay with her if I wanted to.

To be honest, I was not used to staying with other people. I had always been independent, after graduating college I lived on my own until I started graduate school and had to move in with my sister and cousin. I felt like I was being an inconvenience. After weighing the pros and cons, I decided to go back to Karen's place. Plus Karen was going through something and I wanted to be there for her.

During my time at Karen's place I got introduced to one of the pastor's at the church that Karen attended (the same church that connected us together). Let's call him Pastor Tee. Pastor Tee was extremely nice to me, he was full with lots of energy and he was very caring. I knew that he was married and that his wife was pregnant so I crossed off any ulterior motives. He was genuinely nice. He made my stay in Ife better. One day he asked me if I'd be joining the church, I told him that I had to pray about it. After the experience that I had with the church I attended as a child, I was very selective with where I worshipped. 

I attended a wonderful church in Maryland (Jesus House, DC) before relocating to Nigeria. Attending Jesus House, DC (JHDC) changed my life for the better and I needed a church that would do the same. I made up my mind that I'd attended a Redeemed Christian Church of God, since JHDC was one of the parishes under this denomination. But God had other plans. I attended church with Karen but I didn't really focus, my mind was boggled with where I'd live and why I was in Ife in the first place. But I must say that I loved the people!!! Everyone was so NICE and friendly!!! 

While talking to my grandmother on the phone one day, she asked what church I'd be attending. I informed her about my plans and she said, "Bunmi, why don't you attend this church. These people have been taken such good care of you. You can return to rccg when you go back to America."  I agreed with my grandmother and became more focused at church. I decided to become a member, I had to attend foundation school to become a volunteer at church but I put it off for some time. Pastor Tee kept encouraging me along with the tall and beautiful lady (remember her?) that picked me up from the NYSC office that fateful day. She was also instrumental in my getting acquainted at church.

I stayed with Karen for about two months. She was the best host ever! She would cook for me, iron my clothes, and heat up my bath water. She was just too sweet. She was a student but she never asked me to contribute to the groceries. She ensured that I was comfortable. We instantly became very close. I found myself opening up to her about past hurts from relationships, etc. I tried as much as possible to console her because she was recovering from a breakup. 

Karen was and still is God sent; if she didn't treat me so well, I probably wouldn't have stayed at church. I probably wouldn't have stayed in Ife. We had a lot the same interests; she became a sister to me. I felt like we both can relate on various things: fashion, relationships, church, education, etc. She made me feel at home.

After sometime, I started the hunt for my own place. Pastor Tee was so helpful; he'd drive me around to check out various places. He wouldn't let me settle for anywhere. He wanted me to be safe and comfortable. Most of the places that we viewed were horrible, but eventually I found somewhere that was manageable. It was a bit pricey but I needed to be comfortable, thank God for my parents they sent me the money. In no time I had my own space!!! It was very small but you can't put a price on independence!

To be continued....

You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:



1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_


6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi

7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestiny_mlmt

A Warm Welcome

Hello Everyone!!! Welcome!!! Glad to have you here. I hope that you've been enjoying this space. If you havent done so already please read the previous post about my last day at camp here.

*****

We took a bus to the church; it was only about two minutes away. I and a few other corpers were welcomed warmly. We were asked to write down our names and information on a sheet of paper.

We sat and waited around for much longer than I expected. All that was on my mind was a bed and a warm shower. My name was called and I was told that I'd be staying with a young lady. She was there and we exchanged greetings. She looked nice; I couldn't wait to get into her house and crash. 

One of the pastors offered to drive us to her place. It was walking distance to the church but my bag was so huge. We arrived outside of her place and I looked around and thought to myself "not bad". When we walked into her room, I was disappointed. It turns out that she was a student and lived in a dorm. I wanted my own space; however I couldn't complain. The good thing was that she lived alone.

I looked at the single bed at the corner of her room and cringed. I couldn't believe that I'd be sharing a bed with a perfect stranger. The pastor said his goodbyes and I started to settle down. 

The young lady was very nice. For the sake of this blog, we'll call her Karen. Karen made me feel very welcomed. She heated up water for me to take a shower and encouraged me to get some rest. I had to be up early in the morning to register at my place of primary assignment (PPA); basically it was where I'd be work for the next year. I was looking forward to getting registration over with so that I could go home. We were given a two week break.

Karen and I woke up early the next morning. She was so sweet, she took me to the location for registration; and waited to make sure that I was okay before heading to class. I and about 30 other corpers were placed in a room. We were told to introduce ourselves and the long-boring-unnecessary speeches began. 

After the numerous speeches we were told that some information on our posting letters was incorrect. The places that the letters stated that we were posted to were incorrect. We had to be reposted, and it would take a couple of days. I was NOT feeling that!

After about four days, they finally sorted everything out. Within that period, we had to go to our supervisors and introduce ourselves. They also had to approve us working with them and signed some documentation. When I went to meet my supervisor and other coworkers, they all seemed nice. I met a fellow corper that was there before me, he promised to show me the ropes.

During my time at Karen's place, I was overwhelmed with hospitality. She was so sweet! We connected instantly. It felt like we've known each other forever. 

To be continued...

You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:



1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_


6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi


7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestiny_mlmt

The Beginning

Hello Everyone! 

Thanks for stopping by on the blog today; I hope you enjoy your time here today. See previous posts titled "Camp Chronicles", if you haven't done so already.

*******

The last day of camp was stressful. We woke up around 4:00 am to turn in our mattresses and to complete other tasks. I hardly got any sleep the night before and I wasn't feeling too good. During one of our "lectures" the day before, it started to rain. As the rain began to fall, we all began to make a dash for our rooms; but the camp commander stopped us dead in our tracks; she threatened consequences if we moved another inch. She reminded us of the NYSC anthem that we sang every morning:

Youths obey the clarion call

Let us lift our nation high

Under the sun or in the rain

With dedication and selflessness

Nigeria is ours, Nigeria we serve.

Members, take the great salute

Put the Nation first in all

With service and humility

NYSC for the noble youths

Make Nigeria a great nation.

Far and near we come to serve

And to build our fatherland

With oneness and loyalty

NYSC for unity

Hail Nigeria, our great nation.

She put emphasis on the 'rain' part, as she took cover under an umbrella. To say that I was upset was an understatement. When she finished her insignificant speech, she dismissed us. By that time I was drenched. I arrived in my room to see many of my roommates chilling; one of my friends asked why I bothered going. 

Shortly after I arrived in my room, my once peaceful room quickly turned into a war zone. One of my roommate’s cell phones mysteriously disappeared while she took her bath outside. Everyone was stunned; we were in the “good room”. And we managed to make it to the end of camp without any drama, unlike other rooms. Our room leader called a meeting and encouraged the person that took the phone to return it; but no one budged and there was tension in the room.

The owner of the phone had a suspect, she was sure it was her bunk mate (she slept at the top of the bunk bed and the other lady slept on the bottom bunk). She stated that they had been bumping heads since the first day of camp. Her bunk mate lost her phone a few days prior and had been accusing her of stealing it. We all went to sleep on pins and needles that night; it was a horrible way to end our time at camp. I also spent most of the night sneezing and coughing. 

The next morning, an official report was made about the stolen phone. Security officials arrived at our room bright and early the next morning and started searching people randomly. We couldn't leave the room until the phone was found. Tempers were flying, and people were yelling back and forth; pleading with the theft to turn herself in. We knew that It was definitely someone in the room because it was left on her bed. 

After a few minutes of random searches there was till no phone. So the security officials had to take her bunk mates and the closest people to her bed to their station. After arriving at the station, the bunk mate (the original suspect) admitted that she stole the phone. Everyone was livid, first of all she wasted everyone's time, secondly everyone's mood was messed up and lastly she was an older woman (she looked like she was in her late 30s). We were all disappointed and ready to go.

We then proceeded to the field for the closing ceremony. We had to wait for the governor to arrive before commencing the ceremony. We waited hours on end; doing absolutely nothing (it was during this time that I went to have lunch with Mr. Stalker). Only for the governor to send a representative. The rest of the ceremony was rushed; don't ask me because I can't recall what happened. 

Next up was our posting letters, these letters informed us about which town or city we'd be serving in and where we'd be working (place of primary assignment). It took forever and a day to receive our letters, of course there was no organized method for distribution. When I finally got my letter, I almost cried. I read "Ile Ife" and thought where is that? My place of primary assignment was "Obafemi Awolowo University", I had never heard of either place before.

As soon as we received our letters, there were numerous buses waiting to take us to wherever we were posted to. Everything happened so fast, people were rushing to get seats. I frantically looked for my friends but everyone was scattered. The few that I found were posted to different places, I was crushed. I automatically felt lonely. 

I ran into Mr. Camp Official and he asked where I was posted. With fear in my eyes and anxiety laced in my words I told him. He and His friend (who was nearby) and exclaimed "That's good nau!" Mr. Camp Official proceeded to say, "I'm the one that worked it for you. Ife is a good place, you'll enjoy it." I didn't believe him, nonetheless I said thank you and gave him the rest of my food items...it was too much for me to carry around. 

I had to choose out of a plethora of buses, I finally settled on one. I sat on the bus feeling terrible, my nose was stuff and my chest was congested. As we drove to Ile Ife, I was overwhelmed with sadness. The road to Ile Ife was not pretty, it was rough and muddy. Originally I had hopes of being posted to Osogbo (the capital of Osun State); I heard that it was much better. I was told that it was more developed and had good electricity. I was looking forward to it.

When we arrived in Ile Ife, we were taken to the local NYSC office. By this time I was exhausted and hungry. We were given a packaged meal and a drink. There were a number of speeches; I paid attention to none of them. But I remember a portion of one of the NYSC official's speech. He told us that Ile Ife was a great place. He also mentioned that we should not be concerned about the amount of jazz (voodoo/witchcraft) that is said to take place there. He said that he's been living there for a while and there was nothing to worry about. After hearing that, I tuned out completely. Was the information supposed to make me feel better? Well it didn't.

During one of the speeches, a beautiful tall lady walked in. She sat next to me and after a few minutes, she said "Hello, do you have anywhere to stay tonight?" I just looked and nodded my head; I did not want to be bothered. She handed me a flyer, and said that her church would place me with someone until I found my own place. I took the flyer without responding. I thought to myself, "She just wants me to join her church." I wasn't interested but my options were slim.

My other options were to get a hotel room or stay at the family house of one of the Christian organizations. I didn't know my way around; neither did I want to spend any money so a hotel room was out of the question. I was over staying in a room filled with a bunch of people, so the family house was a no. After the numerous speeches, we were dismissed. As I walked out of the office, I prayed secretly "Father please lead me to where you want me to be." 

I walked to the bus that brought me from camp to Ile Ife to get my belongings when the beautiful tall young lady appeared again. She said, "You're coming with us right?" Before I responded, I heard another young lady call my name. "Bunmi! Come with us, it's my church." She turned to Ms. Tall and Beautiful and said. "She was in my room at camp." The funny thing is that I do not remember seeing her in my room. I decide to follow them.

And that's how it all began...stay tuned!!!


You're blessed!


- Bunmi


Wait before you go:



1. If you have not received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, life won't make any sense, it will be cold and empty. You deserve more! Take a few minutes and click on the 'Come to Jesus' tab at the top of the page and be saved!


2. Please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!


3. You can subscribe to this blog and receive email updates once a new post is published by entering your email address in the 'Follow by email' section located on the right of this post.

4. You can share this post or previous posts by clicking on the respective social media icon on the right.

5. Follow me on twitter @BunmiAdebiyi_


6. Like my page on facebook: Bunmi Adebiyi

7. Follow me on Instagram: destinationdestiny_mlmt