As Sisan entered Pastor John’s office, she looked sorrowful. Anyone could tell that she had been crying because her eyes were red and puffy. She also looked unkempt, and not the least bit bothered by her appearance. Her braided hair was covered in a scarf, she wore no make-up on her face, and no jewellery adorned her ears neck and wrists. And to crown it all, she donned a dress that looked like it could do with some ironing.
Pastor John was very surprised indeed to see her in that state. He was unsure where she was coming from dressing like she was and where she intended to go when she left his office. As a matter of fact, he was amazed she was in his office, to begin with as he was not expecting her and she should be at work. In the six months that he had pastored the Warri branch of The Healing Rivers church, it would be the first time she would show up in his office without any prior notice. Not that he minded because Sisan was a well-known and well-liked member of the church which she had attended for the last decade since she became a born-again Christian. She was also a very committed member and had served the church in various capacities in the last ten years. Pastor John and his wife, Mabel, had taken an instant liking to her when they first arrived in the church’s Warri branch, as she was one member who not only constantly volunteered her time and resources to serve God and the pastorate but did it excitedly and could always be counted on. God, in turn, had blessed and prospered her. In the six months that Pastor John had been in the church, Sisan had been promoted on her job and had bought a house, which happened to be her second, in the best part of the city.
Although she was grateful for God’s blessings upon her finances, Sisan desired to receive God’s blessings upon her marital destiny, and that so far had not happened. She had celebrated her forty-fifth birthday in a lavish ceremony with family, friends, and brethren from the church only a month ago and albeit she appeared to be happy, Pastor John was painfully aware that her being unmarried at forty-five was a major source of concern to her. On one occasion, prior to her birthday, she had spoken to him about the issue, and he had observed that she was close to tears. He had encouraged her to hold on to God and have faith that God would answer her prayers and the right man would come in God’s perfect time.
Today she had come to see him, and without any notice or appointment, and dressed as she was, which he had to admit was very unlike the Sisan he knew. Pastor John was very perturbed even as he wondered if all was well.
He rose to greet her as she approached his desk.
“Sisan.” He said, “How are you?” although he really didn’t need to ask. It was obvious how she was.
Sisan shook her head, “I am not fine sir.” She responded, her voice only a little above a whisper. Without waiting to be invited to sit down, she dropped into a chair and sighed deeply, burying her face in her hands as she did.
Now Pastor John was even more troubled.
“Sisan, what is the matter?” he wanted to know as he sank back into his chair.
Sisan raised her head and cupped her face with both hands. She looked him straight in the eyes.
“Pastor, I should ask you that question, after all, you are a man of God. Please tell me, what is the matter with Sisan?”
Pastor John was thrown off balance as this person sitting before him was now a stranger. She did not look like the Sisan he knew, she did not speak like the Sisan he knew, and she certainly did not act like the Sisan he knew. As he contemplated what to do and silently prayed to God for wisdom, she spoke again.
“Pastor John, I am asking you a question. What is the matter with Sisan? Why can’t Sisan get married like other women? Why can’t Sisan have a family, a husband and children like other women? For years, I have been told that God will do it. Well, Pastor John, when is your God going to do it? When is Sisan going to get married? If he has no man for me why can’t he tell me and stop deceiving me?”
And then she broke down and began to weep uncontrollably, her head buried in her hands once again.
“Did I commit a crime by giving my life to Jesus? Have I been wrong to commit myself to his service for the last decade? He has given me everything except the one thing that I truly want, to be married and have children. I am forty-five, Pastor John and people say to me, “God will do it.” When will he do it, I ask? When I am fifty-five and too old to bear children? Why has he chosen to make me a laughing stock in my family and amongst my friends? Is that my reward for a decade of faithful stewardship in his kingdom?”
For a few minutes, Pastor John watched in silence as she wept and accused God of being unfaithful to her. He didn’t quite know what to say to her, but he thought it wise to allow her vent before saying anything. He had never seen her like this before. She had voiced her disappointment over her inability to marry but never had he seen her break down or lose control.
“What haven’t I done to get married” she continued amid wailing. “In the last ten years since I became born again, I have met with seven prominent pastors who have prayed with me over this issue and all to no avail.”
She named the seven pastors who had prayed with her and indeed they were the most prominent pastors in the country. All the names she mentioned were familiar to pastor John. He knew every one of them. They were the most anointed men of God in Christendom in Nigeria, and Pastor John held each one of them in high esteem. His heart sank. He had desired to pray with Sisan once she had stopped crying and calmed down but once she mentioned the names of those men who were all more anointed than he was, he gave up. If they had prayed for her and she was still unmarried what good would his prayer do? However, just then he heard the Lord speak to him.
“Ask her about the circumstances surrounding her conception.”
He frowned as he wondered what that had to do with the matter which was on the ground. A matter which he had to admit was very serious indeed. But the Lord spoke again and insisted that he ask Sisan about the circumstances surrounding her conception, and so he obeyed.
“Sisan, do you know anything about the circumstances surrounding your conception?” he inquired and even as the words left his mouth, they didn’t sound quite right in his ears.
Suddenly Sisan stopped crying and looked up. The look in her eyes confirmed his initial fear that the question was out of place. But as the Lord nudged him, he persisted.
“Do you know at all? Did your mother ever tell you anything about your conception?” He was now more confident, and Sisan perceived this.
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, as she tried to pull herself together. But she still had a frown on her face.
“Well, I do recall that my mother once told me a story about how she became pregnant with me after being childless and unable to conceive for fifteen years.”
Pastor John leaned forward in his chair. He was very interested in this new development and certain it would lead somewhere. Prior to this time, he had never known that Sisan’s mother had challenges with conception. He did know that Sisan was the first child and only daughter of her parents. She had two younger brothers, and they were both married with children.
Sisan still looked confused, as though she wasn’t sure where this was leading and what it had to do with her desire for a husband. She expected Pastor John to at least pray with her like the other mighty men of God had and not begin to quiz her about things that transpired even before she was born. But because Pastor John looked like he was waiting to hear the whole story, Sisan began to speak, telling it as she remembered.
“Well, my mother told me that she had been childless for fifteen years before becoming pregnant with me. During this period, she had been to many fetish priests and made sacrifices to different deities, without any success. My father’s family had given her a lot of grief and sent her packing on three occasions, but each time my father brought her back. Then a friend of hers from Sapele told her about a powerful deity in her hometown, named Sapele after the town. She was certain that Sapele would give my mother a child and my mother went with her to the shrine. When they arrived, the fetish priest seemed to know why they had come even before they mentioned it. And my mother was surprised that, unlike the other fetish priests she had visited, he did not ask for money or any sacrifice to be done. He assured my mother that she would become pregnant immediately she departed from the shrine and bare a daughter. All my mother had to do was agree that the daughter born to her would be Sapele’s wife. My mother agreed and just like that she became pregnant the same month and I was born nine months later.”
She shrugged her shoulders as she finished the story, still uncertain what it had to do with the matter on hand. However, as she finished, pastor John jumped out of his chair blasting away in the Holy Ghost. She had never seen him so elated. She frowned and wondered what was going on.
“You have been unable to marry thus far because you are married to the deity called Sapele.” He said matter-of-factly. “Did you tell this story to any of the pastors who prayed for you?” he asked.
“No” she shook her head, still in shock and doubtful about his revelation. “They never asked.”
“Well, that is it. You are married to Sapele. No man in his right mind approaches a married woman for marriage. Therefore no man has approached you for marriage. If you are going to be married, the marriage covenant between you and the deity Sapele which your mother agreed to on your behalf, out of ignorance and in desperation, will have to be broken.”
Sisan frowned. She was still doubtful, but she was willing to give it a try. What harm could it possibly do?
“So, what do I do now?” She asked.
“Are you ready to end the marriage covenant between you and the deity, Sapele?” Pastor John returned her question with one of his.
“Yes!” Sisan exclaimed, horrified that he could ask her such a question. Why would she want to remain married to Sapele if it was hindering her from getting married, like other women? Away with the demonic marriage!
Pastor John led her through a set of simple but powerful prayers, denouncing the covenant and its effect upon her life and destiny. Then he prayed a simple prayer ending the marriage covenant and declaring her single and free to marry.
“Is that all?” Sisan asked when he was done.
“Yes, Sisan. Go and pick a date for your wedding date, pick a dress, and do whatever else it is women do when they are preparing for their wedding.” He said in a tone of voice that told Sisan the conversation was over.
She stood to her feet, feeling a lot better than she had minutes ago when she walked into his office.
“Thank you, sir.” She said and walked out of the office. She wasn’t sure what to think or believe. Was that it? Was that really it? Just like that? Was she free? Would she now marry?
Three months later, Sisan was married. She married a fine young man named Toju who incidentally happened to be an old secondary schoolmate of hers. Within one week of leaving Pastor John’s office, she ran into Toju at the Shell Club in Warri. He lived in America but was in Warri visiting his parents. She had not seen him since leaving secondary school, and the first thing he wanted to know was if she was married. Well, she wasn’t, and neither was he, so they married.
This story has been taken from the book, Preparing to Cleave, by Eturuvie Erebor. Available on Amazon.
