How it all started

"You don't overcome challenges by making them smaller but by Making yourself bigger"- John C. Maxwell

Growing up as a child, I never knew that life is all about ups and down. I was loved and cherished among many people including family, friends and well-wishers. I thought things will continue to remain in that way for; little did I know that there are lots of challenges on the way coming.

My faith was never strong because I wasn't born into a very prayerful family, I was born into family of denominational church (Non-pentecostal) and thereby, I only know little about the Lord. I happens to be the last born out of my parent's four children, No wonder my parents and siblings love me so dearly.

At the age of five (5) year old, I started getting used to my environments most especial my parents and relatives because I constantly saw them every blessed day. I was told by my parent that I was very brilliant and obedience when I was a child because I hardly see things going wrong without putting them into order.

Life is really spiritual as daddy Apostle Joshua Selman usually says, all the people who used to love; started turning their backs against. Many doesn't even want to see my foots in their house nor even saw me walking with their kids. "What have I done to deserve this?" that is the question I usually asked myself.

I always try to be as responsible as I could to these people but it seems like the hatred keeps increasing day by day. The more the parents warned their kids to stay away from me, the more they wants to be close to me. Back then, I wasn't staying with my dad but my mum because my dad was still doing his National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) and he usually visits us time to time in the village.

The most happiest moments in my life was whenever my dad visit us in the village because I know that I have gotten a companion. As a loving and caring dad as he is, he had never visited us without buying me children games and clothes. At that time, I felt like I have the best daddy in the whole world because many of my colleagues doesn't have what I had and this makes them always to be together with me so that I can give them my game to play.

But sadly, my happiness don't used to last because my daddy hardly spend up to three (3) weeks with us before going back to his primary place of assignment. I usually cried my eyes out whenever he is leaving because I have lost a companion and had to face the challenges I used to had with my friends' parents. I could remember the day that I refused to eat all throughout the day because my daddy left me and had returned to his primary place of assignment.

My mum always advised me never to look down on anybody most especially my elders including those who doesn't wants to see their kids playing with mer. As time goes on, I began to get used to the people around me. As the book of Ecclesiastes 3: 1 rightfully says "There is time for everything and as season for every activity under the heavens", I started getting used to my dad's little time he spent with me and go back because I know that he won't stay long whenever he visit and he must surely come back to see us another time (mostly December times).

As a child, there is nobody I loved compares to my dad maybe the reason is because he doesn't stay long with me. I can hardly be seen playing with my mates or even with my mother whenever my dad is around. Wherever he goes, I must go with him and he really loved me as well. I have three siblings, one brother and two sisters respectively. Though while growing up, I doesn't have the opportunity to get used to my elder brother because he schooled in a boarding school. So I was just left alone with my mother and my two sisters.

My sister that I was beginning to get used to them again, one of the later left us when she got an admission to study in a boarding school as well. So I was just left alone with my mum, my sister and as well as my grandmother. Who will now be my play mates? Since my mum and grandma is always busy with farm activities and my sister usually go to school and comes back around 2pm in the afternoon. Who will I play with when all of them left me? When no one wants to ever set their sights on me having fun with their kids.

Life was so tough for me! I usually asked God to give my mum another child so that at least I will have a play mate. Ecclesiastes 6:10 says "Whatever exists has already been known; no one can contend with someone who is stronger". So I concluded that no one wants to see me with their kids probably because my parents are poor and they thought I might influence poverty unto their children. So what should I do as a kid? Of course I have no choice but to sit at home or play with who ever is ready to play with me,

"But what have I done wrong to deserve such maltreatment as a child? Even if they have some misunderstandings with my parents, must they transfer it to me?" that was the question I usually asked myself whenever I saw my mates playing and I am just sitting at home watching them. God with his divine mercy, I was very good at repairing lights (touch light, local house wiring and some electrical repairs) so whenever my colleagues are out there playing, I am in my house repairing my lights.

In short period of time, everyone started hearing that I am good at repairing lights most especially my mates. Everyone are so surprise on how to managed to learnt all what I was doing and they were ready to learn as well. What a happy moment it was for me! At least, I won't be feeling lonely anymore because my mates are now always with me to learn from my skills. The parents that doesn't like me before, they started liking me gradually as their kids now repairs lights for them at their respective homes.

Are these not the same set of people that warned their kids never to come near me? Well, I wasn't care because I was happy that they now allow their kids to come and learn from me. A cast away stone has now become gold to them. Like the motivational speaker, Joshua J. Marine rightly says "Challenges are what makes life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life beautiful", so wasn't bothered about my challenges at all because I know that there is a potentials in me and I must not allow a mere humans to damaged my potentials. As far as my God is still on the throne, I must succeed.