–Parent of miracle baby
The joy of the family of Pastor and Mrs. Dokubo Hezekiah Fezigha from Krokrosi, South Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State will at least for now be limitless as they proudly become parent after 19 years of expectation and blissful marriage.
This is also notwithstanding the age of his wife, 52 -year old Kate Hezekiah Fezigha who was barren for nineteen years until the Lord, according to the family answered their prayers.
Speaking to Sunday Pilot exclusively, both husband and wife shared a tale of bitter experience ordinarily that shouldn’t have been their portion, given their commitment and devotion to the service of the lord. The Husband Dokubo is a pastor with the Deeper Life Bible Church while the wife a nurse by profession is a worker Lord.
However, in life, it is only the almighty creator that gives and takes. The experience of both in this encounter is not only pitiable but rewarding on the long run.
According to the couples in this narrative, they were not only saddled with the pressure of adopting children but were duped by an Owerri-based baby making factory to the tune of N50, 000.
HUSBAND
“I am Dokubo Hezekiah Fezigha from Krokrosi, South Ijaw LGA. A Pastor in Deeper Life Bible Church, Agudama. I am a final year Law student of Niger Delta University, NDU.
We thank God for everything. Actually it’s just because of our limited understanding with God. Before I got married, the Lord made me to understand my woman. I didn’t know her town and the number of children. Originally, when we came together, I said, just two Kids but during
courtship, she said four, I agreed with her. The Lord gave me the names of the four kids.
After wedlock, we started believing God for the children, as it was delayed they were lots of challenges, but the Lord consistently reminded me of His promises. He indeed promised, he will give me children. So, that assurance was so strong in me.
At a time, pressures started coming from friends, family and brethren. As they kept pressurizing me, my wife suggested that we adopt. I told her that I don’t have the zeal to do it and will not do it.
At a time some brethren arranged their own babies, for us to adopt, that is some concerned brethren. I told them I was not convinced, until eventually, the Lord did the miracle.
As it was known they still brought their babies for me to adopt, I told them everything is fine and that they can give it to people.
Duped
Even before my wife became pregnant, somebody convinced her to adopt. When she asked me I said I’m not against it, if you want no problem.
Some people came from Owerri to provide a baby, she made an initial payment of N50, 000.00, and she was deceived and duped. They couldn’t even allow her to see the baby.
When she called, they started telling her, he is in Lagos and in Owerri.
After the incident, she realized, it was deception, she made up her mind to wait.
Last year, there were two major events that took place; we were invited to
Pastor E. A. Adeboye’s 75th birthday, we attended and were being prayed for.
Mid-June last year there was a celebration of what God has done for his people.
As we seated we saw people like us, even in Yenagoa here, people testified. So we keyed in to those miracles.
By His grace, October, last year, the Doctors confirmed of her pregnancy.
I thank God; my parents left early, if not the pressure would have been more than what it was. But my paternal uncle could not give me space; he almost forced me to adopt a baby.
Wife’s health condition
Her health condition was nothing to write home about, but I stood by her, helped her in every area. Her age contributed to her health sickness.
People did not understand what was happening, they only saw her spitting about, throwing up and vomiting. They could not comprehend.
They only started believing when the Doctors reports came. In fact, I commend the Doctors, nurses and midwives for their special attention to my wife.
Baby”s arrival
I rejoiced greatly when the baby came, but often times I saw myself
shedding tears of joy.
Sometimes it’s difficult to control, then the Lord
came to me at night and said, your sorrows are over wipe your tears.
Just last Sunday 4th, we went to dedicate the baby, after which calls
started coming in from Bostwana and South Africa.
The Wife, 52 -yr-old nurse
My name is Kate Fezigha Hezekiah from Alibiri in Ekeremor LGA. I’m a nurse, schooled at Rivers State School of Nursing. I did midwifery and Public Health at the place.
Normally, before this time after graduation, there is automatic employment for students.
When I finished, I thought of working in Yenagoa General Hospital, which is the present day FMC, even as nobody wants to come back home to work.
I had this passion to come and serve my people. As a Christian, I could not take the offer of staying back, so I asked them to post me to Yenagoa.
There in FMC, I started as a Staff Nurse, before long I went back to finish my midwifery and later came back.
Shortly, after I came back, Bayelsa State was created. Then I was posted to Sagbama General Hospital.
After a year and half, I was transferred to Cottage Hospital at Egbemagalabiri, Ekeremor LGA. A hospital owned by shell, all the facilities are in place, but the village is too small.
I was there for five years and was forced to come out due to sea piracy. As I applied, they ignored it; I have to come back as a Public health nurse, and was redeployed to Sagbama General Hospital, till today. In fact, they just transferred me to Amassoma General Hospital. After my leave, I will resume there.
By the grace of God, I am almost at the peak of my carrier as a nurse, and I have served for 27years.
Married life
I got married in 1994 and since then the hope of having children dashed. At
a time, I lost hope, not for my husband but when my menstrual circles became epileptic and was irregular. It was like that since two years, it comes this month and stops till next three months, as a nurse, I said within me menopause is setting in.
Pregnancy cycle
But to God be the glory, with all I passed through God was still having a plan. Initially, I didn’t know I was pregnant but by September, I became sick, being an agile and smart person I devoted my
life to doing HIV work, for the past five years. I am committed to counseling couples with HIV infected and affected victims.
As the illness persisted, the Doctor requested that I go for medical test and scan. I went for malaria test and it was plus one for which I was treated.
I could not control it again; I applied for Leave by October 2nd. The flood started that same week, and took over General Hospital Sagbama.
During my leave, I vomited, poured spit and also had swollen legs. I had fainting attacks and oedema which was so painful and loss of appetite.
It was when I went for scan that they told me it was pregnancy. The scan was done severally; initially the Doctor said it’s a fibroid or ovarian cyst.
We argued it, because I have never been diagnosed as having fibroid. The Doctor now said, go and come back after one month. He scanned the womb again and said there’s a feutal pole–baby
Though I did pregnancy test, it read positive I did not believe it. Even the Doctor who knew me before could not believe too. He asked me if I had a baby before, I answered no.
It wasn’t easy; I thank God for my husband whose faith I will not ignore again. He stood by me this whole period and helped me to cook, wash and every time he was with me.
During the pregnancy, I was admitted twice and the baby was not kicking, but after five moths the story changed.
The labour/delivery
When my expected date of delivery was due, the doctor did not allow me to go through labor; they suggested that I opt for Elective Caesarian Section, because of my age and also the pains of labor.
I did, everything went well because they encouraged me to accept the idea.
Meanwhile, when the baby came, I was overwhelmed, though sometimes, I could not sleep, but the joy of motherhood engulfed me.
After delivery, another challenge was breast milk it could not come, not until five days. I cried and tried several other things to no avail.
Due to health implications, my doctor invited a pediatrician to counsel me on breast milk substitute. I am an advocate of exclusive breastfeeding, so my own case cannot be different. With doctors advice I decided to agree with them to be able to feed my baby.
Some of these things were why I could not register at Sagbama Hospital. I registered at Federal Medical Center, FMC, Yenagoa, because I needed special medical care.
Even when I was to have my baby, they invited an Anaesthesian to introduce it.
If it was Sagbama, I wouldn’t have enjoyed all that I did. God is faithful, to him alone be all the glory.