Touching Story Of Couple Who Had First Baby 18- Years After Marriage •Says ‘We Never Knew We Would Wait This Long’

Fifty-year-old Pastor Joseph Oye and his 41-year-old wife, Odunayo, got married 18 years ago but couldn’t have a child until recently when they had their first baby. In this interview by Joseph Medoye and Yetunde Aisida, they speak on the harrowing experience and their eventual triumph. Excerpts:

For the Oyes, one of the greatest challenges that life brought before them was in the area of childbearing after they got married. For over 17 years, they were confronted with the inability to have a child.

While speaking with Nigerian Tribune, Joseph Oye, gave an insight into the reasons behind the problem that lingered for a long time.

“When we got married, we never knew we would wait that long. By the time we realised the delay, we started spending money on various tests in hospitals. We had sessions with various gynecologists, professors of medicine, experts in the field but all to no avail.

“As my father’s first child, I felt alone since all my siblings had already become parents. My father kept the pressure on me to have a baby. My wife had series of pregnancies. In October 2001, she had an ectopic pregnancy, she had to be operated. We had to wait for another eight years. In 2008, she had another pregnancy but it didn’t scale through.

“After a while, she started experiencing signs of pregnancy but after she underwent a test at the hospital, the result indicated that there was no baby there. After four months, the baby started developing upon another visitation to the hospital. But my fear was that she was still menstruating. After some months, the signs became more visible and her stomach protruded. People began to wonder if it would eventually lead to a safe delivery. We kept praying and believing God and the miracle happened. She gave birth to a boy. Our 18-year wait was not in vain,” he said.

Speaking further, he reminisced on the frustrations that they had to go through. According to him, “there was so much pressure. My father-in-law wanted to know if I was happy with my wife or not. He was very happy and he appreciated my disposition towards my wife all through the period.

“When I started noticing the impatience in my father, I told him that he should see my wife in the light of his daughter and that what would he have done if his biological daughter had been confronted with a similar challenge? There were many attempts to send her away from the marriage. On many occasions, they attempted frustrating her to the point where she would leave our matrimonial home. They suggested all kinds of things. But I rebuffed them all and stood my ground. Our faith in God was threatened as a couple but we were both resolute. Today, we are witnesses to the power and mercies of God. Whoever waits on God will not be ashamed. This is the testimony that we have today.”

In her reaction, a delighted Mrs Oye, stated that things were really bad when she could not have a child. “There was a day my father-in-law visited us. After three days, he said he was returning to his home and asked me to prepare some food and I did. When he was about leaving, he called me and gave me some money; I rejected it. But he replied and told me that he would have given the money to my child if I had one. I felt very bad. I collected the money from him. After he left, I told my husband about what transpired. I was very unhappy.”

She however added that the joy she felt after the child came was indescribable. “We are very happy. Since the birth of this baby, we wake up every night to look at him and ensure that he is still breathing. This is God’s doing and it is marvelous inour eyes,” she said.

Sending a piece of advice to others who are confronted with a similar challenge, she noted that “Nobody can produce a baby; it is only God that gives babies. We can only pray; God determines answers to prayers. They need to trust the Lord. It is not easy, but I will appeal to them to always wait on the Lord. When God says yes, nobody can say no.”

In the remarks of her husband who doubles as the pastor and founder of Signet Ring Covenant Bible Church, he was saddled with the responsibility of encouraging members of the church and his wife during the period that the challenge lasted.

According to him, “Sometime ago, a woman came to us and said she underwent a test and the doctor said she would not be able to have a child. I told her to believe in God. I prayed for her and three months after, she became pregnant. When my wife saw this she confronted me by saying that I should give her what I gave the other woman that got pregnant. I told her it was God. Things have changed now. Many people are encouraged.”

Via -  Tribune