"In one of the Assemblies of God churches, in Aba District (South-Eastern Nigeria), where my late dad pastored in the 1980s, I remember when a young man came very early in the morning and told my father:
"Pastor, what did I do to you? Why do you hate me so much? I have been born again for almost 1 year and I have won many people to Christ, but why have you not recommended me to join others to go for missions work in the northern States of the country... "
His singlet was torn... And with his zeal, he was crying profusely...
My father did not know what to say...
The young man kept crying: "Pastor, why are you doing this to me... Why are you doing this to me?"
My father told him: "Nna, I know very well that you want to serve God... But you are the only son of your mother and your father is late... If anything happens to you, who will look after your mother and younger ones?..."
The boy started crying the more...
"Pastor, I am the only son and yet I was an armed robber... I am the only son, yet, I was attending meetings in the midnight with native doctors, where many of friends could not wake up alive after diabolically fortifying ourselves against police bullets..."
"Pastor, what would have happened to my mother if I had died in one of those armed robbery attacks? Who would have taken care of her? If I risked my life when I was serving Satan, why will I not risk it now that I am serving Jesus Christ?"
My father was speechless for almost 30 minutes... And it was not long, we saw tears rolling down his eyes...
He held the young man and both of them were crying together...
My father recommended him to join some missionaries that came in the area for missions work...
The day he was leaving with them, the mother and his younger ones were crying... Knowing that they might not see him again, both live or dead... But I can still remember that excitement on his face..."
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