CHAPTER 1

The Priceless Gem

My older brother Abasido was eleven. Tall, muscular, and handsomewith dark curly hair, he was built well for his age. He was veryfunny. Others liked him, and he was the most useful person at home.He could cook, wash dishes, and do the laundry. When I was six, hetaught me how to swim in a river after a near-drowning experience.He was so much fun to be with.

It was around seven twenty-five on a Monday morning, andwe were supposed to be in school in five minutes. Arriving late toschool would mean that we would be punished or have our teacheror school principal thrash us on the buttocks with a hard stick.

Fun Ride to School

Abasido had figured out that, if we came in through the frontentrance of the school, we would be caught. Therefore, the onlyway we could avoid getting caught was to sneak in the back doorand mix with other students. On this particular day, we were latethat morning because our mother had prepared a special breakfastfor us. It is called dodokido, and it is made with fried choppedoverripe plantain. It is served with omelets prepared with eggs, fishor chicken, tomatoes, onions, salt, and a special seasoning. It was soyummy that we asked for more and could not get out of the houseearly.

Behind our elementary school was a small river, which Abasidowas familiar with. He was required to do chores at home in themornings, so he had figured out how not to get caught if he camelate.

On this fateful morning, we had no ride to school, so we wereall anxious and praying that we would not be caught coming in late.We had to walk for about ten to fifteen minutes to get to school.Abasido told us to follow him. He took us down a dirt road withbirds singing and crickets jumping and chirping. In Abak, a smalltown in Nigeria, the bushes, trees, and lawns are always green nomatter the time of year. We could see all kinds of natural beauty,flowers, and trees not planted by man; also, colorful birds andanimals run around freely without fear in this area.

Walking down the dirt road, we finally arrived at a dead end, asmall river. Abasido told us to take off all our clothes and shoes andput them in our school bags.

There were three of us brothers—Abasido, Michael, and myself.We were perplexed that Abasido would bring us to swim when wewere supposed to be in school. He took my school bag from meand swam across the stream, which was about ten yards wide, withmy bag in his left hand. He came back and told Michael and me toswim across the stream. To show off my swimming skills was suchfun. I quickly dived in, and in no time, we were all on the other sideof the river.

We waited for the water to dry off our bodies, and we gotdressed. We went up a small dirt road, and within four minutes, wewere in the school. We were not caught that day. It was so much funthat we decided to take the same way home after school, but wecould not because my mother came to pick us up. No good deedgoes unpunished.

Three weeks later, my teacher came to our home to visit, andhe told my mother how we came to school through the back door.I guess we got the same punishment we had avoided earlier, thewhip. This time, it was double what we would have had in school,but it was from our mother, not the teacher.

My mother was deeply disappointed. She was a no-nonsensewoman, and for her, good grades were number one. Indiscipline wasa number-one abomination. We got what we deserved and neverwent back to school by taking the beautiful dirt road.

Abasido Paralyzed

Twelve-year-old Abasido went to a boarding school for middleschool. He was strong and energetic. One day, our family was givennotice of the most devastating news that any family could have. Welearned that Abasido had become paralyzed. He was home for theholidays and could not walk, move, or feel any sensation from hiswaist down.

Before Abasido's illness, my mother had been admitted to ahospital located about twenty-one miles from our house for severeabdominal pain. Abasido had been taking food to my mother fromour home. The doctors had placed her on a special diet, which wasnot available at the hospital cafeteria. A chef had to prepare the mealat home, and Abasido and our driver took it to the hospital.

We were surprised to see our mother back home after five daysof admission because we were told she might be in for more thana week. She had gone in as an emergency and left against medicaladvice upon hearing the news of Abasido's illness. She took Abasidofrom one hospital to the other, and it dragged from days to weeksand finally to months. All the tests in the hospitals were normal.Medical insurance was not available in this part of the world, asis the case in most developing countries. After spending so muchmoney in hospitals, she decided to bring Abasido back home oneday. Some people, including health-care workers, advised her thatshe should try the native healers.

She dragged Abasido from the most popular one to thegreediest ones and spent more money, but Abasido still could notwalk. Abasido was the second child in our family of five children.He was, however, the first male child and the most mysterious.

There was gloom, pain, and despair in our home. The funniestperson in our family could not walk, run, or play games with us.My parents were distraught and confused. Mom had spent allher money and life savings on hospital bills. Finally, Abasido wasadmitted to one of the best hospitals in southeastern Nigeria forthree weeks. But his condition worsened. After this admission andtreatment, Mom decided to bring him home. She was sad, dejected,and desperate. My parents could hardly talk to each other. The oncevery happy family had fallen apart.

The Greatest Healer

Sobbing sounds coming from my parents' room woke us onemorning. We rushed to the living room to find our mother, Abigail,in tears because she had a weird dream. In the dream, someone hadtold her, "How can you be sleeping when the most precious thingyou have is dying? Get up and take your son to the church held atyour children's elementary school, and there he will be healed."

We were all shocked, and we all thought she had gone crazy.Surprisingly, at five that same morning, my mother left for theschool with Abasido. There she met with people she had neverknown to pray. Later that day, she told us that someone prophesyingat the prayer meeting had asked her, "What did you come here for?To see the wind shaking the trees or to be helped by God?"

Mom was told to go fast and pray with Abasido for one daywith a promise to see the salvation of the Lord. She returned homearound seven in the morning. There she showered, and then shetook Abasido back to the church.

Surprisingly, Abasido came back home, walking with support.His muscles that had begun to atrophy regained their strength.Within a few days, we were trying out his legs with our new soccerball. Joy had returned to our home. Another miracle had occurredin the town of Abak, where my mother worked as a registerednurse. Abasido is still alive today and can tell his story of the miraclethat happened to him. Moreover, whereas our mother is no longerliving, the power of God kept her faith and spirit alive. She hadreceived the total package of salvation.

Some medical experts have argued with me that this was not amiracle. They suggested that Abasido could have had Guillain-Barrésyndrome because it is associated with paralysis and spontaneousrecovery in some patients.

It is amazing how Mom had a dream about where she shouldtake Abasido for healing. Also, whatever the cause of the paralysiswas, he did not die from the illness. Why did the dream, fasting, andhealing occur on the same day? This is not a coincidence. Only theomnipowerful God and healer of our diseases can perform wonderslike that. He wiped away the tears, sorrow, and depression that hadcrept into our home following our brother's paralysis. "Now tohim who can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,according to his power that is at work within us. To him be gloryin the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations foreverand ever! Amen" (Eph. 3:20–21 NIV).

During the preparations of this book, I believed that my brotherwould continue to receive the greatest miracle of all, the salvationthat comes only from Jesus Christ. For some people, it takes timebefore they make the final decision and surrender to Jesus. Otherswait until it is too late. I pray this will not be you. As you arereading this book, I do not know if you believe God exists or not. Ifyou do, I pray you will be strengthened in the faith. If you have anydoubt about the existence and power of God, I want you to praythis prayer with me. "Almighty God, I want to know you. Revealyourself to me in Jesus's name. Amen."

For my mother, her son was her priceless gem until he becamelame. God was ready to show her who the priceless gem JesusChrist—the one who can step into our confusion, restlessness,hopelessness, sickness, disappointments, and disaster—is. "The thiefcomes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they mayhave life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10 NIV). You can find thispeace and tranquility in the midst of your storm.

Wise men do seek him, Jesus Christ, the priceless gem. Abasido'shealing was one of the greatest miracles that our family witnessedin the city of Abak. We were blessed to witness other miracles madepossible by the power of God.

CHAPTER 2

Transforming Power

"One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: `Powerbelongs to you, God'" (Ps. 62:11 NIV).

Greg the DancerAbak (1972)

Our family resided in Abak, a small city in Nigeria, from 1972to 1974. I was smart, gentle, and fearless. I was only six, but I waswilling to read anything. My most favorite thing was dancing.I represented my class at talent shows at the close of every schoolyear. But I had terrible asthma attacks at the peak of my dancingperformances and while exercising and during the spring.

The attacks were so bad for little me that I decided to quittalent shows at the end of my most recent performance. I had anolder sister named Ruby who also suffered from asthma. Ruby wasthe first child. She was outgoing and unique in her own way.

Our mother had used all kinds of medication, bothconventional and herbal. As long as I was not involved in high-speeddancing or running in cold weather, the asthma attacks were notso bad. Unfortunately for Ruby, she suffered more severe asthmaattacks. She had been to see a doctor several times, and she was onthree different medications.

On one Friday evening, four of us siblings had come backfrom school, and we all had eaten a very delicious meal made frompounded yam, chicken, and fish soup. After eating, our mother gaveus an assignment for the weekend. She asked us to set traps for thered tree ants that had invaded some of the trees in our backyard.The person who caught the most ants would get a generous prize.We made several traps ranging from bags to large basins loaded withglue, sugar, candy, and cookies. Some of the traps were hung on treebranches; others were placed at the foot of the trees overnight.

After eating breakfast the following morning, Mom brought outa large pot filled with water and boiled it on the stove. Surprisingly,she did not prepare anything for the boiling water. She told us togather our ant traps and bring them to her. Before we could stepoutside to get the ant traps, she sat down on the kitchen floor andstarted crying.

"What is wrong?" Ruby asked.

Mom told us that she was tired of what asthma was doing toher children. Between the two of us, Ruby and me, our motherwould stay up many nights to care for us both.

Bug Juice

During the last hospital visit for Ruby's asthma, someone in thehospital told our mom to try a natural remedy, said to be the finalcure for asthma. The remedy was to trap as many red tree ants aspossible and boil them in a pot. And once the ants were filtered out,she would serve the "ant water" to us in a cup. She told her thedrink was the final cure for asthma and many other diseases for herown children and relatives.

After telling the story, Mom cried so much that she could notstop. She was crying and praying for herself and her children at thesame time.

She kept asking, "God, how can you let asthma afflict us somuch? How can I give my children ant juice to drink when you areGod and can do all things?"

After hearing the story, we were frightened. We consoled Mom,and my brothers and I slowly withdrew from the house to thebackyard. Our mission was to burn all the ants because there wasno way we were going to drink any bug juice. When Mom finallystopped sobbing, she asked us to get rid of the ants. We told her notto worry about it. The ants were already dead.

The Healing CrusadeAbak (1972)

After the bug juice incident, our mother decided to forget aboutherbs and trust in prescription medicines and God to take care ofthe asthma. She heard of a preacher who was coming to town andwas said to have supernatural powers to heal the sick.

She decided to take all of us to a Christian crusade held in anopen field in the town where we lived because my asthma attackshad gotten worse. At about seven thirty on a Friday evening, thespeaker stood on the podium with a microphone in his hand. Hewas distinct from every other person in the crowd because he wasnot African. He had brown curly hair, and he was probably in hismidforties.

The crusade had been publicized in the local newspaper andannounced in all the schools and churches in the town. About twothousand people gathered for the meeting.

The speaker said, "If you are sick in any part of your body,touch it with your hands."

And he prayed a simple prayer. We experienced so much peace,contentment, and joy. Shouts of shock, joy, and disbelief disruptedthe peace, calm, and quiet. A blind man in the crowd regained hissight. A disabled man crippled from birth received strength from thesupernatural. He got out of his wheelchair and walked. Both menwere well known because their means of sustenance was beggingfor alms. They received their healing along with many otherstouched by that supernatural power.

I had put my hand on my chest when this man prayed. I havenot experienced any attack of asthma since I met this man andencountered the supernatural. Some doctors have told me that I hadchildhood asthma and it went away by itself. This might be true, butwhy did it suddenly disappear the night Dr. T. L. Osborne prayedfor me? Although he came to Abak in 1972 when I was only six, Icannot forget his name because he came with the supernatural thattouched and transformed many lives and left a lasting impression inmy life.

About six months prior to Dr. Osborne's visit to Abak, thecitizens of that city were made to stand on the streets and wave flagsto receive the military ruler of Nigeria, General Yakubu Gowon.General Gowon visited Abak with a large entourage and promisedto build a stadium in our state capitol and introduce tuition-freeeducation at the elementary school level.

Although the general's visit to my hometown was memorable,my personal encounter with the supernatural caught my attentionmore than coming close to the very nice and handsome Nigerianmilitary ruler. During his meeting in Abak, Dr. Osborne spoke ofnothing besides Jesus and his ability to deliver and set free people.After witnessing the miracles mentioned above, I thought of Dr.Osborne as a very powerful man from heaven.

In 1989, seventeen years later, I finally understood where hispower came from. Jesus Christ, during his final fleshly encounterwith his disciples, had told them, "Go into the world and preach thegospel to all creation" (Mark 16:15 NIV).

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, butwhoever does not believe will be condemned. Thesesigns will accompany those who believe: In my namethey will drive out demons; they will speak in newtongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands, andthey will drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them atall; they will place their hands on sick people, and theywill get well. (Mark 16:16–19 NIV)

I perceive that Dr. T. L Osborne obeyed the Word of God justas it is written in the Bible. God does not waste words. He backedup his Word just as he promised in the book of Isaiah.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,and do not return to it without watering the earth andmaking it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for thesower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goesout from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, butaccomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose forwhich I sent it. (Isa. 55:10–11 NIV)

Salvation

During the encounter with Dr. Osborne, some people received thetotal package of salvation. The noun "salvation" has four meanings:the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil, a means ofpreserving from harm or unpleasantness, the state of being preservedfrom harm, or saving someone or something from harm or from anunpleasant situation. "Redemption" is a synonym.