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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
On Sunday, June 26, 2022, Mr. Martins Egwakhide and his wife, Nosa Eunice Egwakhide, took their twin babies, Melchizedek and Melvina, to church for dedication and thanksgiving.
Like the biblical Hannah, wife of Elkanah (in I Samuel l:II), who asked for a male child and vowed to “lend” him to God all the days of his life, so Egwakhide said he did. Though, in his case, he asked for twins, a boy and girl.
The couple, from Edo State, resident in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, testified at the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Rumuola, Port Harcourt, where they had gone to dedicate the twins to God, in fulfilment of the vow the man made to God.
Giving his testimony, Egwakhide said it was a 21-year-long journey filled with trials and problems. He said, despite the challenges the childlessness brought them for over two decades, they did not waver in spirit nor doubt the wonders God could do.
The couple shared their joy of being parents before the congregation, which he acknowledged it couldn’t have been possible, if God had not destined it.
Egwakhide said the arrival of their children has silenced their enemies. He recalled the tribulations he and his wife passed through all those years. According to him, the twins were products of a vow to God, coming from several years of prayer, fasting, supplication and faith. He termed it “21 years long walk.”
The elated husband disclosed that his wife, Nosa, gave birth to the twins not through caesarean section at the age of 50 years. He said: “As a matter of fact, it is 21 years long walk to this great joy. We have gone through all kinds of trials, battles, different places. But I thank God for the God of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries.
“All kinds of things were said about me, my wife, especially me. But, today, God has shut their mouths.”
He also expressed concerns about the pains his wife had passed through in the course of the pregnancy.
He recalled: “The antecedents of it all began with the completion of this church, when we were expecting the general overseer, Daniel Olukoya, to come and dedicate the church. That was in December 2019.
“While preparations were going on for the completion of the church, I came in from Abuja and I saw work that was actually going on to round up the project.
“As I walked up to the church, I saw the builder, Engr. Koko, at the main entrance with some other engineers trying to do some calculations and map out the church logo outside there, how they would arrange it.
“I was touched to make a vow in that. So, I approached Koko and asked him how much the logo would cost. He told me the amount. It was much. I didn’t have N1 in my account because the money I was expecting had taken too long.
“So, I came down to the altar here and knelt down. I told God that I wanted to take up that project (logo) out there as a vow. And when He fulfilled it, these children would be formally given to Him to be His own servants. And I told God that I needed a boy and a girl.”
He stated that, by the time he made the vow, his wife had not taken in. He made the vow and request in faith, believing in God’s power of possibilities.
He continued: “Every morning, I am sure, the security men can testify of this, I would come to this altar to talk to God about this vow. Every evening, before I went back home, I would come back to this altar and still cry God about it. Meanwhile, the money was not forthcoming.
“I was counting time; time that GO would come was just running out. And before we knew it, our GO came and dedicated the church. I was depressed.
“But, I remembered the book I read, how one man who was paralyzed made a vow that God should heal him. He didn’t have money. But, when he finished paying that money, to the surprise of everybody, he got up and walked. So, I said I would cue into that vow.”
According to him, he did not allow nonavailability of money to discourage or dampen his spirit over the vow he made, of taking responsibility for the church logo.
However, he said that at the appointed time, the money he was expecting was paid and he was able to complete the payment.
He recalled that at one of the periods he visited the Assistant General Overseer in charge of Africa Continent (AGO), Pastor (Dr.) Lawrence Olasahinde, over the logo project vow, the AGO told him that for being faithful with the vow, God would also be faithful to him.
He said: “God has used this great man to remove shame from me. So, I came to him for first instalment. I told him I made a vow and this is what they told me is the amount. He said yes. I gave it to him. He took it from me and said, even after this church has been dedicated you still chose to pay this money, I said yes. He made a pronouncement, that, ‘because you are faithful to God, God, Himself, will be faithful to you.”
According to him, shortly after the completion of the vow, and the pronouncement of the AGO on his birthday, the wife took in. Nine months later, she delivered twins on March 9, 2022.
He noted: “My wife put to bed at the age of 50. Let me shock you, it was not by C.S. After the delivery, there was a mountain battles, especially my son from one hospital to another. We kept battling until today, we said these children must appear before God.
“These children, they are not mine. They are God’s own because they are children I got through vow. I say, God, thank you. I called the first (boy), Melchizedek. And the girl, I called Melvina. I have prayed that God should establish his convenant of priesthood in their lives. They are God’s own. We’re just caretakers.”
In her brief testimony, Nosa said with the pregnancy and delivery, she could appreciate what mothers pass through in child-bearing.
She expressed: “Well, my husband has said it all. But, I just want to say one thing: During the period of pregnancy, it wasn’t an easy thing. We thank God for seeing us through.
“And I want to say that, during the labour, when the first baby came out, I was like saying “Jesus, is it how our mothers went through labour pain? For this, I appreciate all mothers.
“Mothers are wonderful. I begin to imagine that some mothers gave birth to 10 or 12. So, this is what they passed through. It was at that point I really appreciate what mothers go through.
“I want to say that in all, it was a surprise to a lot of people. At the end, God showed Himself mightily.”
