Church women leaders led my husband into temptation- (The concluding part) Story by Ayo Buba

For four days, I hid myself in a hotel in the city. I checked in there with our two children who happened to also be on the long holiday at school. I did not want to see anybody. Not even my husband. I needed time to organise the streaming thoughts that was running wild in my mind.

I did not know at what point I embarked on fasting and prayer. Though the combination of that two aspect of Christianity had come to stay with me for long.  I didn’t even notice that I was not eating. It was the children that brought my attention to it. I didn’t feel like eating. As much as I possibly could, I shielded the matter from my children who saw our stay in the hotel as a holiday.

I prayed like I had never done before and I disconnected myself from the world. No television, no radio, no form of communication. At the back of my mind, I knew that the news would be about town because my husband and I were popular pastors, but there was nothing I could do about that.

I also knew that my elderly parents at Ekpoma would be worried, if they happen to hear about the incident. But there was nothing I could do about that either.

It was after the third day at the hotel that I began to hear an inner call that I should look for my husband. I had done a full three-day fast with continuous prayer when that message came. I began to panic.

Where was I going to see him? Was I to return home where all our neighbours would be waiting for explanations? But lo and behold, that evening as the children and I were returning to our suite on the first floor of the hotel building, we saw my husband coming through the car park. He was shocked and so was I.

“I knew you all would be here," he said, something kept leading me here. The spirit does not lie.         

I waited speechless because there was just nothing to say. I was seeing him for the first time after the purported incident at the church. He looked a bit slimmer. After the greetings and hugging of the children, we went upstairs where he sat me down to narrate how the church elders had later found out that the church women leaders had hatched the heinous plan for his downfall.

It was a grievous story as far as I was concerned, one which took us the next six months to overcome structurally.

To start with, my unwaving love for my pastor husband did not wane a bit. Also finding out at the church that his side of the story was true, made me more convinced to love him more. Though I still scolded him in my peculiar way. I also learnt newer things from the elders in the church that my husband could have been spiritually influenced by the women. I guess the prayer and fasting I embarked upon, made me stronger.

It true that my husband came under hard knocks from the media, despite the true side of the matter that was equally well circulated by the church, but I was resolved to stay with my husband.

We made our decisions, we were going to move on, more anchored and determined to be led by the Holy Spirit. Nonetheless, mild crisis erupted in the church, some of the members left, worshipppers reduced and eventually, we had to give away the complex to another ministry.

My pastor husband, I and the children, moved out of the country, into a vibrant city, where God led us. We started on a fresh note. We had nothing else to do but to march on in Christ's exceeding grace and love, encouraged by the Holy Spirit.

He begged for forgiveness from me, though deep in my heart, I had long forgiven him the day I found out about the evil mischief designed and implemented on him by the church women leaders.

Yes, they wrecked him, but it was for a while. No one could stop the work of God. Though it was not an easy time for us all, but victory came through our Lord God.

We worked harder, won more souls to Christ in our new city. My husband had learnt his lesson. Wherever he goes now, he ensures that he never goes alone. The only time he is alone is when he is with I and the children.

As a handsome man filled with the Holy Spirit of God, it didn't take long before our new church auditorium was filled up with members.

But I also learnt my lesson! I work closely with the various women groups in the church now. I also tactfully shield my husband physically from the women without making it too obvious.

I do not ignore unusual smiles, or dramatic sudden enthusiasm. I also make sure that I note envious looks and I am wary of eye-service. Today, I am my husband's watchdog. I don't overdo it though, but I guard my husband physically and spiritually against anything that can hurt our ministry.