JAR OF OIL SEASONS.... REAL STORIES, REAL PEOPLE

 REAL STORIES..... REAL PEOPLE

        Hello dearest, how have you been? It's been a while. I believe you're good. So we will continue from where we stopped. The last time we spoke about little drops of water that make a mighty ocean. In this context, we call them "our jar of oil" seasons. So I got a beautiful couple to share their personal stories on how they were able to make something out of what they considered nothing or too little. This couple, are my pastors: Rev and Pastor Lilian Ochemba👼👼💓💖💗.

Let's do ladies first😁.

               PASTOR LILIAN

   

 What I had, but didn't realize I had, was, (shall we say?) relationships  or gift of men. I had always wanted to start an NGO. I had always wanted to reach out to others, make a difference in people's lives, and help them get well. My husband would often say, "why don't you start?" And I will tell him I don't have the funds to begin.. I need funds to purchase the items these people require. I need resources to  plan, logistics and everything else. 

    As a result, I would constantly inform them that I lacked the resources. And then I didn't want to do it any longer. I wanted to execute it in such a way that when I go on my outreaches, these individuals would be aware. That meant I'd have to think and plan large.

    I've been making this same justification for years. But one day, I just decided to start. I attended an event, and the things mentioned really got me motivated. So I told myself I would start regardless. 

    When I started, I tried to reach out to a specific community but they wouldn't even give me attention. This was because they were looking for food🍛 or any other items, and I didn't have any at my disposal.  So I needed to re-strategize, which meant getting food items, clothing, and other things that would really draw their attention. 

        Then my husband suggested I did a video telling people what I was doing. So I made a video and people helped me share. And before you know it, people started sending me messages; "I have bag of clothes. I will bring it". "I have food, I will bring it." "I will support you with so and so". People sent money💰.

    And the funny thing is that, I didn't even have a registered NGO so it was my personal business account they were sending it to. And at the end of the day, the outreach was successful and we shared more than enough things.

    Now I've done a second outreach without having the "money" I was looking for, but by the help of men, by the gift of men and relationships around me. Initially I believed no good could come from relationships. But God taught me  that even men are gifts from Him and He can choose to give them to us to help sort out our personal needs if only we can trust Him.

    So that's pretty much it. I had the gift of men but I didn't know the value of people around me. I didn't know people could be of help to me so I was thinking I was all by myself and I was going to figure it all by myself.  I was going to look for how to make it work myself but God opened my eyes to the fact that relationships are also key.

    A day to the outreach, I was telling my husband that it is only someone that has gone through this path that will sincerely understand when you say you don't need money to carry out most of these projects🚧. I always thought I needed plenty money to start in a big way, but God blew my mind by the gifts of people around me.

    Nice story indeed, and very inspiring. But what's a Rev's wife story without mentioning her husband ten times?😆😆😆   

    REV CHIMA 

    My life amplifies a lot of "jar of oil" moments; moments when I felt inadequate. Moments when I felt unable. Moments when I felt like the "five loaves of bread" scenario against the "five thousand". There are several moments like that in my life but let me talk about my fashion business.

    In 2004, my family was in a situation where my dad hadn't gotten big contracts for a while and I had to go back to school. He made sure he got all our school books and our fees paid. 

     I remember on of those cases, I was given pocket money, part of which was my transport fare from Warri to FUTO. "Pastor Chi" was coming back😅so I had to buy two loaves of bread🍞 and banana🍌, and by the time I got to school, it was almost gone. I just had to manage myself through that season, through that time. 

    On a certain day I got a call from one of my uncles and he said, "hey, what's happening with you at school? Are you alright? What's the matter? I hope everything is okay." So I told him the usual, "I wish I had more funds, but we are fine". So he sent me #5000 on MoneyGram. Back then, account numbers and transfers were not as fluid as they are these days.  I remember borrowing #100 from my neighbor to go to the bank in town (Standard Trust) then. By 9am I was in the bank and I didn't leave there till past 5😃. It was a long, hungry and hopeful day. I remember when they gave me the money a few minutes past 5, I had to go to a nearby restaurant and I sorted myself with a loaded wrap of fufu😋. 

    So I came back to the hostel that day with my #5K as a big boy. I paid back my friend his #100. I knew that I needed something to help sustain myself even though it wasn't anything big, but I didn't know what it was. I couldn't do anything unethical because I had a very strong believers' background⛪. My parents did a fantastic job on that for which I'm eternally grateful. I knew there was something more for me to do  but I didn't know exactly what it was. And like I said earlier, I didn't want to do anything that was ungodly. I didn't want to be in that association that seemed as though they could meet my physical needs. My faith☩ was more important than anything else.

    I spoke to a friend of mine who lived in Aba about making a shirt from my #5K. Back then, to make shirts (both fabric and sewing), was #600 or so, depending on the quality of the fabric. But with a good fabric, you could get for #600. So I got my friend to help me get to Aba🚌. I remember him giving me descriptions and thereafter following me. I made two shirts and wore one. No business in mind. I just needed shirts to add to my wardrobe since I hadn't had anything new for a while.

    I went back to school and wore one of them to class. A friend and classmate of mine looked at me and said, "wow, nice shirt man." I didn't know where it came from but I said, "well, they are for sale oh😁". I can remember selling those shirts for #1400. In fact I sold the one I wore that day and came home with a white round neck tee-shirt. In other words, I already had that business grit within me that I hadn't maximized. So I said to myself, "wow, that's some good stuff😎". 

    I went back to Aba, made three shirts this time, wore one, sold the other two. I made one and sent to my friend in Benin and when he wore it to class, he started marketing the shirt there as well. From there, it just kept getting better and better. I remember when I got my first call to make 120 shirts and I was like, "are you serious? Is this even possible?" Then from shirts👕, I started making trousers, to waist coats, to suits🕴 and then to choir robes. Before you know, the full fashion and costume business became a stay for me.

     From 2004 up till today, I still have that business running. I got married on that business. I was doing a lot of work and making some money from there. What's the lesson from this? I could have blown that #5000 but that #5K became my five loaves and two fishes. I brought it before the LORD and He blessed it, and here I am today. That is how most of my increase has come; from fashion. The same way also, the little skill of graphics design, when I took it seriously, got me my job at an International organization. From doing graphics for social media, to designing graphics internationally. So you see the evolution from my little?

    What is my message? Young man, young lady, do not take for granted what you have. Do not take for granted what you know. Do not take for granted what is available for you. God never leaves us without our cruise of oil. God never leaves us without our five loaves and two fishes. There is always something small that He gives us, but in that small lies great potential. That's my story. Hope it helped you😇😇😇.

        So these are real stories, by real people, giving us their own version of their "jar of oil" seasons.  The question still remains; what do you have? Jesus asked that question. Elisha asked the same question. I ask again, what do you have?

    Thanks for your time. Stay blessed and established. Love you aplenty💖💖💖