Hi, i’m Martha Ngufan Odumu, this is my story
One fateful day, an intern bearing the name “Dr. Paul Odumu”, joined us after graduating from medical school to do his internship program. He was accommodated at the Mission’s doctors' quarters, opposite our house, and shared a few similarities with me:
…AND GOD CLOTHED OUR MARRIAGE WITH A SILVER ROBE: NGU-PAUL IS 25!
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Ephesians 2:10 NLT
All my life, I have lived by the power of Love- first the love of God, through Jesus Christ His son, then the love of man. My story is single handedly written by God. It is true, powerful and intriguing. I would like to share it, and completely. I believe in its power to bless someone…
I grew up in a family of 7 children catered for by two lovebirds as parents. Their fondness for each other was a great inspiration to me. I hoped to someday have a marriage like theirs. They were both nurses, and this was a huge blessing to me. They were also fervent lovers of God. They worshipped with the NKST Mission: a local Orthodox Church headquartered at Mkar, a small community in Gboko, Benue state, Nigeria. The Church had branches and schools across Tiv land that my siblings and I attended, and it also had hospitals where my parents worked in all their career lives.
I caught a glimpse of God’s love while still under my parents care as I watched them live and train us in the way of the Lord. It was during my first year at Bristow secondary school when I was 10 years old that I gave my life to Christ at one of our FCS (Fellowship of Christian Students) meetings. My parents showed me the right way, and God manifested and took full control.
Tragedy struck when we lost our mom to the cold hands of death after battling cancer for one year. My dad did everything possible to have her restored back to health, but to no avail. He prayed for her with his whole heart. Dad’s love for my mom was real… and it didn’t stop even after her death… It made me wish for a man like him… And God saw my heart and smiled at me without me knowing His plan at the time. I’ll tell you how it unfolded, please follow me…
Life went on well for me as I grew in the school fellowship. I loved sharing the Good News with people, as I served in different positions in the fellowship. I graduated from secondary school and got admitted into the School of Nursing in my community. I kept God's fire burning by joining the Fellowship of Christian Nurses (FCN) in my new school. As I progressed, we were periodically sent to the Mkar Christian Hospital for clinicals.
One fateful day, an intern bearing the name “Dr. Paul Odumu” joined us after graduating from medical school, for his internship. He was accommodated at the mission’s doctors' quarters, opposite our house, and shared a few similarities with me: We attended the same morning worship that was compulsory for all the hospital workers and students. We walked in the same walkway to and from our houses, and sometimes worshiped in FCN together, and above all, we both loved God. God had a plan with all these, but I'm yet to know…
Paul's love for God prompts him to preach the Gospel to all, and sundry, though he couldn't speak the native dialect (because he is an Idoma by tribe, but we share the same state), he implored the help of interpreters, who helped him with his preaching. He has a way of communicating God's love to people that makes many to often believe, and he never ceases to preach.
Having been familiar with me on these routes, he sought my help on one occasion to accompany him to interpret while he preached to the people in the TB unit of the hospital since his regular interpreters were not available then. That was the first time we talked closely, and seeing the zeal in him, I obliged. We had a tremendous harvest that day, many people were converted to God. Mission accomplished, we walked home fulfilled. He invited me to his house for a cup of tea, which I accepted, and right there in his house, he proposed. Guess my reply? I've got no reply… I was barely an 18-year-old novice living a triangular lifestyle (from home to hospital, from hospital to fellowship, and from fellowship back to home). He saw how confused I was, and told me to put it in prayer. “This must be love at first sight”, I thought. “Let me wait and see his reaction when he finds out what he doesn't know about me”, I concluded. My heart remained intact, waiting for the True Love call…
Reality struck when like I’d thought, I took ill with an ailment affecting me since birth. The truth is, I was born with sickle cell anemia, and while growing up, I was always admitted to the hospital for proper care. My Dad and Mom, my heroes, made sure I got the right care anytime, but this time, I hoped to see Paul’s reaction. Paul got his first shock about me…so I thought, but the reverse was the case. He stood his ground, reminding me of God’s love for me and His immeasurable power to heal me. He prayed for me and gave me some Christian books that talked about God’s power to heal, like, “To Heal The Sick” by Charles and Frances Hunter, “How Big Is God” by Katherine Kuhlman, which were my favorites, and many more. My faith grew in God, believing in Him for a miracle, and trusting Him for a change of story. Silently, I prayed for God’s will to be done, having grown fond of Paul. My heart’s defense had broken as I looked forward to seeing him every day. You will never see me absent from any of the house fellowships he hosted in his house, talk more of not going to preach with him. I wished for his internship to be extended, but sadly, he had to leave for his one-year youth service program.
“…Love is invincible, facing danger and death. Passion laughs at the terrors of hell. The fire of love stops at nothing – it sweeps everything before it. Flooding waters can’t drown love neither will torrents of rain put it out. Love can’t be bought, love can’t be sold…” Songs of Solomon 8:6-7 MSG
“…love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned.”
Song of Songs 8:6-7 NIV
I, on the other hand, went for my postgraduate studies in midwifery at Makurdi, our state capital. Thoughts of Paul flooded my mind often and I fondly called him “My Paul” within me, at the time. I waited to see what God would do and God was busy watching me with a smile.
I came back to see My Paul back in my community for me… (well, he told me that), and I learned that he was posted to the rural annex of the hospital, Mbaakon, a village quite far from my town. Distance couldn’t stop him, and this time Paul proposed again and got a “YES” for an answer (I watched his eyes glowed with love for me). He didn’t wait any further as he initiated the formal marriage processes. The first day Paul made his intention known to my dad, I was tense, as Dad bluntly spelled out everything about me, ranging from my health issues to his fears of me being maltreated later in the future due to our tribal differences. Paul allayed all his fears, won his heart and crushed the barrier about my health status by saying, “My God Can Heal Any Sickness” confidently. My dad gave his blessings, and with tears in my eyes, I looked up to God and whispered, “Thank you, Father…”
Three years down after his first proposal, we got married, and November 15th is the code. From 1997 till date, I realized that Paul’s love for me grows day in day out.
Our honeymoon lasted Four Years! We welcomed our first bundle of joy, “Esther Ochanya” (our daughter) a week after our second wedding anniversary. Paul (My Paul) made sure that I got the best of his services. The instructions given in Ephesians 5:25, that says, “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her”, has always been observed by Paul.
I admire him more for his unwavering faith in God, which makes him give God first place in all he does. He takes God seriously by honoring His word and making each of His sayings his.
The birth of our Son, Samuel Oche Odumu, and our second daughter, Sarah Otuwali, at five years intervals each, to the surprise of all, made us remember what The Psalmist said in Psalm 44:6-7; “I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory, but You (God) give us victory over our enemies, You put our adversaries to shame…”. God gave us victory all through my pregnancies and deliveries, He made me have the experience of the Hebrew women.
Parenting set in, but that didn’t stop Paul from wanting the best for me. I shared in his dreams and aspirations, and together, we started a Mission a year after our wedding that metamorphosed into a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) named “Odumehaje Christian Medical Mission”, popularly called OCMM, with the aim of taking comprehensive Healthcare, Essential Services and Hope to the doorsteps of Underserved Communities in Nigeria. While I oversee the affairs of the mission, My Paul combines it with his full-time job as a Family Physician and Head of the Training program in the Family Medicine Department of the Nigerian Ministry Of Defense. He had me further my studies in the United Kingdom and the United States of America, which equipped me ahead for the Mission’s tasks.
Tragedy struck again when we lost our second daughter, Sarah, who was three weeks shy of four years. She died after a brief
illness on April 30th, 2014. It was such a dark night but God was there for us, reminding us of his word in Romans 8:28, which
says, “All things work together for good to them that love God and are called, according to his purpose.” We overcame our grief,
were comforted and focused on our quest
“Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah” Psalm 68:19. This has always been
our song…
Our organization grew bigger and got registered in 2021 in the United States as Helping Team International with the acronym, HTI.
I work side by side with Paul and many other staff & volunteers; and through the organization, we make holistic healthcare
available, affordable and accessible to underserved communities around the world. We find joy and fulfillment in what we do.
Our two children, Esther and Samuel, have grown up into adorable and talented young adults, filled with the HolySpirit and eager
to serve God on the missions with us. They are a blessing and we are so thankful to God for them.
Our marriage remains evergreen, filled with happiness, God’s love, and His Blessings. Walking this path with Paul is the sweetest of
it all. I am happy to be pampered by him, and to be reminded daily that I’m the mother of his children… oh, the joy is overwhelming.
Paul showed me the beauty of marriage… Never tired of caring for me, and Always a Darling. “Like the finest apple tree in the
orchard is my lover among the young men. I sit in his delightful shade and taste his delicious fruit. ” Song of Songs 2:3(NLT).
Now that God has clothed our marriage with a Silver Robe, I guess it is right for me to propose to him this time, at least, for once,
since he did previously. Wondering how surprised he will be to see me on one knee with a ring seeking his hand in marriage… but
what matters is for him to say Yes… So here I go with my proposal –
“Dear Paul, I must say that calling you my Husband would hardly give any justice because you’ve been more than that to me… You are My Sweetheart, My Rock, My Best Friend, My Pastor, My Doctor, My Strongest Support, My Cheerleader, My Backbone, and My Reassuring Presence. The only person I can rely on not to judge me…This altogether proves God’s love for me…
You made me think that the word, “A Virtuous Man” should be permitted, because that’s what you are to me…
You came into my life and had all my nightmares disappear, making our 25 years of marriage look like 25 days. Our paths were destined to cross, and in your arms, I’ve found solace…
I can’t get enough of you, My Paul… And here I am proposing to be Your Queen Again and Forever.
I promise to Love you in your weakest moment and in your strongest ones…
I promise to Love you when you are happy and Love you the more when you are sad…
I will always be there for you, my hero, as long as God gives me breath, taking care of You just for you…
Please be mine just as you Always are…
Let’s continue with this Journey until we get the Crown of Life in Heaven, and if marriage is permitted there, I will not be shy to be the one to propose.
I LOVE YOU ALWAYS, MY PAUL…THANK YOU FOR LOVING ME.”
From Your Queen (as you always call me),
Ngufan.
Cheers to our Blissful Years Ahead!
”For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him” – GEN 18:19