! ! ! TRUE 2010 AFRICAN ADVENTURE STORIES ! ! !
john roy bohlen & John 5:30
Tuesday, September 1, 2010: Well, here I am, home from the far country, Nigeria. Wow. Wow. And, triple WoW!!!!!!!!!
What an incredible ride! Whew! I came home, leaned against the car, my back was hurting, my feet were swollen, my chest was hurting, I was tired, moving slowly, my back itched in a bunch of places. I greeted the people, took a long hot shower, sat down in my easy chair, surfed some channels, ate some scrambled eggs at Kari's hands, ate some toast at Michael's hands, and fell asleep for 5 solid hours in one position.
When I awoke, I thought I was still in Africa. I had been sleeping so long in one position, my throat was sore from snoring on my back. When I was fully awake, I was in a state of wonder. The house was quiet. I turned off the air conditioners, the lights, went out and got the rest of the C-Pap machine in the pump house where Michael had put it to keep from importing negativities, bugs, etc.
I was in a state of wonder, getting re-acquainted with the house. The stars were not out. I wandered about, aware that everyone was home and asleep. I wrote the gang a thank you note for serving me.
I tasted some tomatoes from the garden. Wow! How sweet!
I cleaned my c-pap machine, came up-stairs, and marveled that someone had cleaned my room, my desk, end table, counters, desk, etc. Thank You, God, and thank you, Karen. Amen.
But I could not access my internet. I suppose that someone has perhaps done something differently with the internet access.
Well, once again, I am sleepy! I think I will try sleeping, although I realize that, in Africa, they are waking up, and have begun running. The horns are honking in the go-slow at Os(h)odi, and, at the Maryland go-around. . . Let's see now, it is 2 a.m. here, which means that it is 8:01, at Vinning. . .
Orun, ati orun, awon orun, ko le gba Olorun. (repeat)
Ki o le fi gbogbo ekun Olorun fun nyin. (keep repeating this).
Heaven, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain God.
But, may you be fillllled with allllll the fulllllness of God.
Or, The Universe cannot contain God . . . . but, your head can!
1020 P.M.: Went to the Dr. today, said nothing wrong, ordered more tests, took my blood to check for heart attack damage.
Thursday, September 3, 2010: Well, this is very interesting. I have been having heart pain since arriving home. When I helped unload the car of luggage, of groceries, a relatively severe pain developed in my upper left had heart area. I bent over the car. Then, when I climbed the stairs to bed, it returned. When my wife and I got together, the next morning, it returned, for about 45 minutes. Then, we went to see Dr. Jolayemi, took a blood test to see if I had had a heart attack. Also, we took a heart test on the monitor to see if the heart was working o.k. It was. She also took my pulse. O.K. She also prescribed some nitroglycerine pills. I came home, The pain returned when I went to load the garbage for burning. I came into the house, took a nitro, reclined in my chair. The pain subsided. It was scheduled to rain the next day, and there was much garbage that needed to be burned, so I went back out to finish loading the garbage. The pain returned, like a clenched fist, from the hollow at the base of my throat, larger than the size of my fist, below my collar bone, on my left side. Since the keys had been removed, I went back into the house and took another nitro. The pain subsided. As the garbage really needed to be burned, and the windows on the minivan needed to be closed, I went back out, and Kari went with me in another car, to light my work with the headlights. I burned the garbage, returned the cans, closed the windows, and, with the third return of pain, went back inside the house, and took another nitro. The pain subsided. When I climbed the stairs, the pain returned. The next day, following breakfast, I went to the garden, and collected tomatoes, peppers, yellow squash, a cucumber and all but four of the last of the summer plumbs. As I was finishing, the pain came back. But, when I returned to the house, I did not take another nitro, as it appeared to be subsiding on its own.
Father God: Is it time for me to die? Is it Your will that I become an invalid? Or, is it time for me to take faith for more years? I think I will decide to take faith for more adventures, more years. Karen told me last night, that if I have heart pain, she will not make love to me any more. I did not say anything.
I have decided to take faith for life, for healing, for good body stewardship, for weight loss, for lowered cholesterol, less medication, exercise, to beat this pain, to continue making love, to make more trips to Africa. I believe that I will choose life. Amen.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 201O
For the past 2 days, I have had no heart pain, though doing regular work, mowing, lifting, climbing stairs, etc. Thank You, Lord. Each and every heart-beat, every breath of air, every pain-free moment, every moment spent in God, every coherent thought, is a gift from God. Isn't it?!.
True African Adventure Stories!
"PLENTY SOMETHING"
One newly widowed pastor's wife, our sister in the Lord, asked me, "I hope you brought plenty, plenty something for me from America." I gave to her, from what little I had left.
BODY STEWARDSHIP
A dearly beloved Nigerian medical doctor friend of mine, Dr. Wilson, lamented the fact that many men and women of God in Nigeria fail to practice good body stewardship, and hence, die needlessly, far before their time. The life expectancy in America is 77, in Nigeria, it is 51.
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN: WITH A BABY ON MY CHEST
I ministered in one muddy small backwards kind of place. When I arrived early, the people were huddled inside the church, and, as I am sometimes led to do, pleaded with the pastor to bring the service outside, along with the sound system. This way, the entire community can get involved, and exposed to the Gospel. My chair was front and center in front of the church. I asked the pastor's wife, who had been nursing her baby, if I could hold the baby. AS I did, I told them of how Jesus held the little children as He laid His hands upon them and blessed them, having taken them up in His arms. I reminded them of how Jesus said that, many times He had wanted to gather them, like the mother chicken gathers the little baby chickens under her wings. I spoke to them of the Secret Place of the Most High, under the Shadow of the Almighty, and how we can live here constantly, while underneath us, are God's everlasting arms, and of how we are seated, hidden with Christ in God the Father. I told them that if they repented of their sins, committed themselves TOTALLY to God, and accepted Christ within them AS their LIFE, that they could live continually on their Heavenly Father's lap and listen to His heart-beat, His whispers of encouragement.
ROAD BLOCK
The police stopped us at a road-block, as the policeman approached the window, I smiled and said, "Oyinbo Pepe". His stern and official face broke into laughter, along with his fellow policemen, and we drove away, also happy and laughing. This Oyinbo Pepe is part of a saying that goes like this, "Oyinbo Pepe, eef ee eats de pepe, he goes yello, mo ee mo!" Which means, "White man, if he eats pepe (or African food), he will get more and more sun burned." The African people are making fun of our inability or unwillingness to eat African food, and of our inclination to get sunburned. When I said "Oyinbo Pepe", I was letting them know that I knew the inside of this, and was willing to laugh with them, at white people, myself included. This saying is somewhat similar to the rhyme that some of us learned as children, "Eeny, eeny, miney, mo - - - "
COMMUNION: THIS IS MY BODY/BLOOD
I was given an opportunity to help Dr Elijah Bankole minister communion to his some 25-30 pastors. I gently reminded them that, as the communion elements go to every part of their body, that they can likewise take faith that the Blood and Body of Jesus can go effectively to every part of our body, for healing, for deliverance, etc.
"ORUN, ATI ORUN"
2 Chronicles 2:6 & 6:18 tells us the entire Universe cannot contain God, but Ephesians 3:19 b tells us that our head can!!!!!! Let me repeat. "The Universe cannot contain God, but our head can!!!!!!" Our brain, our cells, our clothes, our skin, our shoes, our bones, our muscles can contain God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
KING'S PALACE CHAPEL
Close to Badagary, one of the oldest and best known slavery holding and shipping points on the West Coast of Africa, there is a certain king and his queen. They are Spirit filled and deeply committed Christians, and routinely hold church in the throne-room. I gave the dramatized sermon, using the king to represent Father God, the queen to represent God the Son Jesus, and a child on their lap, while they are embracing, to represent ourselves, seated at the Father's right hand, as the Bible says, "Our lives are hidden with Christ innnnn God (the Father)." Col.3:3
The pastor who introduced us to this king, was himself the son of a very powerful king and queen from the area, who had been verrry cruel, and had been responsible fro the deaths of too many. After his cruel father died, the queen mother ascended the throne and was a very cruel murderer. She was still living, had gloriously become born again, and has a very powerful testimony of God grace and her complete change to become a lovely and powerful child of and for God.
It was in this same location that I had been appointed to the position of "Academic Chancellor", or, an advisor/counselor to their college, and their curriculum.
ADISONA: 90 PLUS PASTORS/CHURCHES
I was invited to the largest city in Africa, and to the largest black city in the world, to be the featured speaker to the 40th annual conference of a group of 90 plus churches and pastors, of a denomination of churches scattered up and down the West Coast of Africa. They and their members opened their hearts widely to me and the Gospel of the Kingdom. I began the conference by polishing the shoes of a humble pastor, removing my outer garment, kneeling down. Afterward, I admonished all of the pastors to return home and wash the feet of their wife. They all vowed to do so, in a culture that would scream against the practice. (Some of them did complain!). I then taught them the Meaning of the Kingdom of God, the Throne-Room, the King's Greatest Secret, the Name of the King of the Kingdom. (None of them had known before), and Kingdom Glory, etc. They gave me a new set of African clothes. They paid our hotel and drinking water expenses, and made food for us.
THE LIGHT TURNS ON
A dear pastor friend of mine who has worked closely with me for over twenty years, has heard me preach on the King's Greatest Secret! many many times. Recently, while reading a book by Watchman Nee, the light suddenly came on in his brain, and the revelation of the exchanged victorious Christian Life, the King's Greatest Secret came to him. He exclaimed to himself, "Ohhhh, so that's what John has been talking about and teaching for the last 20 years!!!" After he "got it", he was heard to remark, "When a person gets this revelation (of the King's Greatest Secret!), one wants to shout it from the house-tops!!!" And, shout it, teach it and live it, he has!
COFFIN ON DE HEAD
We were having great fellowship with a lady pastor, when I had a wish that she tell us a story. She responded with a smile, and, a promise that this following story is true. She said that this story happened in her father's city. It goes like this: Once, there was a boy that died. The hearse was on its way to the funeral, where everyone was waiting. But, they got stuck in a hopeless traffic jam that would not move for hours, which would make them arrive impossibly late. However, the church where the funeral was located was very close, but on the other side of the road. A man, on his way to the funeral, offered to assist them, by offering to carry the relatively light coffin on his head, across the other lane of busy traffic. In Nigeria, and West Africa, nearly every impossible thing gets carried on one's head, including refrigerators, stoves, sewing machines, etc. Finally, it was agreed upon, and the man was carrying the coffin across the busy other lane of traffic. Just then, a policeman saw the man carrying the coffin upon his head, and stopped the man on the other side of the road, demanding to know why he was carrying the coffin upon his head, and demanding money for their trouble. But the man carrying the coffin said nothing. The police called his superior officer over and, together they began harassing the coffin carrier, as though to extort bribe money from him. Still the coffin carrier said nothing. Another officer joined the questioning, and, together, they attempted to roughly interrogate and bully the man. Finally, the coffin carrier spoke, but in a low and mysterious voice, "I no like de place where dey done buried me, so I go carry my coffin-house to de oooodder side to a better place ah go bury mysef." The police all ran away in terror, and, for months did not soooon return to harass people at dat place.
SUICIDAL PASTOR'S WIFE
A certain pastor's wife requested to counsel with me. I met in a public place that on the one hand, offered privacy, but that on the other hand, was quite visible, with the door open, so that everything was proper. As the lady was pouring out her heart of difficulties, I asked her if she had contemplated suicide. In a quiet voice of wonder, she confided that I was the only person in the world to have asked that question. God met that woman's heart, as I told her the King's Greatest Secret and the Throne-Room revelation. She was completely delivered from her depression and her sadness, received hope and lasting encouragement. She came to see that Christ Himself was sweetly available to her to live His glorified Life through her, and that her loving and all powerful Heavenly Father was available to hold her in His long, strong loving arms, far over and above everything that can be named. As she got the picture revelation that she could live her life on Papa Yahweh's lap, and listen to Daddy Yahweh's heart-beat, where there is fullness of joy, and pleasures forevermore, she became filled with peace and joy and hope and encouragement. She since, has consistently reported being gloriously victorious.
PANSAGA X 3
Through the grace of God, and, perhaps, a word of knowledge, I spoke, on three separate occasions to men that had been unfaithful to their wife. In all of these cases, there took place, complete repentance, and a coming back to God.
FESTUS
I have a verrrrry dear friend, who happens to be the driver of Brother Elijah. His name is Festus. Elijah, although he, himself, urgently needed both a car and a driver, loaned his ministry jeep to me for the entire month of meetings, in near and distant places. God rewarded Elijah for that sacrifice, by giving him another jeep for his own ministry needs. It is always utterly amazing to me, how Festus can avoid having accidents in that insane madhouse and maze of traffic and driving, and, at the same time, keep a right heart attitude toward pedestrians that crowd dangerously close and in front of the traffic of trucks, busses, three legged motorcycles, okada bike taxies, and other quintillions of vehicles of every possible imaginable means of conveyance. But since Festus is constantly present when I minister, he hears me teach, over and over again, until the spirit and intent of the message goes deep and effectively, to the extent that he consistently allows Christ to live and think and speak through him. On the one hand, Festus serves me perfectly, carrying my case, producing my walking stick, water, briefcase, Bible, washing my clothes, ironing, folding and packing them, lifting heavy luggages, going for food and all manner of needs. Sometimes I jokingly and lovingly remark, "You can carry me on your head.", to which he smiles, and goes merrily along. And, when I am in a situation where, at the close of my teaching, I reeeeally want to drive the point home, I call upon Festus, who steps boldly forward, deeply in the language, booms out the conclusion and summary of the message convincingly. Then, away we go, over the roughest of potholes and mud holes, the deepest of traffic, with its honking horns, through rain and storm, blinding sun, and, even, sometimes police road blocks and the constant potential of armed robbers. On one such occasion, during slow traffic, a gunman stuck his gun barrel in Festus' ear and demanded money. Elijah spoke firmly from the back seat, "In Jesus' Name, you are not going to shoot. In Jesus' Name, we are not giving you any money, and, in Jesus' Name, we are going to drive away, now." And, so they did, all in Jesus' Name.
BASSI
Brother Bassi Bassi is a tall gentle prince of a man, who is a loving picture of the gentle nature of Jesus, in black human form. Bassi is as Christ-like, as any person I know, with a lovely sense of humor, a servant's heart and a deep knowledge of the Word. His wife commissions and released him to be my constant companion, when I am in the country, and he often sleeps beside me in the king-size bed, while Festus always prefers to sleep on the floor. Festus was once offered a great deal of money to sleep in a very expensive hotel. He said, "My relative slept in an expensive hotel, while I took half the money offered to me and slept in my car. While I am sleeping, my body did not complain. I got a better night's sleep than my relative, and, he got less sleep than I did!" But, back to Bassi. Bassi Bassi was once on the Olympic basketball team for Nigeria, and has traveled widely. He wants to start a sports Foundation for poor street kids to learn about God, while doing sports activities. His great-grandfather had forty some wives, and was a wealthy man who captured other black people and sold them as slaves to other countries. Pastor Bassi faithfully serves a very small church, that is expanding and growing. He has a strong singing voice. But Bassi has a habit of waking up sometime around 3 or 4 A.M. and kneels beside the bed, and begins quietly worshipping and praying Bible reading ( with a small flashlight which they call a 'torch'), and speaking in tongues and singing and rejoicing. This has been his habit for many years, and he doesn't seem to mind doing it while surrounded by those who want to sleep. Sometimes, I join in, at least for a while. In the darkness, I reach up to God, and point back to Bassi, amazed at how much God must love him, for his zeal to worship and pray. His entire apartment for his lovely wife and two brilliant boys, may be as large as your living room. He does not have the rent money demanded of him in advance, for the next two years.
OJENIYI
My African adventure stories must include those who adventure with me while in Africa. I now introduce you to Dr. Provost Bishop Professor Adewale Victor Ojeniyi. Though he is Igbo, he is married to an Igbo woman named Gladys. Some years ago, I tested her blood sugar, and discovered that she had full blown diabetes. At my life and death encouragement, she lost weight, eliminated carbohydrates, starches and sugars, focused on eating protein, salad and vegetables. She consistently checks her blood sugar, and it consistently remains normal. Both of them credit the Lord through me as having saved their life. Dr. Ojeniyi is my very dear friend. With him, all I do is let him know of my availability, and he and Bassey arrange my schedule of meetings, and they take care of alllll of the logistics as to hotel accommodations, transportation, water, phone use, and food, etc. Dr Ojeniyi is also one who has heard me preach and teach, many times, and he, himself, has been teaching and preaching this Gospel of the Kingdom, for over 20 years since we met. He is humble, teachable, courageous. Through him, I have literally hundreds of friends, many of them close and personal Kingdom friends, each of which, has an exciting story of their own, in their own friendship with me and us. There is Bishop Lois, Dr Adisona, Dr Lawal, Sister Anosika, Lt. Col. Olanusi, Pastor Willie, and a number of kings, bishops, pastors, teachers, family and dear ones, etc. He is responsible for our ministry in Benin, to Port Harcourt, the Igbo people in the east and southern parts of Nigeria. Ogeniyi has repeatedly risked his very life in the process of ministering to me, and of making a multitude of opportunities for me to minister.
YINKA
Yinka lives an hour north of Bankole's headquarters in Akure, 5 hours north from Lagos. He is an evangelist and a pastor and a police trainer. He is very intelligent and has a warm, enthusiastic, out-going personality. He is the one who died from cancer on the operating table, and was taken to heaven and hell for a number of hours. He woke up in the morgue just when an attendant was attaching an identification tag on his leg in the mortuary. He has a lovely wife and 4 lovely daughters, now coming into teen age. The daughters all gather round, and sing and dance enthusiastically. One of the songs they love to sing, goes like this: "Ho le da Papa Joan con teen ye. Ho le da Papa Joan con teen ye. Hah pon da mo tay, ho hin da vah lee. Ho le da Papa Joan con teen ye!" Which means, "O let the Papa John continue, upon the mountains, or in the valley, O let - -." Yinka has kept me, and others, from being mobbed by numbers of people who think that touching me will bless them, so that hundreds, on one occasion, thousands would have wanted to, at the same time. Once, to keep a speaker from being mobbed, Yinka disguised him as a native, with native hat and robe, and they made their escape on a motorcycle in the night. The crowd was angry they had been cheated out of an opportunity to be blessed. But there are actually cases where a ministry was trampled to death because of this. Even now, if I make the mistake of reaching out to touch children, a mob of them immediately surround me, grabbing hold of me at once. Perhaps 5 of them will grab my hand at the same time, roughly squeezing my hand and fingers to try to rub the white color off my skin. Sometimes I do bless everyone, but, unless there is order, someone can get hurt!
SEGUN
Olusegun (means: God's Overcomer) is a very dear friend, along with his wife and children. He has been a priest, a venerable, a canon, and an arch deacon in the Anglican Church. He now has ten churches under his authority. Every time I come, he arranges for me to speak in a high Anglican church, to process with the long line of people dressed in choir robes, altar boy robes, priests robes, etc., some of whom carry long poles with a cross or an eagle of whatever on top, while I also process, but wearing my everyday Yoruba Nigerian clothes. They do the high service with many offerings and communion and the reciting and kneeling, but when sermon time comes, the give me complete liberty at the microphone, encouraging and allowing me to preach and teach on any Kingdom hearted subject I choose. It is so very lovely and experience!! He is very servant hearted and humble, loving and with a sense of humor, yet, he carries his great authority convincingly, and has the respect of a multitude of people, who now, also respect me, and us, and the message we bring.
1ST WHITE MAN
I have ministered in villages where no other white person has ministered. I have met crowds of people who have never met a white person. This is especially true of children. Just as some American children have been told that if they don't behave themselves that "the boogey-man is going to get you", some of the Nigerian children, that if they don't behave themselves, that the white man is going to get them. Many people do not realize that the phrase "boogie man" refers to a black person. Thus, in addition to the newness of the children meeting me, and sometimes becoming frightened, there will be this other element. With some of them, the memory of their exploitation by the white man is still fresh in their stories, and in their memories. As it is, I often kneel down and beg them to forgive our white race, through my tears, because the white man gave them unhealthy white flour, unhealthy white rice, and, at the expense of 20 to 40 million black slaves, - - -white sugar, and the resultant plague of diabetes, etc.
MY AGE
At most meetings, I am repeatedly the oldest person in the place. As I said, earlier, the life expectancy for Nigerians is 51, while it is 77 in the United States. Generally speaking, when one does find a person my age, they look very, very old, though there are exceptions.
INDIANS
There is a population of people from India, who continue to speak their Indian languages, that I have found an audience among. Some of my contacts are like this one, the door being opened because I chose to be friendly. Thus, I had several meetings with these dear ones.
CARRY THE LOAD
One meeting, we drove and drove for 3 1/2 hours through impossible traffic, huge mud holes and potholes, detours and rough roads, bumping, bouncing and swaying, to a church that was out of the way, arriving just in time to church past time to dismiss. They gave us the most respectful and enthusiastic welcome, and insisted that I minister anyway. So, I gave them a ten minute sermon, and taught them how that even though the Universe cannot contain God, that their brain can, their head can, their bodies can contain God, and that Jesus Christ, Creator King of Everything can live His glorified Life through us, unceasingly, increasingly. They got the message! Even though it was dark and late and rainy, and had to find their way home, they were not satisfied with just 10 minutes, and insisted that I give them a regular time of teaching. So I did, teaching them how they could sit on Heavenly Father's lap, and play with His whiskers, reach up and touch His face, listen to God's heart-beat, His whispers of encouragement and love, how they can snuggle down deep into the folds of His robe, under His feathers, under His wings, and live happily ever after.
They gathered round to take my picture with cell phone cameras, to have their picture taken with me, and to touch my hand, or have me touch their head. Sometimes they will want to touch my hair, my beard, or try to wipe away the white color on my hand.
The Pastor of the church told me that he was present, 22 years earlier when I first came to Africa, 23 or 24 trips ago, when I took the young man's load on my head. He confirmed that the police would most probably have beaten him to death, and that my intervention probably saved the man's life.
MONEY
The expenses of our team, Festus, Bassey and/or Dr Ojeniyi and myself, amounted to about $10 per day, for water, about $30 for food, about $40 per night for hotel, plus gasoline, (petrol), car repair, etc. This amounted to about $90 per day, times 30 days, or $2700, and $2100 for tickets, besides the ongoing bills at home. This amount was offset somewhat by 70 year old Karen still working part time at the Burnett County Hospital as an x-ray technician, and from sacrificial love offerings from dear ones here at home. Karen and I and the entire African contingency thank you for your sacrificial giving. The Africans also give, always sacrificially. Once, in the country of Benin, a woman with small children gave to contribute 2 & 1/2 nights for our hotel room costs. I found out later that her young pastor husband had just been killed, and I wept at her sacrifice. One may wonder why we would have to pay 40 or more dollars per night for a hotel, but, if we pay anything less than this, we must face an increase in deadly mosquitoes, scorpions, poison vipers, rats, bed bugs, cockroaches, lice, water availability, cleanliness, and the possibility of armed robbers. While I personally have endured all of these except armed robbers, lice and poison snakes, the members of my team have. Some of them regularly sleep on the floor, without mosquito netting, because they cannot afford better.
UYI
Another widow, Sister Uyi, paid for, cooked and sent containers of food, at her own expense and hard work, for one week, and does so, each time I come. Before he died, suddenly, she and her husband, a good friend of mine, had agreed to do this, as an offering to the Lord. She has continued this sacrifice, and God has been rewarding her.
PRINCE SOLOMON
I was introduced to a man called "Prince Solomon". He handed me an envelope containing 100 pounds sterling. We later transferred this into $150 cash for our ministry expenses.
FRIDAY NIGHT VIGIL
It is the custom among Nigerian Christians, to "keep the vigil" on Friday nights, although some churches have gone to one vigil night per month. They assemble in the evening, and continue, sometimes, all night long. During this time,
WASH MY CLOTHES
Although I often offer to pay, I almost never am allowed to pay, for all my clothes to be washed by hand, as people want to do this for me, as unto Jesus, and it is credited to their account, as having been done for Christ.
AMERICAN "BUSH"
One of my favorite things to do is to take a selection of pictures from home. They absolutely and universally cannot believe that we live in the American Bush, that is the Wilderness - that is, until I show them the pictures of bears, wild turkeys, deer, and sometimes, a mountain lion. One and all, they wonder, "Why don' dey keeeel dem?", because, in Africa, they want to kill and eat, nearly everything that moves! They either do not have conservation laws, or, they are not enforced. It is unconceivable to them that a deer could be alive, when they are hungry. They cannot understand, nor can I, our law that says that "You are not allowed to kill a bear, until after the bear injures you."
COUNSELING
I praise God, so very much, that He used me, this time, more than ever, to counsel people. This counseling, resulted in deep repentance, then deliverance and healing on the part of some, , including a pastor's wife who had been contemplating suicide, when she learned the King's Greatest Secret and the Throne-Room mentality, she came into consistent, glorious joy. I was able to share with each of them a special key to victory, by asking them the question, "If it were raining, and you were holding an umbrella 80% over your head, would you get wet?" The answer is always "Yes." Then I ask them, "If it were raining fire, and you were holding a fire-proof umbrella over 80% - - , would you get burned." They admit, "Yes." Then I make the point that God will assume responsibility for our lives, only the extent to which we yield our lives to Him, but no more. We have, automatically given the devil permission to do damage to that fraction of our lives not fully yielded to God.
THE BOW OF SURRENDER
In western and southwestern part of Nigeria, among the Yoruba people, folks have a very highly refined sense of who bows to whom, as a sign of respect. They bow to status, education, age, wealth, position, visitors, white people, ministers, etc. I just happen to qualify, in their eyes, to nearly every conceivable category of those, worthy of the bow. Yet, I shock them when I give to them a bow of respect, and, explain to them that my bow to them is a Kingdom bow of respect, because, in God's Kingdom, we are 1) to count alllll others as better than ourselves, and, 2) we are to be the servant of all. But this is never, at first, understood, accepted or allowed, that I, as an elderly, visiting, minister, white person would bow to them. To them, it is unthinkable,
On the way to the meeting in Badagary, a major historical slave selling port on the other side of the Atlantic, the road was very rough. It is the location where, several years ago, I fell, and broke a rib or two, plus, I injured my shoulder in 4 places. However, on this trip, we were stopped by some traffic officials who were very mean, in that they were demanding extortion money before release. When they saw my white face, we became a target, and were pulled over. They demanded money, and would not release us. It was past time for me to be speaking to a group of chaplains that were assembled to hear me teach. When the officials would not let us go, I got out of the car, and, making sure that I could well be seen from both lanes of busy traffic, be seen from the crowd of sellers along the way, be seen by the many pedestrians who were passing by, I bent over and put one hand on the ground in a bow of supplication and surrender. The throng of people and traffic could all see me. The people began gathering round. I was the only white person. Soon, a crowd had formed. Every one present or passing knew that it was very improper for me to be bowing, and they began insisting that I stand up. I refused. I determined that I would remain locked in that position, even if they beat or kicked or hurt me, until they released us to go. I felt hands trying to lift me from my bow, but I remained. The feelings in the crown were alll in our favor, and public opinion rapidly mounted against these extortioners in uniform, because I was a glaring embarrassment to them, and causing unwanted negative attention to their ways. Finally, when the crooked officials begged us to leave, I stood, and we were released to continue to our place of ministry. One passing gentleman, who had been reasoning with the officials in our behalf, I embraced him and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek, in front of the crowd. The ministry to the chaplains, that day, was tender.
"OYINBO PRICE"
It is always interesting to see purchases made in the market place. When they see me in the car, the price of the merchandize almost always goes up, as they assume that because I am white, and because I have a lot of muscles, that I will have more money. So, when they crowd at the window, a dozen people at a time, I ask them, "Is this the white man's price?" They always smile or laugh. The universal term in Nigeria for "white person" is Oyinbo, pronounced, "Oh-yee'-boh"
FRENCH FAMILY
In the airport in Paris, on the way over, I had a lovely opportunity to witness to, and pray for, a lovely French family of four, and give them a "King's Greatest Secret!"
WITHIN AN HOUR!
One day, I was a little frustrated that I had nothing to do in my schedule, but I determined to do the will of God. So I left my hotel room, and went out, waiting at the entrance of the same hotel restaurant that I had met and first talked to Elijah in 1988, twenty two years previous. While standing there, asking God what to do, I met a stranger, a Yoruba man, whom I greeted in Yoruba. He said, "How is it that a white man can come over here and speak better Yoruba than those of us who live here?" Of course, that was not true of me, but his comment was intended to be a compliment. Within an hour after we met, he had offered to spend over $1,000 of his own money to print 1000 of The King's Greatest Secret! It turned out that he is a printer with the highest quality printing presses and equipment, and is also a highly successful publisher, as well as a pastor. His marriage was restored, his life was completely rededicated, and we are dear friends.
A MEETING
We left the hotel and drove and drove and drove and drove, past sellers of bananas and other fruit, vegetables, meat, fans, fridges, clothing, shoes, water, fried plantain chips, automobile parts, and all manner of goods. We drove past motorcycle taxies, bus and car taxies, trucks of all manner of description, horns honking, roosters crowing, people shouting, some arguing, the blaring of loud speakers, the sound of the Muslim call to prayer, the sounds of churches singing, - - - when children and people see me, they will often point, nudge each other, and stare at me with wide eyed, open mouthed wonder. And, sometimes, they will shout, "Oyinbooo!" Or, "Oka - boh", which means, "Welcome!"
CONCLUSION
Bible says that when we do for the least of these, we do it to Jesus. Many have prayed, and have contributed to make these adventures possible. I salute you. I congratulate you. I thank you, sincerely and humbly, for making all of this possible. Thank you, and, may God bless you to the Supernatural Maximum. Amen.