My Amazing Story of God's Healing

Written on Wednesday 5^th February 2013

In the September of 2012 while canoeing on the River Wye with some of my friends, I was involved in a minor accident whereby the canoe I was in capsized (click for story). I was fasting during this period and coincidentally, this was the last day of my fast. Of all 3 of us involved, I was the only person who sustained an injury – a dislocated left shoulder.  I thank God for his grace that things were not worse.  The paramedics came out and examined my arm, I hadn’t sustained any broken bones to God’s glory but I had to immobilize my hand for a while.  As the healing process began, things just didn’t feel quite right with my hand, I would hear clicks while swimming or exerting myself but I would always ignore these until one eventful morning on 11^th January 2013 (this was just 5 days before my birthday) It was one of those mornings when the bin men were picking up the bins on a different day to the usual. I rushed out of bed in a sleepy haze to hurriedly get my bin out after 2 weeks of stockpiling waste. In my hurriedness, I missed a step and just as I was about the steady myself with my left hand, I twisted my shoulder all over again. The pain was sharp and it was like a frozen towel hit me in the face. I have been in so much pain in my left hand since then. Things had gotten to the point where I wake up almost every morning with my pinky and ring fingers completely numb. I also get terrible pains in my wrist and shoulder blades.  

Where is all this going you may ask? Well, a little more patience my friends. On Tuesday 5^th February 2013 I attended my 4^th Alpha course session titled “Why and How Should I pray” this is one of the things I struggle with in my Christian life. Trying to get it right has always been an obsession as well as knowing truly when God is speaking to me. The session touched a chord with me and during the discussion sessions, the presenter talked about the first prayer he prayed and God answered. He asked for a bible and a few minutes later, his father called him over and gave him a bible.  For me, this was a reminder of God’s promise to his children “Ask and it shall be given”

At the end of the session as always, Pastor asked if anyone wanted special prayers for anything. I was tempted to be quiet and have the session end so we could all go home but something within me spoke out and I made a special request for God to heal my left shoulder.  This was not the first time I had prayed for healing in my left shoulder, but this time, it was different. I had made a conscious decision prior to keep a prayer journal so I could list my prayers and then check the answered ones so I can have a constant reminder of all that God has done for me.  As pastor’s wife touched my left shoulder to pray for me, I just felt this really cool sensation in the inside of my arm right from my neck to my finger tips. I knew in my heart that something amazing was happening and I just tuned myself in to that sensation.  Driving home that night, my left arm felt different.  I went to sleep with a feeling that my left arm was healed but still at the back of my mind, I knew I had to wake up the following morning to see if I would have numb fingers. To God’s glory I work up and my left arm felt as normal as my right arm.

People, God healed my left arm! As I type this up on Wednesday 6^th February, I have joy in my heart and I am grateful for God’s glory. I know in my heart that God is true, loving and kind and all we need to do is believe in him and he will answer all the needs of our hearts. I would like to encourage you all to not be afraid to ask God. I truly believe that my story this morning would have been different if I hadn’t taken that step of faith and placed my troubled limb in God’s hands.  

Ajala goes Canoeing

Come and help me sing hallelujah!!

This is proper thanksgiving mate and add praise and worship to that. Yours truly (which is me in this case) was involved in a canoe capsize.

Canoe-cap-kini I hear you say. Well, you heard it right. A canoe capsize.

A few of my workmates and I (scratch that, one babe like that for work) organized a canoe trip on the River Wye (one very dirty river like that in Gloucestershire). This was supposed to be an adventure with two persons in each canoe paddling down a 6 mile stretch of the River Wye. I was all for it. I am usually a very adventurous person and I do know how to swim reasonably. So, this was gonna be a piece of cake

The whole trip was marked for misadventure the minute I was paired. I just knew that my paddling partner was going to get me into trouble. Throughout the whole trip, our canoe kept zigzagging down the river. The tour guide said I was paddling too hard while my partner was not paddling strong enough (dilemma!) How the heck is that my fault. All the eba I ate in Nigeria buffed me up

The trip went generally well and it was a lovely day to be out on the River. But just as we were rounding a bend in the river, our canoe was bumped by another canoe from behind onto a massive bush right in the middle of the river and we pushed onto the bushes and stuck right on top (imagine a boat running aground). At this point with the strong currents pushing us against the river, we could not free our boat. That was when the tour guide (aka Voltron Defender of the Universe) decided to come and free us.  As we were being rescued, the canoe overturned.

 My life did flash before my eyes as the brown, dirty, cold water of the River Wye slapped me squarely in the face.

My first thought was “OMG! I’m drowning!” I heard the tour guide yelling at me to put my feet on the ground and that was when I realized that the river was quite shallow, so I did as instructed. By this time, our Voltron had taken hold of the canoe and brought it back and gave me a firm instruction to jump in. I could tell he was pissed off. He had lost some of his kit in the river and I guess for the 19 pounds per person for the trip, we were not worth the trouble.

It wasn’t until I tried to start padding back (all drenched in murky waters) did I realize I could not make use of my left hand. As I lifted the paddle, I experienced such intense pain that I started to shiver. So here we were, sitting in the middle of this bloody river and I could not paddle. Lucky for us, other members of our group who could not find us returned to the scene of the incident and towed our boat to the end point.

By this time, I was shivering, in intense pain and had tears streaming down my face (and I wasn’t even crying!) I could not move my left shoulder and at this point, I could tell everyone was worried. I guess I was in shock by now

At this point someone called an ambulance. What we got were two ambulances, two fire engines and a police car. Boy did I fell very special!

 Ehhh.. I was well impressed. I was so thankful that I didn’t fall into Ogunpa River in Nigeria. Not even nearby fishermen will come for me!

After a few blasts of what we call “Air and Gas” – some really good gaseous pain killer which makes you feel no pain.. I was as high as a kite (laughing and giggling).  The medics determined that I hadn’t broken anything but had dislocated my shoulder. This was popped back in and I was put in a sling and off to the A&E for X-Rays. No broken bones. But I tell you, the pain was incomprehensible

In the midst of all the humor, pain and disorientation, I was still able to appreciate that this could have been worse. People have been known to drown in waters that people consider Mundane and so for walking away with a dislocated shoulder and a sling I am extremely grateful

The shoulder still hurts a bit but with gentle Physio excersies, I am getting berra.

Lots of love

PS: Sorry I had to "purple" out peoples faces here

Tolantino. 

27th Feb 2011

For well over a year now, I have stayed away from my blog. I have not been in a place where I felt like sharing anything speak less of opening my heart out to blogsville.

I have noticed that a huge number of folks are no longer blogging. Maybe they have moved on. I have also noted that a huge number of bloggers are still in here doing their thing. This is really good. That is some commitment.

It is very interesting how the UK seems to sap the life out of you. Something about this country just aint right. My present local government area is not even making things any better. The past year has been one thing after the other. Frigging anti immigration sentiments is running deep. The UKBA is formulating tight policies to keep non-eu immigrants out of the country. A few of my friends have fallen in the process and it just doesn’t feel right.

Another thing on my mind is the question of relationships. Is it possible to actually make a long distance relationship work?? Ie Lagos vs. London. I have always managed to steer clear of this but recent happenings have brought these thoughts to the forefront of my mind.

Another thing is that I am working too hard. (At least I am getting the recognition for it which is the only solace here) Work in the UK is just that.. WORK.. catch flu.. work some more.. catch some more flu.. go on holiday and repeat the cycle.. Highly disturbing I tell you. It will be nice to get another assignment abroad and just step away from the UK for a bit. Lol.

A recent story in the news is of a certain 20yrs old naija-british girl called “Claudia” Claudia was a very pretty student based in London and she seemed to have it all..everything except a big ass.. ie Nikky Minaj type ass. Claudia had the ambition of being the ultimate hip hop honey and shaking it in hip hop videos but her lack of booty made her career prospects a bit bleak. So, Claudia turned to the internet to find a place where she could acquire some extra booty. A few months later, Claudia checked into a budget hotel in the US where she was administered a fatal injection of industrial grade silicone into her ass. 12 hours later she had some severe chest pains and she died of cardiac arrest at the hospital.

What really strikes me is the desperation people seem to face when they think a certain part of their bodies does not conform. Why did Claudia have to think her life could never be complete without a big ass? How could she have let anyone stick a big needle in her and inject her with crap that was so lethal? My big fear now of plastic cosmetics procedures is the desperation of people and how they would sign up for quacks in order to get cheap deals.

I would not be surprised if the next story I read would be that of some fat person who was so frustrated with being fat that they resorted to performing a homemade liposuction procedure using a dyson power ball hoover!

Stay bless you all!

Bikini Clad Fantasies

Ever since the moment I realised I was my own person and I could do whatever I wanted to do, the first thought that came to my mind back in 2006 was that I wanted to go to Ibiza. Why Ibiza? Well, Ibiza was the HQ of British sin-dom at the time. Teenagers going out on dead cheap flights, cavorting on the streets and getting arrested. I did not pick Ibiza because i wanted to get myself arrested but I picked Ibiza because it was probably the only holiday that I could afford at the time. They had week deals for ridiculous prices like 150Euros. Now if that was not a deal, I don’t know what would have been
Part of my Ibiza fantasy involved buying my very first bikini. Lol. Yes, Myself, TOLANTINO, at some sinful holiday resort in Ibiza, sipping on Mojitos, Cosmopolitan cocktails the whole lot, in my very sinful looking bikini beside the pool just enjoying myself into oblivion. But this fantasy was not complete. The next part would involve me slowly setting aside my empty cocktail glass and sashaying into the pool for a cool off swim. My GOODNESS.. that was the ultimate fantasy. However, there was a small glitch in this fantasy, Tolantino could not swim even if her life depended on it.
I just could not swim! I never learnt to swim as a child. So this little detail made my little Ibiza fantasy an impossible one. There is no way on earth I would go to Ibiza, lay beside the pool in a bikini, sip on cocktails in my bikini and not go into the pool for a cool off swim. No way. I was going to make this fantasy work one way or the other though and this was what motivated me to take up swimming classes in my final year at uni.
I vividly remember my first swimming class in the winter of 2005. I was so terrified to let go of the side of the pool. My instructor kept reassuring me and here was this grown ass of a 20 year old female screaming ‘’ Mommy.. I can’t do it’’ hehehehehehe. My instructor would come back and say ‘’Tola.. your mommy is not going to help you.. Let go of the wall!’’ Lol. I slowly started to understand that there was no way I would drown in 1m depth of water, I learnt my balance. We moved on to the breast strokes and the front crawl. I learnt my breathing techniques. I completed the beginner’s class and I believe till this day that this is one of my greatest non-academic accomplishments (other than passing my UK Driving Test!) I am so proud of myself for getting over my fear of drowning and trusting my body to keep me afloat. One of the most difficult things one could ever do as an adult is learn to swim. You have to get over your fear of drowning and this is not as easy as it may sound.

Recently, I graduated to the deep end of the pool. 2.0m and I felt totally confident. My new gym has a massive swimming pool as well so I will be going more often to practice my strokes. I am even thinking of joining the advanced swimming class now. I cannot wait to see how that goes

Why am I blogging about swimming again?
Firstly, I am trying to relate this to things in life which one may think is totally impossible and people’s reactions to such things. I look back 5 years to the day i bought my first swim suit and stepped into a pool for the first time. I remember those friends who teased me and said my ass was too big to float and i also remember those friends who were inspired by me and also took the step of learning to swim (and are still swimming!) Never let negativity and what people say affect your dreams baby. You are more than all that. The most important thing is your ability and your aspirations.
Secondly, I am finally going to buy that bikini, that bikini is going to be BAD ASS and I am not going to Ibiza. I’m thinking South America, maybe Venezuela where people live in their bikinis!! God knows I deserve this!