Forced To Fast For 22-Days: A Widow's Ordeal

Yet another touching article from The SCOAN’s latest publication, ‘Read Us’, this time detailing the harrowing experience of a widow who is among the thousands who have received help from The SCOAN Widow’s Forum with Prophet T.B. Joshua…

As the man of God often says,

You will begin to succeed with your life when the pains and problems of others begin to matter to you

Elizabeth Nwose at The SCOAN Widow's Forum
Elizabeth Nwose at The SCOAN Widow's Forum

“MY husband cared for me and my children,” explained Mrs Elizabeth Nwose, solemnly reflecting on the incident that changed her family’s fortunes for ever. “So when the accident happened, things turned upside down.” It was a motor-accident, resulting in instant death. With four teenage sons all pursuing their education, and the bread-winner of the home suddenly taken away, panic soon set in. “In my mind, I said: ‘God, what will I do with these children now this has happened? Who shall I meet for help?’ ” For Mrs Nwose, a middle-aged mother from Delta State, life had literally turned its back on her.

Cultural tradition demanded she follow her husband’s family back to their native village and observe a time of mourning. Unknown to her, they had other plans. “They felt I was responsible for his death… Because all my children are boys, they didn’t want anything to harm them. They thought if I am behind his death, my children too will start dying one after the other.” The method used to determine Mrs Nwose’s innocence or guilt may be hard for the 21st century mindset to comprehend. It was a crude, gruelling, heartless process. “They took me to a bush in the forest. Nobody was there, only me. No food, no water, and only a wrapper around my body. I stayed there for twenty-two days. Night and day.” Heavy rain fell for three days of the ordeal, alongside the mosquitoes biting, the insects crawling and the wild animals threatening. “I cried day and night – only me. My prayer everyday was ‘God, don’t allow snakes or bad animals to meet me here.’ ” Hope dwindled to the point of despair as her life lay on a precipice, drifting in and out of consciousness. On the verge of giving up, Mrs Nwose had a unique experience that brought strength and solace in the midst of her storm.

Mrs Elizabeth Nwose
Mrs Elizabeth Nwose - forced to fast for 22 days after the death of her husband

“It was just like a dream. An old man appeared to me with a walking stick. He said, ‘My daughter look at me’; then I raised my face and recognised his face as the man of God, Prophet T.B. Joshua. He said, ‘Don’t be afraid – God is with you day and night’ – and he disappeared.” Supernaturally strengthened, Elizabeth’s resolve to live was renewed and hope once again took hold of her heart. Two more times, Prophet T.B. Joshua appeared to her in the guise of an old man, offering words of comfort and reassurance. “He said I shouldn’t be afraid,” Nwose reminisced. After what seemed like an eternity in the night of the 22nd day, a man came to take Elizabeth, bringing a new wrapper for her to wear and instructing her to abandon the old one in the bush. He seemed surprised she had endured the trial. “They thought I would die at that place and know by that that my hands are not clean,” she explained. But the ordeal was not yet over. “They took me that night to my father’s compound around 2.00 am when there was nobody in sight. I was not permitted to see anybody and nobody could see me at that time. They kept me inside one room; I stayed inside there for 10 days.”

Mrs Nwose had lost her appetite entirely and could barely eat the few meals that were provided at that time. Her physical condition was frail, but her spirit was strong. “After the 10 days, they brought me out around 2.00 am and took me to our market square. Inside the market, they did the sacrifice. When we got to the house, my hair was shaved and I was asked to go and take my bath. After my bath, they buried the hair at the particular place together with the wrapper I was wearing, and I was asked to come out.” Vindicated and free from the accusation of being behind her husband’s demise, people rushed out to congratulate Nwose. “It was like a ceremony indeed. Many people would come and greet me and say, ‘My daughter, God has brought you out, and your hands are clean.’ ”

TB Joshua At The Widows Forum
TB Joshua at The SCOAN Widows Forum

Released to leave the village, Elizabeth returned to Lagos. “My children were the ones that cared for me when I finally returned from the village. All over my body were rashes because mosquitoes had bitten everywhere.” Remembering her vision in the forest, Mrs Nwose set out to visit The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations and Prophet T.B. Joshua once her strength was renewed to narrate her experience. As providence would have it, she arrived on the day of The SCOAN Widow’s Forum where widows in dire situations from across the country had come to receive assistance, both morally and materially. “I explained everything that happened to me and Prophet T.B. Joshua gave me N150, 000 to go and establish myself that day,” Mrs Nwose smiled. “I just knelt down and thanked God for using the man of God to give me this money. I kept asking myself: who would I have run to at this particular time?” Since receiving aid, Prophet T.B. Joshua has given scholarships to her four children, promising his support throughout their tertiary education. The in-laws who cruelly confirmed her innocence had refused to aid the family. “They don’t want to take up their responsibilities; they abandoned me and the children. Since my husband died nobody has come to my house to ask after us. I go to them but they are running from me. It is only Prophet T.B. Joshua that God is using to give me help till today.”

SOURCE: Read Us Edition 3

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23 Comments

  1. I bless the name of the Lord and ask that He continues to pour His infinite Blessings upon Prophet T.B. Joshua. May He continue to use the prophet according to His will. I give the Glory to the Lord for using the prophet to save sister Nwose. May God forgive her ennemies even though I know prophet Joshua has already prayed God for them all. Sister Nwose, thank you for your testimony. It has strengthened me and make me believe more in God’s promise to never forsake His children. So in the midst of sorrow I will always give Him praise just as you did in the wilderness. Thanks again and May God bless you and Prophet T.B. Joshua.

  2. This is a touchin and sad story,it’s sad that women are still treated like this by their in-laws,how can anyone kill their only source of income?thank God this woman was proved innocent by the holy God!!this reminds me dat God was not lyin when he said we shod call on him in our times of sorrow,and he will deliver us n we will have great joy!WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE.It is my prayer that God continues to bless TB Joshua so that he can also continue to be a blessin to others.praise God.

  3. Touching, simply touching!!! I am touched. This reminds me the sad story we experienced at the death of our father 7 years ago. To make it short, my mother has nothing today. They took everything, her properties, her business, her assets. No one cared about us. A time came when we could not even eat. But God was there, we had jobs, and tried to cope with everything. You know it is not so easy, even till today she hardly understands she needs to forgive. And now she bears grudges even against us. I pray God to touch her, because, as the Man of God says; “we need to forgive, because we need to be forgiven”.

  4. We thank God for the man of God. May our good lord continue to bless him as he is already a blessing to nations.

  5. Sister Elizabeth God will continue to bless you and your family if your in-laws thought they were destroying you, they have something coming their way because God will reward you over and over again with his mercy and blessings for the faith you had through out you ordeal.May the Lord of Prophet TB Joshua continue to shine on you.

  6. I thank God for Prophet to help this lady it encourages me continue serving God even if it seem everyone is turning their backs on me God almighty will always make away where the is no way according to men.May the lord Jesus Christ bless Prophet and his family and the ministry.

  7. Thank God for sending Prophet TB Josua to deliver us from traditionalism. Many widows are suffering especially in Africa. We thank Prophet TB Josua for preaching the word and by doing what the word of God says by caring the widows, the fatherless and the physical challenges. We are learning to help others who are in need. Thank you Jesus for giving us Prophet TB Josua in our life time.

  8. GOD works and walks in simple but mind bogling ways.Suffice it to say our sister was in a perilous situation but in her fight God assured her that she was not alone.
    To an ordinary person not walking in faith sister Elizabeth’s ordeal is not supernatural.
    We need not look any furher to notice the involvement of GOD.
    HE is nearer to those who call on HIM sincerely in their time of need.
    Those who walk in righteousness shall always be covered and under HIS banner.
    HE is a shepherd.
    HE faithfulness never ends and HE always sends HIS faithful servants to take care of HIS flock.
    No sane person can dispute GOD’S presence throughout sister Elizabeth’s tough time.
    None of us living today have seen JESUS CHRIST in person.
    None of us living today has ever seen the face of GOD.GOD knows this and HE is aware that people on earth are familiar with the faces of GOD’S annointed faithful servants hence HIS sending an image of the Prophet TB Joshua to our sister , just to assure her thet help was near.
    Surely GOD is still saying something and HE is saying it in a language that we all can understand.
    All glory and honour to GOD and JESUS CHRIST for coming to the rescue of our sister.AMEN!

  9. Reading through the article and watching sister Elizabeth narrating her ordeal teaches us a lot and challenges us not to suspect one another when faced with calamities but instead seek the mind of God through his Word and suitable annointed servants.God will always see us through all trials and tribulation,for He promised to be us in our troubles.Glory be to God.Emmanuel.

  10. As long God is on your side no enemy shall rejoice over your failure. It might appear as if you are down, but you will not be out.The Lord will send his strength from above to care for those who revere in him. ‘Worry not, I will be with you till the end of the age.’ To God be our Victory. If God is the subject of your faith, FEAR NOT!

  11. Man of God, T. B. Joshua, God in heaven bless u abundantly for helping people in need. God sees you in many ways meeting people’s needs.
    I bless you in the name of Jesus, the almighty.

  12. thank you lord for gave us your son TBJoshua ,thank you that we reseaving blessing through him ,strength him and i comand the angle of god to guide him all the time in the name of jesus christ for ever amen

  13. If God can bless others why cnt He bless me.TB Joshua I need your help my life is misserable I’m in lots of debt I’ve jst got divorced my children are not coping and imn earni lttlke salary I dnt afford life as it is please help me

  14. The Love you show Oh TB Joshua to the oppressed, less fortunate and distraut is ample evidence that the Holy Spirit of Christ is with you. The way people have been mocking,t gossing about you and cursing you at one time turned my heart away from you and away from Christianity. But the way you have shown consistent Love to them and even prayed for them has turned my heart back to you and back to Christianity. You are a true Man of God. Not just a Prophet but a real Pastor of the Master flock. May He increase His Spirit, Love and Grace upon your life for you are blessed to bless others. Thank you Man in The Synagogue, Pastor TB Joshua.

  15. The lord is good all the times, the lord has chosen you in His enternal entire kindom to be a symbolic structure on earth; to now complete the mission that took you all that long when your future as earlier turned down, as a millitary personel but sometimes HE (God) divert what is not of us & replace with a better future which is your present life now so, may the awsome God guide you towards His enternal assurance for the salvation of our soul amen.

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