Exchanging Places Programme

ISSUE 6 7/2021 LIVING BY FAITH

By the Rev’d Fr. Dennis Obidiegwu (Tangiers)

The Rev’d Fr. Dennis Obidiegwu

It all started on 27 August 2019, a few days after I returned to Morocco from USPG Conference. Around 10am, I had a massive stroke and became paralysed. I was rushed to the local hospital where I was stabilised. But around midnight I died, and then I was revived, to the glory of God. I was then taken to another hospital for further treatment. At that point, my hands and my legs were vibrating, and I had a brain bleed. I was taken to a private hospital where I was fully revived. I was kept in the intensive care unit for three days, and for a further three days on the hospital ward. Two young church members volunteered to help me with my physiotherapy programme. Two weeks later, I was able to stand and walk! The following week, I began to move around. After three months, I went back to the hospital for a scan to check my brain bleed, and to the glory of God, I had fully recovered. Amazingly, after six months, I was back to work and able to preach. I have not suffered any permanent defects. It is only God who can do this. Many people who had similar problems to me died immediately and I know of other brain bleed patients who were paralysed by their experiences. Since my hospitalisation, I have made a declaration that in the life I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave His life for me. The love of Christ is real in people’s lives. I bear witness to this, and my story confirms that God is still proving that there is nothing God cannot do. The Diocese in Europe, the Bishop of the Diocese of Ho, Ghana and USPG have agreed to extend the appointment for a second term after a comprehensive review including a full medical assessment. Despite my health issues and the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, I have been able to continue my ministry. One of the aspects of my ministry that I am most proud of is the youth group established at St Andrew’s Church, Tangiers. This group meets every Saturday to clean the church and litter-pick in the local neighbourhood. The young people in this group are not focused on what the Church can do for them, but more on what the group can do to help the Church grow. Two members of the youth group are now training to become lay readers. ■