NYSC ORIENTATION CAMP: Experiences, Lessons and Victories (II)

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By

Briggs Deborah

 

Just like every other graduate, I made my way down to my state of deployment. The only difference was I was posted to Ebonyi state. Seeing that on my call up letter brought about mixed feelings that night. It was some minutes past 12 midnight on the 17th November 2017.

 

 

I’d add this, your accessibility to your call up letter would determine if you’d be posted to Stream 1 or 2. Interesting huh? Maybe lol.
On one of the group chats, I saw a post showing how you can determine what stream you’d be posted to. I was in the bus from Oshodi market that day and as I scrolled through, I looked away but was prompted to check and try to see if it’s true. The post stated that if you add your call up number digits and you get an even number, then you’re in stream 2. If the sum is odd then it’s stream 1. I tried it for every number I had in hand and realized that it’s correct. Although I was still skeptical, I knew I’d be posted to stream 1 so I wasn’t surprised when I could print my call up letter that morning.

 

The truth is I had Lagos or Calabar in mind, not in my spirit😂 so there was no special prophecy that I’d be serving in any of those places. The truth is as we grow in the faith, God’s desires becomes ours and we make choices with the aim of advancing the Kingdom where ever we find ourselves. It’s possible God ministers to you a specific place of service but God’s will isn’t a particular state since we know it’s our choices we pick during registration. It’s very important you pray for direction before registration and not expect ‘God’s will’ when in reality it’s your choice you made or say let God’s will be done when you didn’t ask for His will for you. I hope you got the point? Lol

 

 

Prior to this period, I had been in search of my international passport. Things I can’t explain till today🤧 For foreign students like me, you cannot afford to come without your international passport for registration.

So continuing from the previous post, you can and should be a blessing to others at all times. After I was done talking with Amanda, I returned to the bus and I was shocked to find out that no other person had joined that bus. I walked up to the office and pleaded with the man that I wanted a refund and guess what he said? “I’d do it for you because of you o”. I could only smile sincerely as I had never met the man before this time so it got me thinking. Could he have seen what happened earlier? I honestly can’t tell…

 

This is where Matthew 5:16 comes to play; As Christians, we shine our lights before men so that they see your good works and glorify God. Our good works don’t justify us before God but rather what Jesus did on the cross by placing our faith in Him did.

It’s by faith that it might be by grace. It’s very important that we put our faith to action as it is in our nature as Christians to bring forth good works!

 

I headed for Abakaliki after I got a refund and purchased a new one in Peace Mass Transit park. Theirs was moving really fast! It was barely up to 20 minutes I joined that the bus filled up and we left. On the way, I continued reading the book “Following God’s plans for your life” by Kenneth Hagin.

 

One thing I learnt to do this year is read books and carry them along while travelling. I’m able to cover a lot on transit if I don’t fall asleep lol.

Thank you Yusuf Esther for your company, support, and encouragement at the Immigration office. Processing a new one didn’t take so much time. I got favours and helps from different angles i didn’t expect, people kept calling to ask how it was going. A lot of people were contacted that Wednesday but I still couldn’t register. I returned back to the camp planning to leave the next day since I couldn’t register. Thursday was the swearing-in day and most people I came with even after me had gotten their kits and were preparing while I stayed back in my room. I still knew something good could come out so I didn’t leave immediately. I was told that I would need to write a letter to the state coordinator so I could be added with stream 2. I was really hesitant writing a letter so I left my hostel to charge my phone at the mami market on mofty so the soldiers didn’t notice or stop me.

 

As I sat in one of the stores waiting till t swearing-in was over, I brought out my phone and started taking pictures😂 as I couldn’t explain the joy and peace within me. I also took a digital one from one of the photographers and got it printed as well.

 

Thursday, on the swearing-in day

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I was told I’d need to take permission from the camp coordinator before I leave the camp so I headed for his lodge. On getting there, I was told he just stepped in to rest for the day. Lol
I didn’t know I was ever going to register as I thought of what to do next. So I went to the registration hall because registration was to end that Thursday or Friday. I approached Barrister Uzoechi, the woman in charge of registration for the state and she told me to meet the officer from Abuja for permission.

 

 

This is one scene I can’t fully explain. Even when I share this testimony with people I get tongue twisted trying to describe how it went down but I’d try to. I narrated my ordeal to him stating my reasons for wanting to leave the camp and how I had started processing a new passport. He reprimanded me saying I should have done an affidavit and police report immediately. I was speechless! I said I have those, I also have data pages of my visa and passport but I guess it’s the passport itself you wanted to see the other day.
He made a funny statement “You people would not put us in trouble o”😂 Is he saying he’d have registered me earlier or what? Or that he didn’t know I had those?

I wanted to scream but I couldn’t. He asked for my documents, placed a call through to confirm my exchange programme and that was it 🤔🤗
I started the registration process and got my kits the next day. Glory!

 

There’s one lesson God taught me earlier this year, He’s more interested in me than in my journey or situations I might face. It’s truly the same with every Christian! He wants us to put our faith to work! He wants us to always remember that His presence is always with us no matter the storms that arise. If you listen carefully, He’s saying “I will never leave you nor forsake you”, “I’m with you till the end of the world”. These aren’t suggestions but assurances.

 

It’s up to us to believe God’s word so we can see its effect in our lives.
Don’t stop believing, don’t stop trusting because our hope is an everlasting One! He’s always the same! It’s because of Him and all He’s done for us we can boast!

 

Thanks for following this, I’d love to hear from you 🙂

 

Here’s one book every prospective or currently serving corp member should read. Don’t forget they are only guidelines, you still have to suit them to your own needs.

Download link below👇

Making A Difference With Your NYSC Year by Frances Okoro