The power to spread hope and encouragement was recently demonstrated very powerfully by BellaNaija when her team interviewed Dr. Ada Igonoh, who survived Ebola, and had the sad privilege of certifying Patrick Sawyer dead at First consultant a few days after his admission.
Following her contact with him, she was quarantined and suffered what she referred to as an experience she wouldn’t wish her enemy. Having emerged from the valley of the shadow of death, she testified live at This Present House, her local church community in Lekki, where she left many in tears of joy and a challenge to believe afresh for the impossible.
Dr. Ada Igonor who was one of the doctors who treated the primary case of Ebola in Nigeria, Patrick Sawyer.
As I participated in the service online, I had the rare privilege to capture the testimony by video off my iPad. Here’s the main part of the video with the testimony.
Watch the other excerpts here with Dr. Tony RAPU introducing her to a jubilant assembly who were deeply touched by her message.
Below are 5 Key Lessons from the video, which I have tagged:
5 KEYS TO BECOMING AN UNSTOPPABLE SURVIVOR IN ANY AREA OF LIFE.
It is obvious that Dr. Ada Igonoh’s miraculous recovery from the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease has become a strong message of triumphant faith for everyone irrespective of the battle area. Here are a few points to think about.
It is obvious that Dr. Ada Igonoh’s miraculous recovery from the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease has become a strong message of triumphant faith for everyone irrespective of the battle area. Here are a few points to think about.
1. HAVE A CLEAR VISION OF BEING A SURVIVOR: Dr. Ada was so clear in her mind that she would not die, but would live to, in her own words, “lose her teeth” at a ripe old age. She clung to that vision of being a victor. Ebola was not going to get her, she said in her live testimony. She had to commit to the possibilities of survival even when it was tough to do.
What vision do you have of your situation or your life? Is it clear? Are you committed to it? Do you see survival or winning as the only option or are you contemplating plan B? Don’t consider other options. Stick to one vision, that of winning, of coming out alive.
What vision do you have of your situation or your life? Is it clear? Are you committed to it? Do you see survival or winning as the only option or are you contemplating plan B? Don’t consider other options. Stick to one vision, that of winning, of coming out alive.
2. TAKE ACTION: Once she decided, she was going to survive this illness; she knew she had to take action. She took two important levels of action:
A. Spiritual- she prayed and had people praying for her.
B. Practical- She conducted research to empower herself, and took her medication, the ORT while doing everything in her power to ensure she had a fighting chance. We can become so spiritual; we forget we are intelligent beings.
Medicine is part of the intelligence of a great God. He uses medicine and other ways he chooses to intervene. You can’t put Him in a box. It’s not enough to pray, you’ve gotta take action.
3. DON’T PLAY THE VICTIM: Asking ‘why me’ disempowers and makes you a victim. Playing victim means you lose the battle even before you have begun. Admirably, she don’t ask “why me“. Instead of playing the victim-role, survivors channel their energy to developing strategies, including research, treatment, and whatever else will help them win the fierce battle.
4. GET A COACH: A coach helps you see yourself as you truly are. You are a warrior, a victor, and a survivor. Times of crisis are very critical. Their primary purpose is to shape your destiny. How you respond, rather than the crisis itself turns out to become the true platform for your future. It helps to have the right support in place. A warrior with experience of multiple battles and victories, a coach who can help you see accurately and appropriately, providing support, direction, love, empathy and strength when yours whittles or fails you. These people must have the power of words behind them. The power of words takes on a new meaning when you are battling for someone’s life in a seemingly impossible situation.
I can’t underestimate the power of coaches, genuine pastoral support, and family support when going through a crisis where you want to emerge as a survivor.
I can’t underestimate the power of coaches, genuine pastoral support, and family support when going through a crisis where you want to emerge as a survivor.
5. HELP OTHERS: Don’t over focus on yourself. When I heard Dr. Ada say, I was helping patients in the isolation ward who couldn’t help themselves, even while in the valley of death myself, I thought how powerful. Surely this is a formula for all survivors – giving before you have it all figured out. Encouragement costs us nothing, and yet gives us back so much more. Too many people wait until their lives are perfect before giving a helping hand to others. No matter how badly off you are, there are people worse off than you. Dr. Ada had family, pastoral support, and strong faith, and understood that in giving hope to others, she was demonstrating the highest calling of all.
We really all have something to give. Encouragement is a gift. We all should commit to becoming dispensers of good.
We really all have something to give. Encouragement is a gift. We all should commit to becoming dispensers of good.
6. BELIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE: Do you still believe in miracles or have you become jaded? Father Christmas is not real, so who believes that people can survive illnesses that have devastated others? Do you believe that you are capable of winning whatever battle you are facing today? Do you believe that Nigeria can become a great nation irrespective of all our challenges as a nation? Can you believe the impossible for your life, family, business or community irrespective of how bad things are? I hope you can after reading this incredible account.
Dr. Ada is a living testimony of the power of prayers, faith, commitment to a survival vision, generosity of the human spirit, and the importance of having support when going through the valley of the shadow of death. Whether in it is your health, finances, life, business or at work, anything is possible. If only you believe!
Become an unstoppable survivor. I pray you succeed against all odds!
P.S. I’m grateful for Dr. Anthony Rapu the Senior Pastor of This Present House, Lekki, Lagos for bringing Ada to share her live testimony before the congregation. The act of holding her hand, and hugging her publicly was a strong message for all those who may have misplaced fears about Ebola survivors.
P.S. I will continue the Survivor series under the next topic “WHY YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO BE SILENT”. I truly desire to see people; businesses and nations succeed, especially against all odds. When hope is lost, that’s when you really need to hold on to hope. ‘Voices‘ of hope have never been as critical in our nation and across the world. Voices of people who show us the way to conquer and lead. Please share your stories with me, in any area of life and also send me the lessons you took out of Dr. Ada Igonoh’s video testimonial.
SOURCE: Udo Okonjo
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