Once you choose hope, anything is possible...

Dream, they say, does not just become reality through magic.  It takes sweat, determination, hard work, zeal and prayers.

It was on the 18^th day of July 2004, precisely two days before the painful death of my beloved husband, that a flash thought came to me through my heavenly intercessor, St Rita.  St Rita, who was a widow showed me a rare vision about the tragedy that might befall me.  An inspiration came to me through St Rita that I should start widows association.  But like Jonah, I tried to resist the message. 

Two months after, I began to have sleepless nights.  The situation persisted so I met some widows in the village to share my experience. They advised that I should see the Parish Priest. I went and shared my thoughts with Rev Fr Martin Ozioko, the then Parish Priest of St Mary’s Parish Ogrute, Enugu Ezike.  Though surprised, he welcomed the idea, but told me that St Rita society has been in existence in the Parish. But the distance between Imufu where I lived and St Mary’s Parish Ogrute was pretty long, so that did not work. In one of my midnight prayers, a thought came to me to invite those widow friends for weekly rosary prayers asking for God’s mercy.  They agreed, and we began to meet every Wednesday by 4pm to say 5 decades of the rosary at St Joseph out-station, Imufu.  This continued for about one year. But, the condition became unbearable for me and the children, so I sold some properties which we brought home from Port Harcourt after the death of my husband and left the village again and relocated to Emene.  Less than one year after relocation, I started having the same thoughts again.

I decided to share my burden with another priest.  It was a pleasure to meet Rev. Fr. Wilfred Agubuchie, the then Secretary to Emeritus Bishop A.O. Gbuji.  I visited during his office hours, and almost shed tears trying to explain everything to him.  He consoled me and even applauded my idea and then advised me to go to Holy Ghost and request St Rita society to open the society at St Joseph.  I noticed that each time I met with a priest for advice, I usually got relieved and freed from the usual thoughts.  Shortly after, Father Agubuchie travelled abroad for further studies, and the thought seemed to have died inside me.

In 2010 as I slept, I had a touch which woke me up. I could not see anyone, but heared a voice say to me: get your bible and read Isaiah 51:2, than pack your things and go to Ugwu di Nso.  I got the bible, read the quotation, but became more confused.  During this period, there was no food and money in the house.   When I found Ugwudinso, it was a beautiful place to behold and has remained my second home ever since. 

As time passed, I began to dream dreams which I could not explain. On inquiry, I was advised to see Fr John Cross Oko at Sacred Heart Seminary, Nsude.  I collected his phone number, called him and he gave me an appointment.  I went and saw him and explained everything to him, and how St Rita gave me a padlock with key, and how Fr Ejike Mbaka gave me Blessed Sacrament in the dream.  Fr Oko told me he cannot explain, but advised that I should keep on doing what I have been doing.  He said that being able to do all I have been doing as a widow means that God is behind me and will one day reveal the meaning of the keys and Blessed Sacrament seen in my dream. Having been in very critical condition.

One year after, I began to enter from one problem to another but I continued my regular visit to Ugwudinso.  I did.  In 2011, I got another revelation and was directed to go to the Sanctuary of Jesus the Saviour and Mother Mary at Elele for 7 days dry fasting.  After this incident in 2012, and since 2013, I have always celebrated new year either at Elele or Ugwudinso.  This desert-dry-fasting-experience lasted for seven years (2013-2018).  I would always travel to Elele or Ugwudinso every 31^st of December and will remain there on dry fasting for seven days.

On 31^st December 2018, I went to Elele for my yearly 7 days-prayer and dry-fast-desert experience to usher in the New Year.  One week after, I began to hear a strange voice within me.  Wherever I go, the voice followed me.  I became confused and continued to ask myself questions as to the meaning of what was happening.  The voice persisted and became more regular and unbearable. During these periods, all the three spiritual advisers I usually consult were not around, so I became more helpless.  Then, a message came: look for someone to give you a letter to see the Bishop. I could not understand the meaning of the message.  How can I go to Bishop’s office?  Who can take me there, and what am I going to say to the Bishop?

In the second week of January 2018 and precisely on a Tuesday, I met Rev Fr Callistus Anieke, the Secretary of the Emeritus Bishop Anthony Gbuji.  He was one of my spiritual directors and knows that I spend my new year at Elele.  He inquired about my desert experience and I told him what has been happening to me since I came back.  I explained to Fr Callistus how I started prayers to St Rita and daily contribution with widows in St Joseph and he was happy.  I now told him my recent experiences and how a voice told me to go to Bishop’s office.  He told me that our Lady will lead me, but advised that I should first go to the Dean of Emene Deanery, Fr Donatus Onuigbo and tell him about the widows group. I then left him.

During my midnight prayer I asked our Lady to guide and lead me to the Dean of Emene Deneary.  In the morning, I went and met Fr Onuigbo, then Dean of Emene Deanery.  I told him my inspiration and how I bring widows together for prayers to St Rita.  After my explanation, he was surprised and asked: where did you get such wisdom?  Wisdom, I retorted. Every widows’ head is full of problems, anxiety and confusion.  Fr Onuigbo stated that widows fill everywhere, including his Parish (Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Emene), and thank God that someone is willing to bring them together.  He then told me to carry on because what I started was very good and that the Bishop will hear it.  He then promised to give us a Chaplain that will help St Rita society to stand.  He called Fr Floyd Okechukwu and told him about the group.  Fr Okechukwu started shouting and told him: my Dean, all my women are widows, send them to come to my Parish first.  Fr Onuigbo laughed and told Fr Okechukwu that the lady that started the group is with him, and that she will come to see him tomorrow morning.  Fr Onuigbo directed that I should go and see Fr Floyd Okechukwu who became the first chaplain.

In the midnight, as I was saying my rosary, a voice told me to pick a book on the life of saints.  I brought the book and opened a page and started reading about St Jane Frances De Chantal.  As I read about her life, I found she was a widow with children and was aged 28 years when her husband died.  St Jane was faced with very critical condition, just as most of the widows in our group.  In her critical condition, St Jane used her widowhood and worked charity and helped people in need in so many ways.  After reading the life of St Jane Frances, I found she did exactly what we are trying to do, and that it will be good if we imitate her virtues in life.  I became immediately inspired and recalled what the bible said in Jeremiah 29:11, that, God has good plan for me.  So, I changed the name of the society from St Rita to St Jane Frances De Chantal.