Yes, you heard me right! I was once denied a Visa.
My name is OYELAMI Favour Oluwapelumi, a graduate student of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
During my undergraduate studies in Nigeria, I was this average student with a flare to succeed. I wasn’t too mad at being the best, I just didn’t like failure. It wasn’t as if I was a bookworm but I must confess, I love it when I read. The information garnered from various courses expanded my intelligence and scope of reasoning. I started with a second class upper grade and worked at having an increase in it every year, coupled with my complete trust in God for a better grade. In my second year, I was the class rep of my class and yet my CGPA increased with an 0.8point, close to a First Class grade. Well such increase continued till after my 4th year in school when I had a CGPA of 5.92/7.0.
At this point, I only needed just 0.03 point to get to a first Class, as grades can be approximated in my school. Well, I wasn’t too disturbed because I knew that should not be an issue for me, a 6.1/7.0 GPA in my final year would do, after all I had a 6.5 in my 400L despite my busy schedule and lack of time to really study, coupled with my bad health during the examination period then. So I thought, I was in for a First Class.
Unfortunately, this dream was shattered as I finished with a 5.9 CGPA in my finals, where First Class started with a 6.0 CGPA. The day I heard this, February 7, 2016 or so was what I thought as the saddest day of my life. Only God understands all the psychological stress I went through, that I almost could do nothing than to weep and regret. Many thoughts came into my mind. I started seeing things differently, nothing made meaning to me in life again. My heart was broken, my dreams were shattered, my long years of study and endurance seems to have been wasted. The pains and commitment seems not to be visible.
Well I took up my broken pieces, gave it to the Lord for him to remould me to what he wants and not want I want. This, I’m glad he did perfectly. He gave me various reasons to be grateful and also point out lessons to be learnt from my failure. What I thought was a failure ended up as a catalyst to my greatness. “When you want a tree to bud well, you cut it branches to bring forth something better and stronger”. This was my case. Well, some people might have seen me as a failure then, which I also did initially, but later saw life in another perspective.
As if that wasn’t enough, I had a scholarship to study in the 4th best University in China and 59th in the world. I was so happy and grateful to God for this opportunity and took it up with faith and courage.
Not long after receiving my Visa application package, I proceeded to the Chinese embassy at Lagos to do the needful. And there came up some other stories(mistake in application details and being unable to book appointment for interview). It was as if life was trying to play games with me. At a point, I asked myself what was happening? I didn’t know if I should still keep trusting God when the roads seems blocked, or reason things out.. Well, because of the training He gave me, I resulted in trusting him, no matter what. That was when I began to understand why some of those things were happening.
I went with faith to the embassy the following Monday without any appointment for interview. Got there even before they could start work. Well, the good news was that the mistake I had in my application became my a life saver that Monday. I was immediately booked for an interview as the second to the last person. The person who interviewed me was almost leaving his office, he just took the courage to check my documents and that was all. No issue, nothing missing. I submitted my documents finally and was told to come back on Friday, same week, to pick up my Visa. I waited like a groom waiting for the arrival of his bride. On Thursday night, preceding the Visa pick up date, I checked my Visa application status and wow! It was ready to be picked up. And so I travelled to Lagos for that purpose, with my clean native and haircut, coupled with my Hausa cap.Lol
Hmmmmm.. as I got there, I waited to be called. With joy in my heart and smile on my face, I went to the counter to pick up my visa. To my surprise, it wasn’t issued(I WAS DENIED). I didn’t know whether to smile or cry or what to do. Immediately, I remembered that U.I postgraduate form will be closing the following day. That old Devil, the thought of loosing at both ends came in with some kind of fear and discouragement. Again, it’s like the Devil just smashed my face, another disappointment in life. I was almost asking God if the first the first disappointment(undergraduate result) wasn’t enough.
But you know what, He already thought me to be calm when the seas seems stormy. I went to meet my twin brother, I got the photo shot below that day (even though the smile was mixed 
) and went back home to Ibadan. Gave myself a room arrest..
, went back to the Lord, searches his word and promises for me again and held on to it. I made sure the voice of faith was higher and stronger than the voice of doubt and disappointment filling up my mind. And I later got a purpose from the denial( story for another day)
Well to the glory of God, Jehovah showed up. Because he never fails, he didn’t fail. I went back, contacted my school and reapplied( with a slim chance of getting it since the school was on break and won’t be available to pick up any call from the embassy, but I had faith, it just rushed in). It was at this time, my VISA to study in China was APPROVED. It was like a battle, a test of faith that almost gave me a reason to doubt God. But looking at His faithfulness over the years and how much I’ve heard and received from him in recent years, I had to resolve in my heart to trust him no matter what.
Now on this day, I’m posting this to encourage someone out there never to give up and keep trusting God for the best even if you don’t understand what’s he’s up to in your life. And ultimately, to give God the glory for this rare privilege and grace.
I return all the glory to Jesus.
We also need to understand that “Faith” is not just about our words alone, it’s also about our actions. For every reaction(or result), there must also be an action. For faith without work(action) is dead. The woman with the issue of blood had to touch Jesus in Mark 5:25, Jarius had to go to Jesus despite his position in the synagogue, the centurion also had to go and meet Jesus publicly despising his position…
TRUST GOD BECAUSE HE NEVER FAILS.
I am Favour because I am Favoured of the Lord. Shallom!
Note: The conclusion part of this write up was also written the second day I was denied, why? Because I believe the truth(God’s word) more than the fact that was starring at me. I was so convinced that He is able to bring to pass what He promised. Because He never fails. So I concluded the story even before it happened in real life .
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@OYEFAVOUR’18
