I had actually gone prepared.
I heard tales of the three-week long training camp for graduates who had been called to serve Nigeria under the National Youth Service Corps. I was supposed to serve in 2015, but I felt Abba just leading me to hold on. I did. I rather spent that year studying His word, praying and reading amazing Christian books. It was in that year I met Andrew Wommack (My sugar Daddy) through his book- Shaper than a two-edged sword.
It was an amazing year for me. And till today I am so grateful I listened to Abba’s leading to hold on and fellowship with Him in the way I did. Jesus became more real, the Gospel came to life for me and it laid a great foundation for my service year experiences and it started right from the beginning of service, in training camp.
Before I left for camp, the stories I heard would have frightened me if I didn’t have Jesus words stored in my heart. His command not to fear, not to be anxious but to make requests known to God. I prayed to Abba, sharing these concerns.
The tales were that during these three weeks of youngmen and young women being in the same space, sexual pressure is usually on the rise, marriage rings disappear on the fifth day and so much attraction takes place. I wasn’t ready for a relationship, neither did I want one based on infatuation. I also didn’t want to have the sexual temptation struggle I was hearing about.
And so I prepared. I love symbols, they help me focus and bring seriousness to what I hold in my heart and so I bought a ring, it had love-shaped knob. My bedsheet had love shapes and the word LOVE written at different spots on it. I was going to date Abba. I was going to work conscious of the truth that He is ‘my maker, my husband’.
On the first day of camp, we were asked to carry our bags and boxes on our heads. It was the soldier’s way for welcoming us to semi-military training. A lot of people were angry, pissed and uncomfortable. I was having fun! I had actually looked forward to doing this, an ex-corper had told me about this welcoming exercise and I was just glad I was finally here, to become a youth corper. That mindset carried me through the camp cold nights and hot days.
I love football. We were divided into ten groups on camp, called platoons. Interplatoons football competitions made my evenings so much fun. It was on this field I noticed two of the best players on camp.
The first was nice to me when I approached him and praised his football skills, we had lunch together and became friends. He paid for the lunch😉.
The second was a different story all together. I called him by his shirt number.
“Number 4, you played so well”
He just looked at me and smiled, then he looked away. Later in the evening during social nights, he came up to me and without any formal greetings, like a sharp hunter who wasn’t going to waste time playing around with his prey, he said:
“I heard you’re a Calabar girl. Let’s have sex”
I was blank. I was pained. I was insulted. I felt all three at once. I looked away. Too angry to say another word.
It wasn’t the only time I was asked for that in camp, but it was the only time it was that blunt and direct. Everyday I walked out of my room with my ring on my left hand, my heart full of love and my mind saturated with confidence in Abba’s love for me and His presence with me. Every night, I would sleep on my bedsheet with a consciousness that I’m sleeping in and with Abba. I’m in a real relationship and I can’t cheat.
It helped me greatly. Saved me from unnecessary drama, dating Abba in camp.
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Have you served in NYSC? How did you overcome the sexual pressure? share so someone gets light and encouragement. Sexual purity is possible.
