I was mocked but now I have a child

My name is Miriam Wabule. When I and my husband got married, naturally, we wanted to have children. We kept trying for three years, but I did not conceive.

Worried, we visited the doctor. He said there was nothing wrong with me, but I just could not understand why I was not getting pregnant. We were distressed and confused.
 
Like my woes were not enough, my in-laws started to put pressure on me. My mother-in-law kept reminding me of how she did not want to die without carrying her grandchildren in her arms.

My sisters-in-law were concerned that their brother was getting old yet there was still no child. I felt helpless.
 
One time, I asked my mother-in-law to come and visit. Her reply was: ‘Who do you expect me to play with when I come to your home? I can’t come and play with the TV.” This was very painful.
 
Sometimes while visiting my in-laws, during a meal, they would make subtle comments targeting my inability to have a child. I would get so hurt, but I had nothing to do. I only cried silently.
 
Amid all this, my husband remained supportive. He assured me of his love and said we could always adopt if we failed to have a child of our own.
 
However, like Hannah in the bible, I was not comforted by my husband’s love. I was desperate to have a child. I turned to God. I had never fasted before, but I decided to pray and fast once every week and also sought prayers from pastors.
 
After I had done all that I could, I reached that point where I gave up. I decided to focus my efforts on work. But like they say, “with God, delay is never denial.”
 
In the month of January 2011, I felt unwell, so I went to a nearby clinic. The doctor recommended a pregnancy test, which turned out positive. I told him it could not be possible. He did not understand my reaction. He thought I did not want the pregnancy.
 
Just to be sure, I went to see another doctor the following morning and took another test, which was also positive. I then told only my husband, just incase there was a backfire.

But God did not disappoint us. On October 9th 2011, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.
Encouragement
 
I want to encourage somebody out there who could be waiting on the Lord for a child or anything else, that I understand your pain and so does God. He works in different ways and has the right to deal with each of us as he sees fit.

At his appointed time, he will grant you your heart’s desire.
 
The Lord is faithful to keep his word. Choose to look to God, the giver and not man.

And remember also to lift your spouse to God in prayer, that you may continually find favour and acceptance before him, because a spouse who stands by you through the tough times, will definitely not allow anyone to put you under pressure.

He will protect and reassure you.
 
Also search your life to see if there are forces that could be working against you and put it in prayer.

For instance in my case, my father never consented to my marriage because he said my husband came from a poor background and feared he would not give me a good future.
 
He refused me to introduce and told me to just go on to stay with my husband because he saw him as too poor to afford the bride price.
 
Later on, I learnt that my paternal grandfather was going around saying, “If my granddaughter has insisted on marrying that man, she will never bear children.”
 
Parents’ words can have great impact on us, so it is important to seek reconciliation.
 
I urge husbands to be supportive of their wives.

This kind of situation is beyond them just like it is beyond you. There is a scenario in the bible where Rebecca cried to Isaac to give her a child and Isaac asked her if he was God.

Isaac however was challenged to pray for his wife and God heard his prayer.
 
As told to Suzan Aturo