Ashake was a young girl with big dreams but faced many challenges. She came from a very poor family in Lagos State, Nigeria. Her father had passed away when she was little, and her mother struggled to care for Ashake and her six siblings.
Life was tough, but Ashake’s mother always told her, “Never give up, my child. God has a plan for you.”
When Ashake was 15 years old, her mother also suddenly passed away too The seven children were left alone on the streets of Lagos State, Nigeria
Every single day, Ashake faced the harsh reality of survival. She wandered the streets, searching for food to eat, water to drink, and a safe corner to rest her head at night. Her former school friends would often approach her with tempting offers, saying, “Ashake, life doesn’t have to be this hard. Come with us. We make quick money at the club—it’s easy.”
But Ashake stood firm, her determination shining brighter than her circumstances. With a calm but resolute voice, she would reply, “No, I won’t follow that path. I believe in my dreams, and I know my future will be bright. I just have to stay true to myself.”
Her words carried the weight of her struggles, but they also reflected an unshakable faith that her story was far from over.
The Night Under the Bridge
One fateful evening, Ashake’s friend grew frustrated with her refusal to join the “night job” and ordered her to leave her house. With no place to turn, Ashake wandered the streets until she ended up under a dimly lit bridge in Lagos. She laid a piece of cardboard on the cold ground, hoping to find some rest, even amidst the chaos of the bustling city night.
Just as she began to drift off, the shadows around her came alive. A gang of robbers emerged from the darkness, encircling her like vultures. One of them snatched her bag and barked, “What do you have here?”
Trembling with fear, Ashake screamed as loud as she could, hoping someone would hear her but non.
The situation became tens, The robbers had taken what they wanted from Ashake, but one of them, with more wicked Heart, turned to the others and said, “Let’s take advantage of this pretty girl before we leave now. Let’s enjoy ourselves.”
Ashake froze in fear as the others nodded in agreement. One of the robbers grabbed her roughly and pushed her down onto the cold, dirty ground by the side of the expressway. Tears streamed down her face as she struggled against their grip, her heart pounding in terror.
But Ashake refused to give up. She gathered all the strength she had left and screamed as loudly as she could, “Help! Somebody, please help me!”
Her voice echoed through the quiet night, carrying desperation and fear.
The robbers became scared and hissed, “Be quiet! Stop screaming!”
Suddenly, a bright flashlight shone on them, and a deep voice shouted, “What’s going on here?” It was a night guard, the vigilante, patrolling the area. The robbers panicked, let go of Ashake, and ran away into the darkness.
The vigilante walked closer and asked, “Are you okay, young lady?” Ashake was crying too much to answer. As the vigilante tried to comfort her, a big, shiny jeep stopped nearby, its headlights lighting up the scene.
A woman stepped out of the jeep. She looked important but kind. “What’s going on here?” she asked the vigilante.
He replied, “Madam, I found this girl here. She was almost robbed and attacked by some men.”
The woman turned to Ashake and knelt beside her. “My dear, are you hurt?” she asked softly. Ashake shook her head but couldn’t stop crying.
The woman smiled gently and said, “You can’t stay here. Come with me. You’ll be safe.”
Ashake wasn’t sure if she should trust her, but the woman’s kind face made her feel safe. Slowly, Ashake nodded. The woman helped her into the jeep, and they drove away.
In the car, the woman introduced herself. “My name is Pastor Esther. I help young girls who are in trouble. You’re safe now.”
That night, Ashake slept in a warm bed for the first time in a long while. She felt thankful but still unsure about what would happen next.
The next morning, Pastor Esther gave Ashake food and listened as Ashake told her life story. The pastor looked at her with pity but also hope. “You’ve been through so much,” she said. “But God has a plan for you.”
Pastor Esther didn’t just give Ashake a place to stay. She sent her to school and made sure she had clothes, books, and everything she needed.
Ashake worked very hard. She studied day and night and passed all her exams with top marks. Everyone at school admired her for being so smart and hardworking.
But life wasn’t done testing Ashake. One day, she came home to visit Pastor Esther. The pastor’s son, who was the same age as Ashake, had been acting strangely. He kept staring at her in a way that made her uncomfortable.
That afternoon, Ashake went to her room to change clothes. Suddenly, the door burst open, and Pastor Esther’s son was standing there. He tried to grab her, but Ashake screamed as loud as she could.
The security guard rushed into the room, and Pastor Esther followed. But instead of helping Ashake, Pastor Esther looked angry. “What are you doing in my house, Ashake?” she shouted. “Are you trying to cause trouble with my son?”
Ashake couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “No, ma! I didn’t do anything wrong!” she cried.
But Pastor Esther didn’t listen. She threw Ashake’s things outside and told her to leave the house.
Heartbroken, Ashake found herself back under the same bridge where she had been before. She sat down and cried, but then she remembered the vigilante who had helped her before. She decided to find him.
When she explained her situation, the vigilante felt sorry for her. He took her to his church, where Ashake found people who cared about her.
At the church, Ashake prayed every day, asking God to help her. One kind member of the church noticed her and said, “Ashake, you’re a hardworking and honest girl. I want to help you.”
The church member sponsored Ashake’s education, allowing her to finish school and go to college. Ashake studied hard and never gave up on her dream of becoming a doctor.
When people asked her how she stayed so strong, Ashake would smile and say, “Faith. I believed in God’s plan for me. Even when things were hard, I knew better days were coming.”
Ashake’s story teaches us that even when life is tough, we should never give up. With faith, hard work, and hope, we can achieve our dreams
Lastly, 2025 is here, and it came with this problem. And in case you don't know, every one of us, each and every one of us, we definitely have our share on the problem, either you like it or not.
So the only thing that can really help you to conquer is if you have faith and believe that all the problems you are going to be facing, they are all working for your success.
They are all working in your favor, and also see that problem as raw materials that will quickly help you to achieve your dreams
Because rugged faith will survive, and only those who are strong enough to have that rugged faith will surely skate through to achieve their dreams in 2025
I wish you the best of luck. Don't forget to give this post a thumbs up if you love it. Thank you.
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