A TRUE HERO OF EKU… DR. MARTHA HAGOOD – Soo Grateful, Heavenly Father for bringing her to Eku !!! She is one of the most Beloved missionaries there – A woman of Great accomplishments, Because of her LOVE for the precious people there! From 1966, when she came to Eku, Almost Every child coming to the Hospital that my parents started in 1943, were all birthed by her, but many did not come unless in horrible distress. When Dr. Hagood arrived, the conditions in Eku were extremely hard, and many could come only after the baby was dead and this was Very hard on her heart of Love. As my parents learned earlier, there are many “Heart Challenges” in a jungle area, as conditions were then !! Even in the early 1970s, the Hospital was in poor condition, with no electricity, and there was so much horrible Malaria !! The Missionaries had to bring their own, 4 years’ worth of canned food and supplies. There were no phones, the average person in the village did not know how old they were, and half the children will never see their second birthday. So on Saturday mornings, she started a clinic for pregnant women, to help save the babies and the mothers from premature death. The Gulf Oil people, further east of Eku, would let them use their radio to contact out of the area, during times of unrest or emergency. Many times it was very hard to keep the Hospital open, because of finances, and lack of medical supplies – even bandages, and also the Missionary doctors and nurses had trouble getting visas, to get back into Nigeria. The WMU women in America (Woman’s Missionary Union) would tear up sheets to make bandages and send that over to Eku’s Hospital because Nigeria had none to even buy. Soon they opened a “Central Supply” area (By Faith), which steadily grew through the years. It was hard for Missionaries to realize that Medicine is a Business and most patients could Not pay their bills !! Even the Missionary‘s children would help to keep Hospital records on each person alphabetizing the patient’s file cards and help clean surgical instruments, after their daily “home school” lessons. Missionaries need much prayer for their behind-the-scenes work that most Never knew about. They would continually pray about How the Hospital staff’s salaries would be paid and going without themselves, to Give their food to them !! Most of the time their Surgical and Clinic schedules were packed full, even working all through most of the nights. The needs were so great and exhaustion was common for the medical teams, But Compassion of Jesus for the precious people, Carried them on — So Grateful for the Great Eku Nursing School Students that were helping as they could !!! Dr. Hagood, went to Church at Echi Baptist Church and in 1972 started teaching Sunday School classes for Class II High School, but as the Youth grew up, they would leave Eku, because there was no industry and were no jobs ( much of this Still sounds like Today in Eku) !! Each Missionary had a Church they were helping at, all over Eku! Christmas and Thanksgiving in Eku was a Very Exciting time for All the Nigerian Missionaries – the compound, in those days, was covered everywhere with beautiful flowers !! Every Year several would come because of the Ethiope River right behind the Hospital and Everyone wanted to finally relax, swim and float in the crystal clear, cold, spring feed waters, and watch the beautiful multicolored tropical fish, just twenty feet beneath !! The Medical Director, in the 1980s, was Dr. Jedi Agbowu, (his sisters were my best friends, growing up there) and was also a Great choir director, so there was glorious Singing all around !!! Gifts were taken to the Leper Colony, and gifts of food to the elderly in Eku. Dr. Hagood leaves for America in 1993, after an injury in a wreck, and because By 1990, the Southern Baptist Convention soon slowed down on support for the Missionaries, and by 2000, they were All gone. (more later) So we pray that the Healing Ministry which Jesus EMPHASIZED, WILL be Restored !!!! – (More later) — I Still Believe the Scripture that God gave me in 2005, that the Hospital “WILL LIVE AND NOT DIE, TO DECLARE THE WORD OF THE LORD” in Jesus Mighty Name – PLEASE, Believe with me that: “What is of God WILL Stand and ALL else Fall Away” for Eku’s Hospital and in Jesus Name – Amen !!! – PLEASE let me know if you are Agreeing with me on this – Also PLEASE Believe these Scriptures for things in YOUR lives also — Avwerosu Oghene, Have faith in God !! – God is so Faithful to those who Will Believe His Word on different matters in their lives — EBRUWEYOR – Remain Blessed, in Jesus’ Name ooo – I will be Praying !!! Na Chief Omoteko
