The Power of a Few Words Watered His Soul, and Helped Grow a Business...

Fidelis Eze’s 7,000 Mile Journey to a Brand New Life was Irrigated by Faith, Friends, Family, Hard Work, and a Handful of Encouraging Words...

Fidelis Eze, owner of VISION Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, is inspired by hard work, a sense of belonging, and a powerful, awe-inspiring faith. His story, starting in Nsukka, Nigeria, shows how that faith, combined with a few simple words - amply spoken from Scripture, his wife, business mentor, and friends - helped build relationships, overcome obstacles, and grasp his God-given opportunities.

IPI: You left your homeland of 200 million people with 500 languages, and came to a community of 15,000, some 7,000 miles away...

It’s been quite a journey.

My father died when I was a little kid. There was no one to guide me. At first I did not know what to do. I knew I had to help my mother and sisters. I had watched my dad, I saw how hard he worked. I took the responsibility, and started working hard on the farm, planting corn and yam with my mom. Going to the farm to work was not an option. I had to do it to provide. Water also was a big deal. I’d have to go fetch it every day at the university a few

hours away with our wheelbarrow to get it to drink and cook.

Did I complain? The most important thing I learned from my dad was hard work. So I saw myself doing what Papa was doing. No, hard work was the only thing knew, so I didn't complain. God guided me to fill in the hole in our family.

Then and now, you’ve valued belonging, friendship, loyalty, and encouragement. You didn’t always get it, but when you did, you did not want to let it go...

I had to learn how to be lonely in my small town in America. I had left Nigeria for Togo, Cabo Verde (former center of the transatlantic slave trade), then Hawaii to work as a missionary for Youth With a Mission.

While in Hawaii, a friend invited me to come to Seattle and stay with him. I landed at SeaTac, and he never came for me. I waited all day, and while I waited, I read my Bible, where I got my life verse - Isaiah 43:5 - Fear not, for I am with you.

Mutual friends gave me the number of a couple in Lynden, WA, a rural Dutch community near the Canadian border. Bernie and Mary took me in like a son, cared for my well being,

prayed for me, encouraged me, and became my American parents. As I finished up my immigration papers my first week here, Bernie even got me my first job at De Young and Roosma Construction, then I worked for several construction and plumbing companies. God showed his faithfulness every day.

There was not a lot for me to do to overcome my loneliness here. But another couple, Monty and Heidi McDowell, invited me along with their family to their birthdays, Christmases, Thanksgivings - and became my family. Monty even helped me buy my first house. He called me from California when he was working for Grocery Outlet there and said it was time to buy a house. He said, I am confident you can do it, and that gave me the courage to do so.

But I wanted friends my own age, and it was difficult to find my age group to hang out with. The only time it felt good in connecting was helping with a youth group at church. I felt such peace there. But I’d come home and have nobody. Something was missing, and I wondered if I was supposed to be here.

Then Eby came from Nigeria to be my wife, and life from then on has never been the same. The Bible says, Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing and favor. A saying in my home country is, A tree cannot make a forest. She was the support I needed, and the back eye, to cover my back. I'd work hard and felt guilty about coming home late. My wonderful wife encouraged me when she said, Yeah, you have to go ahead and work hard since you are new. Do what you can. Don’t worry. You do what you are doing. You are doing well. I am 100% behind you...but if you get a chance, think about it, slow down. You can get to it tomorrow.

When someone encourages you, they see things you don’t see, and comes up with good advice. She’d say, You can do it! The time is coming [for your own business]. God’s timing is best. You can make it. She encouraged me every day.

As we had children, that made me want to work hard to provide for my new family. And every weekend, we worked together. I took my family and we traveled to my construction sites to get scrap wire to get the copper out to sell. Eby would sit out front of our house, pulling copper from the wires. I’d bring more home and when my kids got older, they would do it. I don’t know what to say about them, but, Thank you Jesus.

In thinking about starting a business, you knew traditional wisdom said you needed a plan. Four simple words of encouragement ended up being more valuable to you as your story unfolded...

I wanted to start my own company but did not know how to do it.

After nine years in construction, the recession hit, and I was laid off. I looked for a job and could not find any. I thought about going back to school. I already knew plumbing, so in summer when the heating is slow in a business, I could do plumbing, and in winter when plumbing is slow, I could do heating. I asked for advice. Some gave encouragement, others said things I did not understand like maybe I had a better chance if I went back to my home. While that was discouraging (I believed any opportunity was for everybody, that everyone is treated in the same way), maybe that counsel was to help protect me...and it ultimately strengthened me.

Prodded by a sermon from my pastor, I went ahead and went back to school to learn heating so I could provide for my family. A buddy who worked there helped me apply, financial aid paid for the whole thing, and each quarter my friend would say, Good job.

While in school, I started working full time at Valley Plumbing and Electric. What they gave me was friendship, which is more important than work and money. Every task I did, I did the best I could to make the customer happy. I would own the project and work awkward hours to make them happy. I told my boss any job I do, you are not going to lose money if it is bid properly. I knew I was paid from what I worked.

My work ethic and love of people helped me develop a solid friendship. When I would have my own business, if ever I needed any help, Valley would do so. I began praying about actually starting a business. I had interned with Gary Harris of Gary’s Gasworks, and he now told me, Maybe some day you can take over my company. I said, I don’t think I could. I have no money to start a business, I don't want to get into a deep hole I can’t come out of, and I don’t know business in America.

Fidelis and mentor, Gary Harris

He said, I know you can do it.

The time came, and he said, If you want to take it, take it now and I did. I agreed as long as he would work with me for a year. He agreed. I am thankful God brings the right people around you. Maybe I’d just get started - as VISION Plumbing, Heating & Cooling - and see what happens. But to tell you the truth, I was still not sure I’d be able to get jobs because of my past experience of what I heard.

Then Tyler Bajema and Ian Van Ry from Pacific Edge Builders in Lynden met with me and said... You deserve a chance. Those four words encouraged me so much. You don’t know the power of how that changed me. They sent me the plans to bid on, and I ended up taking on an entire apartment building for them. They said four other words: You can do it...and I got it done.

Not only that but Ian said, You are just like our grandfathers who came here to start a life and work hard. We all benefited from what they did and you deserve that opportunity. It’s not whether or not you are African. You are like us. We came here to establish life, like you. I cherished that.

Gary continued to be my encourager. If I ever gave reasons why I think I can’t do a job, he'd say, You can do it. I cannot describe his help and friendship, or that of another business encourager, Ken Van Diest. I had confidence by the grace of God, from these friends saying all this. It gave me a whole different perspective for the business. They spoke a language I wanted to hear, directly to my heart. Even now, when I heard words like that, they inspire me.

The first year was still tough since I was working alone. I started to ask, How can I keep my family together, pay bills, and have a house, while only two or three contractors I knew had jobs for me right away. Once those jobs were done, then what was next? That’s being a human, it was a reality of life.

Later, the COVID years were rough years, too, for everyone. But in suffering, when things are opposite to what we think, God shows up. If not, you’ll keep complaining and not come to a solution. While I had thought before I had to leave the area for business, just the opposite happened. People started calling me. Now 80% of my business is from Lynden! God is awesome. He knows who we are.

And now, what do you think of when getting ready to come to work each day?

Serving people and doing a good job for them.

I love plumbing. I am very relational and love helping people fix problems. So my job is helping people and the company name, VISION, represents to me my passion to help people. Yes, making a living, but the major thing is the relationships.

The heart of the business is to provide the best service to people the way that would please God and please them. I tell the guys, We are not perfect, but do it the best way to treat the customer and respect their home. Honor the opportunities people give you. Value that.

You must enjoy encouraging your family, friends, and employees to grow. What do you tell them?

Remember, you are here because of Christ. Anything you can do is because of God. My prayer is to follow God and his Word.

Ebe

I see every day as a gift. If you are alive and healthy, it’s a gift - not from our own merit - we don’t deserve it. Work hard to achieve your goal. Take advantage of the opportunities that come to you. Overcome obstacles with God’s strength. Be independent. We often put our trust in people for answers or direction. Don’t rely on people to give you what you love. Most of the time they will fail you, but trust God to give the best answer. Trust both in God and yourself (in those things God gave you to build your confidence). Just let them present you with ideas, then you pray about it and make a choice. If you don't have confidence, you don't have faith. Pray. If it does not turn out the way I want, I continue to trust that God is still behind it.

Don’t complain. Things and challenges are going to come, but you need to learn how to work through it and always look to God for an answer.

Deep down inside, what is that driving force that has made all of this possible?

Everything happened because God gave me the opportunity to serve him.

Whether you believe it or not, Christ, His salvation, is real and I am here because God gave me grace, sent me out of Africa, and I ended up in Lynden with my own company.

What do you, and will you, want people to know about Fidelis?

If it is me, you would not know who I am. It’s all about Jesus who died and gave me salvation - salvation of everything in life to promote the Kingdom of God, exalt him in every area of life. That is the reality. If Christ had not come, there would be no reason for me to be here. We are all going to go someday, so now is the time to value all the advice and teaching, like I learned from my dad - to be faithful to my wife, family, God, and church. You gotta be that. If you are faithful to the opportunities God gave you, you will be faithful to your wife, to your family.

Fidelis and his family

There were a lot of mountains I climbed, but one thing kept me going, what God showed me in his Word years back at the airport. I see it manifested every day in my life. I hope my story will encourage people and bring them closer to God. No matter where you’re at, you can bring glory to God.

What do I want on my tombstone? Follow God, and do his will.

VISION Plumbing, Heating & Cooling

Fidelis and the VISON team serve a wide range of residential and commercial clients in Northwest Washington.

VISION Plumbing, Heating & Cooling 360-296-1242 VisionPlumbingwa.comLic. # visioph810nf

Our vision of Fidelis was plumbed when he came through our door with his huge smile...then lying under the sink and getting the job done in minutes (it would have taken us hours...all the while sharing friendly advice on what NOT to put down the garbage disposal! Through the ups and downs, Fidelis clung to the poetic words of the prophet Habakkuk: "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation."

We appreciate the many ways Fidelis provides and cares for his family, business, and church (where he serves as a leader -"One of the happiest days of my life was when First Reformed prayed for me when I became an Elder” - and musician). -

Steve Hortegas loves people and writing. He's enjoyed hearing people's stories as a market researcher in places of commerce, a funeral director in his community, and now a healthcare professional, helping people stay out of the funeral home. He and his wife Lori enjoy the PNW and being a part of the unfolding story of their four children and three sons-in-law.

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