šGOD FEARING BROTHERšØ
Episode 1.
Story by Miriam Edem.
After my NYSC, I decided to change environment and moved to Ondo state with my friend in search of greener pastures.
I and my friend secured a job in a secondary school and in less than 5 months working there, my friend was alre-ady in a very serious relationsh!pwith the principal just like that o.
Hmmmm somehow I felt jealous. I was alre-ady 25 years and soon to be 26, no relationsh!p. I won’t say guys has not been coming,āæ but they were not God fearing for my liking.
Its either I won’t like the church they worsh!por they were not serious with God, I wanted a God fearing brother nau and I never stĀ©pped praying for one.
Before I knew it the principal didn’t waste time to engage my friend o, and with a speed of light my friend relocated to his place. Hmmmm children of the world!
That lonely evening after writing my note of lesson my mom call c@mĀ£ on phone and I picked up,
“Hello mommy, good evening, I greeted.
“Evening, why is your voice low? She noticed.
“Nothing mommy, I’m just alone here o and I’m thinking of how I’ll be paying the house rent by myself now, I replied.
“What do you mean by that? Where’s Susan? She asked.
“That one? Her bĀ©yfriĀ£ndabi Man friend proposed to her and she quic-kly relocated to his place. When i asked how we are going to take Care of the rent, she replied that I should be thankful she didn’t stay until the rent is over and i should be able to start saving before it expires, I replied.
“Eh! So ordinary proposal she packed to a man house with no bride price? She asked.
“I told her to be careful but she knows what she is doing, so i kept quiet before I’ll be tagged bad belle, i replied.
“Ahhh this is not fair na then you have to start saving up so that you can meet up. But Amanda no news yet? I mean no serious brother yet? She asked.
“Mama I’m still praying and I’m not even worried about that, my own time will come and it will be Better, i replied.
“Of course my daughter and plea-se don’t give yourself so desperate like what Susan did if not he won’t respect you o, she said.
“I know na, no God fearing brother can do that sef, I said.
“Sure my daughter, so you’ve not found our family church to attend? I don’t like all this pastor and Mrs church you’re going o, she said and i laughed.
“Mama i found one, i didn’t know it was there o because there was no banner on the road. So don’t worry I’ll be worsh!pping there tomorrow, i replied.
“Good! Now you’re talking, and don’t worry too much about Susan behavior or the rent okay, God will make a way, my mom said.
“Sure mama, Greet everyone for me, I said.
“I will, and take care of yourself, my mom said and dropped the call and i checked the time and stood up to prepare dinner………
The next day i dressed up and located my family church which was a short distance from my place.
The building was not too big but the congregation there was approaching hundred which consisted of youths, men and women including children.
It felt so good to be in my family church and i loved the preaching and everything.
At the end of the service the pastor asked to see first timers which i decided to wait behind despite I’m an old member.
The pastor was also happy to hear its a family church and quic-kly told me to pick up something to do in church and i just smiled.
“Okay I’ll teach the children in Sunday school, i finally accepted when the pastor kept insisting.
Then c@mĀ£ a Well built handsome guy who I noticed was very vibr@nt in church.
He was an usher, a lead singer during praise and when it was time for prayers, the pastor can’t beat him with the holy ghost he rained down.
He c@mĀ£ to take our details and to follow us up,
“Hello, I’m John by name, plea-se can you fill this? He asked giving me a short form to fill and i took it and returned it back to him after filling and that was where he saw my name.
“Okay Amanda I’ll love to see you worsh!pwith us next Sunday, thanks for coming, John said with all smiles as i stood up re-ady to leave.
“Sure, i said to him and headed to the door back home, but eh, brother John was a full package for me………
šGOD FEARING BROTHERšØ
Episode 2.
Story by Miriam Edem
The next day at school, just as I was entering the gate I met with Joshua and wanted dodging from him, but there was no where to dodge to. I just had to put up a strong face to pas-s him.
“Amanda good morning, he greeted first.
“Morning Joshua, I replied and wanted pas-sing.
“You’re avoiding me right? He asked.
“plea-se I have a time book to sign, I replied and went my way.
When I initially got employed with Susan, Joshua was the one who helped us out with things we couldn’t un-derstand.
We bec@mĀ£ friends not until he brou-ght up the “I like you” kind of talk every time.
I knew where that was going to, but eh, he was a catholic.
That was a big turn off for me. But wait o, they swear for me? The guys coming are all from orthodox churches, and they will be very very serious and very sincere with me, but it has always been my dream to marry a God fearing brother from a Pentecostal church and no amount of their care could change that.
Before I even left for Ondo state….. In fact one of the reason that made me leave was one guy from the white garment church who didn’t let me breathe.
He was just all over me and I kept binding. He even said he can change the church for me but I concluded it was all a lie to get me, and in order to escape from him I fled.
Here is Joshua again o, where are the Pentecostal brothers nah? I thought and unknowingly hissed when signing the time book and left to see Susan coming out from the principal car.
Hmmmm i just stood looking at her as they approached the building. I greeted the principal and he replied and left to his office while Susan threw k!sses at him and smiled at me.
“Was-sup? Missed me? She asked and i shook my head.
“So you’re not coming back home? I asked and she rolled her eyes.
“Are we still discussing this? Babe i don gr-ab this one and this one i stand. Soon I’ll be out of this teaching bla bla and have my own big time boutique where I’ll be dealing on imported things, Susan replied feeling so fly and i folded my arms looking at her.
“What’s the look for? Are you not happy for me? She asked and i heaved.
“I didn’t say anything o, but if he really wants to marry you he should do something on your head na before parking to His house as if you’re married, you look kind desperate to me, i replied and Susan scoffed.
“I take God name beg you, don’t start this morning with your scolding. Babe I’ll soon be 25 o and there’s no dull moment, and who says he won’t marry me? Someone that is asking my parents when he’s going to see them. See eh, aunty go and teach o, levels don change, Susan said.
“Ah ah, you’re not following me to the clas-s? I asked.
“To do what kwa? Abi make i come supervise you as you dey teach? E be like you don’t know we-tin dey sup o, I wan carry motor now go make my hair and you’re talking about clas-s. See ya later, Susan replied tou-ching my cheek and ran back to where the car was parked and drove off and i breathed out.
“Vanity upon vanity, I said and saw Joshua coming and i quic-kly dived into locomotion but he ran after me.
“Amanda stĀ©p this childish behavior of yours. How can ordinary i like you change you this way or did i do anything wrong? He asked.
“Yes Joshua yes, what do you mean by I like you? Is it because I took you as a friend? I asked.
“Oh i should hate you as a friend right? he asked and i kept quiet looking away from him.
“Fine suit yourself, he said and left.
Aghnnnn! Just like that?
“Suit yourself too jare, i said and my phone began to ring with a strange number.
“Hello, i picked up.
“Hey good morning Amanda, a bright voice c@mĀ£ on phone.
“Morning, who’s speaking? I asked.
“Okay my name is John from the church you worsh!pped yesterday. I just want to check on you and thank you again for stĀ©pping by, he replied.
“Oh its nothing, i said.
“Yea and I’m looking forward to see more of you, he said and i smiled.
“You don’t have to when the pastor alre-ady made me the children Sunday school teacher, i said.
“Are you serious! He shouted with so much happiness in his tone.
“Argh argh! I replied and we laughed.
“I’m not aware but that’s good news, he said.
“If you say so, i said.
“If that is so then see you on Friday for the teachers clas-s, he said.
“I’m aware of that, i sad.
“Okay ma’am see you then, take care Amanda, he said.
“Thanks for calling, bye, i said and dropped the call and just like that o, John brightened up my mood as i happily bounced to the clas-s………
Tbc