My village in ughelli wasn’t far from warri, so the journey wasn’t a long one but the transition from thatched houses, a few block houses and dusty foot paths to storey buildings and tarred roads was fascinating.i was excited. I hoped it was a new beginning.
Sister blessing’s house was a duplex. It was like a palace . When i entered through the gate, i was flabbagasted. Sister blessing laughed beside me as the gate man took my things inside. I was shown my room where i took my bath in the beautiful bathroom. After taking my bath,
i was called to the dining room for dinner.
Mr James wasn’t at home when we arrived but he was already sitting at the dining room when i entered. I could already perceive the aroma
of jolof rice. I was directed to a chair beside my sister.
I sat as my sister served our meal. My sister’s husband was just smiling at my sister like she meant the whole world to him as she served. I envied what they had but i knew i didn’t deserve to envy them because of all the things i have done.
After i was served, i started eating but felt that i was being watched so i raised my head. Mr James was looking at me with a disapproving stare.
“you didn’t pray before eating” he said.
“Racheal, you should always pray before eating, don’t they teach you that in church?”he continued.
I just stared at him and shrugged.
My parents were never staunch Christians so we didn’t really appreciate the essence of prayer. We
only went to church when we were invited for dedications or burials. We never knew Christ.
Our names were biblical but that was not because we were religious but because my parents wanted to belong.
Everybody was during it. So they just joined.
Mr James sighed when he saw i wasn’t saying anything. He held my hands and my sister’s as he prayed for the meal.
That was the first time i noticed the power in the name of Jesus. As soon as Mr James said ‘in Jesus name’ my heart leapt and i felt my
body going hot through out the prayer. It was a strange feeling that i didn’t understand at that time.
After the prayer, we ate and i left to my room. I was still thinking about my body’s reaction to prayer when my aunty walked into the room. She gave me a new phone and told me i would be starting my waec lesson the next week. She said it was evening lesson so i could help her in the shop. I thanked her and she told me to go down for night devotion and again, my heart skipped.
My aunty led the songs and i tried to flow but i didn’t know the songs very well. Mr James led the prayers and the same feeling of heat enveloped me. After the prayers i went to my room to sleep.
And that night there was no meeting.
‘Was i saved or were they just giving me time to adjust?’ i asked my self.
Stay tuned for More Episodes: Enjoy!!!