Hope

JIDÈA AMROUS

I WAS JUST A GIRL . SO SMALL , A BABY. INNOCENT, THAT'S WHAT THEY SAID .

MY MOM AND DAD WERE HAPPILY  CHRISTIAN .

I WAS TOO YOUNG TO UNDERSTAND.

I WAS ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD , MY MOTHER WAS VERY SICK AND MY DAD WAS ALWAYS WORKING.

EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL TO ME. I NEVER REALISED IT IN THAT WAY. I ALWAYS SAW MY MOTHER'S SMILE AND NEVER THE SICKNESS.

MY DAD WOULD ALWAYS FIND TIME TO PLAY WITH ME , I NEVER SAW HOW BUSY HE WAS.

ONE NIGHT WHEN I COULDN'T SLEEP, I WENT TO MY PARENTS ROOM, MOM WAS KNEELING BESIDE THE BED , AND I ASKED WHO SHE WAS TALKING TO.

GOD. THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID.

I ASKED WHO HE IS .

SHE SAID HE IS OUR FATHER THE CREATOR

SHE SAW THE CONFUSION ON MY FACE AND STARTED EXPLAINING.

SHE SAID GOD IS THE CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, HE OR SHE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. HE MADE BOTH MAN AND WOMAN. AND LOVES ALL HIS CHILDREN. HE LISTENS TO HIS PEOPLE AND ANSWERS THEM. HE WATCHES OVER THEM.

I WAS STILL VERY YOUNG TO UNDERSTAND, BUT INSTEAD SHE SAID IT WILL ALL MAKE SENSE SOON.

ONE EVENING WHEN WE HAD DINNER, DAD ALWAYS GAVE BLESSINGS TO OUR FOOD.

I VOLUNTEERED THAT EVENING.

I SAID:

Thank you Father, for the food we eat.
Amen.

SIMPLE AND SWEET. MY PARENTS WERE SURPRISED YET PLEASED.

UNTIL ONE DARK NIGHT...

I KNEW SOMETHING BAD WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. SOMETHING VERY BAD.

MY MOM WOULD SING ME A SONG BEFORE I WENT TO BED

IT WENT SO :

Jesus loves me yes I know
For the bible tells me so
Little ones to him belong
They're are weak but he is strong
yes Jesus loves me

I REMEMBER HER GO ON LIKE THAT, BUT SHE NEVER LOOKED AT ME ONCE THAT NIGHT AS SHE SANG. SHE LOOKED STRAIGHT AHEAD, AS IF THERE WAS SOMEONE STANDING RIGHT AHEAD.

WHEN SHE FINISHED HER SONG , SHE WOULD GIVE ME A HUG AND KISS BEFORE I WENT TO BED .

AS SHE LEFT MY ROOM, I HEARD HER ENTER HER ROOM AND TUCK HERSELF TO BED.

THE NIGHT WAS PEACEFUL,

I WOKE UP THE NEXT MORNING.

SATURDAY, FAMILY DAY.

I WALKED INTO MY PARENTS BEDROOM AND SAT BESIDE MOM . NORMALLY SHE WOULD WAKE UP, BUT I GUESSED SHE MUST HAVE BEEN TIRED, SO I LEFT THE ROOM TO GIVE HER TIME TO REST.

I ENTERED THE KITCHEN THINKING I COULD MAKE MYSELF SOME BREAKFAST. I THOUGHT OF HAVING SOME CEREAL, IT SEEMED EASIER TO MAKE AND I'VE DONE IT UNDER MOM'S SUPERVISION.

I WOULD GRAB A CHAIR SO I COULD GET THE CEREAL BOX FROM THE CABINET. AFTER THAT I WOULD SHIFT THE CHAIR TO THE REFRIGERATOR SO I  COULD GET MILK.

AS I SET EVERYTHING UPON THE TABLE TO PREPARE BREAKFAST, THE TELEPHONE WOULD RING.

I RUSHED TOWARDS IT AND ANSWERED :