THE ENCOUNTER

II

The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalms 34:18

II
I looked up ahead and realised I was close to my room,only several steps away. My room was built close to a large family house where shouts and loud threats emanated from every Sunday evenings, when the family gathered for a meeting. It always ended with somebody leading a wounded person away. I spotted my landlady seated infront the family house, heavily painted, picking beans on an aluminum tray. She sang with a voice that forced birds in nearby nest to go for strolls. It was something she did everyday. I waved and greeted in the local language I had learnt over time. She simply nodded in acknowledgement.

Little children, naked as they escaped their mother's womb ran up to me singing songs of welcome. With very dusty hand and faces marked with dry catarrh, designed by their active hands, they all embraced me. I had grown fond of the little dumplings since my first arrival. I rummaged my bag for cheap sweets I had gotten from a roadside vendor, handed over to the children who ran off gleefully to show their friends.

I walked briskly to my room with longer strides, as the revolts in my belly intensified. I unlocked the door, stepped in and let the smell of mould flood my poor nostrils. I dropped my bag on the bed and poured myself a jar of water, which I carried to the table with much reluctance. It was to sooth my frustrations, as I skimmed over the few food choices I had in my head.

My room wasn't large, it was quite small and seemed to close in on me most times. Those times, I felt suffocated. Poverty clothed the walls of my room like cobwebs built by a stubborn spider. My bed was small and creaked loudly when used. For that reason, I slept strictly in one position at night, like a wet log of wood to prevent it's definite collapse. It had been given to me by my landlady. The bed's foam was very thin, like the spread of butter on bread by a stingy shop keeper . My bed never lulled me from studying, it actually encouraged me in many ways, my good grades were proof. The cemented floor had quickly eroded in many places leaving behind ghastly potholes. A ceiling was nonexistent. My ghanamustgo bag of clothes stood at one corner, not very close to the old cooking stove, that looked like an atomic bomb that could go off at any moment. There were few water gallons,a table, chair and pots amongst other things. The window at on the mud bricked wall was shielded by a curtain of overgrown bushes, on the outside of the room.

I sat on the table and poured myself a drink. I leisurely picked up my phone and turned it on. It was an old Motorola phone, thick, very short with a small screen. I browsed through it and found myself pressing repeatedly the scroll down button. I scrolled down messages in dire need of entertainment. My eyes caught a glimpse of a message I hadn't seen before. I opened it, and seconds after reading, my pulse was racing with fear and I was breathing heavily. I dropped the the phone and backed away like one burnt. I drew in a breath, picked up the phone and scanned through it's contents again. The message was from a neighbour back in the village. It spoke of my mother's ill health. She was said to be in a critical condition, battling for her life. My immediate presence was requested alongside a sum of money needed for medical attention. I could feel panic in the message. I simply sat back on the chair and stared at the wall, letting the information sink in. I stayed in that position for longer than usual. Being penny less, It took longer to understand the whole message. I was drained of every money I had, by trying situations in school, even my savings had being exhausted. I felt trapped in a pit with no way out. My heart was crushed under the weight of the revelation and my inability to react fast. I was helpless, shaken and frustrated, the string holding my sanity together had began to break. Reading the message again, I came across a sentence that greatly irked me.

' Please come quick for God's sake, her survival depends on you.'

' God's sake,' she had said. The same God who had let misery fall on me and my family like an equatorial rain. Who seemed completely oblivious to my pain and had blocked out my pleas for help.

I was afraid, lost and most especially, I felt alone. I blinked once and the flood gates were thrown open. Tears hurrily flowed in heavy drops, trailing down my cheeks, and onto cloths. I was broken and hurt within. My limps became numb and I settled on the ground. I clutched my chest and sobbed. I sniffed a few more times and let out a wail.

" God? God?" I murmured, I was consumed by rage. It shook me and overturned any sense of reasoning. I was angry and I felt hatred eat at my heart for a supreme being. I stood up, fist clenched, grinding my teeth and defied God.

"All my life, I have served you," I pointed at the ceiling."I obeyed the church codes and yet my mother lies...," I was overcome by grieve and my voice wavered. " You made my life a living hell with many problems." I continued amidst sobs. " I don't believe in you, infact you don't exist. You want to take away the only person I have left.I hate you! I hate you and my hatred is justified! I hate you, you never hear me, you never listen. Prove yourself! prove yourself!" I bellowed, dropped to the floor and cried. I shook with heart wrenching sobs. I was exhausted and hungry. I mustered little strength and walked over to my bed. I laid on it and cried myself to sleep.

Author's note ( pls read)

Glory to God in the highest, I am done with this chapter. It wasn't easy, but I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.

Some people think that only a certain group of people are called to be overly spiritual and them, cooler Christian. But I say, every one is called to serve God and to live by Bible standards.

And there's this other saying " no body is perfect".most time when it is said, it meant to cover up a certain sin we can't stop practising, so we cover it up with that statement. Sin separate us from God. And if sin separate us from God, then it definitely separate us from heaven, or am I wrong???

If I haven't succeeded in chasing you away then cool, but if I have, you still have to complete my dare so don't go anywhere. The last chapter is coming up next, you don't want to miss it. Read and be blessed
What should I say? The last chapter is where the peak is attained. So much discovery, there's drama and alot more. See you there
QUESTIONS
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