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A story by Belinda Ahiakpor
Prologue
I wondered why I was in the queue of accused at all. I am intelligent, aggressive, young, totally committed to my God. What am I doing here with this sheet of supposed sins in my hand I wondered?
I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I don’t fornicate, I don’t steal, I am righteous. Others should be here not me.
It was finally my turn to face the Man.
I placed my sheet before Him, He glanced at it and sighed softly.
He looked at me and calmly said, ‘Guilty of idol worship.’
Imagine my anger, my fury, my indignation. I jumped out of the chair and said ‘Of course not! Check the sheet again, check the name, It can’t be mine.’
He sighed again and mentioned one of my names that no one knows.
I would not be stopped. It’s impossible’ I yelled. I worship only God, the Most High, Maker of heaven and earth, the King of kings and Lord of lords. I bow down to none, I have no talisman, no amulet, no pot underneath my bed.
‘You are guilty of idol worship’ He repeated calmly.
He looked at me, I looked at Him. It seemed like forever. The room was silent. I could hear the clock ticking.
Then slowly I understood.
I am never late for my British Airway flights but I am always late to church – I blinked.
My payments to unfaithful PHCN and water board are never late but I haven’t paid my tithes in three months – I looked down.
When meeting one of our local chiefs last week I would not even pick a call in the presence of earthly royalty, but I WhatsApp in church – I swallowed.
I wouldn’t interrupt my performance appraisal with my boss for anything but I missed church last week because of a movie on TV – I squirmed uncomfortably.
I wouldn’t let a day end without talking to my spouse but today I just said Hi God, Bye God. And I didn’t even pray last night – The room began to feel hot.
I would never miss going to the bank because of the weather but I missed fellowship of Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursday because it looked really cloudy – It seems the AC in the room wasn’t working.
I would wear my party colors to party meetings and not care what anyone thought of me but I hate to talk to my workmates about God because of what they will think of me – Someone should fix this AC or put it on 0 because 10 was too hot for me.
I always have the latest tech toy you can think of but my bible is so worn out. I can’t even find book of Jude in my bible anymore.
I wished the Man would get a call and leave but He doesn’t allow anything to interrupt when He is with His children.
I felt so hot in the room, a nervous sweat on my forehead, I felt so ill and weak, all of my anger and self-righteousness was gone, leaving immense guilt in its wake.
I slowly got of the chair and knelt by His feet and said ‘I am sorry, I am guilty as charged, Guilty of idol worship, guilty of placing others; humans, toys; before You. I am guilty of idol worship.’
He smiled gently, looked at me with those passionate eyes of His full of love and He gave me a fresh sheet!
Deliver people from idolatry today.
Episode 1
“Hey Charley, please pack the things well o!It all has to be able to get into the boot or Theophilus would have to stay behind,haha,”Serlorm giggled at Theophilus.
“You are right, Sey,as they usually called him,I think I don’t want to make this trip at all”,Theo replied.
“Look at you, I was only Joking,Theo laughed.”Hwɛ,who would want to stay behind and succumb to Enyonam’s nagging, today do this,tomorrow do that, Apuu, we are all going, oya, let me help you pack abeg.
“Jeffrey, who was quiet all this while finally said.They all broke down laughing, hearing these words coming non other than Jeff.”Haha, Jeff, Theo called , like you stay here with Enyonam you will enjoy paa o! Because Enyo likes quiet guys like you. Oh, and you guys would always not quarrel like how she quarrels with her younger brother,
Serlorm.”Thunder fire your mouth wai Theo, Jeff laughed.And fire yours too,Theo added,they all laughed.
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These were the words of these three lovely guys,Theophilus, Jeffrey and Serlorm,very good friends from childhood who grew up with the fear of God .From strict Christian homes with great values of hardwork inculcated in them by their parents.Jeffrey the eldest, Theo and there comes Selorm.Although from different homes,these guys were seen more to be brothers rather than friends.
Jeff came from a family of five,he being the first,his younger brother Manuel,and Miriam,his little sister.Hardworking and committed to his work, he worked with an oil and gas company and was one of the best the company ever had.
Theo was from a family of three,he lost his dad at a tender age,since he was an only child,his mum was able to cater for him until he was old enough to do so himself.Theo and his mum later moved to the States, until Theo wanted to come back to Ghana to work for his homeland and also reunite with his too crazy friends,Selorm and Jeffery .They had been in Ghana since then.
And finally,Serlorm Kugblenu;the only guy who never joked with his food. Came from a family of five too. They had actually spent their summer vacation with Enyonam, Serlorm’s elder sister who lived in Brazil with her husband and their little girl, Grace and were packing,to return to Ghana.His younger sister Elikplim,lived with their Parents back in Ghana. It was their refusal to spend one more week in Brazil as Enyonam had begged them to,that led to their conversations and mockery of each other.Though they had a good time,they remembered the hectic times they had with the work she usually gave them before living for work each day; Theo, clean around the house, Jeff,weed and cut the grass around and Sey,you do the mopping …Just these words, aaah…they had to leave Jeff said again and again.
Finally finally, we are going, aww sister Enyo,we will miss you so much,Set said,looking all sad and down. As though he was really sad they were leaving.Only the three knew what was really on their mind…they made faces at each other with little smiles playing around the corner of their lips..
To be continued…