TAMAR. Episode 25.
I sneezed out loud and screamed Jesus before opening my eyes, at first everywhere was so blurred, I blinked repeatedly as I try to see clearly and to know where exactly I was, I almost thought I was dead because of my encounter with him, he has being on my side for a while and has helped me to remain calm, he kept saying this to me as if he was trying to keep it fresh in my heart
“I am here with you, now and forever, nothing and no one can snatch you away from my hands because you are strongly secured, for you did not deny me before men I will not deny you before my father in heaven, I am here with you my child, always. is time to return, go and make disciples of all nation…your work is not done yet…remember, I am with you always…always my child.
“it was Jesus, oh Jesus… it was him, his face has shone so bright that I have to shade the brightness with my hands to see him, he has being beside me all this while and his presence has being so warm and loving, that I have wished I will remain there with him.
“Father, come…quick, father hurry, she has awaken…
I watch as a man try to check me through, my body was stiff, my face felt like it was sewed together, my hand and thigh felt the same, I was finding it hard to move my hands and my legs, couldn’t feel some part of my body, must part of my body feels numb, it was as if they are not mine anymore, my eyes was wide open as I stare at the strange faces bent over me…
“Where…where I am…where is this place…
“I am a physician and here is my son, he is practicing to be a renowned physician just like me, you are in my place, my name is Cozam and my son is Tedran. You have being in a comma for long, counting by the weeks it will be nine and half weeks, that’s almost three months in coma, you were sent to mandioh’s lion’s den.. Do you remember, but you were lucky to have made it alive, whatever god you serve must have defended you and helped you through, it surprising how you are still alive but we are happy you made it. You serve a true God, because even I, being a physician can’t explain the logic, You are very safe here, because we live at the far end of the fourth district, they all thought you are already dead, many people died that day, there was a young man that got enraged on hearing that you were sent to Mandion’s den to die, on getting there he pushed down one woman that has planned it all with Mandioh, Mandioh was eaten by his own lion, the crazy young man was called Vim, he is the son of the second prime ruler, people fear him greatly, I have to tell him that you are already dead because you look lifeless, and your wounds were life threatening, we thought you will never make it, we came to buy some medical things for our patients over here and when we hard that Mandioh’s has opened up his lion’s den and people were tripping in to watch, it was a good time, and I, having being trying to teach my son somethings in a dead human body, so we watch from afar as the lions couldn’t take a bite off you, it was as if your body was poisonous to them and that of your second too, all they did was to just dug their long fangs into you and left you, you lost so much blood already before lord Vim asked if there was any physician around and I came out with my son, so when you were brought up we thought it was useless working on you because you were not moving again and so we told him you were gone, we told him that you are dead and that news enraged him the more and he began to shoot, even the lions have their own share of the gun shot, I guess they all died later, we have to get an order to go and dispose you and the second lady at the burial ground but you suddenly called out somebody’s name along the way, inside the chariot and that was how we got to know that you are alive, and since we brought you down here you have being unconscious, you have being in coma, I’m glad you are up, so you must have noticed how stiff your body is, well, is due to being in one place without movement for so long, now we have to help you move your body, you have stiches all over your thigh, your face and also some other part of your body which is not totally healed, we have to loosened the thread maybe tomorrow so that you will be able to move around gently until you can feel your legs and your whole body began to corporate, it will take little time, and you will make use of a walking stick but with a constant practice you will be fine.
“wher…what of Shamara…what happened to her…I mean my second..
“she is right there, still not awake, but she will live, if you can gently turn your face to your right side you will see her, her wounds were not as much as yours, you sustained a heavy injury, she lost lots of blood and she is very weak, unlike you, your muscles are strong and you respond well to treatment, you look fragile yet you are very strong, my lady, I’m glad you made it but this has to be between us, because already everyone thinks you are dead and that young man has already believed so, it will be safe for you to stay here and secondly the wound on your cheek will take time to heal up, and when it finally healed you will be left with a deep scar on your face, your thigh and also your arm will have a scar, which is not even important, the most important thing is that you are alive and you will live here with us, we will teach you medicine and you may eventually become a physician too if you so desired so. We have enough rooms for you and your second.
I started practicing again on how to move my legs and arm and my whole body as the weeks follows suit, I was afraid to look at the mirror because of the deep wound on my cheek, that was gradually forming a scar already, within weeks, I can stand and move around with the help of Tedran and a walking stick, the physician son Tedran, who was almost same age with Vim, he was gentle and kind as he assist me in getting better everyday,
Tedran was a fine young man, younger than Vim, I guess, he was good looking too and was also taller than his father, he was always filled with smile, and I have to ask him one day as he massage my limp legs after being instructed by his father to do so.
“You are always wearing a smile, that’s good…I admire that about you, did your father also told you is part of your job description… being a physician…
“hahahaha, smiling has become part of me, and yes, father told me to always smile especially when I’m attending to patients, it helps them to ease up. So ever since I was young, father has inbuilt it in me, he has being building me up to become as good as he is and I tried not to fail him, I was little when mother died and father has never remarried since then, he raised me up and it has being two of us ever since…and very soon I will be like father, already I know everything but I don’t want to be ahead of myself, I always want to watch father attend to patients and I only do the ones he instruct me to do, he sometimes he send me out to go and attend to patients on my own and I try not to disappoint him… someday I will get a wife and it will not just be me and father anymore, and when children start coming the house will be lively like I have always wanted that, I like having people around here.
I listened to Tedran talk and I tried to smile despite the wound stiches that hurts anytime I forcefully move a muscle on my face.
Shamara woke up after a week, and I was at her bedside with lord Cozam and his son Tedran, they began to attend to her, as Shamara try to understand what was happening around her and where she was, I held her hand as she turned to look at me
“Where…is this place, is this heaven…are we dead, is this heaven or hell…
“we are both alive, we made it Shamara, God saved us, this is planet earth, is neither heaven or hell, and if there’s anywhere we have to be outside this earth then is heaven and not hell, I’m so proud of you..
“oh…serious, so we are alive, I thought…I thought the lion ate us, oh mine…the lions….i remember… your God is real, you said he was going to come and save us and he did… look at the wound on your face, it must have being so painful, I’m deeply sorry, I can’t even remember what happened after… after you asked me to pretend to be dead and I did, I guess I passed out…who are all this people…
“Our God is real, he has never failed and he will never fail, we both lost so much blood, and the shock too kept us in coma, is a good thing to have you here, this is lord Cozam and his son Tedran, they are both physicians, they saved us… and nursed us back, without a shelling to their pocket, they are good people and I’m glad God used them for us…
Shamara muttered a thank you to lord Cozam and his son Tedran and they greeted her with a smile.
The week came and go as we try to heal up, it became so fun being with the physicians, as I try to tell them about Christ, and they were keen to listen after seeing what happened at the lion’s den and being alive again which was beyond their understanding, they listened, him and his son and they eventually believed, as I feed them with the word everyday, Shamara was not left out.
We assisted with the little that we can do around the house, more week’s turns into months and then it became a year. We were totally fine. I can walk perfectly well on my own without any help, same with Shamara, although the scars are all there but it gives me no trouble.
I planned to return to visit lord Reese’s family, there were a lot of people to visit, Abel, my dearest Abel, Adolfo and Eura, Zity and Chakan, they should have their little one by now, Rhonda and her children, the merchant, and how he took the news of his wife’s death, then Vim, I wonder how he is doing after all that happened.
It was time for me to visit them all, I will go as a physician with Tedran, and will wear a cover up, from head down, only my eyes will be seen, I will not reveal my identity to them immediately until I observe the environment, and I plead with God to lead me as always.
I won’t be going as Tamar, I will let them believe me to be a stranger or a physician’s daughter, i will change my name to Leah.
i’m going over with a different identity and a different name.
TAMAR. Episode 26.
I did not leave immediately, I needed to be ready to do so, and after another year went by, making it the second year that I have being with the physician i felt ready to go.
Tedran likes Shamara and they were planning to get married, I was so happy for the two of them, they will make an awesome couple. They will be married whenever Tedran returns from the journey.
Lord Cozam asked me if I was sure of travelling down like I have intended and I assured him I was, I knew it was time. He bought me new cloths and foot wear, and also got me a khimar, a head covering, which I wore around my head and cover my face, their was a net on the face, which helps me in seeing everything and everyone clearly but they can’t see me, I was grateful to lord Cozam, he spoke with me that day, telling me to be careful and make sure I listen to the voice of God and I promise to do so, I told him me and Tedran will be fine because the most high is with us.
I thank God for Lord Cozam who was like a father to me, he never acted indifference to me or Shamara, and he was kind and down to earth just like his son Tedran.
I hugged Shamara, and told her that her husband to be is safe with me and I will return with him in sound health, Tedran, whom she seem to love so much, and he loves her too laugh at my funny jest, we all crack some joke about it and laugh some more. I knelt and greeted lord Cozam as he gave me and his son his blessings of a favorable journey. Shamara hugged me and bid me farewell.
We later left, I sat beside Tedran as he speed into the dusty long road that leads to the first and second district. We stopped on the road to buy food and drink before proceeding,
It was indeed a long journey, and when the night approach we stop by an inn, and paid for the night, we rested and the following morning we continued our journey, and arrived by early noon.
Tedran already know what to do and say, we have talked about it and he was eager to help in anyway he can.
I asked him to stop at Rhonda’s place first and he did, I went inside and met the twins and little Jon who was already three years old, they were all looking bigger, little Jon was running around the compound, and they all suddenly stopped and stare at me as I entered, then one of the twins called out to Rhonda who was inside
“Mother…mother come quickly… there’s a stranger here to see you…
Rhonda quickly ran out and also stood as I approach, I removed my head cover to make them feel at peace…
Rhonda fell back in shock, and I held her, she went into my arm and started crying…
“Is this really you Tamar, oh my God, you are alive, may God be praise…how…where..i don’t understand, people said you died from the lion’s wound, and they took you to the burial ground and buried you…how come…seeing the scar on your face is an evidence that you are truly the one, you are alive, where have you being…may all the glory be to God…oh Jesus..
Rhonda was crying and I all I did was to smile, I told her all that happened as we sat down, I introduce Tedran to her and she was so grateful to him and his father, I asked Rhonda how she has being coping with the kids and she said God has being providing through her little trade, I was glad to hear that. after eating and drinking the things Rhonda offered us, I began to speak with her and the same time watch as Tedran played with the kids, little Jon was giggling all around him, as they race together, I can’t help but smile, Tedran really love kids and I pray God will bless him and Shamara with children.
“The twins mother died in the lion’s den, is so sad she has to go that way, she did not receive Christ, and did not have any child to call her mother, so Rhonda, you will do me a great favor…
“I owe you my life Tamar, It still baffles me that you are actually sitting here with me, thank you so much Tamar, I thought I will never get this opportunity to say thank you to you, I’m really grateful to God for using you to bring laughter to my life, say whatever you want and I will be so glad to help in anyway I can.
“thank you Rhonda, I thought of the children when I was sent to Mandioh, and thought whatever that was hidden will remain hidden, but when God saved me from the lions, I have promise myself to do the this, this can not be hidden forever, I think God wants you to do the right thing now that Okra is gone, the twins, you don’t really need to return them, no, I’m not asking for that. they are yours, even heaven knows that you are a great mother to them than their real mother will ever be, but the merchant, Okra’s husband, must have being lonely, no wife and no children, I don’t know how he is coping through, but I will find out if he later remarries, he deserve to know he has children somewhere, the Merchant will not take the girls from you but he will be so glad to know that he have this beautiful twins, and they have his resemblance too, do not panic, I will do my normal findings and return back to you, if is necessary for him to know about the children I will let you know, if not, then they are yours to keep. And also little Jon…but let God’s will be done over you and this children…and may he keep perfecting everything that concerns every one of us.
Rhonda accepted what I said, and after sometimes we hugged and bid them all good bye before proceeding to Adolfo’s house, my head was once again covered,
On getting there, at the gate, i introduce myself and Tedran as my brother and that we are there to see Adolfo, we are physician from the far end district. They allowed us in and Adolfo was informed, I saw him coming out as we sat waiting for him at his visitor’s shade, he hasn’t aged one bit, still looking like the last time i saw him, he has a wedding band on his finger, I wondered within me if he later got married again after Zity, who could he be married to.
Right then I saw Eura, and I almost screamed in shock, but held myself back, she was putting on a royal apparel and she also had a wedding band on her ring finger, which means she was married to Adolfo, I couldn’t keep calm, I was so happy and felt like screaming with joy, I breathed severally to remain calm, Eura was glowing in pride, she looks so beautiful, Adolfo was not looking too cheerful, he looked like something wasn’t right.
Eura greeted us warmly and we responded before she walked pass us, Adolfo came and Tedran introduced me as his sister,Leah, and also a physicians coming from the far end of the fourth district and we needed a place to stay for the night.
Adolfo was quiet fro sometime, he called Eura’s attention and she came, before he spoke,
“here is my beautiful wife, Eura, my name is Adolfo and you are warmly welcome to my home, my servants will attend to your needs but we are Christians, and we serve the one true God…I don’t know if you will be comfortable staying under our roof, I and my wife will be glad to have you until you are ready to continue with your journey, we don’t really care the kind of god you serve but we will let you know that our God is the only true God above and below, Jehovah is a loving God, and he has put it in our heart to welcome any stranger that comes to us in need….so you are welcome, but why is your sister’s face covered
“She has an injury, more of fire incident, and it left her with a deep burnt scar… we will be glad to be under your roof my lord, we are also Christians, we all believe in the one true God.
“Sorry to hear that my lady, I’m glad to have you two here, you are both welcome… I feel good knowing well that you are not an idol worshiper like I use to be before my dear wife led me to God, and also with the help of a dear sister, she is late now, she died with honor after she was asked to deny God and to proclaimed the god of this kingdom as her god, and she refused, she and her second…the people that witnessed it said the lions couldn’t eat her after she was thrown inside but they left her with life threatening wound and before the physician could attend to her and the second lady, it was already late, they both lost too much blood and couldn’t make it, but the woman that planned all of that was consumed same with the owner of the lions, and is being so sad, even after two years, her memory remain fresh in our heart, but we feel at peace knowing where she is, at the right hand of God almighty, I also lost a son two years ago, yeah, that is still part of my sadness, I lost my only son, his name was Chakan…
I freeze and went cold, I felt fear all over and almost pull off my cover, as I listen to Adolfo. My eyes was widened in shock through my veil as listened to the sad tale…
“…After the death of the two ladies, Chakan was angry with his wife for planning such with her friend, who’s name was Okra, Okra was married to a merchant but she was a very difficult woman, she is dead now. My son got into a heated argument with his pregnant wife, and later stormed out of the house angrily, he was riding with speed on his chariot when he fell off and broke his neck, and sound physicians were brought down here, to help him get well but he kept getting worst, and there’s a young man called Abel, he was Chakn’s father in-laws’ master servant and was also in charge of the man’s port business, lord Reese was the second prime ruler, you must have hard of him and my son was married to his daughter, so when Abel came, he said God revealed to him that Chakan won’t make it and he needed to pray for him before he go. Abel sat by his bedside and prayed for him, he led him to Christ before he died. Is being two years now, I whenever I think of the sad happenings in my life…I feel like God striped me off, it was first…my wife, first wife who bore Chakan for me before passing away, followed by Tamar, a dear friend when I needed a friend to help me through my lonely time, then my only son. Chakan’s wife moved back to her father’s house and remained there, that was where she is with the son she had for Chakan, my own grand child. I feel comforted and happy that I have a grandchild, I wasn’t totally striped off by the enemy.although it still feels sad, no parents prays to loose their child, Me and Eura has being married for a year and some months now and yet no child, but we are believing that God will bless us with one soon. Abel use to come down here once in a while and speak to us about God and how mighty he was, well he contributed in building my faith up, that young man is something else, he is filled with the holy spirit, Devil must be so afraid of him because Abel hears from God direct. He refuse to talk about Tamar, whenever we mention her to him he will only smile and say “whoever trust in the Lord will never be put to shame”. That’s all he says, he was not sad about her death like we were but he was keen on making me a strong man in the Lord and I must say he did a great job, now I’m all sold out for God. May the soul of my dearest son, Chakan and also Tamar, the slave girl that first took the step which brought about our salvation, she was selfless and so loving and also bold, ready to talk about God anytime and anywhere, may they continue to rest in the bosom of the almighty God, who knows why everything happen…
I felt tears running down my face, and i decided to pull off my cover, Tedran looked at me to make sure I know what I was doing and I replied him…
“Tedran, is fine, I can’t hide anymore, my heart want to burst out of me, don’t worry, I’m fine, I will uncover the face and let them know who sit before them…
I watch as Adolfo and Eura looked at me surprisingly as I try to remove the khimar, my face cover, despite there was a dark line of sadness under Adolfo’s eyes, one can see that he loves Eura, his wife, I gently lifted my head cover, to them, at first they didn’t recognized me and they later did immediately I said my real name, Eura fell into Adolfo’s hand in shock, Tedran helped her quickly as she fell down, it was as if she was traumatized, and Adolfo was battling with his own shock but all I did was to smile and wipe my eyes off tears. Eura later recovered from the trauma as she stare at me like I just fell from heaven or like a ghost. They began to ask if I was truly the one as they deeply looked at me, and when they saw I was the same Tamar that was suppose to be dead and rot away, it was unimaginable for them, Eura gently came to me, counting her every step, and we fell into a warm hug, she saw that I was actually real, I wasn’t a ghost, I was so happy, so happy not just because I was seeing them but also because they proudly say that they are Christians and was opening their home to total strangers without even knowing who I was, I was so proud of Eura, she helped Adolfo to believe, it saddened me that Chakan died, it sound unbelievable but I was glad that Abel came at the right time and led him to the light before he passed into glory.
As we all calm down, they were eager to know how I survived, I told them how it all happened, I told them of all my encounter, and even Tedran added few word, as he speak to them on what happened during the time I was in a coma, Eura began to cry as she sat beside me and held my hands, Adolfo couldn’t still believe that God can work in such a way, he stood and opened his arm for me and I went in, he held onto me muttering a thank you to God. He later loosened up and looked at my scar.
“This are the mark of the lions,you made it alive… is not because you are strong but it was because of God who you boldly speak off in the presence of all the people and you did not deny him because of fear, he came through for you Tamar, truly there is a God greater than every other god that ever existed. Oh Jesus…this is just too much of a miracle to believe, you survived the lions and Okra and Mandioh went into their belle like worms, wow…this is…is too much God, thank you Jehovah for saving your own…
It was a great time of reunion, I felt so glad as I listen to Adolfo talk about God, he took everything about God pretty serious, I can’t help but laugh at his zealousness, I felt fulfilled, listening to him. I thought of little Jon, very soon he will know that he has a son somewhere whom God led me to save, even though Chakan is gone, Jon will bring back the spark in Adolfo’s saddened eyes, and I know very son God will also open Eura’s womb and she will conceive and bear more Children for Adolfo as he has prayed for.
the next day we all gathered and talked more about God and sing praises to him, it was so glorious being in his presence with believers, and on the third day, me and Tedran decided to continued our journey, Adolfo and Eura wanted us to stay some more but we are on a mission and it has to be accomplished, we told them we will return as soon as we are done with our quest.
We hugged and bid Adolfo and Eura, good bye. We journeyed to Lord Reese estate, where I will get to meet Abel, lady Zity, her father and mother, and also Vim.
I still have to visit the merchant and know how he is doing. And Tedran needs to return soon, so that he can get married to Shamara, and build a happy and Godly home together with her.
#written by Amah
