MY DESTINY HELPER
1️⃣2️⃣
“Take… Take eat and drink this mineral I’ve bought for you. Don’t worry the Lord will surely be with you.” I took them from him, tore the small nylon and began devouring them as fast as possible. I finished eating and got pressed. He directed me to a corner where I eased myself before he escorted me to his house.
Mrs. Samah(his wife) kindly took me in and showed concern about my condition. After carefully questioning me, she allowed me to rest. She generously provided me with nourishing soup and tended to my wounds.
The next day, Mr. Edoh and his wife, Samah, reassured me that they would make every effort to ensure my safety. Despite their assurances, I couldn’t stop crying and expressing my deep desire to return home. Even though I had already shared all the details of my situation with them, I understood the challenges they faced, but the overwhelming desperation to be reunited with my family and regain a sense of security consumed me.
After staying with them for two days, Mr. Edoh and Samah continued to search for a solution. They were torn between wanting to help. As we sat together in their modest living room, Mr. Edoh spoke up. “Miriam, we have thought long and hard about this. We understand your pain and desire to go home things are very difficult for us now, the snack I bought for you the other day, I bought it on credit. However, we are trying our best. ” I nodded, trying to maintain my composure. Deep down, I knew it was the most realistic option given the circumstances.
“Miriam how do we get you home. Where do my husband start from? The worst thing is that our salaries have not yet been paid. Where do we start from? We are owing so many debts and our children’s school fees are still pending. We are still pleading with our administrator to extend the deadline. Djobo my first son, is still in the university studying medicine, every week textbooks, lab registration, payment of this, payment of that, all these things have extracted all our cash.” Samah said pathetically.
I wiped away my tears with my cardigan and contemplated what to say next. “To fly you from here to Nigeria would cost over 400,000 CFA Francs, and that is the only secure way for you to return to your country. Taking taxis is extremely unsafe for someone like you, especially considering your age and the unfamiliar faces you would encounter. Many of those drivers cannot be trusted, and there have been accounts of people going missing in the past.”
“M-Miriam,” Mr. Edoh called out as he approached me. “Yes, sir,” I responded, my voice shaky. “Do you agree with what my wife said?”
Uncertain, I began to stutter, struggling to give a definitive answer. “B-But I… I…”
“We have several financial obligations to handle, and with God’s grace, we will address all these pending issues. Just give us some time.” Mr. Edoh assured.
“Okay, Daddy…” I choked back tears as his words sank in. It was a mix of gratitude for everything they had done for me and disappointment that I couldn’t return home. I went outside that evening and observed their daughter playing with a dog. Inside the house, there were two twin girls who looked about twelve years old, and two boys. One of the boys seemed to be around my age, but he hadn’t spoken to me since I arrived. The other boy was younger, making a total of four children in the house, including myself.
The following day was Sunday, and I decided to accompany them to church. However, I found myself on my period, and thankfully, Mrs. Samah had thoughtfully provided me with some pads. She insisted that I join them for church, as a way of acknowledging our gratitude to our creator for keeping me alive. With that, I acquiesced and joined them for the service.
After the church service concluded, Mrs. Samah and Mr. Edoh later accompanied me to the pastor’s office where he was alone and going through some documents to explain my dire situation. Upon hearing the details, the pastor was visibly devastated.
“Oh Jesus. This is so heartbreaking,” he exclaimed. Sensing my sadness, he asked, “You mentioned you’re from Nigeria?” With a heavy heart, I nodded in response, my gaze fixated on the ground.
Realizing the urgency of the situation, the pastor instructed both Mrs. Samah and Mr. Edoh to fetch Lawani.
They promptly left the office to fulfill his request. As they exited, the pastor closed the door and instructed me to sit down. He took a seat, and removed his glasses. He directed his gaze towards me, his expression was filled with empathy and concern….
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To be continued.
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