THE MACHINE GUN PREACHER
SAVING SOPHIA
EPISODE 19
And a week before their wedding, when Jon and Sophia were returning from the city in his Mercedes Benz S Class, he noticed that she was unusually quiet and seemed agitated the closer they got to the town.
Jon had managed to get the attention of the Municipal Authority, and together with Agya Manu, and funding from Jon’s inheritance, construction work on the bridge had started, and very soon vehicular traffic to Obosomfie would be possible.
Jon Fii once again left the car in the care of Sergeant Ato Assifuah, and they joined one of the pontoons to Obosomfie.
This time around, several people in the pontoon came over to shake Jon’s hand and wish them well. Seeing the pastor with the once fearsome fetish priestess, to them, was the most amazing miracle of all.
When they got to the town, and finally got to her house, he spent some moments with her family having dinner, and then he followed Sophia to her room.
She sat morosely on the bed and looked at him, and on her face was such a tragic expression that it tore at his heart as he sat down beside her and took her hands.
“What is it, Naa Yaa?” he asked gently. “You’ve been worried for a couple of days now, and it is troubling me.”
She turned to him and he was alarmed to see the tears in her eyes. With a little cry, she put her arms around him and pressed her face to his chest, squeezing him tightly as she began to weep.
“Hey, hey, hey, my precious darling,” he whispered as he gently ran his hand down her back and smoothened her hair. “What is it, my love? Don’t do this! Tell me what’s ailing you!”
“You know I’m going to die, don’t you?” she whispered tragically in anguish. “Oh, Jon! Don’t you deny it! I can’t take it anymore!”
For a moment Jon Fii stiffened with horror!
His heart literally missed a beat, and he felt the sudden numbing pain that spread through him as he remembered Yaw Boat’s words, and felt the horrible impact of the dreams he had been having lately.
“My love, why are you saying that?” he asked gravely.
“I’ve been having dreams, Jon, my darling,” she whispered tightly. “Dreams about… death, me dying and leaving you. It scares me, my love. Gives me sadness. Maybe, you should not marry me! If I’ll die early, don’t let it leave you in pain!”
He sighed and gently pushed her back. His hands were on her shoulders as he spoke to her earnestly.
“We serve a living God, my love,” he said gently. “Dreams are revealed to be redeemed. Every dream has a purpose, and yes, there was a man – an Unblind – who told me of such a thing. But it is not going to happen that way, believe me?”
“Why, Jon?” she asked earnestly. “Why is it not going to happen that way?”
“Because I’ve served my Lord all my life!” he said tightly. “I haven’t swayed from the path! I’ve not been immoral, and so I don’t believe the loving God I serve will let me fall in love with a young, beautiful woman and then take her away from me! God is not that wicked, my love, and the Bible says He knows what is good for us, and would not withhold it from us! You and I are going to marry, and we’re going to have a long, wonderful life together under the feet of the Lord. Do you hear me?”
“Oh, Jon!” she said, her eyes searching his face. “I wish it were so!”
“It is going to be so, Naa Yaa,” he said tenderly. “I’ve prayed and fasted with supplications to God to spare your life. The enemy would be put to shame, my love! When you have any dream about death, just pray over it, my love. And the good Lord we serve would do wonders.”
She smiled tentatively, and then fully. She nodded and wiped tears from her eyes.
“I accept it, my love,” she whispered. “I will not accept the shadow of death over us, not anymore! As long as we serve the living God, death shall not knock on our doors now.”
“And that, my love, is the speech of a true Osofo Maame!” he said lovingly, and they smiled into each other’s eyes, once more finding strength in the face of the dark clouds.
***
And so, the wedding day finally came!
Jon Fii was astounded to see all six Executive Members of The Eden International Church arriving early that morning.
And not only that, they came seeking for forgiveness, and to give him words of hope.
And the crème de la crème was Apostle Gilbert Ayeh officiating the wedding.
It was a great day in Obosomfie!
Many people acquainted with Jon arrived for the wedding. The palace made a full representation in royalty! The music was beautiful and joyful! The words were fragrant, and dances were energetic!
Happiness found a home that day at Obosomfie!
The dark clouds were over!
The glory of God had descended on the district now, and prosperity was a beacon that was steadily becoming reality!
This was the power of what God could do!
Pastor Bonifius Kwabla Atoklu was reinstated and given his full license! He was reunited with his wife and children. He wanted to remain at Obosomfie, but the Chairman told him to stay as the pastor for a full month as Jon went on his honeymoon. Later, he would be transferred to another district so that Jon could handle Obosomfie for some time before being transferred.
After the grand and happy wedding, Jon Fii and his wife, Sophia the Witch – as Deacon Bobo still called her – left for their honeymoon.
They stayed at one of the most luxurious resorts in town, the Eden Waterworld, spending their first and next few nights in a wonderfully suite built on the marvellous lake.
***
Jon Fii opened his eyes drowsily to find his wife lying on top of him fully n***d. Her dark, silky thighs were spread on each side of his hips and her hand was holding his something and rubbing it gently against her glorious something.
He chuckled in his deep voice and looked into her incredibly lovely face.
“You’re even more lovely when you’re being mischievous, Mrs. Sophia Fii,” he said softly as his huge hand curled around her smooth, beautiful derriere.
“I woke you up, Pastor,” she whispered with a shy smile.
“You certainly did, darling,” he whispered as her head came lower.
“Each time was more incredible,” she said with a gasp as she continued to tease his tip with her edge.
“It is incredible,” he whispered and kissed her tenderly. “And it is such great joy to discover this, for the first time, together. I’m so glad I waited.”
She kissed him deeply as a bit of his girth enjoyed a warmth of her depth.
“This, with a man I love, is perhaps the only thing sweeter than worshipping God,” she whispered.
“Ah, don’t blaspheme,” he whispered with a giggle. “But yes, I’m inclined to believe that too, though not wholly!”
“Oh, Pastor,” she whispered as her breath came quicker with his increased length in her expanded width. “You like this too much!”
“I’ve lost count, Osofo Maame,” he said as his lips hovered over her n*****s. “Seems to me you love it as much!”
“You’re not tired, Jon, are you?”
He was now travelling at short and long journeys in her amazing and incredible womanworld.
“You’re a strength to me,” he whispered. “Are you tired, my love?”
“Would I be on top of you, waking you from sleep, if I were?” she gasped as she moved her waist. “Oh! Ohhhhh! Ahhhhhh!”
***
What followed was the most ecstatic year of Jon’ life!
On their return to Obosomfie, the church grew and became prosperous!
The Chairman approved Jon’s application for a hospital, and the metropolitan assembly also got government approval, and a beautiful hospital was soon built within eight months in the village.
The rains were steady and effective. God blessed the land, and crops flourished. The lake filled up with fishes, and the blessings that was on the district was manifest for all to see.
Pastor Kwabla went to his new district, which was not far from Jon Fii, and so they visited each other often. Bobo became a Presiding Elder with his own assembly, aided by seven of his former cohorts who were now deacons and elders.
As the church population grew, Jon Fii created four new assemblies headed by Presiding Elders.
Jon Fii and his wife lived in bliss.
Their happiness was complete, fuller than they anticipated!
Two years after their marriage, exactly on their anniversary, Sophia gave birth to her son at the new hospital. He was a handsome boy who filled his parents with so much happiness that they shed tears.
***
A week afterwards, Jon brought his wife and son to the Mission Manse.
That evening, after she had breastfed her son, Jon burped the boy, and then carried him to his cot.
Smiling with happiness, he went to the bed and took his beautiful wife in his arms.
Sophia held him tightly.
“Kiss me, my wonderful husband,” she whispered.
He kissed her tenderly, lovingly, sweetly.
“Ah, my darling,” he whispered tenderly. “We have to wait at least a month before you can do your sweet things again.”
She laughed and touched his face with loving fingers.
“Do you remember I told you about my dreams?” she asked softly.
“What dreams, my love?” he asked as he nibbled her earlobe.
“About death, before we got married?”
He sighed and looked into her eyes.
“Do you still worry over that?” he asked softly.
“Not anymore, my love,” she said and smiled tenderly. “Now, I know our God always knows best, and His ways are higher than us. I’m so happy He drew me from bondage to His love, and saved my soul! And I’m so happy for the life we have shared and made together, my darling.”
Jon Fii scowled.
“Why are you speaking like this?” he asked, and he sounded really troubled. “We’re fine. We’re going to be fine!”
She shook her head, and although she was smiling beautifully, tears fell down her cheeks.
“This was exactly my dream, my love,” she said fiercely. “We came back from the hospital with our son. I breastfed him, you put him in his cot, you held me… and then I died in your arms. This is exactly my dream!”
“No!” Jon screamed and held her tightly. “No, no, no! That can’t be true! No! I can’t accept that! It is not going to happen!”
“My darling, Jon!” she cried fiercely. “Be happy that I’m going to a better place, please! Our God knows best, Jon! He has sent his angels, and I can see them, Jon, standing here beside me to accompany me to the next phase! Jon, my love, let this be happy for us! Be strong, for the sake of our son!”
“Stop talking nonsense!” Jon Fii screamed in anguish as he held her. “The God I serve would not – never, ever – do this to me! No! stop that nonsense!”
“Jon, don’t let me leave you like this!” she whispered and tried to hold him. “I shouldn’t have told you! Be strong for me, for our son! Don’t let me go like this!”
“Sophie!” he moaned as his tears fell, and he held her hard. “Don’t! I cannot take this, no! I can’t live without you, my wife, my love, my soul! Stop this nonsense!”
“Okay, okay, relax!” she whispered tenderly. “Kiss me, Jon, my love. Kiss me again, my dear darling!”
And Jon Fii held her tight and kissed her sweetly.
Her arms tightened around his neck, and she responded to his tender kisses.
“I love you so much, Jon, my love,” she said softly. “Thank you for making my life happy! Thank you for saving me!”
Her hands fell from around his neck.
He continued to hold her, and kiss her.
The man moaned in anguish, and soon it was a full-throated roar of pain and raw agony as he held her because he knew the worst had happened.
She was gone!
Jon Fii gently put her on the bed, and then he stood up and fled blindly from the room.
His heart was breaking and he could not breathe. Tears shot violently from his chest as he stumbled out of the house. He fell, stood up, fell, and then stood up again.
The agonized young man stumbled blindly into his courtyard and looked into the sky with eyes that were inflamed with tears.
“Why?” he screamed into the sky. “Tell me why!! Let me understand why You would do this to me! What have I done to You, Lord?”
He crashed on his knees and wailed in agony.
He tore his shirt from his body and ripped off his singlet. His hands shook terribly as he punched the hard-concrete ground in agony, breaking his knuckles so that he began to bleed.
He raised his agonized face to the skies.
“This is not necessary, Lord!” he screamed. “You have done this before! You can change destinies, there’s nothing You can’t do! Why do you take the only thing I need? The only woman I love? Why do you take a young boy’s mother? Even if not for my sake, even if You do not like what I’ve been doing for You, in Your name, why do you take my son’s mother so that he will grow up not knowing motherly love? I, Your servant, will not do such a thing, Lord! Why then would You do this? This is not necessary! It is not necessary! How could You be so wicked to me, Looooooord?”
Thunder ripped across the sky, and it became very dark!
Lightning flashed horribly, incessantly, and then the rains suddenly came down hard on the grieving man with the bleeding knuckles wailing in anguish in his courtyard.
