THE FALSE TRUTH pt 5

“So” Elder Chinyere started, “Sister Tina, you are accusing the pastor of fornication?” Tina looked down at her hands, “that’s not what I’m saying” she mumbled suddenly aware of her folly, “what are you saying, witch?” Pastor Ivie shouted, “Ivie, please calm down let her talk” Elder Orosanya admonished, they all turned to Tina who sat there fidgeting, looking for a way to get out of her present predicament, “Pastor was talking about how Haggai was a blessing to the household of Abraham until Isaac was born” she paused, “and you thought you will be the Haggai in my home?” Ivie said again eying the other woman heavily, “I thought if I told her that I was pregnant she will be happy to hear the cry of a baby, regardless of where it’s coming from” Engineer Kufre shook his head disbelievingly, "are you pregnant or not?" he asked amidst cries of "gbam!" "ehen" and other grunts of assent, Tina looked down, refusing to answer. "Tell the witch to confess o!no wonder sunday service has not been power packed like before!" Pastor Ivie screamed from where she was sitting, "the problem is not who she is pregnant for" Elder Orosanya said trying to be philosophical, "the problem is why finger the pastor of this church as the culprit!" Some of the elders nodded again, Elder Ekanem disagreed, "the pastor is a man, why not accuse him? abi is he the holy spirit?" he asked as Engineer Kufre again asked him to shut his dirty mouth if he had nothing better to say. Sister Chinyere shifted in her seat in the fractured silence as she exchanged looks with the other elders, “I think we need to inform the deliverance department that the head of choir is possessed! because this girl" pointing a crooked bony finger at Tina, " wants to divide the church!” she proclaimed as everyone nodded in consent, finally Pastor Ivie started to cry, lamenting on how hard it was to be the mother in Israel when there were demons parading as choir mistresses. Tina sat quietly saying nothing, it was almost as if after making her proclamation she had returned to her normal quiet self, “the pastor must hear of this!” said retired engineer Kufre, Elder Ekanem eyed him and turned his back to them all, he disagreed with the possession theory, but as usual, he kept quiet.

*

The doctor finished his check up and patted Aisha’s shoulder, the nurse moved in and started to sponge bath her, she had been instructed not to allow her stand up, she had lost a lot of blood. Ada paced outside the room, once in a while she will take a sneak peek at the half opened door to see if her daughter was alright, then she will resume pacing. She wasn't sure what to tell her husband. After breakfast, she had asked Aisha who was responsible for her pregnancy and she had replied that it was someone from the church, meaning her husband had been right after all. When she had pressed her for a name Aisha had started crying again and she had been asked to leave the room so that the doctor could conduct his check up on the patient. She held her phone now in her hand, dreading the call to TJ her husband, the nurse presently came out of Aisha’s room, smiled at her and walked away. Ada reentered the room and stared at her daughter, suddenly she wished her own mother was still alive, Dame Mona would have known exactly what to do she thought dismally. She took her seat again and leaned forward, “daddy wants to say hello to you, are you up to it?” Aisha nodded vigorously. Finally after inhaling and exhaling several times, Ada placed the call, just as she was going to say hello, her husband’s brusque voice cut her off, “put her on the phone!” he said without pleasantries. Ada handed the phone to Aisha who shifted to get comfortable and for the first time since the ordeal started, she saw her daughter smile as she chatted animatedly with her father. Ada got up and left the room, feeling lost and dejected.

*

 “Is it Sister Chinyere’s son, Godfrey? You told me he was always playing pranks when you went for counseling” Ada asked trying in vain to get the name of the boy responsible for knocking her daughter up and leaving her to clean up the mess, she has been calling the names of all the boys in the teenage section but Aisha kept shaking her head, her father had asked and she had started crying, presently tears welled up again in her eyes and Ada leaned from her sitting position to wipe them, “if you tell me, it will be our secret, I won’t even tell your dad.” She cajoled quietly, Aisha shook her head again, “Please mum, I don’t want to talk about it ever again” she said turning her head away, she was healing the bleeding had stopped completely, there was no spotting and the doctor had informed Ada after the morning check up that she will be ready to go back home by evening. Ada sighed heavily, TJ had ordered her to bring his daughter to Canada as soon as she could fly; it was almost as if Ada had allowed what happened to happen deliberately. Why was he so angry with her? She was just as shocked by the whole event as he was, she rearranged the sheet protectively around her daughter and got up and stretched, it was Monday afternoon, she  would have been rounding up the Monday morning  meeting and returning to her office to tackle the files, but she was instead in a hospital room, trying to make her daughter tell her how she got pregnant right under her nose, some mother, Ada thought again as she exited the room, she was going home to cook and hopefully sleep a little before returning in the evening, to bring her daughter home.TO BE CONTD...

THE FALSE TRUTH pt 4

Pastor Mrs. Ivie Onovo sat on the bed deep in thought, her mobile phone lay on her ample lap. She sighed heavily as she glanced down at the phone, this was the fifteenth threat she was receiving.

And they were all viciously worded against her husband. What did a wonderful man like her husband ever do other than to help people and bring them closer to Jesus? The man in question entered the room, and shrugged off the suit he had on, it was almost midnight and he had not eaten.

Ivie struggled up and went to him, he was tall, six feet and several inches and broad shouldered, he made her five feet eleven inches 254 pounds body look diminutive, she smiled as she allowed herself to be held,

“You work too hard” she murmured against his left breast.

He rubbed her back more vigorously, “only as the Lord admonishes, someone has to do the work” he murmured kissing her upturned face, “how was your day?” he asked quietly, “hectic, you know we had to go to the market for the foodstuffs for the women’s Sunday banquet, then I had to rush to your sister’s place because she wanted me to pick Urie and Jude up, then I drove her to the airport and…”

“You’re right it was really hectic” he cut her off with a yawn,

“Did you manage to prepare any sumptuous meal for your starving husband?” he teased kissing her some more, “will pounded yam and vegetable soup with stock fish and goat meat do?” she asked smiling, knowing it was his favorite meal, “I will manage it” he replied with a straight face before they both started laughing, she looked up at his kind face and wondered again who the demented texter was and what a man as gentle as her husband ever did to warrant such hateful words…

*

Tina waited patiently as elder Orosanye entered the pastor’s office, she looked down on the book on her lap, Tim Lahaye’s Spirit-controlled Temperament, she knew the book had helped her understand herself more. She was more controlled and tolerant now than before, she knew the pastor had given it to her for specific reasons and she was thankful for his insight. She smiled as a thought came to mind. She smoothened her pleated skirt and reflexively touched her lower abdomen. Sister Agnes, the pastor’s PA walked in noisily and sat down behind the clustered table.

She ignored Tina who after eying her looked down on the book on her lap again and sighed, then turning to stare pointedly at her, “sister Agnes, I dey greet o!” she said forcing a smile, Sister Agnes raised her head and looked at her with barely veiled hostility, “Madam I greet you back!” she spat out and turned back to the report she was writing. She hated Tina, the airs the stupid girl had, as if been the choir leader made her the most important person in the whole world, if anyone should assume airs, it should be her, after all she was the one that planned the pastor’s itinerary, yet she tried to be humble she thought hotly. She was going to make her wait today; she resolved and felt instantly better.

The sun was bright; the curtains moved lazily in the breeze, the room smelt faintly of Dettol and some flowery aerosol freshener.

Aisha sniffed and tried to sit up.

She gasped as the pain shot from her navel to her lower abdomen.

Cradling her flat throbbing stomach on her hands she blinked the tears from her eyes and tried to look around without moving.

Her mother was sleeping, folded on the worn armchair the color of yeast.

She wiped her tears with the back of her palm and agonized on what to tell her mother when she woke up.

Ada stirred and sneezed twice before opening her eyes, she groaned as she straightened stiff muscles, then staring belatedly on the bed she met her daughter’s pensive look, rushing to her side amidst moans of pains she dropped to one knee and took Aisha’s cold hand, kissing it she stroke her forehead as she started to weep, “I’m so sorry I didn’t protect you better” she whispered into the frail girl’s ear.

 Aisha managed to turn and buried her head on her mother’s neck sobbing openly.

Ada was not sure whether it was in pains or shame she wept, it didn’t matter, her daughter was hurt and she did what any mother would do naturally; console her.

*

“…it doesn’t matter what you’re passing through, Jesus knows, and He’s here for you…” the choir sang on as the pastor made the altar call, several people; in various throes of emotions were already standing in front of the well decorated altar.

Pastor Onovo wiped the sweat from his handsome face and beckoned to his wife to take the damp handkerchief from him as the church continued to pray for the new converts. Sister Tina sang on, wondering how much longer before the service ended.

She was starving.

The choir members were not allowed to eat until after church on Sundays, she wondered if she could sneak out during the announcement period to buy some snacks from across the church, but decided against it, it was too open, if the other members saw her, they will tag her an unserious leader and she wanted to be the first to see the pastor today after church.

She had waited for four hours yesterday before that cow, his PA had told her that he had gone for a meeting in another church. The stupid witch! She thought as she rounded up the song she was singing.

The fight started at three that afternoon.

The members of the church committee had just finished saying the grace when they heard raised voices coming from the pastor’s office which was two doors away from the boardroom where they were.

Elder Bartholomew Esezobor reacted first, he quickly yanked the door open and waddled towards the noise, Elder Chinyere Uko who was behind him pushed him aside and ran headlong into the office.

They all stopped when they saw it was the pastor’s wife and Sister Tina.

They all stared at each other shrugging, helplessly. Everyone knew of the animosity between them, “you are the devil’s incarnate!!” Pastor Ivie shouted shrilly as she moved closer to Tina, shoving her with her shoulder, Tina staggered back,

“And you are a barren cow!”

Elder Chinyere threw her skinny frame between them, “please pastor Ivie calm down” she had to shout to be heard, the men took cues from her and started pulling the two screaming women apart.

They were able to calm them down after a while, when Elder Jude Orosanye, the oldest and the wealthiest in the committee asked what transpired, the shouting match started again. It took a bellow from retired engineer Kufre, the most educated member of the board, as he always loved to say to shut them up. Silenced, Tina started to cry, elder Chinyere hugged her and asked what was wrong, it was unusual to see her cry.

“I just wanted to inform this dried cow that I was going to be a blessing for her home when she attacked me!”

“You are a curse to your generation, imagine this witch! God Forbid!!” Pastor Ivie shouted trying again to reach Tina; she was held back, “what kind of blessing?” Elder Ekanem Udo, who had been a silent observer since asked, he was after all the treasurer of the church if there was something that will profit the church, he wanted to know about it, Tina sniffed and looked around self consciously, “I am pregnant for Pastor Patrick” she said, wiping her nose, Ivie made another dash to hit her as the five elders stood stunned staring at her, “which Pastor Patrick?” Elder Chinyere asked, she knew that there was a youth pastor, recently ordained who was also called Patrick.

“The Pastor of this church, Pastor Patrick Onovo!”

“You are a big liar! You hear? Tell the devil that he has failed!!”

“I am not lying, you stupid fat cow!”

“You want to tarnish the name of God’s own servant, you will fail, you hear? Spiritual wickedness in high places!”

“Look at the witch calling me wickedness; are you not wicked for sucking the pastor dry all these years and you have nothing to show for it? Eh? Answer me now!”

The elders looked at each other then Elder Kufre stepped forward, “brethren, let us stop hurling accusations around, let us sit down and discuss this like matured adults” there was a collective yes from the other elders, “ah, my elders you want to take this witch seriously?” Ivie asked, “Pastor Ivie, let us just sit down and discuss it” Elder Chinyere cajoled.

They all filed out of the pastor’s office and made their way back to the boardroom, Sister Agnes, who had been hiding under her desk got up and clapped her hands together, “nnsogbu di na Katanga!” she muttered as she started to pack up for home in feverish excitement.TO BE CONTD...

THE FALSE TRUTH pt 3

The doctor nodded gravely, “to whom?” she asked in a strangled voice, “we were hoping you would help us with that, you have no clue at all?” he asked her again, she shook her head, both in disbelieve for what she hearing and in denial, “I know no such boy” she replied her mind in a blur.

“Can I see her, doctor?” she asked, still not believing that she was discussing her daughter, “she’s asleep and we’d rather not want her awakened” he replied, “oh no, I only want to see, just to make sure…”her voice trailed off.

He nodded, pitying her.

They both got up at the same time and headed for the door.

 Ada re-entered the reception and felt ashamed as if she had done something wrong, did all the orderlies know? She wondered as she passed a nurse who greeted her genially, they must all know and wonder what kind of mother I am, she thought again in disbelieve, the doctor opened the door down the hall and gestured for her to enter after touching his lips with his index finger, she nodded dumbly and hesitated, what if there was no mistake? And her daughter had actually attempted abortion? No one taught you how to deal with such problems when you became a mother, babies were the only things that came without manuals she thought distractedly.

She straightened her spine, her late mother would have said she was being spineless; the Da-silva women were strong and indestructible.

She entered the room and could barely make out the tiny form sleeping quietly on the hospital bed. She neared the bed and looked closely, it was really her daughter, smaller and a little pale, but her daughter nonetheless, sleeping on the hospital bed.

Ada felt hot tears coursing down her face before she realized she was weeping openly, her little girl had been violated and was trying to fix the problem, or was it consensual? She thought as anger and doubt bubbled together within her constricted chest, she shook her head forcefully, she knew Ivory, someone had forced themselves on her but why hadn’t she told me? Ada agonized.

She jumped when she felt the doctor’s hand on her shoulder, he motioned her to the door and she shook her head at him, she was not leaving this room until her daughter woke up. The doctor looked at her sympathetically, it was always so hard, he touched her elbow again, “let’s just discuss, you can come back” he said quietly, Ada turned and walked out of the room without struggle, her red eyes ablaze.

Immediately the door closed she turned towards the doctor, “someone will pay for this” she hissed through clenched teeth, the doctor nodded passively, he knew mothers always believed the best of their off-springs, “we have a police friend on ground if you want to talk to him, as you know, this is a serious matter” he said as Ada’s eyes grew bigger, it was painful for the doctor to see, “you already involved the police without my consent” she roared, “I will sue if this case embarrasses any member of my family” she thundered at the doctor, finally satisfied that she had an object to vent her anger on, “and to even insinuate that she brought this upon herself is both insulting and demeaning of my capabilities as a mother” she said, enunciating her words,

“Madam, I apologize for annoying you, but the police was called to protect the hospital, she was brought here profusely bleeding and unconscious, please let us sit and discuss this issue privately” he begged, his hospital was just beginning to gain recognition, he didn’t want any negative reports circulating the estate.

Ada glared at him and decided to do as he advised, they went back towards the dusty office, she paused as he opened the door, “I have to make some calls” she said and walked away abruptly in the opposite direction.

The doctor sighed heavily, shaking his head.

*

“…what are you saying?” the male voice asked tinged with worry and astonishment, it was so difficult hearing him talk like that, “I don’t have details yet but I thought you would want to know…” her thin voice trailed off, she was so fatigued, “we will know more by tomorrow, she’s sleeping now” she added to reassure him.

There was static and silence, “are you still there?” she asked raising her voice a little,

“I told you not to drag my children to that church of yours!” his tone was raw and vicious, she drew the phone away from her ear and stared at it before pressing it back to her ear, “honey this has nothing to do with church”

“How do you know?” came the quick reply, she closed her eyes and ran a paper dry hand over her face, her eyes itched and watered, “honey, let’s just wait till tomorrow, when she’s awake, I will get the truth from her” she waited when she heard a sniff from the other end, oh God, why was this happening now? She thought desperately, she sighed and stifled a sob of her own, “TJ?” she said hesitantly, he coughed then cleared his throat, “Just make sure you let me know the minute she’s awake, no matter the time, I want to talk to her” he ended the call before she could say anything back.

Slowly dropping the phone, she turned and walked back towards the doctor’s office, she squared her shoulders before knocking on the door, without waiting for a response, she opened the door and entered, it was going to be a long night, she thought when she saw the scrawny looking man that was seated on the seat she just vacated. TO BE CONTD...

THE FALSE TRUTH pt2

Judith has been a nurse for eight years, she had started as a cleaner, then she had been moved after three months to the dispensary, where she quickly learnt about pharmacology, she was doing so well that the doctor, an aged man that had studied as an obstetrician, had decided to train her as a nurse. He had allowed her to inject patients the first six months of the training; it had not been easy for Judith, a bubbly, plump kind hearted girl of twenty-two, who hated hurting people’s feelings. Eventually she got the hang of it and was swiftly moved to fixing of IVs and carrying out minor examinations. It was no surprise to anyone when the old doctor finally promoted her to Head nurse and married her. When he was not in the hospital, she covered for him. When the young girl was rushed to their hospital that afternoon, she had taken one look at her and known what the diagnosis was. When she had called her husband for examination, he had pronounced the same diagnosis. Because she was bleeding profusely, she had suggested that they either turn them away or contact the police. After several pleadings from the young aboki man who seemed to be the culprit, that also brought the unconscious girl, they had finally agreed to call their friend Ete, who was a police sergeant and put the girl under close observation.

It was almost nine forty-five before a harried woman rushed through the hospital dirty glass doors to ask about her daughter’s condition. Judith examined her through large innocent looking eyes, she was rake thin, her grey colored skirt suit—though well tailored—was two sizes too big for her, permed hair that got to her shoulders, parted on the side, eyes that were closely set and red rimmed, she had been crying obviously, a thin runny nose and her thin lips were chapped and slightly bleeding, she must have been biting them throughout on her way to the hospital.

“Madam, calm down, she is stabilized now” she said soothingly, pitying the woman, being a mother of a five year old daughter herself, the mothers were always the last to know, she thought shaking her head as the poor woman started to cry, “whhhat is wrong with her?” she managed to get out between sobs, “em, the doctor is with a patient, but he will soon be through” Judith said evasively, quickly getting up to go fetch her husband. Ada started pacing, wondering what they had for dinner the night before and whether or not she was looking ill in anyway but she couldn’t remember, a frustrated sob escaped from her as the old doctor made his ponderous way towards her. She stopped pacing and wiped the tears from her eyes angrily, she hated to be so weak.

“Madam” the doctor said in a calm baritone and steered her away from the reception towards his office, she followed silently as he squeezed her wet palm and murmured platitudes to her. She calmed down considerably as she was ushered into a large, colorfully decorated office. He offered her an armchair and sat on the one close to it, looking at her keenly, he noticed she was strained and undernourished, “your daughter will be just fine, we had to transfuse when we saw that she was in dire need of blood” he mumbled patting her hand as he rang for housekeeping, “but you on the other hand need some food in your system, we will get you an orange drink and maybe some snacks” he told the orderly that showed up, looking at her as he spoke, she nodded and managed a dry-lipped, close-mouthed smile.

He sighed, it was always so difficult when handling relatives, no matter how many times he had done it, “we will wait a little for the orderly and the food while I finish my evening examination of your daughter and another patient, just stay here till I return” he said and got up before she could protest.

Ada sat there numb, cold and wondering how she had failed so woefully as a mother.

It must be the prawns, she thought again as she finally remembered yesterday’s dinner, I thought they didn’t look fresh yet I used them for the coconut rice, she berated herself, what else could it be that will make her faint? 

The door opened again quietly and the orderly handed her a paper plate of meat-pie and a plastic bottle of fanta, she took it and nodded to him. As he retreated, she took a small bite of the pie and found it warm and moist. She took another bite, this time bigger and chewed slowly, she took a gulp of the fanta and another big bite of the pie, it was quite tasty she thought as her mind wandered towards work, she still had three reports to write and the employees’ data base to update, she sighed and placed the half-eaten snack on the worn stool beside her and drank all the fanta, then looking around, she noticed that the office was slightly dusty, she frowned. Why would the doctor’s office be dusty except for the reason that he didn’t use it all the time. She got up abruptly and headed for the door, something bad has happened she thought in panic as she yanked the door open and found the doctor standing in front of her, he smiled and ushered her back in.

“She’s stabilized and resting, I had to sedate her when we couldn’t hold her down for the IV” he paused and frowned, “she was quite beside herself with grief and remorse, she said you would kill her if you found out”

Ada blinked uncomprehendingly, why would she be remorseful for eating bad prawns,

“I don’t understand doctor, I made the dinner” she said to the doctor who merely nodded and offered her the seat she just vacated, “you think her illness has to do with food poisoning?” he inquired quietly as he sat down heavily, “yes, is it something else?” she asked as the cold finger of fear gripped her again, oh God, please let it not be anything worse, she prayed as the doctor cleared his throat, “em, yes it is” he said and stared into space, “does your daughter have a boyfriend?” he asked suddenly, Ada threw her head back and laughed heartily, boyfriend? she thought, she had problems getting her daughter to mingle with other people, she was a chronic bookworm that was why she started counseling in church, she was too antisocial, “no, doctor, she doesn’t have a boyfriend, she barely even have female friends much less boys” she replied with a wan smile, the doctor wrung his hands and hung his head in deep thought, he found this particular case difficult to handle, maybe because he saw that she was already overwrought and overworked, “well, your daughter was three months pregnant and trying to abort it, she took some strong, local contraceptives and would have bled to death if your gateman hadn’t rushed her to the hospital” he said bluntly, the truth couldn’t be sweetened he thought as he saw astonishment, then confusion on her thin features, “I am here for Aisha Ivory Isa-Mohammed doctor” she explained, they probably had more than one female teenager here. The doctor sighed and nodded his head, “I’m talking about her” he paused and flipped her chart open he had entered with open, “age fifteen, weight forty kilograms, blood group B-positive, with a healed fractured wound on her right arm, five stitches on that injury” he looked at her in askance, “yes she fell from her sleigh when she was ten, I was in the kitchen preparing the eggnog for the church Christmas brunch in Wichita” she replied automatically defensive, eyes wide with shock, “pregnant?” she whispered almost in awe. To Be Continued...

THE FALSE TRUTH pt1

As you all know, I write as a hobby, and since I've not been published I think I should share one of my short stories with you, so that you can judge whether I should quit my day job and take up writing(Lol!)
Don't worry, just read and let me know what you think, I don't bite! This one is a short story titled,
"The False Truth" its in a compilation called A Mouthful Of Silence (AMOS) Enjoy!

THE FALSE TRUTH

The meeting finally ended at three-fifteen that Friday afternoon, Ada’s head was pounding, even as she nodded into the phone she winced and gestured to her secretary to drop the documents and messages she brought into the emptying office, she was the branch manager of a first generation bank.

Assuring Mrs. Ogbodo that the bank stocks were not really dropping she smiled weakly as she finally replaced her phone and took a sip from her mug of tepid coffee, she gagged and placed it down grimacing and opened her top drawer and reached for the bottle of Aleve she kept specially there for days like this.

Whenever she was having her period, her head pounded, her skin grew hot and cold and she suffered double visions, she was afraid to go to the hospital because she was sure she will find out they were symptoms of the big C, so she suffered and swallowed pain-killers her husband sent her from Canada. She endured more of the bitter fluid to wash down the slim pill.

She shook her head and groaned in regret, she had to stop abusing her body like this.

Her secretary came in again and her desk phone started ringing simultaneously, she grabbed the phone and dropped it back on the cradle, “what now, Chichi?” she asked as she looked at her through hooded eyes, “sorry ma, your gate man called, he said it was urgent, you should call him as soon as you can” she said and slowly retreated thankfully taking the half drank cup of coffee with her. Ada sighed, Daudu, her gateman was melodramatic, he called everything urgent.

The last time the PHCN people visited and threatened to cut their electricity, he had called and announced it as ‘urgent’ , when her mother-in-law came to stay for two weeks two months ago, she had been called approximately four times daily because of one ‘urgent’ excuse or the other.

She blamed herself for buying the idiot a phone and actually recharging it. Frowning she reached for her mobile phone and found out he had also called her fourteen times there, she hissed and dropped the phone, she had too much to do, she decided to tackle most of the documents and soon was lost until Chichi came in to say goodnight.

She looked up with a squint, she really needed to visit an optician, her eyes were getting worse she thought as she blinked at the wall clock, it read 8:45 and she rubbed her eyes to remove the black spots as she bade Chichi goodnight.

Stretching her lean arms above her small head, she grabbed her phone which was still on silent and stuffed some of the documents into her laptop bag and shut down her Sony Vio lap top, then reaching for the desk phone she told her driver John to bring the car around to the front of the building.

By the time she made it down from her eight floor office with the elevator, John was waiting slightly panicky, for her in the almost deserted lobby, “what is it John?” she asked as she took in his worried expression, “Madam, I don dey call you since” he replied as he hastily stepped forward and took her laptop bag and her hand bag from her,

“Proper English John, I’ve warned you!” she scolded, she hated when he addressed her in pidgin English, “Na Aisha, madam” John replied ignoring her warning as he rushed forward to get the door for her, “my daughter?” she asked blankly, “yes ma, she faint, dem don rush am go hospital na im we dey call you for since” he continued as they got to the car.

Ada halted as her stomach dropped and the taste of the coffee she took all day came back up, she struggled to swallow, “what” she said but her voice was weak and her throat too bitter, clearing her throat again, “what did they say is wrong with my child?” she asked a little stronger, John shrugged as he swung his car door open, “dem no know, but dem say if she no get blood, she go die” he replied as he entered into the car and expertly reversed and entered the already congested road.To Be Continued...

EPHPHATHA!

Hello Everyone!
I know its been quite a while since I wrote anything, my apologies, Life has been happening and we thank God for being alive to witness another day! Anyways, have you all been thinking about me? praying for me?Thank you friends! I have missed you all too, so so much you cannot tell...
I know you're wondering  what the title word means but before I tell you, I want to ask, what that restrain in your life is. Restrains are things that hold you back from achieving your goals, dreams and aspirations
It could be financial, or medical, or emotional for that matter, it doesn't matter, situations are really good at crippling us.
When you are broke, its like a prison, there are so many things you need to do but you cant because you just don't have the money to make them happen. Or it could be an illness, I remember when I was growing up, I was Asthmatic, it was just so restraining.
I couldn't do a lot of things, eat certain food, inhale dust, I had to go everywhere with a Ventolin inhaler, quite embarrassing too. I remember the last time I used that inhaler, I was in my twenties, watching a preacher on the telly and he was talking about how one can be healed totally.
I listen and I decided to exercise my faith. I announced to my family that I was healed and I threw away my inhaler. It was radical, but I was tired of being ill.
The next day, I had a crisis and it was a terrible one, all night long I stayed up, leaning against a table because I couldn't sit up straight or lie down, it was as if my lungs were filled with fluids and i was trying to draw air from the fluids, excruciating!
I remember I kept saying in my mind by "His stripes I am healed" I couldn't even talk, eat or do anything
It  was around 5am in the morning before I drifted off to sleep, I woke up lightheaded and so much better. And that was the day I left the restrain of Asthma.
So, What does Ephphata mean?
 Its God's word for us this November, and it simply means "BE OPENED!"
All the doors the enemies have shut against you, the restrains that have held you in place for so long, that have helped you so well to hide your God given talent, well God is saying, "BE OPENED!"
Just as Jesus used the word years ago to get a deaf and dumb man to be healed, He's saying it again today to you and your miracle will come silently, instantly and completely!
What must you do?
You may not suffer through the night like I had to(even though God came through for me in the morning!) but you must believe that God wants to open new doors to your health, your prosperity, your hidden, unexposed talent, your faith(cos the opposite of all your fears and insecurity is faith) and you will experience a newness, a lightheartedness, a sense of peace that you yourself will find foreign to your usually mundane, restrained or contained existence.
Be ready to walk if you're crawling, be ready to run if you're walking, be ready to fly, if you're running, I say Ephphatha!
Dig up that talent and write that book! or make that movie or go back for that degree, its no longer a laughable or impossible achievement, its for real! God has opened the flood gate of heaven and He wants you to partake of heaven sweepstakes, the only currency you need, is your faith, not only faith in God, because even demons believe there's a God and they tremble, but more importantly your faith in yourself! That God loves you enough to single you out for a blessing.
Ephphatha!
Ciao!