PART 29
“NWALA: THE BITTERSWEET STORY”
©️ Opeyemi Akintunde.
As Inspired by the LIVING WORD.
“It’s been three years, Girl what’s happening?” June had said to me over the phone…
I knew what she meant; Reuben and I were yet to have our own kids. We were having sexual intercourse, but no babies. Our inability to have kids had nothing to do with his disability; the doctor had assured me of that.
“God wants me to enjoy you enough, before our son comes in” Reuben would always say as a way of encouraging my weary soul.
“How long? Besides how do you know it will be a boy?”
“ I have seen him in my dreams, he is just like me dark skinned and tall, I am sure our girl will look like you” he said smiling
As usual he melted my heart.
Three years after that, I still was childless, but this childlessness had all fingers pointed at me. Within the six years, I can count four conceptions that ended in miscarriages. Reuben had been exonerated, especially with him standing on his two legs again.
Years of therapy had paid off, plus Reuben’s strong faith in God could not be overlooked as the major ingredient that got him back on his feet.
I couldn’t explain the cause of my miscarriages; we had tried all sorts to ensure no more miscarriages including complete bed rest. My mother was also going from one prayer mountain to the other, but no positive results.
My husband was a strong encourager…
“Babe, my son is still coming, don’t mind the devil, we will keep praying”
My father-in-law was simply the best; I believe Reuben was a carbon copy of his father. He was always calling to tell me, he was praying for me…
My husband was already pastoring his own province under his father’s ministry, so we only saw his parents occasionally. Seeing his mother was always dreadful for me… She was always quick to say…
“You lost the baby again?’
Well, one couldn’t blame her, Reuben was her only son, she was eager to see her grandchildren.
I didn’t hold her words to heart, until after I lost the fourth baby and she came visiting at the hospital. Reuben was not around to defend me, so she had the time and place to talk…
“Nwala, one would have thought, your childlessness would be Reuben’s fault because of SCI ( Spinal Cord Injury), but we thank God, that is history now. It is quite unfortunate that you seem to be the problem in your marriage. Nwala, you should get up and find solutions to your problems, who knows you may be under a curse… For instance, your name Nwala means “SON OF THE SOIL”… That is a problem” She said
I looked up very surprised!
“ Yes! As long as people keep calling you a son, you can’t have children. A man can’t carry a pregnancy. You should ask your parents why they gave you that name”
“They were expecting a male child” I supplied
“Can you see that? Nwala, when I was praying about these miscarriages, your name kept ringing in my ears, and when I researched the meaning, I was shocked, so daughter in law, change your name…”
She left but she had left a lot of questions in my head…
“Was I under a curse?”
“If I was under a curse, who could have cursed me?’
“Could Daniel be the source of predicament?”
“Was Daniel still angry with me?”
I wasn’t thinking along the line of my name being the problem, but that my childlessness was as a result of a curse sponsored by Daniel…
“Your mother-in-law said she has spoken to you about a change of name…” My Mother said
“Yes!” I replied. I couldn’t help but look strangely at my parents. I couldn’t help my disbelief.
“Are you also of the opinion that my name has something to do with my childlessness ?” I asked
“It’s possible” My Dad replied “I did a lot of things when your mother was pregnant to ensure that you came out as a boy.
“Your mother ate a lot of concoctions prepared by different herbalist to make you a boy”
“But they failed” my coconut head argued their point…
“Well, they failed physically, but it is possible spiritually your identity is that of a man. Nwala, you know you behave like a boy, you are very strong headed, I believe we need to reverse all that was done into making you a man”
“How?” I asked
“Through prayers and physically giving you a new name” my father said.
“Nwala, changing names is not a big deal, it’s for your own good. What you call someone is what the person becomes. Jacob had a change of name. When he became Isreal, his life became better. Jacob means supplanter, that is deceiver and that was what he became by cheating his brother out of his blessing. Simon became Peter, Saul of Tarsus became Paul…”
“I see you have made up your mind about this so what name do you want me to start answering?”
“Fruitful!” My mother said in a rush
“Really mum?” That way everyone will know, I am looking for a solution to my childlessness”
“What about Joy?” my mother tried again “Children bring Joy to a home”
At that point, I needed to get out of my parents’ house…
“Dad, Mum… Come up with any name you want. At least you were the ones who gave me the first name” I said
“I hate to leave, but I have to”
“You just got here” my mother said
“Mum, you call forty-five minutes just?”
I saw my father squeezing my mother’s hand to let me go…
“Daughter, as we will be praying on a new name, you should also do likewise…”
“Sure!” I bluffed, but I knew I was not giving it a single thought.
“ What does my name have to do with my fertility?” I said to my self
To be continued….
