PART 9
“NWALA: THE BITTERSWEET STORY”
©️ Opeyemi Akintunde
As Inspired by the LIVING WORD
Service was fireful as always, but I was on fire in anxiety. I kept looking towards where Daniel sat. I feared him doing anything strange.
Reuben’s duty post was very close to where Daniel sat and I could see how Reuben kept casting glances at him…
I almost died when I suddenly saw Daniel raising up his right hand in church as Bishop was rounding up his message. Daniel had sat at a strategic place, so he could not be ignored as he rose up his hand.
An usher ran up to him, trying to speak in a low tone to him…
“What does he want?” Bishop asked from the pulpit…
“I don’t want anything, I just wanted to ask if I can become born again here. I notice there is always what is called an altar call after the pastor’s message, but you haven’t done that” Daniel said …
I died over and over…
“You want to surrender your life to christ?” Bishop asked
“Yes…”
“Glory! Halleluyah! That is good news…” Everyone in the church started clapping…
“Brother, please come forward, I believe this is your first time in our church, right?” Bishop Asked
“Yes sir…”
“Glory! How did you find out about us? Was it online?” Bishop asked
“No, My girlfriend Nwala encouraged me to come here” Daniel said as a matter of Fact.
The silence that followed was deafening.
There was only one person whose name was Nwala in our church and that one person was me…
“Wow… Sister Nwala winning souls for the Lord, Did you hear that single ladies and brothers? You having a lot of boys as your friend is not for ungodly acts, but to lead them to God… Where is she?”
My legs were glued to the ground, tears dropping from my eyes, tears of shame and embarrassment.
Someone tapped me…
“Bishop is calling you”
I still didn’t move; I felt a hand pulling me to the front. I looked sideways and it was Amara…
“Amara, Leave me” I managed to say
“Behave like everything is normal, Bishop is not taking the term boyfriend seriously, Don’t make it look serious” Amara said smiling
People were applauding me because Bishop had started applauding me…
“Daughter, God bless you, what can you say about this?”
“Say what? Say What?” My mouth had gone on vacation. I shook my head in the negative while tears flowed down on its own…
“That’s the joy of soul winning! God bless you daughter… You can return to your seat” Bishop said
I became blind in that minute, not seeing anyone as I walked away from the altar … I started hearing faintly Bishop leading him through the sinner’s prayer.
I ran to the restroom, I could tell Amara was following me…
“Breathe! Just Breathe…’ Amara said
“I can’t…”
“You can… You are Nwala… You are fierce, you are strong, you are a man in a woman’s body”
I nodded in agreement, and wiped my tears. I returned to my duty post and I heard Bishop Acme say before he left the altar…
“So I want all the singles to follow Nwala’s example, and drag boys and girls that are your friends to church…”
It was obvious Bishop was trying to underplay Daniel’s use of the word “Girlfriend”…
I stood like a smiling statue for the rest of the service and the moment, the Grace was shared, I got into my car and drove off…
I didn’t know where I was driving to, but I needed to be anywhere other than around Daniel, church or my family…
If you were in my shoes, what would you have done?
To be continued…
