THE EVANGELIST PART 13
©Temi Akintade
'Please come and pick your appointment letter at Exxon Mobil headquarters in Lagos by January 1st. A flight ticket has been booked for you. We will be expecting you, sir, we cannot wait to meet you!'
I stared at the message and re-read it for the umpteenth time that day. That was my 3rd appointment message. The first two had been from one oil company in Qatar, and the other had been from a prominent oil company in Abuja. Tears clouded my eyes. I couldn't believe what I just saw. I passed the phone to the missionaries.
"When you do God's work, he will do yours and it will be for his glory."
I crumbled to my knees and gave a tearful shout. "Jesus thank you!!!"
Later that day, I called my father to let him know of the offers. We have become a bit close ever since my mother's death. "Choose the one in Qatar now. It is outside this country."
"No daddy. God wants me to pick the one in Lagos."
"Okay, Jesus has the final say but what position will you be handling?"
"Managing Director sir. Daddy just help me thank God because I never applied for any of these jobs." I chuckled when I heard my father's croak voice on the other end of the phone. He was saying 'omema Chineke' in ibo.
I finally told the church council about what God was leading me to do. That was when the church secretary rose to his feet and began to say, "I think that you are just leaving for selfish gains!"
My mouth dropped open in shock. Everyone looked equally shocked too because the pastor kept telling him to stop talking but the middle-aged man continued. "You have finished stealing the church's money that is why you want to leave! Thief!"
Another man rose. The man who I have come to know as the church accountant said; "Just keep quiet if you have nothing to say. Is it because you are no longer having access to the church money? You are now insulting a man that God has sent to this town to help us. You are the selfish one and you are the thief and I am going to tell everyone how you misappropriated
Everyone shook their heads, some clapped expressing their surprise through exclamations. The church secretary became afraid and became ashamed to look at us.
The pastor reprimanded him and apologized to me. Soon, we finished the meeting and I left for the teenagers' meeting. When I told them that I was leaving soon, they were sad. Some of them cried. I told them that God will send someone to them soon. Someone who will be better than me. That night, as I walked back home, Kauna also walked with me although no words were exchanged only the awful cries of the night birds and the chirpings of crickets. Even the moon seemed to be sad at my departure because the moon wasn't full that night so I couldn't tell if Kauna was mad at me or if she was just trying to take in the whole thing.
We were approaching the missionaries house when Kauna spoke.
"I got the form. My exam is in two days." I stopped to smile.
"I'm glad you considered my advice."
We were quiet for a while until she spoke again.
"Any last words for me?"
"I will pay your fees. I will put you on a scholarship up until your Ph.D. level. I want you to stay consistent and focused."
"That's all?" Her voice shook.
"No. Remember that you can always talk to God about anything. Never forget where you are coming from. I have given you my number and email address never forget to call me when you want to." I tried to study her face but her face wouldn't even give any emotion.
"Is that all?" There was something about her last statement. It was almost as though she was waiting for g for me to detect something. Something that would mean a lot to her but I didn't detect anything. I was only scared of hurting her or telling her that I had nothing else to say.
"That's all Kauna."
She nodded and walked away, without a goodbye or at least a thank-you for paying her fees.
Befuddled, I walked into the house to imagine my new life.
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