Arriving the little town he was assigned to, he could feel the danger, the lacking peace and believing that he will win souls for Christ and still win a SOUL for Christ, looking at how worrisome the people were, how scared the little children were and he decided not to add to their fear by appearing as a Minister, the taxi he boarded with his two colleagues stopped and he alighted when he saw a young man he could make enquiries from, the young man at first scared but on seeing the Bible in his hand, he relaxed his fear and hoped to not be deceived.
"hello brother, excuse me, please do you know where I can rent an apartment here? I'm here for..." the Preacher began but was interrupted by the stranger.
"oga pastor, e no go dey for here o, and if I say make you go down down, e get one T-Boy wey go come rob you for night, e fit kill you sef, but wetin you go do be say you go use that road, go up up, e get one fine house wey dey there, dem plant trees for front, na one old soldier get the house, e die, so na the son and the wife dey control the house now and T-Boy no dey go that side because the man son na army also and e don warn T-Boy since, so that side dey safe, if you go see house be that o." the stranger said and hurried to leave but the Preacher stopped him to appreciate him.
"at least, for your time, take this one, it's not much, may God bless you and keep you" the Preacher handed him five thousand naira notes and he was shocked that a Preacher can actually give.
"oga pastor, thank you, at least I now get wetin I go use chop small bread, then play better sure odds and buy Garri keep for house, very important, Garri, thank you" the stranger said after receiving the money and counting his blessings naming them one by one, he left.
The Preacher turned to his colleagues.
"this side isn't safe for us all, you'd go back to town and stay, I'll be here alone, but for now, let's secure an apartment that I can use then you'll help me with household items, we're heading that side, the other one is not safe also" he told them and instructed the taxi driver who drove accordingly.
They arrived a place that fits the description and asked to confirm and it was so, they then decided to make necessary enquiry to know if there would be any apartment available, got introduced to the aged woman who appeared a bit stronger than most of her contemporaries.
"I no dey do pass one year six month rent fee, and if you sabi say you get house problem, go solve the problem, then come back, if una no be one Papa one Mama, I no go gree for that one, if you no like the house after one month, tell me make I refund your money give you, anything wey pass one month, even one minutes more than one month, I no dey give you one kobo, go think before you pay o, na 300 thousand e be for that one bedroom flat, I no get time to talk again." the woman started and finished the whole conversation after showing them what apartment was available and the Preacher after a while.
"okay Ma, I'm the only one staying, I'll pay for two years, I'm just here to...." he wasn't done when the woman said
"you be pastor na, no be so? no be like say I no dey go Church or sabi God o, but for God's sake, I go....just give me 550 thousand, keep the other one" the woman immediately interrupted him and this further made him feel at peace with the identity conferred on him.
The payment was made and he packed in two days later, reading and studying the word of God for the first two weeks and practicing the lyrics of Christian hymns and gospel songs for another two weeks, after sticking to this routine for a month, he then decided to begin preaching the gospel to the people of the town, and a night to the day of his gospel adventure, he prayed but being unable to pray as he would want to, he sang.
"Guide me oh thou Great Jehovah
Pilgrim through this barren land
I am weak but thou art mighty
Hold me with thy powerful hands
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven
Feed me till I want no more...."
And continued till his head rested on his Bible reading table, then, he slept off...
To Be Continued...