©️ Opeyemi Akintunde
“Where are you headed now? Home?” The girl with the distinct voice said as she tried to keep up with Timisire’s fast pace.
” I don’t have a home!” Timisire replied
” So where are you headed?” She asked
” Nowhere! I will find somewhere I can stay for a while till I get back on my feet. ” Timisire said.
This type of street journeying was not alien to her. When she left home at age 13, she learnt the ways of the street, till she got the hotel cleaning job.
” Hey Sister, I am fine, don’t stress about me, I will make myself comfortable on the street. Death is not yet for me” Timisire reply
“I have somewhere you can stay for a while” the girl offered.
At this point, everyone had lost interest in her and had gone back to their respective businesses. Timisire heard different explanations of what had happened to her as she hurriedly left the scene.
” She must be a witch, who is tired of her witchcraft”
” No, didn’t you hear her screaming fire, I believe she must have gone to test the power of God in a church and the fire of God fell on her”
Timisire heard worse.
” Where is the place?” Timisire asked
” It is a place of refuge and safety. Come stay the night, if you are not cool with the place, you
are free to leave in the morning…”
It sounded like a reasonably good advice. Anywhere was better than nowhere.
******
Harry and Sandy were watching a movie. Harry wanted the night to end on a good note with no mood swings from his wife, but the unexpected crept in. The issue he was always shying from was brought to the forefront.
Adoption!
He and Sandy had been married for ten years and he had not lost hope that Sandy would bear his baby. He had seen her carrying a baby in his dreams, so he was sure she wasn’t going to be barren forever.
On the other side, Sandy was tired of waiting. According to her, she didn’t want to be nursing babies when her mates were getting their children married. She was open to adopting a baby.
” Harry …” Sandy was saying and Harry knew where the conversation was headed .
” Not tonight!” Harry said raising his hand
*******
Timisire saw the name “THE LIGHTHOUSE”.
” Where is this? A school?”
” No! A house”
” An orphanage?”
” Something like that!”
” Oh!” It sounded good to her ears.
“Come in, I promise you, you will love this place”
As they walked in, she heard voices singing…
” Is there a service going on?” Timisire asked.
” It’s the night devotion!”
” Oh!”
” Come with me, I need Aunty Favour to know you are here” the lady said
” Please, what is your name?”. Timisire asked
” Vanessa…and Yours?”
” Timisire…Thank you Vanessa for your love!”
*****
Timisire sat outside an office, while Vanessa was inside. A lot of things were going through in her mind, but She was loving the worship seeping through the door
of the hall where they were having the devotion. She was being drawn there. As the girl was taking forever to come out of the office, she decided to take a look at the hall…
What she saw tugged at her heart… She saw intentional worship from young people. She saw deep intoxicating worship, she saw worship from people to their lovers. She saw WORSHIP… She was drawn in by the presence, it was like being drawn into a dance…Tears were pouring out of her eyes, her body was overwhelmed by a presence so intentional and fatherly. The presence was showing so much love yet admonition on the careless life she was living ..
” I want you! I am sorry Jesus! I want you Lord, Take all of me and use it . All of me belongs to you. Help my inadequacies, help my helplessness, help me..” Timisire was wailing like there was no one in the hall. She was done with the life she was living… She wanted out! She wanted out of the uncontrollable urge for sex and masturbation. She wanted to be normal. She wanted to be free! She wanted peace!
******
Vanessa stepped out of Favour’s office wanting to call Timisire in, but she found the seat empty. Fear gripped Vanessa. She hoped the was girl was not doing anything wrong…
” Ma, I will be back!” She said to Aunty Favour and rushed out to her left
Favour stopped what she was doing. She sensed something was definitely wrong. Vanessa had told her about bringing a girl who almost committing suicide to the LIGHTHOUSE, and when she asked to see the girl, Vanessa bolted…
Favour was led to the Prayer hall.
*****
As she got to the hall, she saw the unfamiliar face genuinely buried in tears. She was crying out to the Lord. Vanessa stepped in…
” That’s her. Should I call her out?” She asked
” Let her be! This is her moment.”
To be continued….
