The Journey to Perfect Love

1…2…3… Push!!!
The very words that added salt to my injury fell into my twitching ears one more time.
It was the fifth time we were coming down from the so called bus.
How on earth someone would chose this kind of place for an outreach was a question I had asked countless times.

Several other questions kept flowing out of my mouth.
My eyes met people whose expressions could spell “FRUSTRATED” in capital letters.
Our bus had been stuck again. The roads were indeed terrible!
Many things crossed my mind. What if we’re going for rituals? I asked myself?
My mum ooo! I exclaimed. This place couldn’t be in this same state, for we’d journeyed for over five hours and we were still counting.

I could only hear the birds squeak in their places of rest. It was as though that part of the world didn’t usually receive moonlight. Everywhere was as dark as a pit with no opening.

Sis Ed…
“Anyone who sisters me today will be sistered! I said as I hissed and turned to my thoughts. I was tired as one who just lifted a storey building, but I couldn’t sleep for fear of waking up in a shrine.

An hour later, we arrived at the venue.
Words failed me! My hands failed me! The only thing that didn’t fail was the tears!
Tears flowed from my cheeks as I came down from the bus.
What have I done to deserve this? I kept asking myself.
Couldn’t I have just stayed at home and not bothered coming here.
The place was just thatched. I turned around to imagine where we’ll pass the night.
Tall grasses were the only things my eyes could see. I quickly ran back to the bus to secure a sleeping space. It’ll be much better to die inside there than die outside, I thought.

Sadness was an understatement. There was no molecule of joy in me.
I wiped my tears, took my sweater and headed out of the bus.
I looked around and found a small stool that could pass for a baby pool. I grabbed it and sat down.

“Aunty, take this one, ee better pass that one” I heard a very childish voice saying.
The stool was only longer. What was better about it? I wanted asking, but quietly collected the stool as I exchanged it with the “pool” I was sitting on.

It was about 2am in the morning. I gazed at the skies and at the moon I suddenly found.
The kids caught my attention!
These children, don’t they sleep? I asked rhetorically as I scoffed.
I turned again to look very closely at them. They were poorly dressed, mostly on low cut.
There was a particular baby who was fast asleep. A few were already feeling very sleepy, but chose to stand

“Please let’s have a brief talk with the children, they’ve been waiting for us to arrive” the moderator said.
My mouth stood agape! It was as if a bell was just rung in my ears.
Waiting since morning? I turned to ask one of the kids
“Yes aunty, them tell us say una de come for road” she replied so happily.
I felt my heart melt as all the anger suddenly vanished.
They were the same set of people who kept on cheering the moment our bus entered the square. I had just refused to notice them.

I asked myself many questions that I couldn’t answer. It reminded me of those days when my dad had gone on long journeys and was supposed to come back at night.
We waited eagerly as children, but we suddenly got to our limits and could wait no more, even for our own dad.
Of course, no one could blame us, we were children.
I turned to gaze at the children again as the memories streamed through my mind.
A drop of tear flowed down my cheeks.
“Love is patient, love is caring, and love is kind”
Those were the only words that popped in my head at that moment. I found a corner at that same square, let it all out, and said a few words of prayer.

“Lord, may these children never regret this bold step they have taken today. However long it may take, repay them for this act”

The villagers had arranged a church nearby where we were to sleep. There was a small torch there, and a few seats. That didn’t matter.
The night had journeyed far. Amidst my tiredness, I laid my head down and muttered a few words that faded into my sleep
“Thank you for the villagers, thank you for the villagers, thank you for the children, thank you for the church, thank you…

It was barely three hours into the night, when the cock crowed. It reminded me of those tales by moonlight we read when we were much younger.

The mosquito bites were synonymous to itching tablets. The atmosphere was serene and beautiful.
Everyone seemed to be happy. I wasn’t sure if anyone was as happy as I was, following the dawn of a new day. The mosquitoes weren’t going to interfere anymore.

The day’s activities began in full as we set out for the morning awareness.
It was going to be a long day and I knew it as activities kept holding simultaneously.

I had thought that language was a big barrier. A few experiences proved otherwise.
The little girl ran up to me while attempting to make me carry her. I patted her back and gave a warm smile that she returned.
The children flocked around the arena as they showed excitement that could not be expressed with words.
The villagers showed so much concern about our welfare. They had donated a few things to us which they felt weren’t enough.
Every opportunity they got, they brought groundnuts, vegetables, foodstuff etc. all in a bid to make us comfortable. They really didn’t have much. It was evident in their outfit and environment.
Nevertheless, they refused to pay attention to those barriers. It reminded me of the passage that talked of love covering a multitude of things. Language was among those things.
Perhaps time had taken its course, I wouldn’t know, but every action put me in a state of reflection and made me hopeful for a better world.
A better nation isn’t far away from us.
I waved at the kids whenever I passed, they responded with a smile each time.

Time had been spent, experiences had been made, lessons had been learnt and burdens had been laid.

The service was over, happiness was in the air. It was about departure time.
I looked at the faces of the beautiful people. They were happy we came, they were sad we had to leave. Tears welled up in their eyes. Gently, the tears poured out in drops.
They wanted to come with us; we wanted to stay with them.

I looked at the same thatched house I dejected; it felt like home this time. The grasses felt like air. The dust, the mosquitoes, the mud, the terrain, the firewood and the smoke, none of that mattered anymore.
As I carried my bag to say a final goodbye, the little girl ran up to me again, as I looked at her with so much compassion and love, I threw my arms around her and gave her a hug. I carried her in my arms, wiped her tears and told her to take care.

Our goodbyes weren’t enough to express our feelings.
Our take cares weren’t enough to tell the depths.
But we recalled that we needed to do the will of Him that had sent us, and amidst the sadness, we found smiles to put on, and with so much joy and happiness we set out for the ultimate explosion.
The words came to my mind again
“Love is patient, love is caring, love is kind. It is not boastful, it is not proud. For where there are other things, others may fail, but love abides”

It was true. Everything we ever needed was embedded in love.
I got to my room, knelt down at my bed side and those harbored tears poured out as I spoke to my Father.
“Dear Lord, love is full of sacrifices, love is full of learning. There must have been times when I didn’t get it right, but love is full of forgiveness as well…

The atmosphere was full of emotions and expressions.

“Nothing else matters Lord, nothing else means so much. Just to love and know you more, and to extend this hand of love, for there was no atom of merit in the love you gave us, we didn’t deserve it, we were doomed for condemnation already.
But our daily activities, our walking, our living, our eating and drinking, points to one thing;
that amidst our misdeeds, there was a greater hand, a hand of love.
For we erred, we went the wrong ways, but here we are Lord, could there be a better way of saying these things Father?
Thank you for loving me.
That love… That love… This love…
Is the best thing that has happened to me…

It was a different atmosphere; I laid my head on my pillow to behold the wonderful presence. It was beautiful. As I wiped my tears, I stood to lie on my bed then I heard a calm and meek voice,
“I LOVE YOU”… “FOR I HAVE LOVED YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE”

Goose bumps covered my skin, but it was suddenly overthrown by smiling tears.