MYSTERIOUS WAYS

PART I

Read and be blessed

It was with great care, that she dabbed a wet cloth on the sweat that constantly broke out on her sick brother's forehead. Her brother laid on his bed, heavily burdened with a strange illness. An illness which had recently infiltrated the Santa village, found remotely in the edge of the northwest region of Cameroon, towards the west region. It had sent to the beyond two very important men who till their last breath had not received a positive answer from their physician. And now her brother stood next in line, manifesting all the symptoms of his predecessors, sending shivers of fear to hearts of those he dearly loved.
She adjusted the covers over him, noiselessly stood up lest she woke him up. Moved over to the windows, binded them shut and strolled out of the room. She walked to the courtyard deep in thoughts, occasionally sighing and slowly rubbing her temples in worry. She failed to notice the unbearably stubborn hen who had led her chicks into the kitchen through the open back door. They cackled and together feasted on the scattered corn grain lying idly on the ground. Standing outside, she looked on at a figure a great distance away running towards her on the narrow road bordered by large corn fields. She could hardly wait a second and moved toward the figure that appeared larger and larger as the distance between them lessen. With each step she took, her heart drummed in anticipation.
One look at the messenger's face up close and her heart dropped with fear, her voice trembled with the words that left her mouth.
"Did he recieve the letter?"she licked her dry lips and continued,"Is he on his way?"
The messenger still panting from the long run held his knees, bent over and shook his head in anegative. His mouth was open and his chest rose as he struggled to breath.
"Please tell me!"she cried, clutching on to the his shoulders with impatience. Tried hard to to read his expressions.
The messenger upon regaining his voice, explained to her in his illiterate language."Madam, them talk say master bi dan receive letter but him still dey for Awing and him go reach here na only after tomorrow because road dem don block. Na tin that wey him talk for phone for the people for big office" with that, she let go of the messenger's cloth and staggered behind. She gathered herself and let out a shaky breath not wanting to look vulnerable. She thanked him for the information and turned back, to the house. She pondered on what she had heard and cursed the fact that only the post office accommodated any modern mean of communication, a fixedphone. But at last what meaningful benefits could she draw from a backward place as that.
The house stood on seemingly small piece of land and was surrounded with tall green corn stalks which was about blossoming. The land was dotted with tropical fruit trees with served as food hunting zones for naughty village boys. The house itself wasn't all that large, a three bedroom bungalow that had housed about three generations of the AFOR'S family. Her great grandfather had moved into that area back in the primitive days and settled in with his family.It had been willed to her Father who handed it over to them, her and her brother. Having being groom in the city unlike their predecessors, they had returned to the village to take proper care of their fathers priced possession and most compelling, to see to their mother fading health. The grieve of her husband passing had eaten up her joy and appetite leaving her all bones and skin, despite the endless efforts of her children. Not long, she left to meet their father keeping behind deep anguish and a feeling of abandonment. Then, the children had clinged ever more to the faith which they had been encrusted in them since childhood. Their hope was in their heavenly father and indeed he had been Faithful. In the course of of grieving, she found a pleasant distraction. She being well educated while in the city, applied and was welcomed with open arms at the local primary school found in the village center. The school had been abandoned and forgotten half a decade ago. She was to teach children who had only two English words in their long sentences, but whose parents nevertheless were gentle, kind, hospitable and extremely interested in the latest gossips.
The pain faded with time, they settled in comfortably and made their home amidst the natives.They took special care of the land, efficiently cultivating it in shower season and cared for the animals.
The house was brown in colour, with aluminium roofs that had shed it's original colour for a darker one. It was equally embroidered with green spirogyra.The building was still very solid and in good condition, the only exception being the main door which had been neglected since her brothers illness, which had begun two weeks ago.
She pondered on the messenger's words and twisted her brows in worry. She as well as anyone who saw her brother knew he wouldn't last a day. His illness had grown so serious that many times when he shut his eyes, she was seized with fear and breathe a little freely when he fluttered them open demanding for a sip. She had tiptoed several mornings in to his room fretting the worst, but had up till that day been spared of grieve. She had prayed fervently for her brother and written to the prophet, pleading with him to come and lay his hands on him, but some how, the letters had escaped his notice. The prophet in question had come by a few year back to their little village preaching the word of God and healing the sick. A humble man he was, speaking very powerful words that struck the heart of men with power from above, changing their guilt filled hearts to the ways of God.Them(her and her brother)being devout of the LORD and him having no where to stay, had taken him in and cared for his need joyfully. His words of encouragement had drawn them closer to the Lord and they had become close brothers, serving the Lord together and helping out the people of Santa in the every little way they could.They had been seperated only with the command of God for the prophet, sending him to another place, one of the village in the Santa subdivision. She had started sending him letters one week ago when her brothers predicament had grown serious, none of which reached him except the last one which she had cealed in prayers and tears. She had expected him to come right away but the roads had been blocked thereby causing him to postpone his journey.
She was jolted out of her thoughts, by a scream from her brother's room. She sprang through the main door and halted at the entrance of her brother's room too afraid to enter. Inside the room sat her paternal aunt sobbing into her palms noisily. She took slow step towards the bed where her brother laid, looking serene and lifeless. She looked at her aunt who had jerk her head up to reveal a tear stained cheeks, red eyes and disheveled hair. Touching her brother's face, she called out to him, her voice thick with emotions.
"John!, John!"she was answered by silence and her brother's unwavering features. A tear slid down her right cheek, she took a step back, sinking unto the floor, paralysed with grieve and clutching tightly on to her throbbing heart. Tears flowed more freely down her cheeks, falling unto her cloth and she said in a whisperl
"No!"