School had just begun for the second term. By then, Chidi had fully blended with life at Pastor Justice’s house. He preached during morning devotions about three times a week. He had already followed Pastor Justice three times for ministerial outreaches. He was always being given leadership assignments at the youth centre. He led praise and worship in the school’s fellowship. Whether he sang worship or danceable songs, the presence of God was always felt. More and more people began to attend the fellowship such that Mr Oladayo requested that the school authorities gave him a larger hall to hold fellowship activities. Also, Chidi’s academics soared. He got the fifth position in his class. Though not much compared which Adebayo’s astonishing achievements, it was exceedingly greater than the improvements the principal expected from him in just one term.
However, Chidi began to have mood swings which became more often by the day.
One Monday, during dinner, Mrs Justice asked him, “Why are you so quiet and moody?”
“It’s been months since I came here. I just can’t stop thinking of my family. How are they faring? Was my father able to get a job? Did my sister recover or were my parents able to take her to the hospital? How can I be eating good food when they might be starving?” Chidi said.
“Don’t you have faith that God has turned their situation around?” Pastor Justice asked.
“I do. I do. But I miss them nonetheless. Can I visit them?” Chidi asked.
“Well, we will fix a time for us to go and see your parents. Besides, we need to get your certificates and your transcripts anyway, to complete your registration at your school, otherwise, you won’t be able to graduate,” Pastor Justice said.
By the next week’s Monday, during morning devotion, Pastor Justice announced to the family that Chidi would see his family during the weekend.
“Your mother and I have discussed and prayed about it. I’ll take Chidi to his parents on Saturday. I’ve already contacted Pastor Francis. I’ll preach at his church on Sunday and we’ll be back that Sunday. Your mother will stay back to assist in organizing the church service here,” Pastor Justice said.
“Can I come with you people? I’ll tell my assistant tech director to take charge of set-up and I’ll inform our youth pastor that I won’t be in church as I am travelling with you. Please, I want to see Chidi’s family too,” Adebayo pleaded.
“Alright. No problem,” said Pastor Justice.
Chidi could not wait to see his family again and so was excited when the day finally came. He had stayed awake the previous night and made sure that he completed the Saturday morning chores and all the preparations were done. Mrs Justice bought gift items for every member of Chidi’s family. Lawrence arrived at their house very early in the morning. Mrs Justice served breakfast. As usual, Pastor Justice did not eat with them.
Having stayed up all night, Chidi slept almost all through the drive. Pastor Justice prayed in tongues softly while Adebayo asked Lawrence about all the places they crossed as they journeyed to the east.
Chidi was able to direct them to his compound. While Pastor Justice stayed still in the car, Lawrence, Adebayo and Chidi went to Chidi’s family apartment. Chidi was very excited as he knocked on the door. A young man of university age opened the door. Chidi’s family were not tenants there anymore. And what more, the young man did not know who his parents were. He knocked at the doors of some of his friendly neighbours and they were either not around or had packed out also. The new tenants were mostly young people rather than families.
“How am I going to find my family, God? Please, just bring someone around that I know who will tell me where I can find them,” Chidi prayed as they went back towards the car.
Chidi soon spotted the pharmacist that had helped his sister with money and drugs months ago.
“I know this lady,” Chidi said to Adebayo. “She helped save my sister’s life. I should go and greet her.”
“Good evening ma,” he greeted. “Do you remember me?”
“Your face is familiar but I cannot quite place where I met you,” the pharmacist said.
“Pharmacy. I came with my sister some months ago. You gave her drugs free of charge and money for food,” Chidi explained.
“Yes, yes, I remember. How have you been? I’ve not been seeing you around. I was almost starting to believe that you are someone else,” the pharmacist said.
“Well, I travelled and I have not been in Imo state for some time. And I am not so fine. I’m very anxious actually. When I travelled, my parents did not have a phone and so there was no way to tell them that I’m visiting. Now, I can’t find them and I don’t know where to look,” Chidi explained.
“They packed out some time ago,” the pharmacist said.
“Do you know my parents?” Chidi asked.
“Yes. I met them on Sunday at the church after the Seedtime programme in which Pastor Justice preached. I recognised Precious. I wanted to know how she was doing and whether she was better and eating good food. Well, it turned out that there was no food to eat. I looked out for you but I did not see you. I was even starting to think it was Promise that had brought her to the pharmacy that day. Anyway, I went out to look for what your family members would eat. As I brought the food back and petted them, I did not know that one of the members of the church was watching me. We got really close and now, he has asked me to marry him,” the pharmacist said, showing off her engagement ring.
“So, do you know where my parents are living now?” Chidi asked.
“Yes. Let me describe the place for you,” the pharmacist replied.
“Okay, thank you. But before then, if you were to see Pastor Justice right now, what will you say to him?” Chidi asked.
“Well, that he has been of so much blessing to me. I can’t explain the impact of the programme. His message is timeless. He is just so anointed. He…” the pharmacist spoke excitedly.
Just then, Pastor Justice wound down his car window and looked at the pharmacist. She had not known that he was watching them. She immediately became tongue-tied.
“Daddy, she said that she knows where my parents are,” Chidi said.
“Would you mind taking us there?” Pastor Justice asked.
She shook her head, still unable to talk.
Chidi opened the door for her and then he entered so that the pharmacist sat beside Pastor Justice.
“Come out of this road and take a right turn,” the pharmacist said to Lawrence.
“I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it. Pastor. Wow,” she kept on mumbling.
“You do know that I am a human being like you? It’s only by God’s grace that I am what I am and He alone takes the glory,” Pastor Justice said.
The pharmacist kept on directing Lawrence until they entered an estate. The estate had a hotel, supermarket, restaurant and other establishments. What more, all the residential houses were very beautiful. The pharmacist asked Lawrence to stop in front of a fine bungalow which was close to a restaurant and announced that it was Chidi’s parents’ new apartment. Chidi could not believe how much his family situation had changed in a few months.
“Now, this looks more like a house,” said Adebayo, as he had wondered silently how Chidi’s family had managed to live in the previous apartment that he had seen.
Chidi came down from the car and knocked at the gate. Nkechi opened the pedestrian way to see who was knocking.
“Brother Chidi!” Nkechi exclaimed.
“Please, quickly unlock the gate. A car is waiting outside,” Chidi instructed.
Nkechi sprinted inside the house to get the gate key, shouting, “Brother Chidi is around.”
As she ran, Chidi could not help but notice her energy. Someone who could barely walk due to weakness was running as if she was an Olympic champion. No sooner had she entered the house than she was outside again with the gate key. Mrs Mercy and Precious came out shortly after. As Chidi saw them, he ran to meet and hug them while Nkechi opened the gate. Lawrence drove in and everyone came out. First, it was the pharmacist. As the pharmacist exchanged pleasantries with Chidi’s family members, the others came out of the car.
“Is that… are my eyes deceiving me, Pa…” Mrs Mercy began to stutter.
Precious ran to hug Pastor Justice and Pastor Justice carried her.
“Would you mind if we pass the night at your house, Madam?” Pastor Justice asked.
“You can stay as long as you want, Pastor,” Mrs Mercy said, still very shocked.
“Okay then. Um, Lawrence please, take the lady (referring to the pharmacist) to wherever she wants to go to. And tell Pastor Francis that we will be passing the night here. But you’ll stay with them and help them get everything ready. Then, come and pick us very early tomorrow morning,” Pastor Justice instructed.
“Okay sir,” Lawrence said.
Pastor Justice then faced the pharmacist, “It may be a very little act of kindness, but you will never know when you save a generation. As you have helped this family with the little that you have, you will never look for those that will help you, in Jesus Name”
Everyone shouted, “Amen.”
The pharmacist knelt down.
“Your marriage is blessed. You will not lack children. Your children will never lack what to eat. Your husband-to-be is already favoured because he has found a virtuous wife. Everything that his hand touches shall prosper.”
“Amen!”
“God is yet going to take you to places that you have never imagined. You will be blessed so much that you will be a blessing to nations. Families will be blessed because of you. The Lord has rebuked the devourer for your sake. With long life, God shall satisfy you and members of your family. Your children shall be called blessed and will always be the head only and not the tail. God bless you. God enrich you. May the Lord cause His face to shine on you and be gracious to you, in Jesus’ Name.”
“Amen!”
After blessing the pharmacist, Pastor Justice motioned for her to leave with Lawrence. Everyone else entered the house. Nkechi and Precious carried the bags inside.
“Where are Promise and daddy?” Chidi asked.
“Daddy is at work. I’ll go and call him now. He is the branch general manager of the Yummicious restaurant that is close to our house. And brother will soon be back. He went for lesson,” Precious said.
When Mr William heard that his son and Pastor Justice were in his house, he left everything that he was doing and returned home. As he came, Promise was also returning from his lesson. Promise was also told about Chidi and Pastor Justice.
