Paying tithes in debt episode 10 – end

PAYING_TITHES_IN_DEBTH

EPISODE 10

David: ‘Hey sweetheart, how are you today’ he said as he entered his home.

Mercy: it was okay, how was work?

David: Stressful as usual, I spoke to my boss today about giving me a loan.

Mercy: Why, what for?

David: So that we will use it to commence your treatment and look for solutions. I haven’t given up hope you know, I know you will walk again.

Mercy: There won’t be need for that sweetheart.

David: Why is that?

Mercy: Because I have spoken to my pastor and he will be giving us the money needed.

David: Pastor?

Mercy: Yes, Pastor.

David: hmmm did he come here?

Mercy: No he didn’t but he promised to be here before weekend.

David: Hmmm. I don’t think you should put your hope in them, I think you should let them be.

Mercy: He is a Man of God, why do you say I should let him be?

David: Because I do not want you to be disappointed at the end.

Mercy: Trust me, I know Pastor very well, he won’t disappoint us.

David: I have told you.

Mercy: Don’t worry about anything; he will be here like he has promised.

She waited one wh0le week yet Pastor didn’t show up, she tried calling him to ask why he hasn’t shown up as promised but was told that he has been busy. She decided to let him be and ask if there is anyway the church can raise any amount of money for her to commence treatment and the reply she got was that they will get back to her when they are less busy.
==

David: I have told you times and again to let me raise the loan for your treatment.

Mercy: But that is not what I want at the moment, Pastor said he will get back to me.

David: When? He hasn’t been here and you still think he will show up?

Mercy: he has been busy and I can understand that.

David: I have told you that the only people who would be there for you are your family members; do not put your hope in your Pastor but God you won’t listen.

Mercy: He won’t fail me, trust me. Pastors are next to God.

David: When are you expecting a reply?

Mercy: No idea but let’s wait for a little longer.
__________

Nathaniel: wow! So I am going to be a father?

Christiana: Yes but what kind of father will you be if you can’t provide for your family?

Nathaniel: You worry too much. See eh! Now that you are pregnant, I don’t need you to worry too much so that you don’t stress my child.

Christiana: Look for a job first before you dictate to me what to do and not to do.

Nathaniel: Don’t worry, God that has given us a child will know how to take care of him.

Christiana: I am not doing that one with you ooo. Nathaniel, don’t push me to the wall because I won’t take nonsense from you. Tell your church to provide job for you if all you will be doing is taking the little you have to them. As you see me so eh! I want to take care of myself to the best of my ability so that my child will be healthy and okay. All this talk you are talking should end today else you will be on your own.

Nathaniel: ‘I have heard’ he said and continued eating his meal.

Christiana: Look at you, you didn’t bring money for food but you know how to eat food without asking how or where I got the money from.

Nathaniel: Since you want me to ask okay, where did you get the money from?

Christiana: I went to visit your brother today after work and he gave me the money.

Nathaniel: You did what?

Christiana: Paid your brother a visit.

Nathaniel: Why?

Christiana: What do you mean why? Oh you are running away from him because you didn’t pay the money he gave to you to Kingsley abi? Not to worry, he knows about it already.

Nathaniel: You told him?

Christiana: No I didn’t, his friend who was supposed to help you with the job did and the job has been given to someone else.

Nathaniel: Did the person really get the job?

Christiana: Are you listening to what I am saying at all? Someone else has the job which you were supposed to get. ‘Shebi, you were doing I cannot be part of bribe because God is against it’ she mimicked him ‘Now that you have no job, I hope that God will come down from heaven and do his mighty work in your life’.

Nathaniel: I can’t go against my faith and I decided to use the money for God’s work in church.

Christiana: and now that you have no job are you happy? You couldn’t even tell your brother what you did and he is so disappointed in you. He said he kept quiet because he has tried his best for you and since you have decided to do things your way, he has washed his hands on your case. You should really go to him and apologize oooo.

Nathaniel: No need for that; when I get a job, I will repay him for all his good deeds in my life.

Christiana: ‘when you get a job, when you get a job! it seems it is the latest song in town now because I can’t hear anything aside from that and only God knows when that will be’ she said angrily.
==

Mercy kept her faith alive even though she sees reasons with her husband but she didn’t want to doubt the promise of her Pastor for agreeing to come and pay them a visit and also help them with money for her to commence her treatment for she believed with faith all things are possible and with the support of her Pastor, everything will be ok. Every day she prays and hopes for a miracle in her life and situation and also that of her family for God to give them the strength to carry on for she was useless since she can’t do anything without her legs.

Mercy: Sweetheart, let’s go to church tomorrow.

David: You want to go to church?

Mercy: Yes, I have been indoors for a long time now, I think it’s time I start going out.

David: What happened? What changed? I thought you never wanted to go out again?

Mercy: I can’t be indoors again, I am tired and feel like suffocating. it’s been More than six months I saw my son and my sister is the only family I have, I don’t want to burden her with my condition since she has Jacob with her for now.

David: I do understand, you also know that I have no family of my own and I am an orphan. I wish there is someone we could run to but now, we only have us.

Mercy: ‘and Pastor’ she said smiling ‘he is family too to me.

David: Okay.

Mercy: When we go to church tomorrow, I would like to see him.

David: If that is what you want, fine by me.

Mercy: Thanks Sweetheart.
==

The following day, they went to church. While Mercy sat on the front row with her wheel chair and her husband by her side, she kept her attention on the word of God and prayed for healing. She prayed, cried to God and gave out all she had during the service for a miracle. After service that day, she requested to see the Pastor and was obliged to.

Pastor: ‘Mrs. Mercy, how are you doing’ he said as her husband wheeled her into his once.

Mercy: Pastor, I am doing okay by his grace, I have been expecting you to come to our house as promised.

Pastor: I am so sorry but you see, as a Pastor, I have so many programmes and meetings to attend, sorry I haven’t come to visit you.

David: you would have at least delegated someone to pay my wife a visit for she has been eager and awaiting your visit.

Pastor: Yes I should but it escaped my mind and I am so sorry.

Mercy: ‘it’s okay Pastor’ she said smiling ‘I am glad that I came here to meet you myself.

Pastor: ‘We thank God for he is ever faithful, we thank God’ Pastor gave her the word of God straight from the bible telling her not to lose faith for with time, she will walk again and she should have faith.

Mercy: Thank you Pastor for the word of God is food to my soul.

Pastor: You are welcome.

Mercy: Errrm Pastor, now that we are here, I was wondering if it will be possible to get the money you promised for my treatment.

Pastor: ‘Urmmm you see, the church is going through a rough patch right now and we are trying to really stay above level ground for what I have here is not enough but I hope you can manage it’ he brought out an envelope and handed it over to her saying ‘add this to whatever you want and I promise to come and pay you a visit next week Monday’.

Mercy: ‘Thank you Pastor, May God bless you and your Family’ she said as she collected the envelope while David just sat there and watched. Errmmm what about Mummy, I didn’t see her in church today?

Pastor: She travelled to Canada for a two days programme.

Mercy: Really? When will she be coming back?

Pastor: In three weeks.

Mercy: Why is that?

Pastor: I want her to have her vacation there and relief herself of some of the stress she has been through.

Mercy: That is so nice Pastor because she needs it.

Pastor: Yes she does.

David: ‘Thank you Pastor, I think it is time we get going’ he said as he stood up to leave ‘ I appreciate your kindness and effort, it is the Lord that can only repay you’

Pastor: ‘Don’t mention David’ he said and they shook hands.

When they got home, Mercy quickly removed the envelope from her purse and tore it open. She brought out the money in it and counted it.

David: How much is it sweetheart?

Mercy: Ten thousand naira.

EPISODE 11 (FINAL)

When they got home, Mercy quickly removed the envelope from her purse and tore it open. She brought out the money in it and counted it.

David: How much is it sweetheart?

Mercy: Ten thousand naira.

David: Well he tried na, didn’t he?

Mercy: What can we do with ten thousand naira and where will it take us?

David: Didn’t I tell you not to put your hope and trust in him?

Mercy: I am so angry that I feel like exploding, did you see how many people donated for the church building and for charity works, yet all he could give was ten thousand naira.

David: The money is for the Lord.

Mercy: Are we not his children? Isn’t the church supposed to lend a helping hand to its members in need? For how long are we going to keep being extorted?

David: I see no reason why you should be angry, after all, isn’t he your Pastor and the man that can do no wrong?

Mercy: I wish I knew better, I wish I knew better.

David: there is nothing you or anyone can do about it, you know that.
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Few Months later, Christiana did all she could do within her power to get her husband a job but her husband never wanted the kind of meager job she wanted him to do for it was too low and within his standard, she tried talking to him to accept it instead of whiling away his time and do nothing except spend his day in church but all of it fell on deaf ears. The only time she was buoyant was when she get paid and uses the money to buy food stuffs for the house and within two weeks, the money gets finished and she results in begging her neighbors for food or anything available to use to satisfy her hunger and take care of herself. She even resulted to talking to his Pastor and some elders in church but nothing was done about it for they didn’t see any wrong in what he was doing as long as it was for the church and also Nathaniel has been a pioneer member of the church right from the beginning, his devotion and eagerness to donate his little money worn the hearts of the people in church especially his Pastor who made him a leader in one of the units.

She was now known as the pregnant woman that likes begging for food in her neighborhood of which when she learnt that her neighbors are making fun of her, she became angry and waited for her husband to come home and get a piece of her mind.

Nathaniel: Hello sweetheart, how are you and my unborn baby?

Christiana: We are fine oooo, how was your outing today?

Nathaniel: ‘God is good’ went to the kitchen, looked around and saw no food, he decided to ask his wife ‘wont I have any food today’?

Christiana: have you ever given me money for food since we got married?

Nathaniel: What do you mean?

Christiana: What you understand.

Nathaniel: The Lord will take care of my needs then.

Christiana: Let him do so oooo. Let him come down from up above and do it because as it stands now, I am done with babysitting you. Everyone is making fun of me in this neighborhood because I married a man who is incapable of taking care of himself talk more of taking care of me and our unborn child. Every penny I make from now on will not go into feeding you or looking after you. Be a man and do what you have to do for yourself.

Nathaniel: ‘Alright’ he stood up, wore back his shirt and was about to head out before he was stopped by his wife.

Christiana: Where do you think you are going to?

Nathaniel: I am going to visit one of our brothers.

Christiana: Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? Going to a brothers house to eat? Shame on you Nathaniel, shame on you. What did I even see in you that I agreed to marry you sef? Shame on you!
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Mercy: I wish we were given enough money, how are we going to commence my treatment?

David: I have told you not to place your trust and hope in man especially your Pastor. You don’t also have to blame him for not giving you enough money.

Mercy: It’s been weeks now, yet he has not come to pay me a visit.

David: Forget about that.

Mercy: But I served the church with all of my heart and soul, I paid my tithe, did charity, contributed to the development of the church, Is this what I get for it?

David: The problem with you Nigerians is that you served and worsh¡p your Pastors forgetting that your purpose is to God and not anybody.

Mercy: You don’t talk to Men of God that way. You are disrespecting God if you do

David: How?

Mercy: The way you expressed yourself now

David: Well, i did not insult any man of God and i will never do that. I’m only ensuring i pass a good message to you that you serve and worsh¡p your Pastors more than God Himself. That does not mean i disrespect any Man of God.

Mercy: But…..

David: don’t but anything and just listen, I have told you times without number not to hope on man but on God but you wouldn’t listen. Sometimes, you preferred what your Pastor said you should do over what I said, I am not saying your Pastor is wrong but all I am saying is that you should put your Family first before any Pastor or Church.

Mercy: But Pastor prays to God on our behalf.

David: Can’t you pray to God on your own? When you idolize men of God, it means you are worsh¡ping them.

Mercy: We are only showing our respect and honour.

David: ‘in what way do you honor them? By doing things you can’t even do for your husband forgetting that your husband and you are one? Your Pastor will not be there for you in times of crisis except your family’ he held her hands and said ‘we can do this together, we should join our faith, pray and work on you getting better that is all we need not your pastor.

Mercy: Thanks sweetheart, thanks for been there.

David: ‘That is why I am your husband’ he said and gave her a peck.

David and Mercy, joined their faith together in prayers, with the support from her husband, she was able to commence treatment in a hospital even though they were told the chances of she walking again is very slim but they never lost hope and within the space of Eighteen months, Mercy’s condition started improving.
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After the birth of Lucy, Christiana made it a duty to take care of only herself and her child for she resumed work three months later. She couldn’t bring herself to explain her ordeal to her parents because she was warned against marry him.

Nathaniel also made it a duty not to bother or disturb his wife for food for he kept going to Pastors house or any of the youth leaders house when he is in need.

One evening, he returned from church and met his wife waiting for him by the door side at home with all her clothes and her baby’s clothes in her bag.

Nathaniel: What is the meaning of this and why are your bags packed?

Christiana: I think it is time you know what has been on my mind lately.

Nathaniel: What is it?

Christiana: I am no longer happy in this marriage.

Nathaniel: Is that why your bags are packed?

Christiana: Yes it is.

Nathaniel: You can’t be serious Christiana, our child is barely two years old and you want to take her away.

Christiana: This marriage is over, I am no longer interested, I am leaving to my parents’ house first thing tomorrow morning. My child and I will not and cannot be subjected to humiliation and starvation.

Nathaniel: I told you times without number that I am working on getting a job, I am not reluctant about it. God will do it. Trust me! Trust your husband Christina. ok?

Christiana: For how long Nathaniel, for how long? The N-Power programme government is doing, you refused to join. Learn a skill, you said you don’t want to learn any skill. You are good and intelligent but you don’t use your brain. You have a wife and daughter but you have never spent a dime on them. The little you have, you take it to church and disburse to them, Mr charity while your wife and daughter are here starving to death.

Nathaniel: I will do something about my situation, don’t leave. Besides, God will open a miraculous door for me soon.

Christiana: I know better now and whatever you say will not change my mind. I am done with this marriage.

Nathaniel: I told you I will change.

Christiana: When you change, remember you have a daughter that needs a father. I won’t fall into the trap of you changing. Since you will change yet you go back to your old ways. I can’t continue with this kind of life. It is better I remain single, take care of my daughter than remain married to you and be miserable. Biko I cant.

Nathaniel: I have told you I will change but since you have made up your mind, no problem.

Christiana: ‘Yes I have made up my mind and remember that your eviction notice is in one week. The earlier you start telling your church people about it the better. No wonder your brother washed his hands off your case’ she said and hissed.

The following day, Christiana carried her baby and belonging to her Parents home. She never came back to Nathaniel for he never changed his ways. He was evicted from his house and he made it a duty to run shift by sleeping from one brother’s house to another. His brother tried talking to him about his ways of life but he never listened saying that he is doing the work and purpose of God and the God he serves will do his will in his life at his own time and that is how his life has been till this day.

THE END

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