PART 15
“MY FATHER’S FARMLAND”
©?Opeyemi Ojerinde Akintunde
“ We should be mindful of our actions because when we become born again
or claim to be born again as a way of escaping the consequences of our past
actions, we should know that some of our victims who we have hurt in time
past still nurse their pains…This is just a gentle reminder…” Mrs. Banke was
saying at the Wednesday mid-week service during her short exaltation.
Sukki knew the message was directed at him. The pastor’s wife was no longer
warming up to him like before. She literally would give a malicious look that
told Sukki, he was not wanted in the church.
Pastor Ayo was not happy with the way his wife was handling the matter, but
there was little to nothing he could do about it.
This was a week after the incident of Ola seeing Sukki in the church, his wife
had not been the same. She was highly irritable over little things in the house.
She kept insinuating Sukki’s repentance was not genuine.
“ I better leave this church so I don’t cause marital problems between the
pastor and his wife.” Sukki thought as he saw the exchange of looks between
the pastor and his wife.
When Pastor Ayo stepped on the podium, his first Bible verse of the day
was…
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit… Romans 8:1. I totally agree
with my wife that we should be careful of our actions like the case of Brother
Sunkanmi as most times in our ignorance we hurt a lot of people, but the
good news for people like Brother Sunkanmi who have found their way to
Calvary… is that, there is no more condemnation for them, because they are
now in Christ Jesus.. Old things have passed away….”
“ And all things have become new” the members chorused, but Mrs. Banke
stood up instead and walked to the pastor’s office.
Meanwhile, Kikiolaoluwa had done a lot of soul searching. She stayed
indoors for a week after moving into the apartment. She cried several times
after she had read a text Pastor Ayo had sent to her…
“We sometimes can’t determine our background but we can determine our
future. Brother Sunkanmi is a son of a herbalist, he was raised up in that
way, so he never knew a better life than that, should we blame him for his
parental upbringing???
He is just a victim like you… You, on the other hand, had the privilege of
being raised by Godly parents, which is a red carpet placed on the ground
for you. Bro Sunkanmi has decided to join the Christian Folk, I know he has
hurt you, but we do worse things to God, and He forgives us over and
again… Please, Sister Ola. We want you back in the church as we believe
God has great plans for you…Think about it” Pastor Ayo ( Mrs Banke’s
Husband)
Ola did not like the fact that Sukki had repented but she knew God was happy
on the contrary. She remembered the verse of the scripture where the
Shepherd went in search of one lost sheep and left the 99 others.
“ One soul really means a lot to God, and Sukki could be this one soul that
God went all out for and I, Ola am one of the 99 that are already saved…” Ola
had concluded.
She had searched her heart to see if she could return to Mrs. Banke but she
felt she couldn’t.
She decided to send a text to her…
“ Good Day Ma, I am sorry for not replying your text all the while, I needed
to do a lot of soul searching. Ma’am, I know you have good plans for me,
and possibly in the future, I may return to you, but I don’t think I can deal
with the psychological trauma of seeing my rapist in church every Sunday
experiencing God’s Joy when my hurt isn’t completely healed… Please tell
your husband, I have forgiven Sukki wholeheartedly since God has forgiven
him, but I need time away from him… Please nurture him into full maturity
in Christ Jesus, so he doesn’t go back to his vomit. God bless you, ma’am”
Mrs. Banke had received the message while nursing her hurt in her
husband’s office. She read the message in a rush and replied…
“ What about his baby? will you still keep it?”
“ I don’t see the baby as his baby, I see the Baby as a different being, so I
intend keeping the baby”
“ How will you cope financially?”
“ Before we met, I had a plan to start a business, I am going back to my plan.”
Ola had texted back
“ Ok… God be with you, Don’t hesitate to ask for my help anytime you need
it and have me in your prayers as well”
Mrs. Banke sat back after she dropped her phone…
“ If God Could forgive Sukki, who am I to still have grievances against him
and more importantly, If the victim Ola, can forgive him, who am I then?”
Mrs. Banke reasoned and immediately realized her wrong. She stood up and
walked out of the office with the intention of going to Sukki and giving him a
hug…
She looked around for him in the service, but he was nowhere in sight. She
went to the store where he had been sleeping, the room was empty. His few
clothes they had purchased for him was nowhere in sight, likewise every
other thing that church members had given him had disappeared, instead,
there was a small note…
“ I had to leave so as not to cause problems between the pastor and his wife.
I will always cherish the gift of the few weeks I spent with you. I believe I
am spiritually mature enough to walk on my own now. Thanks for the
care…” Brother Sunkanmi
Mrs. Banke’s hands started shaking on its own volition. What had she done?
“ God I am in soup?”….
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