Chapter Thirty Seven
JOURNEY TO HELL 9
It was obvious that Ken and his wife were his first target. He never expected to meet his wife (Mama) at their house. God had his ways of foiling the enemy's plans. Probably the charm would also make them to forget Mama and focus their love and care on him. Failures like him can do anything to catch up with their peers in old age. It was as if they woke up from a long sleep to realize that they had been left behind and decided to be up-to-date by certain.
At The Village
Mazi Onubuogu Okonkwo returned to the village with the charm and handed it over to Ezenmuo.
"Are you saving lives or destroying them Ezenmuo?"
He asked him when he handed the sack to him including the other contents.
Ezenmuo collected the sack as though he had been expecting it. His disappointment was visible, it was like there was more to it than we knew. Mazi never bothered to get an answer to his question. He wanted to avoid being the proverbial rat that was killed by curiosity.
"It is only you that can ask me such question in this community and get away with it."
Replied Ezenmuo with a look that told Mazi Onubuogu Okonkwo that it was time he takes his leave and he left.
Subsequently, a day was set aside for the burial. The church refused to be part of the burial, as it will not be a good testimony for any church to be associated with him. Apart from that, no one could remember when last he was seen in the church or participated in any activities of the church. Though Mazi Onubuogu, Okonkwo endeavored to convince the Reverend because it would be an honor to the family if the church was to be involved. He had already known the response he will get, but just decided to give it a try.
"He was a baptized member of the church, I can bring the certificate for you if you doubt me."
Mazi pointed out to the Reverend.
"Yes, I agreed, he was a baptized member of the church. How many times has his baptismal certificate cleaned the church, pay the church assessment to the Headquarters? When the church building was about to collapse, why did you not show it the baptismal certificate so that it would stand and not collapse?"
The Reverend looked up to discover that Mazi Onubuogu Okonkwo had left. He could not tell how many things he heard and why he left.
The heathens headed by Ezenmuo was not an option for his burial. That was to say that heaven and earth rejected his corpse.
The news that Mazi Iluno Okonkwo was dead and that he died in the city surprised everyone.
'When did he leave the village?'
'Who gave him money for the trip?'
'Which vehicle agreed to pick him?'
These questions kept seeking answers from no one in particular.
Mazi Iluno Okonkwo was given a burial that befitted him. His burial witnessed a large turnout. Curiosity and inquisitiveness drew people to the burial. They were eager to see the kind of coffin that he would be buried with. Just as Mazi Onubuogu Okonkwo said, the community counted him a lucky man. They were hoping that he may die a shameful death and his carcass would be eaten by the vultures.
The burial did not last for more than an hour. The Chief Priest who later changed his mind after the loan to Mazi Iluno Okonkwo was returned to him presided over the burial. Mama shaved her hair as the custom demands, put on mourning clothes and returned to the city after two days. This time, she returned to Ada's house.
Failures like him can do anything to meet with their pears. It is as if they woke up from a long sleep to realize that they have been left behind and decided to meet, certainly.
AT THE CHURCH – THANKSGIVING
After the whole incident, Mr. Ken Israel and his family went to the church to thank God for his deliverance and the successful burial of Mazi Iluno Okonkwo.
"May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight oh! Lord our Father. As I stand to preach your word, may it bring light to our paths and give hope to the downcast. We pray in the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit."
"Amen"
Chorused the congregation.
"Please sit"
Reverend Nelson Adewale the new Vicar of the Parish ordered the congregation before he continued.
Our topic for today's sermon is SEED SOWING. Our anchor scripture will be taken from Genesis Chapter 8 verse 22
Seed Sowing is a topic that has brought so much controversy in the body of Christ. Some of us don't believe in it, while some do. Their claim is that Jesus Christ said, "it is finished" and as such they don't need to do anything to be successful in life. They said all they need to do is just pray and appropriate the blessings of God to their lives, and they will be complete in Christ. If it works for you, then just sit back, don't bother following me but if you believe the scripture that says 'work out your salvation with fear and trembling, then pick up your sermon notebook and let's search the scripture together.
If you sow, you harvest. You don't sow, you don't harvest. God made it so simple for us. You don't get back at harvest the quantity you sowed. A farmer that harvested ten bags of corn this year did not sow ten bags of corn last year but few measures. If he decided to be smart and ate all the ten bags and decided not so sow again, will he harvest anything the coming year?
"No."
Answered the congregation.
The response indicates that they were all following. That encouraged him to speak on.
"I'm not saying you must have to be a farmer before you sow a seed. Your seed opens any closed doors and shatters the plans of the enemies.
Let me tell you a true life story, he continued.
A couple had six children, five boys and a girl who happened to be the last…."
One day, a suitor came for the girl, and she got married to a well-to-do man – loving and an understanding husband. Her husband took it upon himself to establish her brothers or get them a job. Unfortunately, he did not live to accomplish that. He died prematurely."
"Oh my God."
Dora exclaimed
The pastor continued.
The family went back to square one. Their case progressed from lack of job to ill luck. They were even tagged murderers as people believed that the in-law who died in a ghastly motor accident died because he was associated with them.
Then, the daughter heard about seed sowing, but she had no money nor was there anything she can sow the only hope for her was her meager salary that would come at the end of the month.
She took a bold step and collected a salary advance of six months from the private school where she was teaching and sowed as seed.
By salary advance, it means she won't get her full salary by the end of every month for six months. But she believed that God will answer her speedily.
A few weeks later, a new Priest was posted to her community, and he began his familiarization tour by visiting this family with the Church Council members. While the Vicar was praying for this family, he asked.