AN OVERWHELMING EXUBERANCE

BY   F A I T H    S H A I B U

It's January and the break for the holiday is over, resumption for the next semester commences.

I decided I would take the bus down from Karu where I reside to Lokoja where I attend school on monday of the next week.

My name is Sandrine, an undergraduate at Kogi State university. I'm 21, the first born of a family of five.

My mum as usual have started her preparation for what I will be needing in school before my departure. In her eagerness, I know deep down she is already missing me and wished I could stay longer.

Monday morning arrived so quickly and daddy woke me up to get ready so I can get to the park early.

“Sandrine”

“Yes dad!” I responded sluggishly.

He is not like mum. African men are not supposed to be emotional. So he put up a class act. It was like he was indifferent. But I know dad, as the eldest kid, he loves to have me around, especially that I look like his mum.

He feels she incarnated me. Only that I never saw her.

“Are you sure you took everything? “

“Yes sir.”

“Make sure you everything is inside your suitcase.” As if I needed reassurance.

Mum was quiet. I could read her emotions. I went and hugged her.

And kissed her.

“Leave me alone”

Pretending she didn’t like it.

“I told you to stay longer, Sandy baby.”

Unfortunately, there was hold up on our way to the park. Before we got there, the front seat were already taken by other travelers and I was left with the option of sitting at the back seat beside a young guy probably of the same age range with me.

So I took to the back seat hesitantly, after bidding my dad goodbye.

As I watched dad leaving, tears dropped down my chic. Unknown to me, my seat mate was watching. I made my way to clean my tears so no one will notice.

''Big girls don't cry ooh, because their make-up kit is very expensive nowadays" A sweet masculine voice said softly.

We both burst into laughter.

“I’m caught” I said shyly.

I quickly wiped my eyes with an excuse that I'm really not good with goodbyes ooh.

My never co-traveler had no idea that I wasn’t as fragile as he supposed.

Our bus took off and I got into a conversation with my interlocutor. We introduced ourselves and he told me his name is Adamu.

Adamu is the 6th child of a family of 8 with an interest but nostalgic history. You don’t appreciate people until you hear their story. I learned it is prejudice to judge people you know nothing about.

As we got into gisting, he told a lot me in his family. He was quick to make friends. He was so open as if he was longing for someone to hear him out.

His philosophy was pretty simple; everyone finds their own kind of lifestyle by themselves. His self-confidence in his philosophy made me rather inquisitive. I asked, “How about mummy and daddy?”

He paused as if calculating his words, bow down his head for a second then lifted his head said to me, “Daddy left when their mother got sick with breast cancer and she has been battling with her health ever since.” Looking as if observing an event on the hill.

Wow! I was speechless. For a moment overwhelmed emotions, tears well up in eyes.

I waited as he tried to cheer himself up, showing he was a big boy trying to handle it all. However, deep down, I know he was battling more that his composure revealed.

It got quiet between us for a minute as we allowed each other to absorb the weight of the subject.

As my mind tried to wrap this around my head, I suddenly knew this moment needs me to be strong so I can help Mr. Stranger.

 I said to him “You are a true definition of strength at this young age.”

I was neither trying to be sarcastic nor show I was a big girl. I was simply looking for an entrance to spark hope and courage.

He looked at me as if surprised at what I said, he scuffed in disbelief and looked back away at the kids playing in the stream down the side of the road.

We were at this time passing through a village near Abaji. Little kids playing and swimming in the shallow stream. They were having fun and jumping choreographically. Yet, this spectacular even did not catch a way even a second from emotions of our gist.

Adamu’s eyes full of emotions words can't explain, looked at me and said “Thank you, for being this nice to me, to even listen and lend a leaning shoulder.”

I smiled and responded “I'm not as nice as Jesus the son of God.”

I had found the spark I was looking for.

Lost in wonder as I caught his attention, he asked “Who is this Jesus, I have never heard of him?”

He continued to investigate, “Won't he ever get tired of me” Can he also be nice to a nobody like me?”

 With a very big smile, eyes glued I answered him tenderly, “Jesus came to die for you on the cross because he loves you so much even when you didn't know him. He has given us grace, mercy, compassion, loving tenderness and above all the salvation of our soul.

He was quiet but wrapped in my words. So I went on, “No matter who you are or what you have done, he still loves and forgives you and calls you his own. He has also given us the priceless adoption and inheritance wherein you can call God Him your father and today he is waiting for you to receive him so he can give you power over everything here on earth.”

At this time, Adamu for a second has forgotten his woes. Our conversation has become an intimate chat between friends. He seem to be drinking cold fresh water to quench his long thirst. And as we approached Lokoja, I was determined to wrap up the chat and give him an opportunity to accept the free gift of eternal life.

In awesome wonder, Adamu asked, can this Jesus guy also heal my mother of her sickness”

“Of course, YES!” I echoed.

“Nothing is too difficult for Him.” I continued. “Healing is not just what he does, it is who he is! In him there are miracles, signs and wonders. Scripture says, the dead through him have been restored back to life, even the sick received their healing. “

At this point Adamu bow his head, his spirit broken and ready to receive and accept Jesus Christ he asked me to pray and lead him to Christ.

It was the most beautiful moment.

After the short but heart-touching prayer, I saw another Adamu illuminate with joy and peace the world cannot offer him.

Oh how heavens rejoiced!

A son is back home to the father's love and embrace. How time betrays us! It was time to bid ourselves goodbye. The journey has been one of the best. I won a soul to the Lord and we both went from being strangers to a brother and a sister in Christ.

We quickly exchange numbers and headed from Lokoja to our separate final destinations.

“My new brother, we will keep in touch!”

All Adamu could do was stand there transfixed, smiling and in awesome of the moment.

I went on with an overwhelming exuberance.

"Thank You Lord" I whispered.