The World Of Many Words: FOLA Episode 2

Episode 2

"Hello sister, I'm talking to you, what's going on here"

The usher explained to mom that it's the pastor that slumped when he was about to climb the stairs that lead to his office this morning and he had been rushed to the hospital. It's only the workers that know actually and not everyone

"Brethren, in everything, we should be grateful and we can't but thank God for both the disappointment and the blessings"

I could recognise my dad's voice even in my sleep. We entered the church and sat in the direction the usher directed my mom and I too.

"The pastor won't be amidst us this morning but let's keep him in our prayers" my dad said and he handed over the microphone to the worship leader who was going to take us in hymn from the church hymn book.

Thanksgiving Sunday that was suppose to be all fun and exciting, it was cold and cloudy. It wasn't looking like the ones I've always been to.

Service ended faster than the usual as the teacher for the Sunday school class merge the class together and then went into prayer session thereafter.

On our normal Sunday, we would start by 9:00am with praises and a few selected songs from the church mass choir. We do have classes by age and status where we go but on Thanksgiving Sunday, it was always a joint class. Choir takes a few songs and the worship leader leads the hymn before the sermon will start.

It was past 12 and the whole service was over but we had brought dad's food along after we'd taken ours from home before coming.

You could tell how gentle my dad looked when we sighted him in his office sitting on the resting sofa facing up.

"Daddy... daddy" I shouted on top of my voice and it was my voice that brought dad to his consciousness

"How long have you been standing here?"

Mom explained how we have been standing for a while now but mom was curious to know what had happened to the pastor.

"It was a black Sunday to be very honest, I could only tell the congregation to give thanks in all things but...."

Mom didn't allow dad to finish before she cut him short by asking "but what's wrong with the pastor?"

Pastor miscalculated his steps while taking the stairs and he slumped. He rolled from the 7th step back to the floor and he hit his head on the railings.

He has been rushed to the hospital but dad was called few minutes before we joined him his office.

"Hello Rev Olarewaju, we tried our best but we lost him. God knows best really"

"Oh my God, oh my Jesus"

Mom was saying this repeatedly as we were all left confused on what to do. I was too small to understand how the pain of losing a close one can be.

I saw my dad so cold and gentle and mom on the other hand was losing it already. She couldn't control her tears and the more she tried to dab her face, the tears were just coming out effortlessly.

"Better don't injure yourself with the way you are reacting oh," dad said and in my mind, I was like "I wish he truly cares for her like he is saying right now"

"Brother Olarewaju, we have to get to the hospital right away sir, they've not told the pastor's wife what's going on yet" Mr Jones the church secretary said to my dad.

My mom and I were left in my dad's office as we watched him rush out. He had even forgotten he hadn't eaten all day. Mom couldn't stop crying as I lay my head on her lap thinking about the way the day started and how it was going.

"Mummy Pastor" as she was fondly called was seen with 2 elders of the church, my dad, the secretary and the driver drove out of the church premises in the blue-tinted Sienna car leaving everyone to wonder what could have been the latest about the pastor's fall.

Brethren from the far and near parish to us are beginning to go back to their station and the church premises is beginning to be scanty.

"Baby girl" as mom always call me, she tapped me as I was dozing off and she said to me to let's go home and wait for my dad.

"Brother Biyi... brother Biyi" mom saw one of our church brothers that lived not too far from our place and he stopped and asked us to hop in.

We started the journey and my mom couldn't get over the thought of what had happened all day. The way she was breathing heavily and making a sigh at different intervals show how much pain mom was.

"Pastor's fall isn't ordinary" brother Biyi broke the silence after a few minutes when we started the journey.

"What? Falling by miscalculation isn't ordinary? How?" My mom was curious to know what brother Biyi was trying to say?

"Well, I will tell you a bit of what I know anyways"

What is he trying to say? Watch out for the next episode.