I have stared at my screen for the past ten minutes, in between visits to facebook, SDK, and LIB. Still no idea what to write next so without further ado, here is an excerpt.
Wunmi 2005
The first service at Salt of the Earth ministries was on fire that Sunday. God was present and Wunmi could feel His Holy Spirit moving. The pastor's message was on point as usual and she felt as if he had stolen her journal and was using her secret musings to preach.
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.” The pastor’s voice was clear and sure.
She did a quick scan of her section. Pastor Ejiro hated distractions, and Wunmi took her job as an usher seriously. She did not tolerate talking, crying babies, aimless walking about or… She was brought up short by the man in the fourth seat in the back who had the effrontery to be dozing in church despite the charged spiritual atmosphere. She marched up to him and tapped him on the shoulder – “Your bed is for sleeping not the church pew.” Then she turned and went back and took her position at the back.
Aside from a few minor distractions here and there, the atmosphere in the sanctuary remained fully charged up. Even the sleeping man appeared to be paying attention whenever Wunmi’s eyes swept the area where he was sitting. At least as far as Wunmi could see, his head was upright and not nodding out of time with the pastor’s message.
By the time Wunmi left church later that morning, the sun which had been brand new in the sky when she got to church was making its presence felt. She walked as quickly as she could to her car, her thoughts on the sermon, and her week ahead. She heard someone call her name, Wunmi, Omowunmi and she stopped. Somehow, she had walked right by her friend Kehinde and her husband Badewa.
“Kehinde na your face be this? You don fashi me since you married and left us on the mainland while you dey gbadun on the island with your man.”
“Fashi you? Never. Na you now. You na the one wey work every minute of every hour of the day. Anyway, how far? How are you? How body? Are you going to be at the health fair this weekend?”
“Have you ever you known me to miss one?”
“You are right. If I need to find you urgently, I know to check your job first and church second. But let’s leave that for later. Come and meet Jibade, my husband’s cousin.” Kehinde said, pulling her by the hand to where her husband was standing with a tall man in buba and sokoto. He turned as Wunmi and Kehinde approached them.
“I met her already, she was making sure I paid close attention during the service.” He said, his voice as smooth as his smooth dark skin was beautiful.
“It was a good sermon and Pastor Ejiro...”
“Jibade, don’t mind Wunmi too much, she takes her job very seriously.” Kehinde said. “Wunmi, Jibade just got in yesterday from the States, you know how it is.”
“I'm sorry, I didn’t know that. Well I’m glad that you came to church despite being jet lagged.”
“No worries, no harm done. It's cool. Badewa keeps talking about Pastor Ejiro, Salt of the Earth and all the ministry is doing for the community that I had to come and see it.”
“You are welcome. Hope it met your expectations.” Wunmi said.
He smiled and Wunmi's heart quickened just a bit.
“Wunmi, don’t mind my wife jare. She yabs too much. But, speaking of jet lag, you and Kehinde will have to catch up later. I am sure my cousin is hungry as well as tired. ” Badewa said.
“Ok o, Wunmi, we'll catch up. You should come and visit us this weekend. Maybe after the health fair we can come by mine and hang out. Have you even been by my place since I moved?”
“I was just there two or three months ago, remember?”
“You’re right, I had forgotten. But come and visit anyway. I miss you.”
“Ok, we’ll see. Bye, Kehinde, your people are getting restless.”
“They have even left me. Ok dear, have an awesome week.”
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