I left for two weeks Leave after documentation at my Place of Personal Assignment, PPA which was war. Others were documenting successfully
without stress but mine was a bit difficult. I couldn't stop wondering why all the stress before I could document. Returning to Aba on Friday, my dad and mom said we were traveling the next day. I thought they were joking. Early in the morning I went to st. John’s Methodist at Holly wood before going to meet them at the ITC motor park where we took off.At the village, I was very healthy but two days to the day I was suposed to travel back to my PPA, I went to wash my hair at our big market, Afor Ukwu which was some miles away from home. After washing my hair at the salon it began drizzling and all the motorcyclists refused to going my direction. The weather had changed and it was really getting dark. I decided to walk home but it began to rain heavily this time. I waited for it to stop it didn't, it was getting late and I was becoming more scared.
I didn't really know my way around the village and not familiar with village people, I summoned the courage to walk home in the rain, approaching close I thought I had crossed my path, I saw where faint light was coming, the ray of light was reflecting, that I got attracted and I decided to move close to ask anybody I see which way to Umuduruaka because everywhere was dark and I couldn't figure out my destination and flood was at my kneels. How bad the road was and I wonder what the House of Assembly member, our very own son of the soil was representing Dimagu and the entire Isiekenesi clan.
The difference in winning and losing, most times is not quitting.
Though this story is not about our corrupt politicians but how I almost got hurt or probably abused and molested that fateful night. As I moved toward the direction, the small shade was covered with a black leather. I looked through and saw young boys. They looked like street boys because they were all having cigarette sticks and I got the smell of Indian hemp. Almost all the boys had their face covered, like a cardigan. I couldn't pay attention to indicate what it was actually.
The greatest of a man can nearly always be measured by willingness to be kind. G. Young
The way I retreated my movement, the fear that gripped me made me to thrown away one bag of sacket water I bought. I never wanted anything to stop me from running for my life. I imagined what those village boys would have done to me that night. Nobody would even hear my shout or scream because the rain chased everybody into their homes.
I began to run in the flood, I didn't mind how wet I was. I would prefer drinking from the flood than to allow those hoodlums touch me. When I finally met one young boy walking in the rain, I decided to ask him if I had crossed my path, he said no that he is going my direction. The name of his family sounds familiar, he was from the Osu caste family. The boy was really kind to walk me home before he went back to follow the right direction that led to his own house.
If you are not bold enough, no one will back you.
When I finally got home, my parents was sick worried, panicking already. The following day, I began to feel sick, emptying my bucket. What could be the problem? Because I mentioned of traveling back to Anambra State?
I was vomiting and having fever at the same time. I ate and the next minute I would empty my bucket. When I called the school principal to tell her what was going on, she said "All I am saying is for you to come and start your service," perhaps she thought I was lying. I stayed for like one more week to recover well before I travelled.
Commencing work at PPA
I spent two weeks to teach in Abba Community Secondary School while I travelled to Owerri the next week. My parents weren’t ready to leave their building project in the village, so I had to travel to see my brother who was living in Owerri. I left most of my clothes at Aba.
I was with two cloths and pair of shoes thinking we were not staying long at the village. Probably they were going for two weeks as they told me and assign people in the village the rest of the work and come back to Aba so that I could rest from the camp stress. I was surprised we stayed three weeks yet they weren’t saying anything about traveling back for my full preparation and to enable me carry my bag. So I decided to report to my PPA since it was getting one month instead of two weeks leave. My preparation to travel to Anambra to at least know the subject and class I had to teach. A sudden sickness came from nowhere. A black night, the story I told you earlier about my encounter with those street boys on that rainy night.
Life is a battle the world is the arena.
I didn’t like people mentioning my name all the time. It disturbed me and made me uncomfortable. “Hope, Hope" all the time. Even celebrities they haven’t mentioned their names the way they mentioned my name in the family house, Redeemed Christian Corpers Fellowship, RCCF where I was encouraged by my parents and siblings to stay during the one year service. It was becoming unbearable especially, Mary who was really a thorm on my flesh. One Sunday I left for church, the family members gathered to take selfie I was happy because the sermon pastor Adeboye gave us through the air made me to have a sober reflection. It was not really a satellite church but when there was special service the church had to on the television to hear Pastor Adebayo preach, the television was connected already. It was inspiring “rising star” was the topic. So my soul was at ease with everyone that I forgot how Mary was always troubling me and I took selfie with her.
To face the darkness, your heart must be pure.
After this I returned to the house only to be shocked that my bags were removed from its position. I was mad as I looked behind to see how my bag was scattered and placed in another direction. “Why would you do this in my absence, you would have told me when I was at home instead of allowing me to go to church and you all conspired to take my bags away from its position. I went crazy, Mary had done this the other day. I left to school, she took my panties with the hanger to the toilet and hanged it, when I confronted her she said it was dripping water on someone else’s bag. “But I have told you I don’t like you doing this, what stops you from telling me when I was still at home?” It was obvious she was looking for my trouble. But it was Redeemed Christian Corpers fellowship, did she want us to start fighting?
Irete market
There is no key to happiness, the door is always open.
I was running out of money, I had not been able to access my account. I had been begging. Until I decided to travel at least to eat very well and have my peace and happiness. Read also, The effects of daring to live a perfect life I was running from their troubles. I travelled to Owerri following the direction my brother gave me. I stopped at Irete market because the bus followed through Control and then I entered bus to Irete market. When I got to the market I was looking very lost.
When I finally arrived at his house which was a bit inside though there were beautiful houses around but it was still inside. I spent two weeks at his house. My return to the family house, there was different and scaring words from Mary, and Gbemisola. They said I would be given a query for been absent for two CDS. My attendance for CDS the second time after one month, which I attended just once. I was scared of a query during my clearance. Because attendance of CDS should be at least three times a month. Corps members in the family house were instigating fears in me especially Mary who kept resounding it that I would be given a query. I knew her plan because she had already praised me how fine and glowing I was looking, I believed she was saying it just to scare me and make me restless and worried.
The truth that many people never understand, until it is too late, is that the more you try to avoid suffering the more you suffer because smallest and more insignificant things begin to torture you in proportion to your fear of being hurt. Thomas Merton
It was Thursday, batch A and B stream 1 had done there clearance on Monday. It was Batch B stream 11 clearance and same day was CDS. In the morning I, Chika, Mary, Emmanuel, Chinonso entered Abagana secretariat very late. Looking at the crowd the corps members as they looked at us as we entered Chinonso was busy giving us selfie. When it was my turn to do my clearance, which was to thumb print. So the LGI began. The Local Government Inspector checked and I thumb printed and left. He didn't give me any query.
When ex corper Paradise came to the house saying she came to Anambra for a church program. And she decided to stay for a while. The day she came, the following day was CDS and it was Sensitization I left to Oyeagu market. When I returned I carried my two bags to travel to Aba because my mother phoned me that they were on their way to Aba after spending one week at my immediate elder brother's house. I withdrew some money from the ATM machine and travelled to Aba. I was carrying two bags. I decided to travel through Onitsha instead of Awka, Amaobia, Adam and Eve motors. Mary's gossip. She told Paradise bad things about me which Paradise later divulged to me.
I travelled from CDS I left immediately when I returned from Sensitization our SDGs group had at Oyeagu market. I went to the family house to carry my bag because my mom called to tell me that they were done in the village and were returning Aba. I had withdrawn some money already by then, before I could get to the family house to carry my bag at the junction I entered a bus going to Onitsha. I heard that it would be cheaper to boarding drop. I didn’t think of the time. It was 1pm already. I wanted to try a new root. Travelling from Anambra to Aba which I did through Adam and Eve motor which was one way and very faster and this time I decided to travel through Onitsha. I started my journey. It was few weeks before examination. I had to travel to Aba I needed to get my clothes and shoes.
Lost, yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered, for they are gone forever. Horace Mann
Like someone who didn't know his direction and destination, like someone without goals and a sense of direction we throw away time, energy, and money. In the course of this, time slips away, and we grow older without our dreams being fulfilled. This was exactly what happened to me. I never i lost my chance of arriving at my destination on time the moment I chose to travel through Onitsha instead of Awka.
I got to Onitsha and spent two hours were the driver and those bus loaders. By the time the bus was filled the driver began to quarrel with one of the women whose load was heavy and wasn’t able to be accommodated in the bus. We left Onitsha 3:pm getting to Owerri it was 4:30pm. I would have stopped at Douglas junction to board another to Aba instead I was seated in the bus when the driver stopped us at Control. I stayed waiting for another bus while the driver was begging me to enter, the main driver had transloaded the passenger he was carrying to Aba though I paid to stop at Owerri but standing there I decided to enter the bus waiting for passengers to fill it up.
The journey of the people of Israel to the promise was like a mile journey which turned into a million miles.
That was the worse mistake of my life. I didn’t know what blindfolded me. I knew I wasn’t bewitched and nobody brainwashed me but I sat down there like I was charmed and I quickly paid them knowing fully well that they were not licensed drivers that was why they were not at the park. I was busy chatting with Chris on phone.
It was our first acquaintance and Chris and I were in the same SDGs but the Sensitization brought us close. He gave me a selfie when we went for Sensitization at Oyeagu market that same day. Chris was from Anambra State and the only son with three girls, though the elder sister was married. He redeployed from North, Plateau State where he was deployed. He only camped there. While I was impatiently waiting for the bus to be filled, finally we zoomed off. It was pass 5pm. I wandered when we would arrive Aba.
A moment later, a man behind me bought a bottle of soft drink. Immediately, he started drinking it, the next I heard was a sound of a corked bottle which was opened, i turned to look at what it was, my khaki jacket was messed up with the man's vomit. I did know how I felt at that instant. The bus stopped and i came down looked for water and started cleaning it but it was still stinky. I didnt like the smell at all. From that moment I lost my comfort. Funny enough at this point I wished I could go back and start over so that I would make the best choice of traveling through Awka route.
Habit, it is not resisted, soon becomes necessity. Saint Augustine
People are creatures of habit. Some of our habits are good, such as taking our bath, brushing our teeth, and some habits are bad, such as losing our temper, that's bad temper. Habits are developed by repeating specific actions over and over. And, usually, the only way to get rid of bad habits is to replace them with good habits. If the avoid of the bad habit is not filled with something good, the bad will often return.
The mind unlearns with difficulty what has long been impressed on it. A nail is driven out by another nail; habit is overcome by habit.
Being the type that any slightest thing irritates, I felt bad and angered. But no need of scolding the man or apportioning blames, vomiting is one of the involuntary actions. Nobody is above vomiting or controlling the urge to vomit once it is there, it could be persuasive that one must throw away.
It reminded me of the year I went to take aptitude test at Owerri. I and my younger brother was going to take the test after we got the required Jamb score. I was in the bus when I began to feel nausea and all of a sudden I emptied my bowl in the bus but thank goodness it didn't splash on anyone. Just that it was irritating and it was so embarrassing too. The bus driver stopped and I came down, my brother bought water which I used to rinse my mouth while he covered the vomit with sand he extracted from the ground.
I felt bad when the man threw the vomit on me but I mangaed to calm myself untill we reached Aba. When I got home, my dad and mom were worried because I told my mom when I entered the bus at Onitsha. The journey which was supposed to be 2 hours later became the journey of 7 hours. I left Anambra by 1pm and arrived Aba by 8pm.
Anything that happens in your life and at any point is the will of God. Do not ask why because it cannot change anything at all instead it adds to the pain you feel at the moment. Always ask God to guide you and your steps always.
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