Vicky was frying buns when Emeka arrived. She wore a purple dress under a white apron. Her hair was also covered with a cooking hat.
When her door knocked, she was rolling dough into a flat circle shape to make a chapatti.
“Come in. It’s open.” She called from the kitchen.
The door opened and Emeka got in. “My Oh my. What is that smell?”
Vicky laughed. “Maandazi, coconut flavored.” She replied.
Emeka drew to the kitchen window and greeted her in Igbo.
Vicky, who already learnt from him Igbo words, responded.
“It seems so sweet.” He said, glancing at the frying saucepan on the cooker.
“That is correct.”
He looked back at her. “So, how much are you selling for one?”
“Two for 50 cents.”
“Isn’t that too cheap? They will be too good.”
“Well, that is because, it’s my first time.”
He nodded. “Okay. I will call my friends and get you customers then.” He said, taking out his phone from his coat pocket.
“So, did you find a place to sleep over?” She asked.
“Yeah, yeah. We are going to squeeze ourselves in the apartment of our other friend.” He said before going on air with his buddy. “Yeah? Come here now… Campus… nowhere else now. Campus! ... Yes. In the… this?” He turned to Vicky.
“Backster.”
“Yes. Backster building. Eh and… bring some money… the sixth… Okay. ” He said and hang up. “He’s coming. That was Okonkwo, the guy I came with from Nigeria. We have been buddies since we were young.”
She smiled. “Nice.”
“Hallow?”
They all turned their heads to the main entrance.
Wayne walked in, wearing a maroon shirt and dark trousers. He carried Vicky’s Bible in his hand.
“Hey?” Vicky called.
“Hi. What’s up?” He replied and glanced at Emeka.
“Hi.”
“Wayne. This is Emeka. He is my friend and we go to the same class and church. Emeka, he is Wayne, my friend.”
“Nice to meet you.” Emeka said first.
Wayne nodded. “Same.”
“Oh!” Vicky snapped, leaving the dough. “Excuse me. Please, help yourself on the seats.” She said before turning to the cooker that was opposite her.
“Smells nice.” Wayne commented, not wanting to retire to the red sofas in the living room.
Vicky took out the buns from the pan and placed them in an empty vessel. She then turned off the cooker and took the saucepan with the oil, to a spacious place on the kitchen counter.
“Are you done?” Emeka asked.
“No. But, I can finish later.” She replied, washing her hands in the sink.
“I brought your Bible.” Wayne called, looking somewhere else within the living room.
“Please come in.” She asked, serving some cups on the dining table inside the room.
Emeka was the first to enter the room. Wayne followed, dragging himself.
“So, would you prefer coffee or tea?” Vicky asked when she placed the vessel with hot buns on the table.
Wayne was standing at the kitchen threshold. He glanced at the aromatic bites on the table. “Coffee will be fine.”
“Coffee.” Emeka replied.
“Okay.” Vicky agreed and fetch a flask from the counter.
Wayne walked forward to sit opposite Emeka. He waited patiently as Vicky poured the hot coffee into the cups and closed the flask with the lid to join them for the brunch.
After she had sat, she joined her palms together. “Emeka, please bless the food.”
“Amen.” He replied and shut his eyes. “Our father who is in heaven. Thank you for this meal. Thank you also for the generous hospitality of Vicky. Please bless that the meal gives us strength to do your will. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.”
“Amen.” The rest replied and opened their eyes.
“Thank you.” Wayne said first to Vicky, picking up his bun and cup of coffee.
“Welcome," she replied.
“Yum. You are a very good cook" Emeka commented.
Vicky smiled at him. “Thank you.”
“This is very good" Wayne said between bites.
“Thank you," she replied.
“Oh. This reminds me that, I promised to get you bags for packaging your food products," Wayne said.
“Oh. I already got them.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Oh. Have you begun selling them?”
“I am starting today.”
“Good, so how much am I eating here.”
She laughed. “No. It’s free, right here on my table but, it will be fifty cents for two if you would like to leave with them.”
He grinned. “Thank you. If they are around tomorrow morning I’ll pick them up after the run.”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
“What do you call your products?” Emeka asked.
“Prettiz.”
“O alright. Vicky Prettiz.” Wayne said.
Vicky grinned. “That is even better.” she said and sipped her coffee. “So, did you go through John Chapter 1?” she asked.
“Yeah.” He said, stretching his hand toward the Bible on the far end of the table where he had placed it. He passed it to her.
“John is among my favorite books in the Bible" Emeka said.
“Jesus has spoken a lot in John" Vicky said.
“Oh. He has?” Wayne asked.
“Yes,” Vicky assured him. “When you proceed to the next chapters, you will see everything.”
Wayne nodded. “I also read Genesis. It’s amazing.”
“Truly," Emeka agreed. “And very interesting. Genesis describes the foundation of the world creation and also, the beginning of God’s promise; a covenant that he made with Abraham that we partake through faith, this day. The Bible says in Hebrews 11 that, Abraham believed in God and his faith was reckoned to him as righteousness. We are Abraham’s descendants through faith.”
Wayne was slightly confused. “Abraham’s children? Not God’s children?”
“God blessed Abraham, Wayne. And Israel, a blessed nation of God was Abraham’s offspring. Abraham pleased God that is why he blessed him and his descendants forever. We are enjoined into the blessings through faith, so we are called Abraham’s children” Vicky explained.
“So, are we also God’s children?” Wayne asked.
“Yes. Through Jesus Christ.”
“And you are telling me that God loves us like he loved Abraham.”
Vicky nodded strongly. “Right.”
Emeka had taken out his phone and placed it on the table, tapping it. “You know, the Bible says in Romans 4:16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants- not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham for he is the father of us all” He read and glanced at them. “Abraham believed God and his faith was counted as righteousness. When we believe, we are also counted righteous and heirs of Abraham.”
“I guess I have a lot of reading to do.” Wayne concluded and took another bun.
“Do you have a time table?” She asked.
“No. I never thought of having one.”
“It will be essential for you if you could also, organize the way you will spend your time. That way, you will have a time for reading the Word of God, to pray as well as other activities like studying and hanging out.” Vicky suggested.
Wayne nodded. “That is a good idea. I should be able to come up with something.”
Emeka emptied his cup. “I think that, I need a timetable too.”
“And resolutions like; what you want to achieve by the end of the year.” Vicky added.
Wayne was silent. He did not think that he had any resolutions. He never thought of anything.
“So, back to John 1...” Vicky said, opening the Bible carefully so as not to spoil it with her oily finger. “He says that; in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” She read and turned to the rest of them. “Now we know that the whole world was created with word which God uttered according to Genesis where it says that,” she opened to Genesis 1. “The earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face waters. And God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light.”
“And John 1 verse 3 says; all things were made through him and without him was not anything made that was made.” Emeka added, scanning his smartphone next to his cup on the table. “So, by the Word of God, the whole earth was created.”
Wayne glanced at each of them in turns and then asked, “So, I figure that, God just said the word and some things came up?”
“Everything actually” Vicky said.
Emeka nodded. “And that’s where saying good things come in. Because, words have got the power to create; given that, God created man according to his own likeness and image.”
“I read about that; God creating human beings according to his own image.” Wayne said. “So, because after receiving him, he gives us the power to become his children does that mean, we become like him? In a way or something. Is it possible?”
“The answer to that question comes from Psalm 82.” Vicky said, shuffling the pages of the Bible. “The Bible says in Psalm 82:6; I say, 'You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you' Although he was talking to the Israelites, this verse includes us through faith in Jesus Christ.”
“You already told me that, after becoming a child of God, I am entitled to his blessings and protection and that I can ask him. What other benefits do I enjoy from being a son of the Most High?” Wayne asked, glancing at Vicky.
“God has everything to offer.” Emeka helped, gaining Wayne’s attention. “Only he, holds the promise for you, for this lifetime and for the lifetime to come.”
Vicky nodded. “Let us go to Isaiah chapter 9 and read about Jesus Christ.” She suggested, turning the Bible pages.
Emeka tapped his phone. “Which verse?” he asked.
Wayne watched him closely. Emeka must have had a Bible app.
“Isaiah 9 verse 6. The Bible says; for to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called ‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.'” Vicky replied and read, then turned to Wayne. “So, Wayne, he is a counselor that means, he will teach you; how to walk about in life, and to serve him. He is a Mighty God that means, he is a miracle worker. Jesus is going to reveal himself in your life as a healer, a helper and more than that. Jesus is also an Everlasting Father that means, a shoulder for you to cry on; also, a provider for all your needs. Again Jesus is the Prince of Peace; he admonishes love and peace to grow and fill your heart; peace and love big enough to affect everyone around you.”
Wayne was touched by the peace. His relationship with his brother came to his mind. He wondered if God was able to fix it. He nodded. “Right. This God seems very powerful.”
“More than we can imagine.” Vicky added.
“So, how come we don’t feel him sometimes?” Wayne asked.
“That only happens when we don't believe.” Emeka helped.
Wayne turned to him. “So, everything is all about faith?” He asked.
“Faith that eventually count us as righteous people.” Vicky said.
Wayne turned back to her. “You also told me that, before asking God we have to ask for forgiveness. What does God count as wrong and what does God count us right?”
“Sounds like a question for Galatians chapter 5.” Emeka said and tapped his phone.
“Who is that? Another apostle?” Wayne asked him.
“Paul. An apostle of Christ Jesus, though not among the twelve disciples; he went to various places to preach the gospel. Among these places was, Galatia. So, sometime later, he sent them a letter. It’s now a book in the Bible.” Vicky explained.
Wayne nodded.
“The Bible says in Galatians 5:19-21, I shall read in the name Jesus,” Emeka begun and paused for an ‘Amen’ from Vicky. He read; “Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.” He read and paused to add. “Those are the things that God wants us to leave behind. The next verses talks about the fruit of the spirit; things we should observe. Galatians 5:22-26 says; But, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such, there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking one another, no envy of one another.”
Wayne scratched his head and took out his phone from his trouser pocket. “Can you please share with me that app? You’ve said a lot of things, I don’t think that, I heard everything.”
Emeka nodded. “Sure. Turn on your Bluetooth.”
At that, Vicky rose. “Excuse me for a minute.”
“It’s alright.” Wayne replied.
She left the room.
“Is it on?” Emeka asked and added quickly, reading the ‘available Bluetooth device’ on his phone screen. “Astrophe?”
“Yap.” Wayne replied.
“Okay. It’s coming.”
“Accept.” Wayne murmured and relinquished his phone on the table.
Emeka continued tapping his phone. “Oh. He won’t make it.” He said to himself.
“Who?” Wayne asked.
“My friend. He was supposed to come and we can buy Prettiz from Vicky.”
“Oh. Sadly, I didn’t carry a lot of cash. I have gotta get to the subway to see a friend.”
“Thank you. I can talk to Vicky and she will just give me some-” he said before placing his phone against his ear. “Hallo?” He greeted and there was a long reply. “Today? … no I’m in campus… Okonkwo is at Paul’s house… Okay. I’ll call him… okay. Seven. Okay.” He hang up. “We have a group discussion.”
Wayne nodded. “All the best men. Which faculty are you in?”
“Science. I am taking Biotech with Vicky. And you?”
“LL.B, second year.”
“They say that law is difficult.”
“They said just right.”
Emeka chuckled and pushed back his seat, rising. “When this lady comes back, please tell her that I really had to run.”
“Don’t you discuss together?”
“No. She is in another group and I think that they meet on weekdays.”
Wayne nodded and Emeka hastily left the room.
He heard Vicky converse with Emeka in the living room. Probably, she asked him why he had to go. After some seconds, Vicky reappeared in the room. She carried a wrapped book.
Wayne emptied his cup, staring at the table. “Your friend had to go.”
“I met him outside.” She replied, reoccupying her seat.
She placed the book on the table, close to his hand.
He glanced at it. “What’s…” he asked, scrutinizing the front cover, “a Bible?”
“Yap," she agreed. “Revised Standard Version. I picked it for you.”
He drew his head back in slight shock. “Why? You didn’t have to spend your money on me.”
“I’m okay with that. It is for a good cause.”
“Seriously. You don’t have to get yourself so worked up, it’s only for two weeks.”
“Maybe but, you have to be growing in the spirit during that time. The Word of God will feed you with the knowledge of God.”
He took up the Bible and unwrapped it. “How much did you get it for?”
“5 bucks.”
“I will replace it to you tomorrow is that alright?”
“No. I don’t want you to. Take it as a gift.”
He begun to peruse it. “I don’t take it being my birthday. Besides that, you need the money.”
She sighed. “Wayne. It’s fine.”
“I insist. I’ll replace your cash tomorrow.”
She rounded her eyes with impatience and agreed. “Okay.”
He placed the Bible on the table. “Okay. The buns are great but, John one isn’t finished yet.”
“Yes.” She agreed and opened her own Bible.
She shared with him about John the Baptist and how he played the role of baptizing Jesus. She also named to him all the twelve disciples of Jesus, eleven of whom became Apostles (James, John, Andrew, Bartholomew, Peter, Philip, Matthew, Judas the son of James, Thomas and James the son of Alphaeus, Simon called Zealot) and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
At around 7:35pm, the review had ended and they both closed their Bibles.
“Was that a lot for one day?” She asked, wrapping up the conversation.
He sighed with exhaustion. “Actually, I think I have to work on that time table to schedule a time to be reading.”
She smiled. “Do that. It will be essential for you.”
He nodded in agreement and pushed back his chair, rising. “Now, I have to get going. I still have a long journey ahead of me.”
She raised her eyebrows at him. “Sasha.” She reckoned.
“Yap,” he agreed.
She grinned.
He turned around to leave just before she called him.
“Yah?” he asked.
“Do you happen to know where the music hall is? I was told that, it is in the West circuit.”
“Oh yeah. It’s just opposite our faculty building; if, you have heard of The Derby.”
“I haven’t heard of that. Anyway, we have band rehearsals tomorrow and I need to get there around seven.”
“I can show you tomorrow morning but, you can sing?”
She grinned and nodded.
He chuckled. “Gimme a wrap.”
“What’s that?”
“An a capella.” He explained.
She laughed with a little embarrassment and said. “Okay. I will sing this verse from the book of John.”
“No Lady Gaga or something?”
“No.”
He nodded. “I hear you.”
She parted her lips, beginning to sing.
“These things, I have spoken to you
That in me, you may have peace
In the world, you have tribulations
But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world
“Peace I leave to you,
My peace, I give to you
Not as the world gives, do I give you
Let not your hearts be troubled
Neither let them be afraid.” She concluded and added. “Then, we repeat the refrain.”
“Wow!" He said, with obvious astonishment on his face. “You are fantastic.”
She smiled modestly. “Thank you.”
He grinned. “Okay. I’ll see you around right?”
She nodded.
He exited the room and left.
Vicky turned to the table and begun to pick up the used utensils. Half way through, she paused, thinking about the events of that evening. She smiled to herself because of the change in Wayne. He accepted Jesus Christ and he actually came to the Bible study. Truly, God is wonderful.
#
