What Really Matters To God

What Really Matters To God

Recently, I read The Final Quest by Rick Joyner and got a wake up call to what really matters to God. Also, I have noticed that in Scripture God keeps emphasizing helping the orphans, widows and the needy. He said on the last day the criteria for separating the sheep and goat will be showing love to the least of His brethren- offering food, shelter, clothing, visiting the sick and those in prison. One day, during a personal Bible study, I was flabbergasted to see what the sin of Sodom was as recorded in Ezekiel 16:49 "Sodom's sins were pride, gluttony and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door".

But we are all too occupied with how to make it in life. How to look successful among our equals—my-mate-must-not-pass-me syndrome. When we get out of school, at first we are trying to survive. We tell everyone coming to us for help that we don't have a job or that we are still serving. When we get our first job, depending on the pay our priorities change. If it's 100K and above, we start saving up to buy a car, and so have little to offer those in need, if it is lower we say we are still struggling. And I am so guilty of this. 

When I was in school with 12,000 Naira pocket money, I was still a giver. I saw students who weren't receiving any pocket money and so I gave out of the little I had. Sometimes I'd have to go hungry for a while. But when I started housemanship, I didn't remember all that. I now had the capacity to help and not adversely suffer for it, but all my mates were saving to buy cars. I knew I couldn't buy a car with the money except I really scrimped, but to justify what I used my house job money for I decided to save some, which I used to do my music. I still helped some people, but I had quickly forgotten how it had been in school and didn't give to students who needed it most.

I had thought my poverty days were over in school, but maybe this was why I had to go through that test again just after service when 'allowee' was no longer coming in. I went back to the days of believing God for my next meal, having different ingenious concoctions born out of paucity of resources. I have discovered again the most basic physical need of man- food. O Lord, may I never forget. Help me to be an extension of your hand to those in need. May I always do what really matters to You.

©Radiant~ November 2015

Val's Day in FEDACAD

Last Val's day, Senior Tolu received 5 pieces. It was especially ridiculous because she was bragging on her gee and telling everyone to watch out for her truck load of presents. And we all watched out and had our fill of laughter. Too bad for Aniekan, my roommate who was sent to deliver the gift. She bore the brunt of her frustration. Now many girls are mum about tomorrow. I can almost hear the heart beats of some seniors. Guys just know how to crash our hopes and toss our reps. I have learnt not to expect much on days like this especially during love feasts. Last FCS love feast, I had given a packet of cornflakes. Guess what I received in return... An orange! —the very one that was served during lunch that day. Some of my friends received tissue paper, used toothpastes and all sorts of measly gifts. The most annoying thing was how these boys painstakingly wrapped those gifts, decorating them with colorful 'I love you' wrapping sheets. It is nevertheless easy to tell which ones recycle previous love feasts' wrapping sheets by the rumpled and overly cello-taped cover. Maybe the plan was to have vanished into thin air before you had finished unwrapping it. Such gifts were from J-boys anyway. No Senior would try that except a chronic tosser.

This term has been very interesting. It feels good to wear skirt instead of pinafore, be free from punishments forever, free from gutter and cloakroom duties. I'm a room worker. I'm more organized now. I even have a clique. I get mojos in class, I run PG, I move with the happening chicks. I wear caftan. I mime. I scale fence. I smuggle out of school to town to make my hair. I'm a big girl.

Tonight, I'm too excited to sleep. I've made a friend in class. We are like 5 and 6. He walks me down the hostel every night after prep carrying my books. My friends have asked me if we are dating but I don't know how to answer that. We are not like the others. I can't even say we are pairing. We don't hold hands or hug. We talk in open places and not only in the dark. We just enjoy each other's company. Some of our class guys still chyke me even though they see us together everyday. I know he secretly admires a close friend of mine. But he's too shy to ask her out. So I really can't say we are dating. We are just best friends. But I can't sleep 'cause butterflies are scrambling in my stomach. And I'm at a dilemma whether to give him a gift.  

The sky is full of stars. The night is cool. There's always an air around seasons like this, something that tickles our fancies, pretty much like Christmas. We are sleeping on courtyard because it's dry season and we can't stand the heat inside. It's on nights like this that everyone is equal—J-girls, Senior girls, everyone's mattress outside. I like these nights because I get to spend the night with my friends. We stack our mattresses together so as to cuddle together and chitchat way into the night. Nothing like lights out. Not even the head girl can stop the stars from shining. But tonight's unusually quiet.

Noise from clanging metal wakes me up. Who is banging on the pole? When did I even fall asleep? I draw my covers above my head, thankful that I'm a Senior girl. Now I have right to extra sleep. I remember today is St. Valentine's Day. My heart skips a beat. Can't I just behave like it's an ordinary day and not sell myself out?

It's actually an ordinary day. The sun hasn't kissed the moon. And it wouldn't. That happened last term when we were told not to look directly at the sun during the 3-minute eclipse. Breakfast is as expected: Spaghetti and egg. Thanks to the new Princi, it would have been beans and gaf. There's nothing special about assembly today. In fact, it seems Library club forgot the significance of this day. I'm not the only one with mouth agape to listen to Afe deliver a speech on Phobias on Val's day! I think the library prefect should be sacked.

Class girls are all staring at me. I wonder what it is about. Has he put a surprise on my locker? And I don't have enough time to practice a surprise and oh-my-gosh-this-is-so-romantic reaction. I fix my gaze forward not wanting to glance at him, pretending today means nothing to me. I get to my locker. Nothing on top. I take tissue paper from my bag and bend to clean the chair, inspecting below to see if there is any surprise gift beneath the locker. I quickly sit hoping to have somehow masked my disappointment. So what's all the stare about?

Hassan passes me a mojo from him. I open it not knowing what to expect. It reads: 'Happy Val's Day'. That's it? I don't know how to react. Do I place a smile at the corner of my mouth. Do I turn to look at him? I can feel the eyes of our class girls on me. What's just so wrong today? I reply the mojo and pass it back to Hassan without lifting my face. 

I manage to push the kooky events past me, telling myself this is a normal day. During break, I meet him at Tuck shop and we chat as usual. Class is over. He comes to pick my books and walks me down the hall for lunch. Nothing unusual still.

It's after prep. All girls are at the hostel doors waiting on J-girls coming with gifts from over the fence. The first was a flower and a card for an SS2 girl from a secret admirer. She sent them back. Next was a medium-sized teddy bear and chocolate for a JSS3 girl from her school pop who is the head boy. With every gift landing, there are frenzied screams and people running helter skelter with the J-girl from the gate to the recipient's room. It's always crazy on Val's day. Games is automatically cancelled. From Val's cards, to flowers, chocolates, teddy bears, everyone is on the look out for the biggest gift. An SS3 girl got a big teddy bear, a customized frame, Ferrero Rocher box of chocolates and some assorted biscuits from her gee. Even I went to behold the truck load of gifts. 

It's bedtime. Today was normal after all. No gift. What was I even expecting? It's not like we are dating, are we? 5 of my set girls asked me what he gave me. I'm sure the gist has spread that I got nothing. But then, I gave nothing. 

I take my mattress to courtyard, position it beside Sonia's. I have not slept for long and someone taps me. 'Senior Ope says I should give you this', she says. It's unbelievable. I look at her hand—a wrapped gift. I hurriedly unwrap it to reveal a fancy writing pad and felt pens of different colours. I'm ashamed and regret that I didn't give anything. I lift my head to ask her when he gave it to her but she has vamoosed. I notice he left me a mojo. I open it.

Happy Val's Day Best Friend.

Slang Glossary

Chyke: To toast a girl

Cloakroom: Toilet and bathroom facility 

FCS: Fellowship of Christian Students

Fedacad: Federal Government Academy, Suleja, Niger State

Gaf: Garri

Gee: Boyfriend

Gist: Talk, news, story

Mojo: Private love notes

PG: Abbrv. for private gist between a boy and a girl

Piece: A piece of meat or fish

Princi: Principal

Toss: Reduce reputation

Tosser: Someone who reduces his reputation by his actions

©Radiant ~November 2015