Efe's diary- Clarity meets Purpose Chapters 14..

That Saturday I dressed rather simply in a pair of jeans and plain blouse with sandals to match. I had prayed for kinglsey through the night and hoped he would receive me in well enough.

sympathy filled me as I walked through the prison gates, it was so intense it was almost painful. I mean people were here from making terrible life decisions- what differentiated me or my siblings from them? and what of those who hadn’t gotten the chance of a fair hearing? Mercy; We could have turned out differently but God was merciful. At a point I was worried my siblings would get into stealing or internet crimes but God had been merciful.

As if in cue, Prof called me. After we Prayed I informed him that I was at the Prisons. 

"To see him like you said?" he asked

"Yes sir,"

"I am proud of you Efe, God really has done wonders with you."

"You are the instrument he used sir."

"I only wanted to be sure you arrived safely at the facility" he said,

"Yes I am here with his family too."

"Good. may God take control and help you through it"

"Amen" I replied. "My regards to mummy"

"She'll hear" he said ending the call. Over the years I had kept in touch with prof and his family, They had helped me in many ways including facilitating my getting an Internship spot in LUTH.

We sat for some minutes before they led him out. He had been convicted to 25 years in prison for robbery and manslaughter. It wasn’t worse because the case had been influenced by his family, he could have been doing life.

"Hey" I said smiling

His eyes widened as he noticed me

"I just came here to check on you and see how things are" I continued

He burst into tears. His mum tried to comfort him.

"Don't cry Kingsley, I'm sorry for probably  leading you on and letting you think I might marry you, maybe all of that provoked you into hurting me but I forgive you" I said.

His family looked at me in surprise and something else, admiration?

"I just want you to know God loves you and he is interested in you."

"I am sorry Efe" Kingsley spoke up when he found his voice

"I forgive you" I smiled tearily.

I went on to talk to him about the abundance of God's love and how he wants us to live. He listened with rapt attention. He cried and I moved closer to shake and hug him.

"You're now even more beautiful" he said. "I am sorry I almost dimmed this light."

"You didn't, I think the incidence actually led me to God." I smiled

"Can you lead me to him." he asked amidst sobs. 

"Yes, yes" I said excitedly. I prayed for him and led him to christ then read a few gospel pamphlets to him"

"Time up!" the guards announced.

His mum and sister exchanged hugs and kisses with him while his father patted him on the back.

Kingsley was flanked by two prison officers as he returned to his cell, just at the door of the waiting room, he looked back at me then said " Efe, I was jealous that he made you happier than I ever could in 4 years, I hope you find him if its still not too late and mend things with him."

I smiled and shook my head. "Take care of yourself Kingsley" I said

"Jesus will take care of me" he replied.

We walked out and his mother hugged me closely, his sister amidst tears said " we knew he was losing his way in life but we hoped your love would change him, now we see that a human's love can't change anyone only Gods love can. What you have done for him, for my family today is beyond words and we too would like to know your God." She sniffed

I led them in a prayer and then told them God is in their hearts already.

I took a cab home and smiling all the way, I had led 4 people to God's love. What else did I want?

That evening I sat with my mum and reiterated the events the day, she too wept and appreciated God’s light in my life. And then we began to discuss other things. Meanwhile, my father had not returned from visiting his concubine and he had even advised us not to look out for him. 

"Efe, when will you apply for the extra degree you told me about?" my mum asked

"I don't know yet mummy...maybe next week"

"Okay" she stood up to go to the kitchen

Just then, a private number called my phone.

"Hello?" I was wondering who it could be. 

"Hey Efe." The familiar voice danced in my mind, I went straight into my bedroom so I could get away from the TV noise in the living room

"Hey.. " I said

"I'm sorry I have been away, I tried calling you severally your number wasn't reachable "

"Oh, i’ve been changing lines" I said smiling.

"Yup, so I saw a picture of you at this NGO’s website. They reach out to prisons. I researched further and learned you were visiting your attacker, I was moved Efe. You have a kind heart. I also found you are still single, so I kept checking online till i got your phone number from a youtube channel you spoke on a few years ago. 

My mind went back to the most recent feature in the sisters’ fellowship videos for YouTube. 

"I felt proud of you and watched every single one I could find." he continued

"Thank you"

"So I moved out of Nigeria and now have my own business running here but not one day has gone by without me thinking of you. I really miss you and i’ve been hoping we’ll connect again."

"I do miss you too- i actually tried to search for you online and i saw your business page, but i didn't find you on Facebook so i couldn't reach out to you"

"What? I had no idea. I am not on Facebook and my business website is not really handled by me, I barely have personal information online"

"I said that before one time. Still the business guru?" I chuckled

"I can't remember, once A business man, always one" he laughed. "So you still wanna do that Dr of pharmacy?" he continued

"Yea, I was thinking of applying to Uniben next week"

"how about coming over to California, the schools here have better post study opportunities for a Doctorate in Pharmacy"

" That would be quite expensive." I expressed my concern. 

"Well, the fees here aren’t that high, its less than $50,000 and i can afford to pay that for you"

"Maybe... but how do I repay you?" I chuckled trying to contain my excitement. 

There is no maybe. This was it. God said he knew the thoughts he had for me, thoughts of good and not of evil to bring me to an expected end.

This was the beginning of my expected end...that ex that never went away. Lanre, Afolayan Ajasin.

"I once told you, you'd be in charge of the sugary department in my life- the vacancy is still there, would you like to fill it?" He chuckled.

"I never dated anyone after you" I replied

"So it's safe to say God kept you for me then?"

"Kept, Yes he did..." she laughed

Lanre closed his eyes, wondering how a man with a dirty past like his, was getting married to a kept woman. The idea made him so confused by the ways of God, he had stayed away from women and anything that came with it since he moved to California and he too couldn't believe how changed a man he was. Did he deserve this blessing? considering his old ways he would say No- but the Holy book said old things are passed away and everything is now new.

 "Maybe, it's also safe to say I have been a kept man these last few years" He confessed to her. 

"Back to the tuition and school, that's a lot of money, Lanre, you know I hate to be a burden."

"Okay, I work and i own several businesses that produce twice the returns I was making when I was in Nigeria. God has been good and I am not complaining" he answered

"God?"

"Yes. you're not the only one who is entitled to his goodness right?"

"No, i'm just surprised to hear you say God."

"Well, our last conversation got me curious.  So, I found your friend and I begged him to take care of you for me, did he?"

"What do you think?" I asked

"Maybe if you said yes to California, I'd be convinced"

"Well yes to California and to the man asking"

He laughed. Thank you God!

___________________

So this ex never went away. 3 years and some months after going our separate ways, finding my own purpose and living my life, he came back, I mean someone prayed for me to come back to him? "oh wow!"

"I gotta go now, that's my flight being announced. Yes! you guessed right - I am headed to California on a student's visa....." am I married to Lanre yet?- well, your answer is what you think it is. LOL!

"See you guys...., maybe never again. BYE,"

THE END!!!!