DAILY WRITING (1)

Yesterday (Saturday), I shared on my WhatsApp status how much I have missed writing. After plenty plenty talk (typical of me😂), I made a decision to do a daily writing stuff from that day to the end of the month. I said I would start that same day but my dear, the plans ti lazzzdent ooo. 

But let’s just take today as day 1, okay? Let’s go.

SUNDAY 17TH OCTOBER, 2021

As I write, the time is currently 1:50pm. I just got home a while back. On days when I do not go to visit one person or the other, or have to stay back in church for Holy Communion Service later that evening, this is when I return home everyday. I thought of resting before starting this story but I know myself. I will end up not doing this again and I intend to commit to this. Amen? Amen.

What’s the first thing you do when service is over? For me, I pull off my heeled shoes and yank off a wig, if I’m wearing one……right there in church. I kid you not. Sisters Etioma, Bukky and Chisom can bear witness. I wonder how Sisters Chisom, Bukky, Aunty Nike and the rest of you ladies are so comfortable with heels. I love them but please, just for pictures. Using them to officate in two services and my feet will be in pains for the rest of the day. 

My church used to hold one service but with the whole COVID thing and the increase in membership attendance, we now do two services. Pastor just thought we should keep running two services. And as a chorister that I am (in case you don’t know that about me already), you have to be available for two services.

Let me sha not lie; there are few Sundays I have attended only one service and it’s always because I was really tired the previous night and just wanted to sleep extra or I wasn’t feeling too strong. This doesn’t happen all the time sha.

You’re wondering why I’m writing about church, abi? Well, today is Sunday, what did you expect? Plus, it’s an integral part of my life anyway and that’s the focus of today.

If you say church is like a routine for me, you won’t be wrong. I grew up liking to go to church. I have gone to church for several reasons. I have stayed in church for several reasons too. And that’s what I’ll be sharing with you today.

My parents didn’t joke with church. You MUST always be in church. EARLY. To my dad, Sunday Service began with Sunday School. If you missed it, you’ve missed most of the service. So, we still woke up early as we did when going to school (The only time they let us be is on Saturdays). If we were sluggish, dad would say, “If I go baff come back and una still dey this house, una go see wetin I go do una.” (If I go and have my bath and return to meet you still in the house, you’ll see what I’ll do to you.) And the man does not waste time in bathing so you can imagine the race out of the house.

If you see me rushing to church then, you’d think they were giving gifts for coming to church early. They never gave gifts sef but I was always in church early, many times long before Sunday School starts and a few times, just as it’s about to start. 

(This is one reason I find it difficult waiting for someone. Isy and I grew up in the same compound. Once I’m ready, I’ll try and wait for her but I’d be so restless that I’d eventually leave, telling her to come meet me in church. When I was in the University, I had roommates who attended RCF like me too. I’d finish early and leave. For a while they would ask me, “What are you rushing to church to do? Is it not the same church we are all going to?” It wasn’t like service would have started; they might be doing sound check or doing prayer meeting or last minute decoration but I’d prefer to sit and watch people come and go than wait for someone. It’s also the same when someone has to wait for me. I’d be rushing because I feel like I’m wasting their time.)

 I can count very few times I stayed back home because I was reeeeeaaaaaalllly sick and didn’t go to church. The days I wasn’t feeling so strong, my parents would say, “Just manage yourself. Waka small small, you go reach there. Just siddan for there. Na there God go take heal you.” (Just manage, walk gently, you’ll get there. Just sit there. That’s where God will heal you.) Is it not in church God will heal you ni? (That was our understanding anyway). Luckily church wasn’t that far from home so I’d go. And guess what? I’ll end up shouting and playing up and down. I guess they were not wrong, abi?

Another good thing that I believe motivated me to coming to church early was the biscuits and zobo they give us after teaching us, plus the animation Bible stories movies that we’d watch too. I loved it. We didn’t have them at home, we also didn’t have a coloured TV. So seeing the things on TV with colours were beautiful. I looooooved it (It’s the reason why despite all the beatings my mum have me for entering our neighbors’ houses despite several warnings, I still went there. I wanted to see movies with colours, not black and white. Ungrateful child, yeah? Maybe. But I wanted what I wanted. Dad eventually bought the coloured TV but I was already so used to going to other people’s houses that I still continued even with the new TV. But when you carry your eyes to where you are not supposed to, that’s what you’ll see what you’re not supposed to see, abi? Anyway, that’s story for another day.)

Then I saw that the people who shared the biscuits and zobo to the rest of us got more after sharing. I wanted more so I sought of joining them. I’m a foodie, abi? 😂😂 But they were beginning to act like a clique, “Tope, you are not among us. Go and sit down.” Abi I haff sit down ni? I’ll keep going there together with Isy. It was beginning to cause problem there so ilone of the teachers settled it by saying, “Henceforth, only those who come early to church for Sunday School will be sharing biscuits and zobo, okay?”

Is God not wonderful? I come to church early all the time…..so I would always be a part of them. I serve a very big God ooo. Help me shout hallelujah ooo. 🤭

Fast forward to when I was forced to go to teenagers class because according to that teacher, I looked bigger for my age and I should now be in teenagers class. I was 12 and you don’t enter the teens class until you are 13 and pass one exam like this. The woman said I should not bother with the exam ooo….I should go. That was how zobo and biscuits came to an end. I was hurt. Hurt. So hurt I refused to join the teens choir. Plus, I thought teens church was boring too. (I was in the children’s choir then.) I still came early for Sunday School.

But it was in teens church I got saved. I became born again and lived the best way I understood.

Then it was announced anyone that wants to join the workforce in church should go to the respective departments and enlist ooo. “God needs labourers in His house….” Pastor said that day. Me? My eyes were on the big prize; the adult choir. That’s where I wanted to be. Someone said they would not take me but I was determined to never give up.😂😂

I went straight to the choir leader, told him I wanted to join the church choir. He took me to his assistant. She agreed instantly, said she has been seeing I come early to church and how active I was in the children’s church. She added I could join but I was on probation. Na you sabi that one. I have sha joined the adult choir. I made history joining the choir at the age of 12/13. I was elated. Soonest, Isy came to join and she became the youngest person in the choir. It felt good. After a while, Mercy came to join us there and we became like the three musketeers, the youngest in the choir then.

For the many reasons why people go to church, I have never gone to church because ‘they are sharing food there.’ My parents never allowed it. So, even when I was in the University and I thought of doing that one time till I finally settle for the fellowship I’d be going to, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I couldn’t even imagine it.

I loved the growth dynamics I experienced in RCF, OAU (The Redeemed Christian Fellowship, Obafemi Awolowo University). From the way things were done at home in church, to greater depths of understanding in the new creation realities that were persecuted at the early stages then. For example, not everyone spoke in tongues. It was like you had to be a pastor to speak it and even pastors didn’t really speak in tongues like that, abi? But we saw that was not how it’s supposed to be. We studied and the more we did, the more we were enlightened and yeah, it’s a different story today.

Now imagine the struggle it was for me returning back home. Like I had learnt so much but church at home wasn’t helping me continue with that flow I was going in. It felt like I was in Cloud Nine in school and back home, it just wasn’t it. I was thirsty for more. I saw for myself God revealed in ways I’d never imagined.

The thirst for more is the reason why I am in the current church where I am. I told God I wanted more. I didn’t want a situation where I’m on fire for God in school, then as though I’m something else outside school. I wanted the fire to keep burning. Brightly. I had attended this church for a while though and God led me there again. And I am staying as He wills.

All in all, know Christ for yourself. And also, stay with a family (the Body of Christ) where you can grow in all areas, most especially spiritually.

It’s past three now. Let me stop here before I turn this to novel. 😂😂😂😂

Below is the shoes I wore to church today ooo. Yeah, I love wedges but they are still tiring for me. Am I that lazy or what?

(I’d really appreciate your comments.)