The Church at Crase.

It was already burdensome to lead the morning assembly in lieu of the good-for-anger Mr Kola, the proprietress' son who had this latecoming disease, still and all, the sight of Baba Gin facing the school from his storey building as he drank beer, and decorated the atmosphere with the smoke from his cigarettes made it unbearable.

Baba Gin was a stubborn man, he didn't care about anyone's opinion. Everything and anything he did was right and undoubtedly right. I had met him, not once, not even twice to make it clear that the building beside his was a school property and students were there to learn good virtues, not to imbibe his self-destructive character!

In response, and to frustrate me, he intensified his habitual smoking and drinking while ensuring that the students saw him drawing different symbols with the smoke. He even claimed to be on his property where he was free to do what he liked!

But, I didn't understand how irresponsible drinking and smoking was a free thing before teenage boys and girls.

Man, Baba Gin was the craziest church Elder I had seen! This was not a matter of my being a Christian or not, it was evident enough that he had an unquenchable thirst for displaying his beastly nature and his disastrous sense of reasoning.

Today, as I led the morning assembly, he was dancing roughly to a popular music. His palms were on full display, raising them up one at a time to match the beat of the song. As usual, his favourite companions were present-- a long white cigarette that looked like a piece of chalk from afar, and a big bottle of beer.

He poured the drink into his mouth and made funny sounds alongside. After this, he held the cigarette between two of his fingers, one hand was directly under the buckle of his belt, holding it tight as if it'd fall with his whining and wriggling, then he blew out white flames slowly in a remarkable way that I couldn't help the hisses and curse that almost slipped out through my lips.

I muttered some tongues beneath my breath. Just like washing the taste of local herbs away with pawpaw. Ah, pawpaw was more than a fruit to me while growing up, it was my friend.

I feared for Baba Gin's life, he was an old man, I doubted his organs could still take this unholy habit he indulged in. Yet, I feared for our lives the more. He was indirectly making us smoke, and planted different evil seeds in the students. 'God forbid! God forbid!' I shrugged at the thoughts of my students turning out to be drunkards in the future. I certainly couldn't imagine that. It would be a cruel, cold death to my sanity.

The students in turn made it hard for me to overlook his unruly behavior that seemed to me like a suicide mission.

I could barely get their attentions without getting angry. In fact, some of the teachers present secretly enjoyed the show because they chuckled among themselves and threw funny comments at Baba Gin.

Nothing more had ever pissed me off. I figured asking the students to turn their backs to him would only worsen the situation, after all, I was the only one who found this church elder's behavior uncalled for.

The Crase police emergency number I had saved crossed my mind. I had hoped never to have to use it, but Baba Gin was overdoing it and I had to teach this uncultured man a lesson, I thought as I stepped aside and dialed the number, explaining his offence and urging them to be fast about his arrest.

No sooner had we ended the assembly than he was arrested. Good for him, I muttered under my breath when I heard about it. There had to be a way of taming beasts, either they listened to correction or it was beaten into them.

I didn't have to take another look at the proprietress to know that she was angry at me. Her eyes boiled terribly with anger, she looked like she'd burst out the whole time we conversed about why I arrested a sponsor of the school and an elder in the church at Crase.

I wanted to tell her that I was only doing my job as a responsible teacher, making sure that the reputation of the school and her students were preserved. Her office was a battle field, the proprietress kept fighting with every harmful object available, but I didn't give in either.

She won by asking me to stay off taking any decision that'd affect the school without first informing the principal. Good. Just good. I mumbled in dissatisfaction as I left the office.

When I joined the other teachers in the staff's room, the subject of their conversation was Baba Gin's brother who held a reputable position in the police force, far above the Crase's station, which meant his brother's arrest was of no use, he'd be released in no time.

I bit my lips until I tasted blood. The anger, hurt, and resentment that I had lived with and thought were behind me found their way back.

Humbly, I placed my head on the table, reminiscing on why I had packed my things some months ago to live with my granny here in Crase-- just as the name sounded, Crase had been a crazy ride in my life as well.

I had left in the hope of making things better, yet little got better. The only difference was that my home was behind, but all of the memories, the harsh words, and the scars had followed me here. Even when I claimed to be redeemed by Christ! I still looked in the mirror and found that old me crying and wailing at every injustice the society welcomed.

Pastor Gabriel preached the fruits of the Spirit to us that Sunday. I sat there looking into his eyes, digesting every word he said and how he said them.

He bordered on the works of the flesh and made us stare into our Bibles to see how people who did those works wouldn't inherit God's kingdom. He called them the works of darkness, works that only thrived in the absence of God's light.

Tears welled up in my eyes. I knew that the sermon was meant for me. I just knew. This was one reason I had left home and came to Crase, I wanted to serve God and know Him better, free from the works of the flesh my parents practiced. I wanted to be in an environment where I didn't have to smile at their concubines anymore.

Just before I left home, I found something new. I found something peaceful that became mine, I had never thought that I could own a peaceful life. I met Christ, although, the preacher had said it was God who found me. Whichever way, I loved what the outcome of this search mission was. It was everything to me, he brought me joy, I knew peace, I even saw love, something I had believed was meant for a few who were privileged to have it. The few that the 'god' in my past deemed it fit to release it to.

Just when I was barely learning this faith journey, the preacher at home said God wanted me to pray for my parents, and not just them, even their concubines. Ridiculous. Hell! I guessed I was too baby a Christian to do that.

Well, he didn't put it that way, he only said God desired that we prayed for our enemies. Actually, those were the people who crossed my mind. The people who said the most painful words at me, the people I resented because they took away my peace. The hurt these people dug in me had buried all the goodness I could think of.

Once again, it felt like a doctor was stitching the pieces that remained in my heart together. I wasn't ready to let go easily. It was difficult, but I was overwhelmed by divine love to lay everything down. I felt droplets of tears on my hands and stared at the ceiling as if to make the pain and tears go back. When that was not helping, I broke the rule of not standing during sermons and left the auditorium.

Walking towards the church toilet, I saw a kid enjoying the sight of two lizards chasing themselves. I didn't know what fun he derived but it was not bad to watch either.

I headed for the cafeteria and there I found Baba Gin boasting about his achievements to the attendant there. I just sat back listening, not intending to make eye contacts because he'd recognize me as the teacher who called for his arrest. I didn't want that, not even now, not today.

It was obvious that the man had heard the story countless times but pretended to be listening.

The part that got me was how Baba Gin mentioned that pastor Gabriel was his son. His son! I was shocked. And, how all of his children were god-fearing and held wonderful positions in the church. I thought he was joking at first, but he wasn't. It was true. I didn't understand, but I convinced myself that it was possible, God was in charge, not man, so it was possible.

I was amazed at how his kind of father could raise godly children. The pain I felt earlier had subsided when I got back into the church, peace was reigning in me, barely though, but it was a good thing. Now, pastor Gab was leading deliverance prayers while everyone prayed fervently.

This and some other activities in the church at Crase were what made me wonder why the church members were not growing.

How come a man like Baba Gin was an elder and there were lots of fornicators among the workers? Why were there strifes and envyings in this church despite that the pastors preached the undiluted truth?! I wondered.

At the end of the service, some boys who could never even be my younger ones if my siblings had been born and not washed away started winking at me and showcasing their iphones. I couldn't help the laughter as I made my way out of the church.

Pastor Gab was talking to a young man when I reached them. I bowed my head quickly and kept moving until he asked me to wait.

My heart rose above its place in some seconds, I had never talked to this young pastor in person, the few encounters we'd had were in Bible studies when he asked everyone to give their opinions. I had always made my answers short and filled with honest details.

His greetings jerked me back to the present and his smile almost threw me off balance. He had a peaceful countenance, his eyes shone like a candle lit in the darkness. Plus, his dentition was perfect for his smart mouth.

Sometimes, I knew it was God's way of bringing youths and teenagers to himself by making pastor Gab physically irresistible. And, there was the part where he prayed violently in his tux and you'd be forced to pray hard as well.

Titilayo, I supplied when he asked for my name. He mentioned that he'd been noticing me around and wanted to know his church member better.

Good good shepherd, I thought and thanked him for the Word of God he spoke to us. I added that God had spoken to me through him. He just smiled and nodded, returning all the glory to God.

I studied him closely, hoping to find a resemblance, at least, something that he and Baba Gin had in common. But, there was nothing, or probably because I had never looked at Baba Gin without judging his actions. Even so, this young man here was charming, to cap it all, he had a great understanding of the scriptures. Curiosity almost got the better of me to ask about his father, but I told myself that asking personal questions were really not needed, for now.

His question brought me back to the present, he asked if I'd be around for Bible study the following night. I replied in the positive. Then, he smiled again and gave my hand a gentle squeeze. Quick, appealing, and not lingering. I had noted that unknowingly. And, almost immediately, he asked where I lived. I didn't know why I felt like he already knew a lot about me even before asking, but I replied anyway.

Surprisingly, we'd been taking the same route, but our streets were different. I lived with my granny on the 4th street, while he lived on the 6th, alone.

The Church At Crase.