Diamond In The Forest

Episode 26

“….you don’t understand how
this people think…they reason
like the old and did not want
anything that will change their
believe and when he came
with that…it became a total
war…they wedged a serious
war against him and his family
because they thought he
wanted to corrupt their land
and change what they hold
dearly…

“My grandma told me such
stories…it also happened in our
place…but they were chased
out…

“well…it still happens my
dear…some people have a
heart of stones and which can
not easily be penetrated…that
was how our people was…I’m
Mikai’s uncle, but I have
watched her grow everyday
and turning into a strong
beautiful woman, when her
parents died and I escaped
with her, she was just four
years…she is twelve years
now…which means we have
live in this forest for eight
years…the people almost killed
us, as they lynched up the
house and it went up in
flames…their was no way of
escape, Mikai’s mother was the
first to burn up…I saw this
things happen as angry mob
stood outside rejoicing that
they have burn us all, i called
my elder brother Mikai’s father
and his response was…was not
in this world again…but I hard
him saw…”sip…take Mikai…
run…run as far as you can…
become a father to her and let
her be a daughter to you…
don’t fail to put God first…for
even in death there’s victory…
dust off your shoes sand ones
you are out of this town and
never return to it…because this
land will become desolate and
barren…fear God…and put him
first…let Mikai grow with the
knowledge and power in the
name above all names…

“They were missionaries…I
mean Mikai parents…
“yes…they were like I said
earlier… that was their only
sin…our only sin, I wrapped
Mikai up, there was no time to
pick much things so I just pick
the few I lay my eyes on and
escaped through the window
with Mikai, I ran with her into a
near by bush and watch as the
house was burn down…I held
my breath and thought I was
going to die too…but for the
sake of Mikai I needed to be
strong, we roam round the
bush for days, eating anything
eatable…but the Lord was with
us…I dust my feet as I was told
and cursed the land for taking
the only family I hold dearly to
my heart, Mikai father took
care of me so well after the
death of our parents until he
got married and the wife
became both mother and a
sister to me…but that village
took them untimely while we
sleep at night…they set the
whole building on fire and I
manage to escape with Mikai…I
live in hate and bitterness until
I was tired of it and I just have
to let go…hatred and
unforgiveness does no good to
anyone…if Christ can forgive his
persecutors how much more
we that claims to love him…i
found a living here Remi…and
God indeed has being God to
us…

“Your scar…on your forehead…
was it cursed by the fire…
“Not at all…I sustained it from
here when I battled with a
wild bear…well it gave me a
life threatening injury but I
killed it after all, and I also
have several on my body, a
hunter was attacked in the
night one day, on hearing
human cry for help I rushed to
rescue and it was a hyena…not
just one but four hyenas…
hmmm, I killed them all but
my body was scattered with
their sharp teeth and I loosed a
lot of blood but I recovered,
God has being good to me and
Mikai, he has never forsaken us,
we have no charm protecting
us here or any other power
except the power from above…
so…tell me about yourself…

what brought you here
“I was banished…I was
wrongly accused of poisoning
the king and I was banished…
sent here to die, well it looks
like the gods are smiling down
on me just like my grandma
always say, is a long story
Pah…but I will tell you all
about it…maybe tomorrow,
today is almost gone, let me
cook evening food for us…
“the child you carry…is it for
your husband…are you
married…why will your people
be so heartless to banish a
pregnant woman…for God’s
sake that’s so cruel and
inhuman…

“I’m not married, I got
entangled with the prince one
night and it resulted to my
pregnancy, he can’t even
remember because he was
drunk…so when I told him the
truth he refuse to believe me…
so I bore this shame with pride
no matter what…a child is a
gift from the gods and
shouldn’t suffer because of the
sin of the parents…my story is
an interesting one…but I don’t
count my trouble anymore
because I now have you, Mikai
and ore as my new family
here…well let me start the food
preparation…

“You don’t need to stress
yourself…I will do the
cooking… Ore, our monkey
friend can keep me busy with
it’s whining, you and Mikai can
take a walk round the farm…I
will prepare your bath before
you return, and the food will
be ready…we process our own
little food here and is easily
done…a lot of dry meat and
fruits, oil, cassava meal, yam,
millets, honey, quail and goose
eggs too, the forest has
thought me into knowing how
to do almost everything and
anything… this is our own
world…far from our kind and
live in the means of animals,
most of the animals are very
friendly…just like Ore, the
monkey…if you don’t hurt
them they will not hurt you…I
set trap all around this fence
for trespasser…Mikai is growing
stronger and stronger both in
the Lord and in strength…

“Your way of believe is strange
to me…and it sound and look
so foreign, I grew up with
different setting…and the gods
of our ancestors are real…they
set me up on this journey…
hope you don’t mind if…

“ Remi…in this place we won’t
force you to adapt to our
system of living and worship…
in every village there are origin
and traditions of the land that
the people follow, like a yam
festival, the moonlight festival,
the first rain festival and so
many others…and without this
festivals and celebration the
said kingdom may loose It’s
purpose and traditions…live a
free live here and don’t feel
intimidated with our ways, the
sun shine both on the good
and evil…same is the rain…we
are all one but have different
calling and purpose…whatever
rocks your boat…is fine by me,
the gods of your ancestors still
point down to the almighty,
who is all knowing….and wise,
the foolishness of God is wiser
than the wisdom of men, he
alone knows why our part
crossed…and only his will must
be done…

“Amin…thank you Sipah…you
are God sent to me…you
Mikai… also Ore….hahahaha…it
sound so funny how a monkey
could be so helpful…I feel so
blessed to be surrounded with
your warm presence…i can’t
stop saying thank you…
Remi live with Sipah and Mikai
even as her month of birthing
drew near, Sipah and Mikai
fetched water to feel their
hand made pots, they put
everything necessary down as
Remi’s day drew near
Remi was slicing vegetable
that day Sipah has gone for
hunting, Mikai went to the
spring to get water, Remi was
with Ore as she felt something
gushing under her cloth.
“Ore…Ore…come…come here…
quick….
The monkey shakes it’s tail as it
look up from the nut that he
was eating, but did not bother
to move
“Ore…I said come…here….i
need help…go and fetch me
that wrapper over there…
wrapper…my cloth is socked
up…I can’t seem to move…
Ore…get away from that nut
and get that wrapper for me…
please…..

The monkey jumped up and
down, making noise as if it was
saying something to Remi…
which Remi did not
understand, the monkey
instead of bringing the
wrapper from the place came
close and sat with Remi still
eating his nut.
“Ore…I wish you can
understand me…but is…
aaarghhh… there’s a sharp pain
coming…aarghh
The monkey jumped on top of
a chair that has pieces of cloth,
he shift it close to Remi who
was just confuse on what to do
“that is not the wrapper I
asked you to bring but this will
be helpful…thank you
anyway…
She cleaned herself up, and
tried to use her mouth to
whistle as Sipah and Mikai does
it but to no avail, she couldn’t
do it despite how many time
Mikai has thought her, she wish
Sipah or Mikai will return and
help her
The monkey senses her
discomfort and ran out, facing
the spring, he later return with
Mikai, who was on a run
“is there a problem…Ore came
to meet me at the spring,
where I was washing, he was
trying to tell me something I
sensed is about you…are you
alright
“I think is the baby…is
coming…the baby is coming…
water just rush down under
my legs…I don’t know the
meaning of that but I sense the
baby is coming…
MIkai set up all the necessary
things for her inside the warm
room she share with Remi, she
assisted Remi to go inside and
just when she lay down and
with just the second push a
baby cry was hard.
It filled the whole room, and
just then Sipah came in with a
big bush meat that he caught.
He hard the cry of the baby and
rushed to the room where
Remi held her baby in hand
while Mikai, tried to clean up
the place after cutting the
umbilical cord
“Oh my God…wow…our baby is
here finally…
“Pah, she just gave the second
push and the baby came forth
with ease…giving birth looks
so easy than what you told
me…and is a baby boy… so
cute…wow…I can’t wait to hold
him too…
“hahahaha…giving birth is
never easy for some…some
women pass on from there but
I’m glad that is not her case,
God is truly with her…no
complication, and yes that’s a
sweet looking baby…can I help
with anything….congratulation
Remi…

Remi smile as she looked at her
baby whom she wrapped up
with cloth and he gentle sU-Ckle
in her tiny b—-t…
“thank you Sipah…God is
good…everything was almost
done before you came in, Mikai
will make a good midwife…just
help us and bury this umbilical
cord…Mikai will do the rest…
thank you…and we will also be
needing a hot water again…

Sipah smile and nodded, he
can’t express how happy he
was to see Remi deliver safely,
he later rushed to the kitchen
after burying the cord in his
farm, he boil more hot water
as Remi had demanded.
Ore was just going around with
Sipah as Sipah set up another
fire to prepare a yam pottage
for Remi with the bush meat
he just caught.