ACW-UA CHRONICLES : The Merchant With A Mission (PT 1). By Oiza Maryam Okerevu Isiaka

A MERCHANT WITH A MISSION Part(1)

With my hands tied to the coconut coloured horse, I was dragged along the muddy road as the crowd hail insults, curses and spit.  The custodian and his men use their spears to push back the pressing mob as they threatened to devour me, the custodian knew I had to die at the town center. My hours were counting. I was taken for execution. I had contravened the law and I am owning to pay for it.
The ruler had passed a death sentence on me. As they dragged me on all, I could find myself reciting was his word. The custodian struck me with his whip at my side urging me to move as my knee ached, growing from the constant knock against the stony hills. The crowd grew as I haemorrhaged uncontrollably. It seems like the world was to witness my execution. Among the gnashing crowd was a family, my new family, they were sobbing. I forced a sham smile, but the pang around my jaw wouldn't let it. Suddenly, someone gave me a hard kick and I fell to the muddy ground drooping.  My rumpled cloth was all muddy. Every roared in scornful laughter making fun of me as a chatter in an unknown tongue. Everybody as I pulled along my miserable body, I recalled all that led me into the midst of this heathen  nation...
  I was a successful merchant,known far and near,across the Bakora sea and over the far hills of Humza. Trading in Cotton and spices even across the Nile  to Egypt I knew I had a calling. Mama had told me that at my birth she received a sign that I will be a priest of God.But business was what i desired most peeharps my mama was mistaking,i thought.   I I have been in this distant heathen nation for 6 months now.And business have been very favourable,but one thing has been a challenge,Christainity is outlawed in this land.   I got acquainted with the family and they persuaded me to live with them for the period I have to stay.
No one knows the God I served,they thought I had my own god, so no one bothered. Everything changed one bright morning as the sun rays flickered through the window, I sat by the table alone in the house, studying 'The Book' which was forbidden in this land, when suddenly the door burst open. I quickly made Swift moves to hide the book,but my speed and face betrayed me. My eyes rised to meet the disgust simmered  face of the owner of the house.
"Are you reading a Bible ...Or what?" He asked, expecting a lie.
"Urmm..."I stuttered "I'm sorry. Please don't report me.please"I begged.
He came closer,with the heel of his leather shoe distracting the tense silence between us. I swallowed hard, with my heart racing and eyes  sucked out by fear.
 "Please..." I said, one can see fear in my eyes and observe it from my voice.He came closer to me and skimmed at the book, before dropping into a sit.
"I will not expose you on one condition"he said with a mischievous smile raising the first finger at his left hand.
   I sighed, swallowed and I began to feel thirst "what is it?" I asked.He smiled.
*      *       *     *
That was the first time and 14 times more I saved my head with thirty pieces of silver coins every month. But in the previous months I had failed. Yes, I couldn't continue hiding my faith. I have betrayed my God and faith enough, I resolved. It's finally dawned on me that my coming wasn't for business purpose but rather to accomplish a mission. The people were in darkness and needed to be saved. Gradually, I became filled with courage and began to meet people and tell them about Jesus. The family got saved after they saw the manifestation of God's healing power in the life of the man of the House who had been stricken with a strange illness.
A hard thrust at my side brought me out of my reverie. I glanced around and realized I was already at the execution ground.I was to be stoned to death. I was pushed into a mound earth  and  was made to face the people.All i saw on their faces was utter disdain and contempt.I bowed my head slightly and imagined my family being worried sick over my dissapearance.I was mama's favourite and it hurts to imagine her go through the pain of loosing her own child.i became scared,not of death,but rather that the news  of my strange dissapearance and eventual death will send mama to an early grave.A tap on my shoulder made me raised my head only to see the custodian of the land standing before me.....................................

About the Author.

Maryam Okerevu Maryam is a Creative Writer and an Educationist. A graduate of Kogi State University, Anyigba. Nigeria. She is the author of the bestselling The Encounter. She is an member of ASSOCIATION OF CREATIVE WRITERS.