Flashback.
Chloe walked aimlessly along the college alleyway. She was confused about what she was doing. Was she doing the wrong thing or the right thing? Each time she returned from her lover's dorm room, her conscience always pricked her.
It had been four months. Four whole months of being in a relationship with someone with the same gender, but she could still not get her heart to agree with her decision to be a lesbian. After all, this was what she chose. It wasn't like she was compelled into doing it. Some circumstances had prompted it, though, but what did it matter? This was a free world where everyone had the liberty to choose the life they wanted to live, and she had chosen this for herself.
Speaking of choice, was it not the wrong choice her mother made that twisted her life into this tangled mess?
Her mother was a good and loving Christian, slow to anger, wise as a serpent, quiet as a dove. She could be referred to as one of the perfect women in the world. But her father, Oh, her father was the most useless thing that had ever happened to her mother, or so she thought.
Chloe's eyes were moist as she remembered all the awful things her mother passed through in the hands of her father.
"Oh, it hurts! It hurts so much to have a worthless man as your father!"
And it hurt her mother more that Chloe hated her father. It hurt her even more that she could call him names and not feel remorseful about it.
What had become of Chloe? The mummy's girl, the Christian child that would grow up and be one of the great women in the world like her mother. Chloe remembered how she and her brother had trailed their mother's foot step in loving God, how she had raised prayer points for her father during morning devotions and night prayers.
Did God not specifically say marriage was between man and woman? And she and her brother were now doing the opposite. All because of what? Because of who? Who was the cause of everything? Who else but the man she had grown to know as her father.
Her parents' marriage had terrified her to the bone. Her mother, always a good and submissive wife. Her father, always the nagging husbAnd drinking, complaining about everything, and never failing to use his hand on her mother, even in public.
She remembered her high school days when her father had slapped and called her mother names in front of her classmates who came to visit her for their homework. The news had spread like wildfire in school.
Chloe had never felt so humiliated in her life. She hadn't been able to raise her head high after that day in school.
She began to question the God of her mother. "God, where are you in all this? I thought your word says that those that put their trust in you shall not be put to shame? We serve you and yet we are going through the worst embarrassment of our lives."
"Even when we are not faithful, God remains faithful!" Her mother's words came back to her like a mighty wind blowing with the sounds of water. "Trust in the Lord, my dear, with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."
"Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil, our god is with us."
"Oh! Look around and see that God is with us. We are not alone. We will trust in him till we draw our last breath because his love never fails and his mercies are new every morning."
Yes, she remembered the hope in her mother's eyes each time she made those affirmations. And she continued to trust in God. That was before she discovered that her mother's younger brother, Uncle James, was passing through the same scenario with his wife, even worse.
Her mother was suffering in the hands of her father while Uncle James was suffering in the hands of his wife.
Life was really a jerk.
From that day, Israel and Chloe decided not to have anything to do with the opposite sex. At least, they hadn't heard of any domestic abuse or trouble from that angle. And now that she started it, she still could not find the happiness and peace she craved for.
Her mother's words, "Love the Lord and obey his words," kept chiming in her ears as she moved.
Chloe had been walking absentmindedly along the college pedestrian that she didn't know when she walked past her dormitory.
"Oh, Jesus! Jesus, forgive me. Give me another chance. Let me love you. Let me serve you. Let me be devoted to you. Help me present my body as a living sacrifice!"
And she knew there was an answer to her prayers. Chloe felt it as the peace of God encompassed around her and she smiled. "Thank you, Lord. I am now a new creature in Christ Jesus!"
Believing that her sins were forgiven, Chloe looked straight ahead, head high as she saw three ladies walking towards her with Bibles and flyers in hand. She grinned broadly. This was what she needed, an answer to her prayers. "Oh, thank you, Lord!"
As she moved closer to the trio, she recognised one of the ladies as her lover's roommate. The way the girl looked at her had made her shiver to the pit of her stomach. It was nothing close to a friendly look, rather it was of self-righteousness, condemnation and discrimination.
Her courage was beginning to fail her and she didn't know if she should continue walking up to the girls or to spin around and walk away.
Just as she predicted, it really didn't end well. They had humiliated her with the look of disdain. The words they had spoken to her were so degrading.
She had cried bitterly. She regretted ever trying to repent.
To hell with it. To hell with everything! If this was the kind of Christianity her mother spoke of, she didn't care anymore.
Unable to bear the hurt, she went back to her lover and explained everything to her.
"I can't believe you wanted to leave me!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't know what I was doing!"
"Well, we'll deal with that later. For now, my roommate will have me to contend with when she comes back."
Alexandria went on to invite Chloe to her church since they weren't against it. They believed that the world was civilized and a marriage between man and woman alone was antiquated.
Chloe finished telling her ordeal and could not control her emotions as she wailed bitterly.
Ifes could not also stop the tears that rolled down her cheeks. Her lips were shut, but her heart cried in anguish as she stared down at the girl who bent her face to the ground crying.
Her brother, Israel, hunkered down beside her and held her in his arms, crying as well.
Oh, Jesus! Oh, Holy Spirit, help! Heal these wounded ones.
Michael watched the siblings who were crying and fumed. He walked towards Ifes and slapped her hard across the face. "You idiot!"
Ifes staggered backwards. He caught hold of her shoulder, digging his long fingernails deep into her flesh, before she could fall to the ground, and slapped her again before abruptly releasing her.
Ifesinachi's feet buckled and she dropped to the ground. She tried stifling the show of pain, but couldn't.
"How dare you ask her questions?" Michael barked. "Why didn't you mind your business you foolish girl?"
Michael gazed at the siblings and glared back at Ifes. He wanted to punch the life out of her when Chloe's voice stopped him.
"Leave her alone, Michael. It was never her fault. She only asked the question and I answered."
"You are lucky I can't find any rifle now. I would have been arrested and charged for a murder case." Michael clenched his fist.
Israel glowered at Ifes.
"I– I– I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to arouse any emotions," Ifes stammered. She winced in pain as she sprang to her feet with the little strength she had. She felt dizzy and her cheek tingled hotly.
Oh, Holy Spirit! Edify my mortal body. If not, I might just black out anytime now. Ifes felt a surge of strength all over her body.
Michael grabbed her again and jerked her forward. "Come here!"
Ifes whimpered.
"Why do you apologize? Why are you acting remorseful? Go on, tell her everything. Go ahead and tell her how big of a sinner she is, and how she would die and go to hell. Isn't that the message from Christians?" He was seething.
Michael's annoyance increased at Ifesinachi's silence. "Why are you quiet? Come on, she's all ears. Tell her. Tell her everything. Better still, I should say we are all ears. Tell us everything."
"Go on and tell us how awful the act is," Israel said.
When she didn't say anything, Israel picked up her Bible and walked towards her till he was close enough to hand her the Holy book.
The testing of our faith.
"Take this Bible from my hands and show me where God speaks against homosexuality and lesbianism."
Israel tilted his head and looked at his sister then returned his gaze back to Ifes. "This is a question my sister has not been able to answer for herself."
He couldn't hide the anger from his voice. "You are a Bible scholar, so tell us what it says."
Ifes collected the Bible with shaky hands. The trio looked at her solemnly. She began to perspire and move uneasily. Did they even notice it? Did they notice how she was trembling?
She thought it was something more than a miracle that they were close to the Students' Union building yet no student passed by. It was so unusual that no one passed by that way at that time of the day. If they did, perhaps they would have rescued her. But why was she looking for rescue? Why was she trying to escape? Because she was trying to defend her beliefs and she couldn't. Because she was trying to fight for God but realised she couldn't. Because she had forgotten the exact Bible passage she needed right now.
"But you can't fight for me. I will fight for you," the still voice said to her.
She looked up from her Bible to the angry faces before her and cried in her heart.
Oh, Holy Spirit! I need you to help me. Glorify Jesus in me today and let the earth know that you are God.
Ifes grinned broadly as she felt as though the light had just been lit in a dark room. The scriptures had started flowing into her mind like water down a waterfall.
She opened her Bible and flipped over to Genesis 19:4-11. She read it slowly, in a low voice.
After that, she flipped over to Jude 1:7, Leviticus 18:18-22, Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:18 & 32. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. 1 Timothy 1:8-10.
After reading the Bible passages, she explained them as simply as she could without suggesting they were thus doomed to hades for commiting abominations. She closed the Bible and gazed up at them.
"I've answered your question. To back up all I've said, scan through from the book of Genesis to Revelations; there was never a place where a marriage between same-sex was performed or blessed by God in the Bible."
She stretched out her hAnd Bible in it. "Which of you can take this Bible from my hand and prove me wrong?"
When none of them could take the Bible from her hand to refute her evidence, she went closer to Chloe, embraced her and then whispered to her ears, "Now that you've gotten the answer to your questions, will you give your life to Christ?"
Chloe felt undeserving, unworthy of such love. "I'm not worthy to receive such a gift," she thought somberly in her mind.
"Please, trust me when I say Jesus still loves you and doesn't condemn you."
Chloe could feel the same peace that had encompassed her the first time she had contemplated repentance.
"Yes, why not? I'm ready to rededicate my life to Christ." Chloe cried.
Ifes felt her heart leap for joy. "There is joy in heaven for a soul that repents!"
Letting go of Chloe, she smiled as she reached out to Michael. "Would you also want to give your life to Christ?"
Michael jerked free from her hands and looked away. "But my own case is exceptional."
"Exceptional? How?"
"I had no reasons for being gay. It just happened that I discovered I am attracted to..."
"Hush! I can understand but it doesn't matter how it started. What matters now is your heart for God."
"But do you think I am worthy enough?'
"No one is worthy but Jesus makes us all worthy."
"If so, then I will."
Israel's facial expression changed to that of horror. He yanked his hands free as soon as Ifesinachi's hand touched him. "Don't ****ing touch me!"
Chloe and Michael gazed up at Israel, astonished.
"And what do you think you are doing?" Israel bellowed, eyes and nose flaring. "How dare you come here and dictate to us how to run our lives?"
"But Isr—"
"Chloe, please stay out of this!" Israel barked at his sister. Israel tilted his head to look at Ifes again. "I won't let you succeed in what you are doing."
"But she didn't do anything."
Israel ignored his sister and Michael, and continued talking.
"I won't allow you to take Michael from me." Israel glowered. "Or my sister from Alexandria."
"Israel!" Chloe yelled at the top of her voice. "What is wrong with you?"
"Please calm down, Israel. We can talk about this," Michael said.
"The only thing I want is to know where you stand."
His gaze fell on his sister. "Do you stand with me or with her?"
Chloe moved closer to Ifes and without a word he got the message. His gaze slowly diverted from Chloe to Michael. Michael didn't move but replied from where he stood. "I stand with Jesus."
Israel was crestfallen but refused to show it. He was disappointed that his sister still continued to stick with the same Jesus that cost their mother nothing but suffering, and Michael for not even thinking of the both of them. Without a word, Israel walked out on the thrio.
"Israel! Israel!" Chloe called after him. She kept calling till he was out of sight. Frantic, not willing to lose her brother, she turned and shook Michael. "Please do something. Go bring him back."
Michael did not move. She faced Ifes, eyes pleading. "Please go, go get him back. I'm telling you, he's not as bad as he appears. He's just a little over the edge. He'll get over it. He's my brother. He's not a bad person, I tell you."
Ifes felt sympathy for Chloe. Had she been in her shoes, she'd have done much more to defend and rescue her brother from the destructive path he was walking in. She wiped the tears that rolled down Chloe's cheeks.
"Don't worry, let him go. God brought you to himself and I believe he will do the same to your brother."
"But..." Chloe's face was still contoured with concern.
"Shush! Let go and let God."
Ifes led Chloe and Michael to Christ and they were baptized the same day.