Monday 5 March 2012

'Paying for my sin of hatred and jealousy' (2)

 We conclude the intriguing story of Bimbo and her friend, Augustina, which started last week.
About two months later, Brother Samuel became a regular visitor to our room, but I noticed that his focus was on Sister Bimbo and not me. One day I had to ask her what was going on between them. “Sister Bimbo, why is Brother Samuel’s visit here frequent these days? And I noticed that he gives all his attention to you. What is going on?” I asked. “Sister Augustina, well, it is true but there is nothing going on,” Bimbo said.
Three weeks later, she confided in me that Brother Samuel said he was interested in her, but that she should pray about it. “Sis Augustina, I just want to tell you that Bro Samuel told me today that he is interested in me. He asked me to pray about it and give him an answer,” she said. God, it was as if I should burst into tears, but I had to hide the feeling. I managed to smile and ask, “Sis Bimbo that is good. But do you like him? Is he your kind of man?” She simply told me she would pray about it.
I prayed and wished she would give him a negative answer. Two weeks later, she gave him a positive answer and this made me really angry and jealous which finally developed into hatred for her. Our neighbour, Ireti, saw me sitting outside and starring into the sky one day and asked me what the matter was.
I told her Sister Bimbo had stolen my man. She laughed and said, “How can that happen? Are you both not born again? Why should she do such a thing? Anyway, what do you intend to do?” she asked mockingly. I told her I don’t know but will think about it. A week later I told Ireti I would avenge. She, however, reminded me I was a Christian. “Forget about born-againism right now, she stole my husband-to-be that is what is important and I must take revenge,” I yelled.
Ireti told me she could take me somewhere that is if I agreed and I assured her I was ready to go anywhere with her. She took me to a herbalist. Although I was shaky, I summoned courage to enter into the hut. I narrated my story and he asked me what I wanted. I told him Bimbo must not conceive until she dies for stealing Samuel from me.
“My daughter, that is very simple. In fact, it is done. All I need is her blood,” he said. “Ha, baba, her blood? How do I get her blood?” I asked. “Are you not a woman? Just bring her used pad for the sacrifice,” he said. We left and I thought of how I could get her used pad since Bimbo is very careful with the way she keeps and disposes of her used pads.
Luckily, two weeks later, I entered the toilet and saw her carelessly dropped used pad on the floor and quickly picked it up. I rushed to Ireti’s room and informed her about the good news. We went straight to see baba, the herbalist. He gave me a cowry and asked me to say whatever I wanted. I took and said, “Bimbo when you marry Brother Samuel, you must never conceive until you die. That is your punishment for stealing my man,” I stressed. Baba assured me that it was done; I should go home and rest. When I got home I met Bimbo praying. When she was done, she asked me where I had been. I lied that I went to the library to do some research. She then lamented that she was not sure if she had disposed of her used pad or not since she left the house in a hurry to fellowship. I told her, “I am sure you did. Remember you are always careful with your pads,” I assured her.
Bimbo and Samuel got married about eight months after we graduated from the Teachers College. I was even her chief bridesmaid faking smiles and pretending to be happy for her. For over a year, she was unable to conceive and I was secretly happy about it. What I forgot was that Sister Bimbo and her husband are both prayer warriors. Like the saying goes, delay is not denial. Two years later she conceived and today they are blessed with three wonderful children. Her eldest child would be 18 in November. I planned this evil when we were 27 years old.
After the evil plot against Sister Bimbo, no man has ever looked at me twice, or said hello much less talk about marriage to me. It is so painful that not even a common gateman looks at me twice. The only man, Brother John, who proposed marriage came back the next morning to apologise that he made a mistake. He asked me to pretend he ever proposed marriage to me. I will be 47 years old this year and sadly, I am neither married nor have kids.
When I was really desperate to get married, I visited one pastor who told me to go and beg Bimbo for forgiveness before I could get married or anything good would come my way. I could not summon the courage to do that then. That was about 10 years now. But four years ago, I summoned courage and approached Sister Bimbo. I confessed my evil plot against her and she told me, “I have forgiven you. Go and make peace with God.”
I have made peace with God and today I regret my action. I narrate my story today so that people could learn from it. Please, never intentionally plan evil against anyone especially if he/she is a true child of God because someday, somehow you would face the repercussion.

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