WE WERE LEAVING THE MARKET, MY FRIEND AND I

We were leaving the market.

My friend and I.

This afternoon.

When I saw this elderly market security man.

Sitting under the sun as he watched people go by and vehicles drive by.

He was looking so sad and lonely.

I asked my friend to pull beside him and when he did, I called the security man.

He came, with a smile I greeted him respectfully and told him I saw how he was just there, if everything was okay with him.

He smiled sadly and responded.

"My son, nobody is happy in this country. I am just thinking of what to eat today and how to take care of my family."

"Eeyaa you don't need to worry yourself too much but God who allowed you to start a family will always provide for you to provide for them. I saw how you were just sitting there, I was concerned I asked my friend to stop so I can talk to you."

"Chaii you did well my son. God bless you."

So I squeezed some cash into his hand.

"Use this one and buy yourself lunch, sir. Everything will be fine."

He thanked me so profusely that he nearly went to his knees.

I asked him not to bother.

So when we drove off, I felt so sorry for him and the security job he was doing in the market under the sun.

He could have been home, resting, at least it is a Sunday.

But he was out there, under the sun just to make sure his family is okay.

I was so sad for him I had to ask my friend to turn back.

In my words.

"Can we go back to this man, please? I don't know but I just feel so bad for him. That small thing I gave him is nothing. You saw the way he was, right? Please, take me back to him."

My friend said to me.

"If we enter the market we need to pay for gate fee again."

"I don't mind, I will take care of it."

So on our way back to the market, I made use of an ATM.

When we got into the market at that spot we met the man, fortunately, he was still there.

He was surprised to see us again.

When he came, I wound down and said to him.

"Papa, I don't know who you are but I feel so sorry for you since we left here. I saw how appreciative you were over the little I gave you. I don't know what made me turn back but I know God has His way of doing things. I don't know your prayer points today but I am so touched to give you this money. What I am giving you is the last money in my expenditure account, I withdrew everything and I am giving them to you. Please, I don't know you and you do not know me but just know that I am giving you this from the purest of my heart."

I handed him the money.

I saw how misty his eyes were, he tried his best to hold himself from crying and he succeeded.

He said.

"Jesus. Chaiii. You don't know what you just did for me. You don't know. You will never know any sorrow. Your life will never be cut short. Blessings upon blessings and they will never leave your generation. You withdrew the last money in your expenditure account and gave to an ordinary market security man like me, for doing this, God will fatten your account this week, and anybody who gifts you anything will be blessed. Whatever you are looking for you will get it. As you helped me like this whoever helps you will be helped. You are a blessed child."

My friend and I were saying amen all through his prayers.

Then he paused and checked all the money I gave him before he put them in his pocket.

Then he smiled with his misty eyes and said.

"Since I came to work I have been thinking of how to get money to give my wife for foodstuff, we dont have food and things are expensive that was what I was thinking and praying to God to send me a helper before you and your friend came. Now I will just go home and give my wife all this money to go to the market tomorrow and buy foodstuff. You told me you withdrew all in your expenses account and give to me a total stranger, you don't know what you just did for me and my family..."

When we were leaving I could see the happiness on his face.

When I looked at my friend, he was sobbing silently.

Abuja 

Credit: Kyrian Chiemelie Offor