Bro Peter and Sis Pat Pataki (The Pees) were very religious people. They worshipped mammon though they knew it not. Neither would they believe it even if they were told. They were loved and respected by all and sundry in the church, in their groups and in the society. They enjoyed the favour of God and man. They were highly sought-after. They knew how to reach out to others, exclusively, brethren who could do without it.
When Bro. Udoma, Citibank’s company secretary, took celebrated golden voiced newscaster, Efe Asika to the altar, they footed the reception bill; when Deacon John Amana, Chairman of the Nigeria Liquefied and Natural Gas Company (NLNG) turned 52, they threw him a lavish bash at the Golden Gate Restaurant Ikoyi. Also, when the heir apparent to the shipping magnate, Isiguzo Isiguzor, Bro. Dickson dedicated his first son, Joshua, they were “overjoyed” at what God had done for him, and the Pees gave him and his elegant wife, a hundred thousand naira.
They were among the movers and shakers of not only their church but the society at large. They were in the timber business, exporting timber to Italy and other overseas countries. Neither Bro. Peter nor Sis. Pat had much education having stopped at Secondary School level but, being much travelled, they had become very cultured and because of the exposure, could hang out with the very learned and the very wealthy as well.
They had a trained eye to spot lack, no matter how faint in the life of the brethren. They usually made themselves scarce if they detected a brother or a sister was in need. You will seek them, you will not find them; you will pursue them with pleasant words but they would not have the time to attend to you. It was nothing to them, to ignore a brother in need, including his greeting or walk past such a person without acknowledging his presence no matter how well they knew him or her. They expected every good brother and sister to be abreast with fashion.
They were a very fashion-conscious couple, collecting labels from world capitals like Rome, Milan, Paris, New York, London, etc. Sis. Pee arranged her clothes according to their labels: Fendi, Channel, YSL, etc. Her wardrobe had a problem – overstuffing; for clothes she wore twenty years ago were still struggling for space with those of five, to two years and two weeks ago. Whenever she thought of giving them out, she shuddered, for it would be like casting pearls at swine as they rightly said. The brethren who needed clothes were mainly ignorant folks. Her husband too would not think of giving out any of his handmade suits as he often said that his outfits were not meant for ordinary employees of labour, but for MDs and CEOs and Employers of labour. The Pees’ favourite saying was that they were collectors: they collected houses, cars and outfits.
One night, Bro. Pee had a dream; he was in a situation that looked strangely familiar. A brother was sick unto death and people were pleading with somebody he could not see to have mercy on the brother and this person refused. After watching for some time, Bro. Pee turned away but as he did, he was looking into another situation, an unfamiliar setting, somebody was seated on a throne and others surrounded him. Bro. Pee heard what they were saying. One standing said, “I have checked his bank account Sir, I’m afraid it is empty.”
The one who was sitting said, “Check very well, no matter how small you find we’ll use it for he is a son and you cannot throw away your son.”
The one standing shook his head regrettably. “Sir,” he answered mournfully, “he is bankrupt. He has never given sacrificially and he has never given to anyone who needed it.”
There was silence. The atmosphere was thick with sadness. Then as Bro. Pee watched, three people stepped forward and bowed down to the one on the throne and said they would love to go and help the person in question. They were permitted.
And Pee woke up.
When he shared it with his wife, she said, “Well, let’s just pray that no poor person who has no money to treat himself will fall sick, that is all.” So, they prayed, asking God to protect all the poor brethren in the church lest any fell sick. And they believed God for prayer answered.
Wednesday, after service, Bro. Pee and his wife were sitting in their newly-acquired Prado Jeep chatting with one of the very fashionable sisters in their church. They knew not what she did for a living but she was always turning up to church elegantly dressed. She was one of their many “good” friends. As they were chatting with her, Sis. Pee’s eyes were travelling all over her noting the gold chain she wore around her neck, the Gucci bag and the Christian Dior blouse. Then, a figure sauntered out of the shadows towards them breaking Sis. Pee’s concentration. She stopped briefly to take in the fellow: somebody unfamiliar and obviously poor. She looked away.
The figure stood there hesitantly and then moved to the side of Bro. Pee. He approached him cautiously and said he needed money for food and transportation.
“Go to welfare office,” Bro. Pee said curtly.
“What is that?” asked his wife. He told her. “Let him go to welfare office, now!” she snapped impatiently. “Church people are too lazy. They will not work. That’s how they drive away people from the house of the Lord,” Bro. Pee said regrettably.
“What is it?” The elegant sister asked. They told her. She reached into her bag and calling out to the figure, handed him some cash. He took it and thanked her and disappeared into the shadows again.
“You know why I don’t like giving this people anything?” Bro. Pee asked. “Tomorrow, when I’m not there what will they do?” The wife nodded. “O – Oho!” she cried in agreement.
The elegant sister considered it briefly and nodded somehow in disagreement.
On Saturday, as the women met, the angels were physically present in that meeting. They were the angels that came to help the Patakis. They discussed love and the women leader gave women opportunity to share their views. Sis. Pee stood and shared her view for thirty minutes. Everybody listened with rapt attention, all the while, smiling and nodding their heads in absolute agreement with her. When she finished, a thunderous ovation followed her contribution. Then, a sister who looked malnourished and badly dressed raised her hand. She wanted to share, to make a contribution, the women leader ignored her and looked around for worthier sisters. There were none. Then she grudgingly gave the obviously needy sister opportunity. But she was impatient with her, telling her to make it very brief as there was no more time. The sister shared. No one listened, no one heard. They stared at her disinterestedly. Finished, she sat down feeling very small. She was one of the three angels.
After the meeting, she went to Sis Pee to ask for a lift. “To where?” Sis. Pee asked peeved. “Anywhere along the road,” the badly dressed sister said self-consciously, clutching an urchin with her right hand. “I’m sorry my car cannot take more than two people. The shaft is bad. So, it’s only me and my driver that can sit in it,” Sis. Pee replied peevishly.
“Please sister,” the woman pleaded, “the sun is too hot and I don’t have transport money; my little girl…”
All fell on deaf ears.
… TO BE CONTINUED
