IT was still the early 1900’s and Christianity was just setting foot in the town of Ede people.
The township had been quite hostile to the new faith about redemption through Jesus.
The British mission around had only succeeded in building a small parish with a little class beside it to teach reading and writing. The class had run like a village school, with young Britons being employed as class teachers.
The young women would sit all through day, with not much children turning up for school.
The plan of the little mission was to make formal education enlighten the townspeople. Then, they could convert to Christianity in time.
Yet that didn’t work. So, the church hadn’t grown beyond itself.
Therefore when the evangelical team arrived from an American mission, it caught them by surprise that no one was willing to host them.
That day, even the colonial government in town which housed the British missionaries, weren’t ready to cater for new people.
They rendered vague support, and left them roaming for a place in town.
They went back to the British Cottage, a place once called Albert Memorial – where the British in town lodged.
Then they were directed to the cottage hospital. It sat on the opposite side of Albert’s. But they wanted them to roam.
Yes, at the healthcare, things weren’t meant to change for them. But those American Christians caught sight of Morrow and his wife.
For a nurse pointed at them, and begged them to follow.
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The missionaries had followed Morrow from the cottage hospital that evening. Yet the man hadn’t seen them, as he sheltered a huge burden in his chest.
These Americans were instantly drawn to him, when they saw him with his family. But they hadn’t picked what their case were that quiet twilight.
Still it wasn’t the man’s family that caught the foreigners’ interest. But the fact that he carried his son and clutched him to his chest.
The evangelical group had been around since mid-day, trying to find a place for their base.
They wanted to get land in the town; build churches, camping ground, and build a few schools too. So they’d need a house to lodge, and a guide.
Yes, they arrived from nearby, from a town called Iwo, where they’d been accepted and had set up things.
Still, when they got in this town, the ground felt a bit too hard to grow seed.
They just wanted a good man or people to host them for the night, but even that seemed hard.
Now when they saw the gentleman and his wife, they loved them.
Who is this man that clutches his son to his chest, as if he’s from elsewhere?
Well, the wife seems far much younger than him, but I wouldn’t know. They look more like a pair.
They saw the couple walk together, and told themselves that the elderly man seemed different from everyone else.
So, they’d gone on to follow his trail.
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