Wounded Pilgrim 1

THE PILLOW

An annual international convention was just a few hours away. Bartholomew was excited that the day he had been longing for was finally near. Ever since it had been announced at his church by Pastor Emmanuel he had marked it on his wall calendar. Since he had been in the university he had not been keen to attend such meetings however this time around he had been influenced by the testimonies and stories he had heard about the last year’s convention. Just then his phone rang and on checking it was Pastor calling him. It was rare for pastor to call him on phone. It must be an important thing he thought as he picked the phone.
“Praise the Lord Pastor” he happily said into the phone and the pastor reciprocated with an “Amen”. It so happened Pastor wanted him to go pick an international guest from the airport. The guest was none other than Sister Petronillah and he was to bring her to the convention venue. It was an easy assignment and a good one to the brother. He was as happy as a president elect as various exciting thoughts crossed his mind.

The road to the airport was not that very busy that afternoon as he traveled there. The vehicle kept stopping over various stages to drop as well as pick passengers. Brother was anxious all this time having no idea about whoever he was going to pick apart the guest being a single sister. He didn’t have a number to call except for a huge name tag he was to lift outside the arrival lounge. Her name was inscribed in bold on the tag.

Bartholomew was not near the airport and knew what was involved in there especially when it came to security. However today he felt the security checks at the gate were too much to him. Time was running out and they insisted that every passenger get out of the bus and pass through the pedestrian gate one by one. Some ladies before him had to open their handbags for the female guards to look into them. Men too had to open their briefcases to be cross checked. The bus too also had to have its boot checked and inside it also checked. “These people are too slow and wasting our valuable time” he thought.
.
When finally the bus was allowed on the inner side of the gate he breathed a sigh of relief and smiled happily. He was not alone in this but there was a lady and a gentleman too who whom he supposed were rushing to catch a flight. He didn’t care to know where since he never paid attention to their conversation. The time he was told to be waiting for the guest was nearing in less than twenty minutes. Nothing made him tired like the many turns the vehicle took as well as the stopovers. He wanted to speak but knew he was not alone and he would perceived as a fool.

Different ladies pulling their luggage passed by him outside the arrival lounge as he carried the huge name tag over his chest. Some smiled others didn't all with different mannerisms. When he saw a lady with decent long dress he kept thinking it was her. He was had been absorbed watching some tourist family walking away when someone tapped softly on his shoulder, “Hey.”

A brown slim lady with big goggles over her forehead stood before him.
“You must be Sister Petronillah if am not wrong,” he said extending a hand to her.
“Off course you are not wrong, I am. And who are you are brother?” she asked.
“Am Brother Bartholomew”
“Shalom Brother Bartholomew”
“Shalom sister!”

He led her away slowly as to one of the waiting commuter buses and soon they were on their way out of the airport. Petronillah was such a jovial person and within such a short time they had talked a lot. But then after leaving the airport road into the major highway into town a traffic jam was building up. Brother Bartholomew looked at his watch and saw it was just some minutes to six yet the traffic jam was not clearing up for some unknown reason. He was getting worries though sister was unconcerned.

“Do you think we will be able to make it to the venue of the convention?” Petronillah asked when they were off the bus. It was just some minutes past eight o'clock when they entered the town finally. Bartholomew was looking worried that they may not be able to make it to the venue of the convention in time since the traffic jam along that area was a worrying one. The brother knew they would be stuck in another jam from there where they had alighted to the venue and possibly reach their destination two hours later.
“Seems like we won't make it, but don’t you have faith my precious sister?” Brother Asked.
“If you are not sure about it better come up with another reliable solution”
“Like which one since an sort of having no other idea?”
“We can book a room in a guest house”

Bartholomew thought she was kidding with him but she repeated again what she said. He didn’t have an idea where to start in their search of an affordable guest room. So he decided they check downtown first for some affordable ones. He didn't have enough money to book two rooms hoping that would discourage her from the whole idea but how wrong was he. She was even added she was tired from her flight and needed to rest. It was a tricky idea but he soldiered on to it.

It was going to be his first night not only to spend with a sister but on the same bed. It would be the longest night for him but he hoped to pull through like a caged beast. She suggested they put a pillow in the middle of the bed which none was to cross. Who was he to go against such a nice suggestion that was not only simple and harmless but also well thought after? By the grace of God it dawned the next day without any incident between them. On their way out of the guest house Petronillah dropped her handbag on the other side of road onto a ridge. Bartholomew was about to cross the ridge and get the bag when she held his hand tightly.

“No you can't do that for me” she protested.
“Why sister?” he asked her curiously.
“If you couldn't cross over the pillow last night how can you be able to cross this ridge and get the bag” she replied with a clueless face.
Bartholomew felt stubbed right in the heart for what he had thought was a brave move towards his Christianity. It left a lot to be desired in him as they proceeded on towards the venue of the convention. Good to him nobody inquired much about their whereabouts of the previous day since he got absorbed into some technical team in the background to work on a few logistics as the meetings progressed. But then he would live to remember what he had been told that day.

ABOUT THE STORY
Wounded Pilgrim is a story of one Bartholomew whom each and every day encounters a setback in his Christian life especially from people that are meant to help him overcome them. While others appear to be solutions to his predicaments they often end up being disappointments to him. Will he win a battle that always leaves him the first causality? Keep following therein to know more.