I was seventeen. When he first tried, I was fast. I ran away before he could succeed. The second time, he got me. I was crying. I begged. My body was visibly quivering. He said, “Calm down. It’s not going to hurt.”

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It hurt like hell. My body quivered for days, especially my knees. Whenever I saw him around, my heart took flight. He’s my aunt’s husband. I was living with them because my aunt wasn’t well. I remember one night, I went to the bed of my sick aunt and whispered, “I want to visit my parents and return later.”

I went and never returned. I didn’t tell anybody because I knew they wouldn’t believe me. I lived with the pain, sought help in friends and confided in our pastor’s wife when I’d become a woman.

Years later, this same man is a powerful man of God and he preaches to thousands of people. I watched him preach one day when he was talking about who he used to be before God called him. He mentioned a lot of sins, including stealing and idol worship. I was waiting to hear, “I rap*d a young child when I wasn’t in Christ.”

If he did, I would have taken it as an apology and forgiven him. He couldn’t mention it.

I’m getting married soon and because of his fame my parents think we should invite him to bless my marriage. I told them, “I have the devil’s number. I would prefer to invite him to officiate my wedding than bring that man close to my marriage.”

They thought I’d said something blasphemous. After the anger and rebukes from them, my mom came to ask me, “Why did you have to say that?”

I responded, “Not today. Maybe someday.”

Call a Friend and Ask For Thousand Cedis (A Prank)

And this makes me believe that nothing will happen to those who hurt you. God will still uplift them. They would go ahead and be greater. Your curse won’t hurt their life so forgive yourself and be better in life so you don’t see them one day and question God. The wicked will still flourish so when you get the chance, cut them down before they grow. I didn’t do that. I’m sorry.

I leave him to God but not at the same place where I rest in God.

—Edward

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