Juanita’s parents were happy when Fred came to inform them that he wanted to marry Juanita. They loved Fred because he was rich and was also living abroad.
This is the continuation of – A Crack in the Pot Chapter 1.
Juanita’s mother, Miriam, began to daydream about the day she would travel to America to go for omugwo when Juanita gives birth. This and other monetary gains made Juanita’s parents beg her never to let Fred slip by her fingers.
“But father,” Juanita said, “Fred is rich and nice but he is not a Christian.”
“Is he a Moslem?”
“No, father: But he is not a born-again, Spirit-filled child of God.”
“My child, sit down let me tell you what you don’t know. I married your mother when she was still an unbeliever. But today she is a born- again Christian. So there is nothing to worry about my daughter. You will help Fred become what you want when you get married to him,” her father advised:
Juanita’s parents suggested that she should quickly accept Fred’s, marriage proposal as good men like Fred are hard to come by. Juanita was confused on what to do. She had always said that the first thing she would consider before accepting any man’s proposal for marriage was the person’s level of spirituality.
But now, somebody who is not a born- again Christian had come to her and she was torn between considering her faith and what the marriage had to” offer especially the financial relief it would bring to her parents.
She made up her mind to discuss the issue with Mildred even though she knew that Mildred could be indifferent when it came to spiritual things.
After baring her soul to her friend, Mildred burst out laughing. Then she said, “Juanita my friend, don’t make me to call you a fool because I know that you are not. I doubt if you know what you are about to do to yourself. If I were you, l would have accepted the proposal at once.”
“But wait, wait, Juanita, are you telling me that a man, who probably has seen and dated many white women but didn’t consider any of them for marriage, decided to come to Nigeria to pick a wife, luckily he meets you and decides to make you his wife, then instead of thanking your God, you are here judging people when the Bible said you should not judge?”.
“Well, I’m not surprised because you are not to be blamed. After all, you are just nineteen and you’ve not experienced the lack called lack of husband.” Mildred said and moved to where Juanita was sitting on a chair, placed her hand on her shoulder and said…
“My dear, let me give you one candid advice though I wonder if you can take it owing to the fact that it is coming from a “non-born- again roommate”. I want to tell you that opportunity lost can never be regained since opportunity, they say, comes only once.”
‘This is your opportunity to get married, so my dear, make the best use of it. Even if Fred is not a Born Again Christian now, you can change him and make him become one.”
“Change him? Can I really do that?” Juanita asked in surprise.
“Of course you can. Remember the saying, never underestimate the power of a woman. So my dear, what else do you want? From the little I have seen, Fred is caring, rich, tall, and handsome. Tell me, what more do you need? More so, I know he is not a heathen, he is a Christian like you.”
“But there is a difference between a born- again Christian and one who is not, Juanita argued, “I know there is, the-re-is, the-re-is,” she stuttered in a low tone nodding her head slowly.
“And I tell you there isn’t. The apostles were called Christians not ‘born-agains.’ ‘Born again’ is a phrase manufactured by overzealous people in our time. The apostles never called themselves that.”
“But Jesus talked about being born again to Nicodemus. He….
“That was when Jesus was around after He died and resurrected the apostles became Christians. Why is this difficult for you to understand, Juanita? Well, don’t say that I didn’t warn you.”
“This is a golden opportunity. You are free to suit yourself but when you have become a single, unmarried born- again lady at forty, don’t say I didn’t warn you! I have said my own. I am going to the library. I have a test to write tomorrow,” Mildred said and left the already confused Juanita to swim in her confusion.
Lying on her bed, the words of her fellowship leader came flashing her memory. They even echoed in her ears. Her leader, after listening to her, had said;
“My dear Juanita, I have two things to say to you; first, all that glitters is not gold. Second, no believer should be equally yoked with an unbeliever.”
“But l’ve been able to stay with my roommate in one room for a long time though she is not a believer,” Juanita said.
“My dear marriage is very different from roommate ship,” Maryann her leader said.
After that meeting, Juanita had wanted to obey Maryann’s advice and turn down Fred’s marriage proposal but now Mildred has reminded her that she had the power to change Fred after their wedding. After all, didn’t the Bible say that ‘all things is possible to him that believes’, she reasoned.
Right there on her bed, Juanita made up her mind to carry out what is written in Daniel 11:32; “that the people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. Even the Bible advises children to obey their parents, she thought.
She made up her mind to carry out the exploit of changing, and making her husband to become a Born Again Christian. It was as if the resolution was an ‘elixir’ or an energy booster to her. She couldn’t say where she got the strength from. All she knew was that the burden was lifted from her. She stood up, yawned and stretched herself.
The wall clock on the wall gave the time as 10.35am. It was her lecture-free day so she took a bath and left for the market. She wanted to prepare rich banga soup and boil white rice for her roommate to eat when she comes back from the library. After all, it was her advice that helped her to regain herself.
Moral Lessons
- We should tell our friends about God.
- We should live in peace with each other.
- We should study our books.
- We should learn to trust God for our future.
- Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown means that a person with great responsibilities is constantly worried.
Glossary
- Indifferent: not caring about or interested in someone or something.
- Mucus: a thick liquid produced inside the nose.
- Resolution: a promise to yourself to do or not do something.
- Mimic: to copy the way in which a particular person speaks or moves.
- Admonish: to tell someone that they have done something wrong.
- Convince: to persuade someone.
- Gynaecologist: a doctor who specializes in the treatment of women and their diseases.
- Stutter: to speak or say something with difficulty.
- Elixir: a substance usually a liquid that can cure, improve or preserve.
- Candid: truthful and honest especially about something difficult or painful.
Ahmad Nwabuzor is a Nigerian author and storyteller with a strong passion for writing and sharing meaningful stories. He is a graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), where he studied English and Literary Studies.
He writes across different forms of storytelling, including cultural narratives, emotional fiction, and moral stories that teach life lessons. His storytelling style is rooted in African life and shaped by a deep interest in how traditions influence people’s choices and emotions.