Pastor Jame's House Calls

“On that regards, I quit. I can not just stand this demeaning allegations anymore. Why explain myself over and over again. I still stand by my words”

“What we are saying is that things has ways they are done. You can't just quit like that without settling the law aspect of the case first. The church will bear the brunt if you do”

“How do you mean?- are you implying that I should sacrifice my health, name and freedom for the church”

“Church?- ha! pastor James, it is not just church but God’s house. We are interested in seeing this alleged allegation through to it’s logically end to protect the name of the church and our dignity before man and God”

“ Are you people insinuating that my accusers are right and I wrong?”

“We are not insinuating anything, why should we, we weren’t there with both of you. Only God and two of you knows exactly what happened inside that room. We have not received any revelation from God”

“why is he tarrying in sending you his vision, don't he care about the dignity of his church and workers?”

“ This your line of talk is sounding and tasting blasphemous to us. We must be careful and choose our words wisely. Why add God to this battle when we are finding it difficult to handle man”

“I am not finding anything difficult in his allegations. In fact, I found it demeaning in answering my accusers questions. It is reason I wants to show them my back for enough should be enough”

It was pastor James of wonder miracle church deliberating with the church elders in the allegations of rape brought against him by one church member. The girl had reported to the police that pastor James had forced himself on her when he came on a house call in her house. The girl had been suffering from effect of adulterated drug and believed that it was infection or witchcraft attack. She had bought a drug from a chemist in her street and the drug bearing foreign label she believed is best of the best but it was one of those illegally produced drugs packaged in foreign packets. She went to her church elders for monetary assistance and prayers from what she believed to handiwork of her enemies. 

       Pastor James was lost in the girl’s beauty and was wondering where she came from. How could he have missed a girl of this nature that had been in his presence for up to eight months. That must be sign that he is losing it. When he could miss a creature of this kind for months, it is sign that his observation is not as he had thought. He has been staring at the girl while the elders and the girl do the talking for almost one hour and he suddenly heard his name being called from what sounds like afar and that sound jolted him back to the present.

His opinion on the issue was being sought by the elders and they were surprised to realized that he wasn’t really there with them. They had to summarize all they had said again for his sake. They wanted his input on the issue. He suggested he be allowed to pray for the lady first and see things at close range before asking church members for monetary help for hospital visit. 

On his second house call to the girl house, he spent the better part of the three hours there asking questions the girl believed to be too intimate and personal. He was still wondering how on earth he had missed the girl for eight months. He was even more convinced that the girl is more beautiful at close range. 

       On that second visit, he had entered with a seductive smile and went directly for the girl bed instead of chair and sprawl himself on it in the name of catching his breath for twenty minutes before work begins as he put it. The girl had asked if she should get cold waters for him, he gave the girl money for soft drinks and insisted with one and two quotes from the Bible on how nothing is wrong with it. “we are in the world and not of the world” he had said. 

The girl collected the money and went as directed still wondering if it is normal for visitor to entertain the host or the other way around. It is against common sense and culture of the church and land. 

She returned with two soft drinks and was surprised to see pastor James on his shorts with his trousers on the hanger. She halted at the door and took the scene well. “ Excuse me pastor James, should I open the window for you?- these fans brings hot air and fresh air is cooler outside. 

 “ No, don't bother yourself. I will be okay in little while. The noise is intense outside as you see from the kids playing outside. I will just take the cold drink and rest a bit then we start. He took the drink from the girl and gave him one to her chagrin with another verse supporting his move. 

Then, he started asking her questions she expected to come from the doctor and not pastor. What type of drug did you say you bought from the chemist, from which chemist did you bought the drug, why don't you buy them from the pharmacy, do you check the expiry date, what type of packaging did you say the drug was in, why didn’t you buy the one in yellow packaging, the person managing that chemist store, is he/she a graduate, it is not intelligent to deal with all these village boys managing chemist stores. I couldn’t believe that even the educated call them doctor? This country has a long way to go. Etc.

      Then he went into lengthy story of how similar incident happened three years ago in the city not far away from theirs and how he led prayer worries to free the victim. He was removing his shirt and ended up in white singlet while narrating all these stories of his spiritual prowess to the girl. 

After spreading himself once more on the bed, he went into another round of questions; how do you suspect initially that it might be witchcraft before infection, was it scratching you and where, how, and when do the scratching usually begins. You know, using communal toilet is not hygienic and by the way, how much are you paying here?- and when the girl answered, you know I can help you get a better job in the church that will pay far better than what you earn now. You needs to move away from this quarters. 

      You saw that guy eying us yesterday we were coming? I saw him again today eying me in the same angry manner as if we know each other before. This area isn't safe, you needs to walk away from here.

The girl was eying the man with trepidation, her drink forgotten temporary, she was cowering to a corner while pastor James was crossing and crossing his leg and the girl wasn't oblivious to something that is protruding from the front of his short.

Oh, you haven’t even taken 10 percent of your drink, don't you like soft drinks? Here then, let me share yours with you. He went towards the girl. 

The following day, police came for the pastor and elders promised to hand him over in three days time. They had requested for the audience with the pastor and this the third day of asking him to explain exactly what happened there and the day they promises to hand him over to the officers too. He still maintained his stand that the girl was talking nonsense. “I have told you that she is so poor from what I saw in that tiny room. She just needs money”

The incident on the first day the girl approached them for monetary help and how lost the pastor was on her beauty wasn’t lost on the elders. The scratching from pastor James occasionally since two days now wasn't lost on them either. They refused his quitting request and decided that the law will see it course through in the case.