TAMAR - Episode 24

Right there at the cell Shamara accepted Christ, she proclaimed Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and saviour and was no more afraid of death.

I was so glad.

And when we were called out after being in the cell for two days,

Mandioh stood there in a blue rob designed with gold, he was older than Adolfo.

His pot belle was protruding out like that of a pregnant woman, he was a very short man but speaks of wealth and commands respect.

He sat on his big carved lion’s head, and was surrounded with lion art work all around him.

 He calls himself a lion god.

 people surrounded him, I can see Okra sitting at a far end, her face filled with smile, I told Shamara not to say a word I will speak for two of us and she agreed.

 Mandioh looked at us then back at Okra

“Okra, this ones will not do much for my lions, especially this skinny one, she doesn’t even have curves like the other one and no much flesh on her skin like her second. Okra with the amount I paid you to fetch her out, I was actually expecting something that will serve as dinner for my lions, this ones won’t do.. I want to confirm again, you said Vim washed his hand off the slim one, I don’t want Lord Reese son’s trouble, that young man is filled with trouble…are you very sure Okra”

“Yes Mandioh.. I’m very sure. Vim said he doesn’t want to have anything to do with her, he boldly declared it that her god can have her.  The amount you paid me will also encourage me in fishing out the rest of the other infidels, those who worship strange god in our kingdom. this slim one, they call her termite, she is the stubbørn one.  There is no need of wasting your time with her, her mistress even tried to make her denounce her god, but the fool!sh girl refused, she is ready to d!e for a usëléss god.  she is a fanatic…but Vim made it very clear to the sister, Zity that he doesn’t want to have anything to do with her. Zity told me so herself. this termite of a girl turned down his marriage proposal, which I’m so grateful to the gods that Vim, a royalty did not end up with this abom!nable looking thing…”

“hahahah, good then! I’m glad to know that Vim doesn’t want her, is a relief because I don’t want any trouble from the second prime ruler’s son, they have power on their shoulder and I have built a good relationship with Vim so I don’t want anything that will stain it. you called her termite, is that her real name? Why of all the whole beautiful and outstanding maiden of the soil, both royalty and normal born… what exactly did Vim see in this one or he was probably joking when he threw the marriage proposal to her, I still can’t understand..”

Mandioh turned to me and began asking me questions.

“…Young lady what is your name and the name of your second…”?

“Tarmar, my lord and this is Shamara…” I said calmly

“Tamar! Okra you are right, the name sound like termite….”

There was outburst of laughter everywhere. The few people gathered just kept laughing as Mandioh called me a termite.

He continued asking me questions after a long laughter

“..So Tar…mite or whatever your name is, is it true you are a Christian? Tell me, what god do you worship…?

“The one true God, who through his son Jesus Christ I have being saved. I am a Christian” I declared boldly.

There was murmuring everywhere and Mandioh ask everyone to remain silent.

 He asked me again and I answered boldly to the same thing.

 He asked Shamara and she also answered affirmatively, she was trying to be bold but I can see fear in her eyes as she answered Mandioh. she was determined yet féâr clouded her.

 I whispered to her, that she has a choice to live if she still want to denounce Christ, I am not forcing her to believe.

 it has to be a personal choice, she may not return to Zity but she will be sold as a temple slave or to another household, with that she will have her life, she shakes her head and said she is not a foøl, she knows what she wants and she really will not deny God just like me, even in dèãth, then I encouraged her not to be afraid.

As there was a silent murmur and Mandioh was given us chance to have a change of mind but I turned to him and told him we won’t change our mind for anything.

“Do you know who you are standing before? If you really know who I am, if you really understand that I am the god of lions, you will quickly have a change of mind. this is no joke, I will ask you two more times, I’m giving you another chance to change your mind and live, a chance to walk away from here alive, because you are not even enough food to my beast. Which god do you serve…Tar…mar…”

“The one true God, who has saved me through his son Jesus Christ, I serve the living God, not the gods of this land, made and carved by men. For the people who made them are just like them, they have mouth but can not speak, eyes but can not see. I am not afraid of you or your beast. I may sound foolish to you but not to my God, no other God in heaven or on earth except Jehovah, my defender..”

I turned to the crowd and said to them.

“…Everyone listen, please listen to me even if is this once, turn from your ways and embrace Christ, he is just and ready to forgive and save you, he loves you more than you can ever imagine. tomorrow maybe too late, change from your idol worship and come to the light, I am not afraid of death because I know who is with me, you can’t see him with your visible eyes, he is right here and is beckoning on you all to come to him, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and he will give you rest. take his yoke upon you and lean on him, for he is meek and lowly at heart and you shall find rest unto your souls, for his yoke is easy and his burden is light…”

I declared boldly but they all began to laugh

“hahahaha, this slave is really foolish. Okra you are right when you say she is a stubborn one, this is a total madness. well, let her invisible defender help her.”

Mandioh said.

He turned to his guards and said

“… guards take her and her second to the den, let’s watch my beast chew them raw. It will be fun to watch..”

The guards pushed us as the few crowd cheers on, I can hear Okra’s laughter, she shouted at me as I walk pass her.

“Termite, I have sent message to Vim through one of Mandioh’s boys, before the lions eat you all Vim will be here to cheer along with us, he will soon arrive. No god can save you, I’m sure that even your so called god will be laughing at your foolishness. I sweär to you with every god of this land that you will die today and you will be forgotten like every Christian eaten away by those lions…”

When we got to the front of the Lion’s den, there was a lifter tray that will send us down below to the under ground, into the den.

We were asked to walk into the awaiting tray and we obediently did.

I wasn’t listening to the cheering crowd I was silently praying for them because they have being brainwashed and deceived.

The whole cave suddenly began to open up wider out of sudden, somebody was opening it wide so that everyone can see how the lion will eat us up.

I look up at them, they were cheering as they look down at us as the tray lifter slowly took us below.

Shamara shut her eyes as she kept muttering “God please have mercy and save us, I’m afraid to die….please save us…”

 I breathed deeply.

As I looked down I saw the ūgly mighty lions, three of them. they moved all round their cage.

 as the lifter was gradually taking us down, the lions were eager to have their meal as they jump around waiting anxiously, anticipating.

They made a terrifying noise that got my whole body covered with goose bomb.

 Shamara shakes as she held onto me.

Mandioh shout down below to us

“Have you changed your mind yet, one lucky chance again for you to be lifted out before you get to the mouth of the lion. You’ve seen how huge those lion’s are, two seconds and they will téar your meat into pieces. I guess you have changed your mind, who do you serve? the gods of this land or the Christian god…? Mandioh asked, his voice was mixed with laughter.

I shouted back to him, I was very loud so that the crowd can also hear me clearly.

“May the gods of this land burn to ashes! I serve the one true God, Jehovah Rohi, which means Jehovah my shepherd, he alone is God, there is no other. Not even death can make me turn away from him. for though he allows me to be wounded, he will also bandage me up, if he allows me to be strike, his hand will also heals, but even in death he will always be my God. For in him I have my being..”

“Alright then, may your soul rest peaceful in the belle of the béãst, stup!d and fool!sh slave. Remember is your stubbornness and pride that k!lled you because you had a chance to live but refused instead you chose dèãth..”

I turned to a troubled Shamara and told her not to be afraid, she should stand beside me and when we got to the den she should follow my every move so that dèãth won’t feel so pa!nful.

 Once the lion is done tearing me apart and that’s if God allows them, then she should just breath in and spread out her hands so that when they come at her she will not feel too much pa!n, it will be so quick and they will be done with us.

But that’s only possible if the God of heaven and earth permit it.

 But I wasn’t afrãid anymore, I have felt féâr all over me as I saw the might beast walking around in expectant since they know that food was coming down for them and the noise from the people cheering at the lions make them so eager to feed on us.

 I have felt cold and féâr and it quickly left me when I thought of God.

then I started saying psalms 91. I kept saying psalms upon psalms, I said Psalm 91 repeatedly and then psalm 23.

I started shouting psalm 91 out loud, the few that came to my head, I shout it so that the people can hear.

 As we were lowered to the den, I can see human bønes and skulls scattered everywhere, they were at every corner, all the people the lions has eaten in the past.

This place was terr!fying

Shamara clinged onto me as she shakes all over.