Wan Waet Hat blong Florence
Man we i raet i stap long Mijigan, YSA.
Florence Onyejekwe i gat tetin yia i kasem nomol ples blong wan maket aotsaed long Onitsha, Naejeria we ol man oli fulap long hem. Rod i fas long ol man we oli stap salem ol samting mo stap singaot i go long ol man we oli stap bisi blong pem samting. Ol woman oli putum ol samting long hed blong olgeta taem oli wokbaot. Skul i jes finis from holidei i stat, mo Florence i save se ol fren blong hem oli stap glad from oli spel long skul. Be Florence i stap spendem ol holidei blong hem blong salem ol defren kaen lif blong kuk o blong medesin long maket. Hem i wan janis ia nomo we hem i gat blong winim mane blong skul fi.
Nomata hemia, Florence i no komplen. Mama blong hem i stap spendem ol longfala aoa long maket evri dei blong salem yam blong pem kakae blong famli. Mama i wok had tumas. Tugeta papa mo mama i wok had. Be from tufala no kasem plante edukesen, tufala i save mekem smol nomo. Florence kolosap bae i finis long praemeri skul. Ating sapos hem i save gohed long skul blong hem, bae hem i save kasem wan wok we oli pem gud hem mo helpem famli blong hem.
Taem hem i kambak long haos, Florence i go luk papa mo mama blong hem mo askem, “?Yu ting se bae mi save go long sekendri skul? Mo afta ating yunivesiti?”
Mama i lukluk Nnam (papa) mo saksakem hed blong hem. “Yunivesiti i sas tumas bitim wanem we yumi gat,” Nnam i talem. Florence i lukluk daon long ol sus blong hem. Hem i no wantem Mama mo Nnam i luk hamas hem i harem nogud.
Sam dei i pas, Florence i stop long hospital blong pikimap sam meresin. Hospital i bisi kolosap semmak long maket, be i nogat tumas noes. Florence i stap lukluk ol nes long ol waet hat blong olgeta. Hem i pikjarem hemwan long wan yunifom olsem, stap helpem ol sikman mo lukaot long ol bebi long wan bigfala hospital. Ating hem i save kam wan nes.
Florence i save se papa mo mama blong hem i raet—blong kasem wan edukesen bae i had. Be Florence i save olsem wanem blong wok had. Hem i disaed blong traem.
Nomata hamas wok blong haos i fulumap dei blong hem, Florence i mekem taem blong stadi. Hem i pasem ol tes blong go long sekendri skul, mo Nnam i kaon smol inaf blong mekem hem i go. Afta, hem i faenemaot se gavman bae i help blong pem nesing skul. !Drim blong hem hemia nomo!
Be taem i kam long taem blong statem nesing skul, Florence i gat tu tingting lelebet. ?Wanem sapos i had tumas? ?Wanem sapos hem i filim se hemwan nomo i stap? Florence i benem hed blong hem mo i prea, “Dia God, plis givim mi paoa blong go long nesing skul mo wok had.”
Long nesing skul, Florence i lanem olsem wanem blong givim meresin mo kipim ol tul i klin aot long toti bebet. Samtaem ol sikman blong hem oli kam oraet, be samtaem oli no kam oraet. Fulap taem Florence i prea blong gat strong paoa long tingting. Afta ltri longfala yia, Florence i graduet wetem praes blong bes studen long klas blong hem. Drim blong hem i kam tru! Hem i gat janis blong werem ol waet hat blong nes, mo hem i save winim inaf blong helpem famli blong hem.
Plante yia afta, Florence i bin visitim wan smol branj long Gana Akra Misin. Hasban blong hem, Christopher Chukwurah, hem i bin misin presiden longwe. Florence i mitim sam pikinini long branj we oli no bin save go long skul evri taem. Oli no bin sua wanem blong mekem wetem fiuja blong olgeta. Oli mekem Florence i tingbaot taem hem i olsem wan pikinini. ?Wanem nao mi save talem blong helpem olgeta? Florence i prea long hat blong hem.
Afta hem i harem klia toktok blong Tabu Spirit: Talem long olgeta abaot laef blong yu.
Florence i bin tingbaot laef blong hem. Hem i bin wok long ol hospital long Naejeria mo long Yunaeted Stet. Hem i bin maredem wan gud man, mo tugeta tufala i bin faenem Jos Ia blong Jisas Kraes blong Ol Lata-dei Sent. Hem i bin kam wan mama. Naoia hem i stap helpem ol misinari oli stap helti mo wok had. Papa long Heven i bin helpem hem i kam wan nes. Hem i bin helpem Florence blong mekem moa bitim wanem we hem i bin tingting long hem. Hem i save mekem i semmak blong ol pikinini ia.
Florence i bin lukluk ol pikinini mo smael. “?Yu save ol waet hat we ol nes oli stap werem? Mi bin luk wan waet hat olsem mo mi disaed blong kam wan nes …”