FIRST TO ARRIVE.

“I think I need a visit to Bimpe’s room.” I said to myself one cool evening.

I stood up from my bed so as to ease myself in the restroom before going to where I had in mind.

I am a resident of “Look and Live hostel”: a three storey building with Up to forty rooms and several Wings.

The hostel is one of the Biggest at Sugar Town area; one of the most Populated areas by students of my institution.

My hostel was one you could call a ‘Living Water Ministry members and Muslim Hostel’; as 50% of the residents there were members of the Living Water Ministry, with the next 35% as Muslims while the remaining 15% belonged to none of the two groups.

I and three of my friends one of which was Bimpe were among the 50% LW members in the building.

Sharon who is the fifth in the Clique lived not too far from our hostel and spent most of her day in our hostel most especially Bimpe’s room.

“I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I’m not enough.” Lauren Daigle’s voice rang out from my phone as soon as I stepped inside the restroom.

I turned back quickly to pick it from where it was on my bed.

It was Bimpe.

“Who is in for a Conference call?” Bimpe shouted excitedly immediately I picked the call.

“I was just preparing to come to your room. Well, get Chinazo and the rest connected. Thank God for Close Users Group Line. ” I replied not wanting to kill her excitement.

“Abi oo. Give me few seconds.”

“Adebisi Mercy O, how far?” a Voice greeted immediately she joined the call.

“Chinazo, I dey oo. Where is Sharon?”

“That’s my cue!” An excited voice said as we all laughed.

“Pele! (Sorry.) Be feeling yourself there.” Bimpe replied.

Chinazo chuckled.

“This girls henn; it is well.” I thought smiling.

“It’s Chinazo that use to say igbo girls are beautiful; Sharon too has started her own.” I said.

“Before nko? We are beautiful oo. Abeg!” She said as I tried to picture her face at that moment.

“Where is G.G ? Bimpe, didn’t you add her ?” Chinazo asked.

“Dear, I am here.” God’s Glory who we call G.G replied.

“Welcome. G.G, hope you are doing well?” I asked concerned.

“I’m fine. Today’s Activity in the school just stressed me out a bit.”

“Sorry, find time to rest. ” I said.

“I will. Thanks dear.”

“Henhen! Mercy” Bimpe called.

“Yes! Is something wrong? ” I asked.

“Nothing much. Just have a question for you. Please who were you talking to on phone when we were in Chinazo’s room yesterday?”

“Let me be direct, who were you using Bedroom voice for?” She asked bluntly.

“Me? Bedroom voice? When was that?” I asked confused.

Everyone kept silent.

“Sharon, do you remember when we heard her telling someone about how her day went; she was even telling the person where she was and what we were doing. Actually it sounded like the person knows all of us because she was saying “You know how Sharon can be so funny sometimes?” “I’m getting to know them better.” and so many things like that.”

“Oh! I remember. I looked at her questionably the moment I heard my name but she didn’t even observe I was looking at her.” Sharon replied.

“I noticed you looked at her.” Bimpe added.

“Mercy, who was it? How can you be talking about me to someone? ” Sharon asked trying to feign seriousness.

“Tor! See as Sharon is so serious on top my matter.” I chuckled.

“Why do you people want to know?” Chinazo said uninterested.

“I’m wondering. Who is the ‘Bro’ that knows all of us?” Bimpe replied.

“Bimpe ! How do you know that it’s a Brother?” G.G asked.

“I’m not a Kid. I know what I’m saying.” she replied with a serious tone.

“OK, everyone. But are you sure you want to know who I was talking to?” I asked silently.

“Yes.” Sharon replied quickly.

I smiled. I couldn’t wait to hear their comments if I told them the “Bro” I was talking to.

I lay down on my bed as I thought of how to begin.

“I was talking to my Best Friend.” I started as they listened.

“I was talking to God.” I finally said.

“Adebisi son sere ni? (Are you joking?) It was as if you were on a call with someone now.” Sharon objected.

“Yes! That was because I choose to use that approach.” I replied immediately.

“Tell me more.” Bimpe said as Chinazo chuckled.

G.G had been silent so far so I concluded she was paying attention.

“You see we were all in the room talking and I just felt like talking to God.”

“I wouldn’t really be able to concentrate if I put on a serious Prayer mood there, so an idea just popped in my head. It sounded funny to me at first but I tried it and it was so amazing. It was just like someone was at the other end of the phone.”

“Like… we were communicating.” I said stressing the “communicating”.

“Hmm!” G.G said.

“You know, I see God as a different person per the situation I am. That may sound somehow but what I mean is sometimes I relate with him as a daughter to father, sometimes as a student to her Teacher, sometimes as a friend that I can share my thoughts with but you know yesterday it was as if the Holy Spirit was my gist partner.” I stopped.

“Hmm!” Sharon said before I continued.

“Yes, I knows he knows about Sharon and everything I talked about but the amazing thing is he listens. God loves us and he wants us to love him too not just in words but in our actions. You know throughout the moments I was on “the call” I was happy. Like, there was just this Joy in my heart.”

“My friends, fellowship with God is sweet and wonderful. Having friends is superb; relating and gisting with each other is awesome; the Father wants to see us dwell together in unity and in love, but more than that how is our relationship with God?”

“If friends desert you, if a situation comes up where no human personality can help you, who will you turn to?

“The Holy Spirit is the One Friend that will be with you no matter the circumstances; as long as you let him.”

“He is the only one that you are 100% sure of that your Love for him is not a one sided Love; because he Loves you.”

“It’s high time we stop thinking of the Holy Spirit as a “Ghost” or a “force”; because he is a Personality.”

“He is just as real as I know you ladies are real. He is always there for us. He teaches and directs us into all truth. ”

“So my sisters, let us make use of this precious gift the Father has given unto us.” I concluded.

“God will help us.” G.G said.

“Amen. Bimpe, have you known the “Bro” now?” Sharon said laughing.

“Yeah! I was listening.” Bimpe replied.

Silence.

“Anyways, I feel like drinking something chilled.” Bimpe said yawning.

“Well, use the shop down the street.” Chinazo said as I smiled.

I turned on my bed as I noticed the chilled Hollandia Yoghurt I had placed on my table earlier.

I smiled as an idea came to my mind.

“Who is in for some few minutes prayer?” I asked.

No reply.

“See, Mercy I want to sleep.” Bimpe broke the silence as we laughed.

“You know what happened today?” I chuckled.

“What again?” Bimpe asked.

“I went to Pastor Durodola’s Office today and he gave me one Big Chilled Hollandia Yoghurt.”

“Oh my God! Well Mercy, I know you are not stingy, please send my portion to my room. God bless you.” Bimpe shouted as we laughed.

“See Bimpe oo. Na only you sabi drink Hollandia Yoghurt?” ( Are you the only one that can drink Hollandia yoghurt?) G.G asked.

“It belongs to only one person actually.” I said catching their attention.

“Really?” Sharon said.

“Mercy, I don’t get.” Bimpe said.

“You know when Bimpe said she wanted to drink a chilled drink, I remembered the Yoghurt but I want us to pray together as regards what we just discussed as it is something important. So the first person to get to my room will take the drink.”

“I don’t agree oo! I will have to come down the stairs. ” Bimpe said.

“Bimpe , are you really complaining? What should I do then? My room is at another section of the Building entirely.” Chinazo said as she hissed.

“It’s on my table. Just enter and it’s yours.” I announced.

“Oh!” Bimpe said as we heard her stood up quickly.

“Bimpe, Wait. I’m coming to collect the “Ever Increasing Faith” that I borrowed you. ” Chinazo called out.

“It’s okay… Chinazo, you think I’m not wise. My sister is in the room, she will gladly attend to you.”

We laughed as we realized what she wanted to do.

“Bimpe, remember me when you get the Hollandia.” G.G added.

“It’s all right.” Bimpe replied.

In few seconds;

Knock! Knock!

“Who is there? ” I asked.

“Mercy, open the door.”

“Bimpe, did you fly?” I said as I opened the door.

“Bimpe!” Chinazo called from her side as Bimpe made for my table.

She picked the yogurt and said dancing, “I’m the First to Arrive.”

“Motide oo.” (I am here.) Chinazo said as she opened the door and entered.

She walked straight to my Kitchen.

“End the Conference Call, Bimpe !” Sharon said as she also entered.

She was about shutting the door when G.G stretched her hand in to stop the door and walked in gently.

“Hollandia has caused something serious.” I said laughing.

“Mercy, you did not drink the Custard you prepared in the morning?” Chinazo asked from the Kitchen.

“Yes; i didn’t really enjoy it.” I replied.

Bimpe looked towards the Kitchen;

“What are you looking for in there ?”

“Cup .”

Bimpe chuckled.

“Mercy, thank you. Let’s pray so I can calmly take this yoghurt.” She said holding the Bottle up for any who cared to notice.

Chinazo entered with four Cups.

“Chinazo, what do you want to use four cups for?” Sharon asked surprised.

“Haha! It’s for everybody now.”

“Please, I did not tell you that I want to do Charity work.” Bimpe said.

Chinazo winked at her.

“Oya, Let’s start worshipping the name of the Lord.” Bimpe said immediately as we laughed.

“Who is like unto thee, Oh Lord.” She sang and as soon as we realized she was serious, we all joined her.

Chinazo placed the cups on the Table as I whispered to Bimpe to continue leading us in the prayer section.

We spent about forty minutes praying and G.G finally rounded up for us.

“Thank you for the Hollandia, Mercy.” Bimpe said as she rose up.

I nodded as I looked at each of them; “Thank you for coming. You know It gladdens my heart when things like this happen; when we Talk together, pray together…”

“… and Drink together.” Sharon completed as she placed the Cups before Bimpe.

We all looked at Sharon questionably as she gave an innocent smile.

“Bring one more cup so It will go round.” Bimpe said to Sharon as I smiled.

We all had a taste of the Chilled Hollandia Yoghurt.

“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in Unity.” Psalm 133:1

#Friendship
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