The tiny church

The church was tiny and cheap, with wooden windows. Pictures that reminded members to give offerings and pay their tithes hung in different locations of the lemon green painted wall. The smell of dying flowers filled the air as the warm rays of the morning sun were reflected off its brick walls. Instead of pews, plastic chairs were arranged in three rows across the hall. Youths sat in the centre, children left, and the elderly sat on the right.

Uche, seated in the middle row behind, watched suspiciously, filled with awe. This would be the first time in two years he had been in a church. Sundays for him was a time to rest and read more about atheists from the likes of Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens. Not coming to waste three to four hours of his precious life listening to lies and fabricated stories, praying to a god that doesn't exist and shouting 'Amen' to false promises.

A short, fair-skinned man who was most likely in his early forties ascended the altar shortly after. He cleared his throat into the microphone and adjusted the glass pulpit before he began his sermon on "What makes a good home?"

The highlight of the sermon was, "God should be the centre of every Christian home. Love and charity should be the cornerstone. There should be access to good sex every day, if at all possible. After all, it was designed by God for married couples to enjoy…" The majority of the congregation, including Uche, burst out laughing at this final point, which sent them all reeling. It is said that these people love sex and this proved it.

The remainder of the service was just like the rest he had attended previously in other places. During the offering, everyone danced around happily to deposit the little they have. Since the Lord is looking at your heart, not your wallet, those who made no offerings danced the most. He understands.

When it was time for testimony, four people hurried outside to declare the Lord's goodness in their homes and hearts. A frail-looking old woman told them of how the lord prevented her only goat from going blind. This once more sent the church into a roar of laughter.

Uche shook his head in pity for the villagers. On his way to the church, he counted over four different churches, but in the community as a whole, not even a bakery was present. They lacked good water, no electricity, no mobile network, schools were few, no jobs but churches were present in every corner. Well, since we are only here to get ready for "Heaven," what use are those?

'Churches are the same, attended by people who are unwilling to use their brains but are willing to believe in a higher power that cannot be proven true,' he concluded before leaving the church, vowing never to return.

*

"Ada, do you know that Uche is from my village?" Ome said excitedly, hands in Uche's arms as they journey back from church.

"I thought Uche was Igbo; when did that change?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, sarcasm present in her voice.

"Yes, but his mother is from my village."

Directing her question to Uche, "Is that true?" she asked.

"Yeah." He nodded in agreement.

"Hmmm. That reminds me," Ada snapped her finger. "All through the service, you didn't move, you didn't sing, you didn't even stand up to give an offering. Are you okay?"

He chuckled. "So, I was the one you were watching all through the service?"

"Yes. Now answer my question. Don't change the subject?"

"Uche, that's true. I noticed it too. I was going to ask you later." Omo added.

"Nothing..." he placed both hands in his pockets. "I wasn't in the mood."

"You were not in the mood to worship Christ, your maker?" Ada thought aloud.

"That's a lie. You were all laughing and wanting to hug me as we went, but immediately we entered the church, your countenance changed." Omo corrected.

"I was simply not in the mood." He responded and turned his gaze. "We are really in a remote village oh. Look at the state of disintegration of these mud houses on both sides of the road."

"Stop trying to change the topic," Ada said. "We are genuinely interested in you. All we have in this place is one another."

"Yes… so tell us what the matter is." Omo asked, thinking he was having a problem.

"I don't believe in it," he murmured with eyes straight up.

"Believe in what?" Ada enquired, looking perplexed.

"Believe in God."

Both ladies burst into a peal of long laughter. They thought he was joking. Done laughing, they studied his face and to their mutual horror, he was dead serious.

"You are joking, right?" Omo asked, wrinkles forming on her forehead.

"No, I am not," he shook his head. "I don't believe in God."

"How can someone in Nigeria with all this craziness going on not believe in God?" Ada paused, trying to understand the ignorance of this young man.

"Uche, why don't you believe?" Omo questioned.

"It does not make any sense."

"How can you say Christianity doesn't make sense?" Going on the defence, Ada asked.

"Can we not talk about this right now?" He pleaded. "I don't like discussing religion with my friends. They usually don't like me very much after the conversation."

"No, tell us… how does it not make any sense?"

"Because a talking snake persuaded a rib-woman to eat from a magical tree, do you guys think that if you eat his flesh symbolically and telepathically tell him that you accept him as your master, he can take away an evil force from your soul that exists in humanity and make you live forever? Uche went on without catching his breath as he poured out a bit of his heart to them.

"How does that make any sense?" He concluded, looking directly at Omo.

"Jesus!" Omo exclaimed and abruptly pulled her hand from his grip after giving him a stare. She was joined by Ada and together they increased their pace, leaving the atheist behind.

The rest of the journey was quiet for Uche. He followed closely behind, observing and admiring the beauty of nature. This could be a remote village lacking all the basic social amenities but it was damn clean and beautiful. Very compound swept to near perfection. The tiled road was freed from dirt. These people were the cleanest set of individuals he has seen. He failed to admire them on their way to church as he was lost in Omo's eyes.