Chapter 47

Cushane's pov

"Why was everything so strange yesterday with Mr. Moses?" I asked Lamais finally thinking now is the right time to ask.

She look at me then fold her hands together and say. "Angels were rejoicing with him."

"Eli Ben nah," I uttered shaking.

I glance at her then look away feeling confused at my outburst just now. "That's confirmation of the holy spirit. When you keep your spirit clean you allow our maker to work through you, try not to defile your temple." She states calmly.

"Excuse me," Karly says coming from the stairs and we both turn to look at her.

Nervously she states to Lamais. "Brother Kirkland is downstairs wanting to see you and I'm afraid its not good news."

What awful timing, I say in my head wanting to voice my opinion about her going to Fort Augustus to have prison ministries. She stood and so did I, then we went downstairs behind Karly to see Bro. Kirkland. He had a letter clutched in his hand and his eyes were very red, it was clear he had been crying. He hand over the letter to Lamais after she stared straight at him for a few seconds, it's something in time I'll get used to. She nods her head at him and then stooped releasing a mournful wail shocking me.

"What! What is it?!" I ask in fright.

"Our dear brother Moses has passed on this afternoon peacefully in his sleep," Brother Kirkland responds.

I grip Lamais around her waist and pull her to her feet, gently I direct her to one of the comfortable verandah chairs and let her sit. I close my eyes for a few seconds wanted to unhear what I've just hear, I felt hurt as if I had known the man all my life and I sat down beside Lamais feeling weak. There was only good things that have been spoken about the man and I know that he's highly respected in the community, his sudden death will now put the community in mourning.

"It's okay honey," I whisper as I lie beside Lamais that night.

"I adored that man, he is the most kind, respectful and pleasant man I've ever known. I already miss him," she says in a slightly hoarse voice.

Mr. Moses has left two acres of land to Lamais, one farmed and one cleared to be built on. He has left shrewd instructions for her to follow and ordered her to be at the reading of his will. One of his lawyer contacted her three days later and told her that she should be present for the reading of the will confirming his written words. The whole community was in mourning, everyone was grieved. The days seem to drag by sadly and my excitement of being a father was pushed to the back, my family had to offer congratulations as well as their condolences when they called.

The day of the set-up finally came and it was duly set to be the biggest event of the season. I wondered if the church will be able to hold everyone as we walk through the throngs of people gathered at Mr. Moses' yard for the set-up. The band was being set up whilst prayer choruses were sung, and then Minister Kirkland prayed an heartwarming prayer. There was a round of applause that followed the chorused "Amen" and then the band began to play with a male singer.

"God is a good God and he always will be Godddd..." The man sang melodiously.

We found a place where we could stand and a brother brought a chair for Lamais to sit on, I was so grateful. I was thinking the place was already too packed but vehicle loads of people kept arriving, Shanty and Karly flanked Lamais on both sides and Sis. Kirkland, Sis. Brown sat on seats in front of them preventing by standers from coming up to Lamais. Trays with cups of hot goat soup was distributed, the band's picked up and had the crowd in a frenzy making it hard to drink while dancing.

"Bishop a touch di mic?" The man singing asked and Shanty shouted.

"Yes."

Lamais stood and the patrons step aside so she and Shanty could pass, Shanty gave the man one of Lamais's cordless microphone from her bag and he connects it and hand it back over to her. "Mic check," she says and then signal to the drummers to get ready to play.

"Our dearly beloved brother Moses has taken his leave from this life's journey and has gone to rest. He will not be forgotten, neither will his good deeds for the lifetime of many of us. On behalf of this community and the church that is set apart from all others, condolences to the bereaved family. Without further ado, I give to you Bishop Lamais."

What a great speech from Shanty, I think glancing at her husband standing beside me. She hands the mic to Lamais who says before she started to sing. "Big up brother Moses who now resides in the resting realm. Mi come here under di Holy Ghost and fully annointed, gi mi some room."

"Mi puppa sey nuh walk a night."

Lamais only uttered one sentence of a song I've heard Bro. Kirkland played a couple times and the patrons went into an uproar. The band continued to play without her singing, but when I look back to where she was she, Shanty and a couple more sisters was dancing like crazy. I was worried because she is pregnant and although they are in a small clearing the crowd was too much and going wild. When she began singing again it was history.

The funeral went without a hitch and Minister Kirkland committed the body to the earth. This is the first funeral I've seen hosted by Lamais and I was extremely pleased by the respect and reverence shown to the dead, Brother Moses got a great funeral. Lamais took Minister Kirkland to the reading of the will the following evening and she informed me of all that took place. Mr. Moses had leave her seventeen million dollars, his whole life savings for her to carry on her work as a bishop, to build a training centre of her choice on the property and to use the resources made from his crops to replant and pay for other expenses such as land tax and water.

Lamais's pov

Shanty made sure all my clothes and robes to be worn to the prison ministries was flowy enough to hide my small baby bumb, Msrah says she behaves as if she is actually the one carrying the child and he cannot wait to see if I was going to allow her to move in my child with them. She is an over protective mama bear and my pregnancy is being kept secret within the small circle of those closest to me. Only a selected few will be attending prison ministry with me, I was not afraid but will be very cautious.

The drive was long but we manage to leave out early and reach on time. The wardens and officers were out mostly to see who I was than join in the worship, I think as I stood poised under their scrutinizing gaze. The ministers I assigned delivered the messages with zeal and gusto for our first two visits, I didn't see Nicole on those two occasions, but got a letter from her which Shanty grabbed from the warden's hand. After she read it, I told her to respond to the letter stating that I forgive her and we are all humans inclined to act upon our hurt feelings at times. In my heart I didn't mean it and it gave me restless nights for the following six nights.

Don't you trouble Zion... don't you trouble Zion... Zion have a key, to open sinners doors... so don't you trouble Zion... I am a warrior, a Holy Ghost warrior, wid mi bible... in a mi right hand. My bible and I... my bible and I... what a wonderful treasure... God as give in the meadow... we will travel together... my bible and I...

I sang a few hymns to get everyone to sing but the sermon was falling flat, Kemar made several sequence of drum roll in an effort to spruce things up but even that didn't make the inmates join in with the singing. Sister Tishawna took over afterwards counseling and encouraging the inmates, wardens and officers, she did a good job and then Minister Kirkland prayed. Karly sang a prayer hymn then put me on to preach, it was then that I saw Nicole a few yards away with a ferocious looking woman chatting in her ear.

"I serve a way maker, a mountain mover, a forgiver of sins, the great I am. Whatever your situation today, wether you're guilty of being imprisoned here or not I want to tell you something. God, watches over whom he chooses, those he love, those who put their trust in him and those who gives him full authority over their lives. Mi nuh come fi pretty up nutn, if you're a murderer and yuh evil mi nuh like yuh. If you have taken an innocent person's life without remorse I pray Hell be your portion. No I'm not an hypocrite preacher who's going to come in here and pray for you and tell you that God is going to forgive your sins if you repent." [pause]

"You first have to be sorry, repent and ask for God forgiveness. I can't tell you being a christian is easy and that your soul will be saved if you die after you've baptized, but I can tell you that if you trust God and put him at the head of your life, your life will be different. Each one of you today has a story different from every other, look at me do you think I'm perfect or I have an easy life? There are people, forces and demons hating my very existence. Still I have to get up each day for the purpose that I opened my eyes for, to come here and preach to you wether you believe in God or not, so that you won't just give up. If you think my life is easy think how you would feel to read someone whose soul intentions is to take your life."

To be continued...