One picture: Reflection, Tears and Hope

Introduction

I love scrolling through my gallery, this brings back some memories that hit me so deep. Others makes me smile and laugh out loud remembering what happened.

Whenever I pass the picture above, the memory that comes to my mind is a somber reflection that brings tears of joy. The photo doesn't have much details to think about. You can see me smiling with my backpack wrapped around my chest instead of my back and no one would look at this picture and think that deep inside, I was dying.

Are you curious to know why?

Let me take you back to my year one days at the University of Delta, Agbor.

The story behind the picture:

How it started

That day I woke up so early, thinking about where my next food will come from. No foodstuff at home, my money had finished, same with my roommate. Funny thing was that we had gas but no food. I didn't want to miss lectures that day so I had no choice but to attend.

I didn't overthink my situation. I took my bath, brushed my teeth and off I went to school. I had to trek. From my house to school was about 40 to 50 minutes on foot.

I didn't want anyone to noticed my plight. I sat through every single lecture that day on an empty stomach. I was weak, no hope for money or food, even transport fare to take me home. Just my notebook, my pen and my hunger quietly sitting beside me.

On my way back from lectures

After the last lecture finished I picked up my bag and headed home. I branched into the bush to ease myself and behold I found a bunch of plantain that had already been cut. Immediately it crossed my mind, "God is this the way you're using to feed me today?" There was no farm in sight.

To a hungry student who had walked to school and back on an empty stomach, it felt like God had placed it there just for me. I opened my school bag and started breaking the plantain into my bag until I was full. That's why I was carrying it on my chest in that photo, it was too heavy to carry on my back 😂

At home

When I got home I told my roommate about it and other students were in my room too, they understand too how it feels when hunger strikes. They didn't judge, hungry was truly in the air. I fried the plantain and we gathered and eat together.

My Conclusion

I want to be honest, even now I sometimes feel if what I did was completely right. But in that moment I was desperate and I was grateful to God. I know God understands best. That photo reminds me on how far I've come since my year one in higher institution. And I never forget that sometimes grace comes in an unexpected way.