There are messages you read once and laugh. Others you read twice and lock your phone. But then there are those that stick in your brain, make your heart beat a little faster, and leave your mouth dry like you swallowed hot ash. That was the kind of message I got that night.
I was on my couch watching cartoons with my daughter. My phone buzzed. I checked casually, thinking it was my wife reminding me to warm her tea. But the name that flashed across the screen wasn’t hers. It was Pastor J, the man who had officiated our wedding, laid his hand on our heads, and even preached about purity like his tongue had never tasted temptation.
The message said, “Si uko na paja ya malaika. Please pray for me or marry me.” I reread it in silence. My daughter looked up and asked why I had paused the cartoon. I told her the Wi-Fi was buffering. My hands were shaking. I didn’t know whether to laugh or call my wife. But I knew I needed to act fast. This was not the kind of text you delete and forget.
I scrolled up the chat. To read more click here.