How I became a dedicated Christian

Growing up as a kid I was very adventurous and quite playful. I would skip Sunday masses just to join the kids in the neighborhood to play.

As kids, we had different types of plays. I will mention a few; football, akpa, rubber ring, koso, balam, wale, riding tyre, building mud houses, catching para and of course swimming ( which I quitted due to my terrible experience).

My grandmother who was a terrific church goer and a radical for Christ noticed my mischievous act and decided to place me under supervision to ensure that I stopped skipping masses on Sundays.

Being a member of Legion of Mary society in church, she had to leave the house very early on Sundays for the praesidium meetings before mass at 8:00am. She would instruct me to ensure I went to church else I would face a punishment from her.

I always agreed to consent to her instructions. Yes, I did but in a different way. I would go out to play on Sunday mornings and when it was almost time for the mass to be over, I would hurriedly prepare myself and rush to the church just to register my presence. I would make sure she saw me within the church premises just to confirm that I went to church.

I continued doing this for a while and I thought I was smart and filled with wisdom.

One Sunday, I got carried away while playing with some kids and I forgot about my regular timing.
I remembered very late but still had to do the needful to avoid being punished. I prepared as usual and hurried to the church.

I had not gone halfway before I met my grandmother coming back from the church. Mass was already over. I knew I had gotten into trouble and with immediate effect I starting trembling with fear.

My grandmother noticed my action and knew at once that I had skipped mass. She grabbed me by the hand and took me home. On reaching the house, she flogged the demon of play and insouciance out of me with reckless abandon.

Henceforth, I became a full time church goer. I went on to become the vice president of a legion of Mary praesidium in my church. Infact I can remember vividly while serving as a vice president of that praesidium in 2013, I attended 52 out of 52 meetings in a year. That is, I attended 52 masses, closed from the masses and attended 52 meetings on Sundays.

Till date I barely skip masses.