Yanga awoke from lying on the ground. He looked around, seeing only darkness everywhere. How did he end up in this place, he pondered to himself. Slowly, he stood up, trying to make sense of his pitch-black surroundings.

Suddenly, he heard something. It sounded like footsteps. Someone was stepping towards him.

Yanga felt the little hairs on his neck stand up. Whatever was out there, it was coming towards him. Could it be something hazardous, he thought. He wasn’t sure.

“Hello?” Yanga called out, his voice echoing in the darkness. “Is there anyone here?”

He saw something in the direction of where the footsteps were coming. A faint light showed him a silhouette of a figure standing in the distance. As the figure came closer and closer, the light would glow brighter and brighter.

The figure came closer, enough for Yanga to see what or who it was. A man dressed in white robes, walking barefoot and wearing a crown of thorns, approached him. He smiled as he did so. “Hello, Yanga. I’ve missed you greatly.”

Yanga looked at him with shock written all over his face. He looked at his hands and feet. He saw the holes in the hands, which were the size of nails and gasped. He immediately recognised who he was. “Is it You?”

The man, still smiling, replied, “Yes. It is me, my child”.

Yanga gulped. “Is it judgment day?” He asked.

The man simply laughed and shook his head.

“What are you doing here?” Yanga asked, still dumbfounded.

“To see you. I felt something was amiss in you. Your spirit was weak”.

Yanga suddenly frowned. An unsettling feeling flooded his brain.

“Can I ask you something?” The man asked.

Yanga simply nodded. He knew something was troubling. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be here.

“Why did you forsake me? Why did you stop believing in me?”

Yanga sighed heavily. “I don’t know. I’ve been facing a tough time. I put everything to you before. I.was that good prayerful boy, with childlike wonder, worshipping you without question. I just thought that all of my worries would disappear… but then, everything went south in my life. I watched my mother getting sick. I watched her say her goodbyes on her deathbed. I cry myself to sleep, thinking about what went wrong. How did I end up in a position where I am in debt and unemployed.”

Tears formed in his eyes, and he hung his head in shame.

“Then, one day, it all just felt like a waste. It felt pointless, like no one was listening to me. Like you weren’t there. Like I was just alone. I just gave up, like some weakling.” He sighed and paused for a moment. “I can even remember the last time I read the Bible. Heck, I’ve even lost the crucifix I used to wear.”

“I see,” said the man, with his eyebrows furrowed. “I’m not going to lie to you. I’ve seen your suffering. I’ve seen your pain, and I am truly sorry.”

He brought his hand to Yanga’s chin and lifted his head to make eye contact. “Don’t be ashamed. A lot of people lose their faith in me. I just want you to know this”, he placed his other hand on Yanga’s right shoulder, “I assure you, all the pain and the suffering you have experienced will soon be gone. I will change your life for the better.” He then pulled him closer and embraced him. “You have me by your side. I will always watch over you”.

Yanga felt like his tears were burning. The man held him by his shoulders again. Seeing him in tears, he started to wipe them away.

Yanga sniffled, still overwhelmed by his emotions. “So what do I do now?”

With a warm smile, he answered, “Just keep believing in me. I’ll sort everything out.”

****

Yanga’s phone alarm rang, pulling him from his deep slumber. Immediately, he got up from his bed, wondering if what had happened was a dream.

He looked at his light stand. There lay the Bible that he had barely touched in months. On top was his crucifix. Yanga was spellbound. This wasn’t just some dream that he had. It was an encounter. He took the crucifix and wore it on his neck like he used to.

His phone pinged, and a message popped up on his screen. It read:

“I’ll always walk with you.”

He smiled. For the first time in months, he kneeled on his knees and started to pray. He had a newfound strength within him. Deep inside, he felt that something had changed within him. His faith was reinstated.