1
‘You have one day to leave your apartment’ the notice on the mail read.
Tracy hands shook as she read the news. How could this happen? She had nowhere to go to.
Leaning against her door, she sighed
Things were getting desperate now. Why had she spent so much time doing nothing while the money her parents left her ran out?. She had to find a job and pay her mortgage or she would lose her home.
At five the next morning, she rose and took her shower. The sight of the lights in her apartment made the man in the next apartment mutter ‘I can’t believe she is up this early’ .
Tracy gave a deep, long look at her apartment as
she left, holding a list of all animals hospitals in Ponto in her hand. She had to find a job no matter what. And fast.
The first hospital she went to was in Fenta. She entered a tall stone building with stained windows.
‘We are not looking for a vet now’ a male receptionist told her.
‘If there is no position for a vet, do you have a position for an assistant ,maybe’ She
swallowed.
‘No’

‘Then perhaps as a cleaner, then’ She was fidgeting now
The receptionist signed. ‘ I am sorry Ma,but we have no such position’
Tracy knees buckled under her, so she
reached out to the soft, smooth table in front of her. Removing her hands, she walked away.
Everywhere she went, the reply was the
same. She finally curled up in the seat of a taxi as tears spilled out.
‘Is something wrong?’ The driver asked at the sound of her sniffing.
‘Please take me home’ She could see the world moving on without her outside, everyone busy with one task or the other. I am in trouble, she wanted to yell. But there was no one, no one that would help her.
At home, eyes still teary, she typed the word ‘Homeless shelters’ on her computer.. Many photos of homeless shelter appeared before her, but when she clicked on them one by one, all they could give was a bulk bed in a crowded room and you have to line up for meals in a soup kitchen. And you were only allowed one suitcase. She wanted to just disappear.
But she had no choice. She squared her shoulders. She would pack a bag and move in now. She choose Bedwick, a women shelter that was only seven blocks away.

Tracy was dropped in front of the big spawning manor, her bag by her side. She took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.
A plump, matronly woman with gray hair appeared
‘Hello’ she said.
Tracy looked around, shakily checking that no one she knew was looking. ‘Please, can I have a place here?’ She lowered her voice to sound like a helpless child.
‘Of course you can’ Tracy gasped as the woman pushed the creaky door wide open. ‘Come in’

Loud voices hit her the moment she stepped into the manor. It sounded like a carnival. The inside of the manor looked just like the outside, worn out and in need of fresh paint. What sort of place had she gotten herself into? She would get out the moment she could.
A stab of pain hit her chest as she
she remembered her parents. If only they were alive, this would not have happened.
‘My name is Stella, by the way please follow me to the reception for your registration’the woman told her, waking her from her thoughts.

‘Okay’ She lowered her eyes
She led her into a noisy hallway where a long line of women were obviously waiting to be registered by an old woman.
‘Thank you’ She told Stella as she left .
Tracy waited for her turn with the bespectacled old woman.
‘What is your age, miss?’
‘24’ She whispered her answer.
They filled in her name, former address,
occupation, and even her appearance ‘lean, slightly tall with a heart-shaped face and brown eyes’
‘Room 7,Bed 12’ The old lady said handing over a package and a key-card. As Tracy took the card, she felt her eyes moist again.


Tracy carried her belongings down a noisy crowded corridor looking at the numbering on every door from Room 1 . The whole place had a misty smell to it despite the smell of disinfectant everywhere.
Fretting now, she entered the seventh room. Several woman of different ages were spread across the room, one knitting, another reading. Everyone looked up.
‘Welcome’ said a woman with long red hair coming forward.
Tracy forced a smile. ‘ Thank you’ Looking around, she saw that the beds were all numbered like the room. Her bed was at the far end of the room.

‘ My name is Helen, what’s yours?’ asked the redhead.
Tracy smiled at the woman’s niceness. ‘Mine’s Tracy’
Tracy tossed her bag under her bed and tore open her package. It held a soft blue towel, a quilt ,a blanket,a new toothbrush and a bible with a hard covered cover Tracy ran her hand across.
‘This is too kind’ She felt the tears rising again. ‘Who pays for all this?’
‘The church’ The red head was staring at her. ‘Is something wrong?’
‘Nothing, I just have a lot of problems’ She signed.
‘Come on, cheer up, do you want to go have some dinner’ Helen said
Tracy followed Helen to a dining hall that reeked of food. It was noisy too, as everyone was talking loudly.
They stood in a long line of women until they got to the front. They were handed plates of reddish rice, carrots and a bottle of water.
They took one of the many small tables spread across the room.
‘The grace’ said Helen closing her eyes to pray .Tracy watched her, gripped.
‘You are a Christian?’ she asked once she was done.
‘Yes’ Helen smiled at her.
Tracy waited until they had eaten and were back in their room before she asked another question.
‘Why are you a Christian?’
‘I believe in Jesus’ Helen was still smiling.
‘Why do you believe in him?’
‘The bible says in John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.


Tracy thought for a while ‘You truly believe that’

‘Yes,the bible says in Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Tracy narrowed her eyes. Was it all possible?
‘The bible says that-Matthew 22 37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38This is the first and great commandment. 39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
‘I see’
‘Yea- the bible says-1 John 3:23 -And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
‘I believe, too’ She just knew she was telling the truth. Jesus was the Son of God.
‘I believe, too’ She leaned forward.
‘I want to inherit eternal life’
‘Let’s pray’ said Helen, hugging her.








2
Tracy woke up ,smiling.
It was strange as she was lying on a warm buck bed in a homeless shelter. But she couldn’t help feeling happy about being a Christian .
She sang as cold water splashed her in a public shower, prayed before she ate tasty wafers for breakfast, and was just stepping out of the manor when
It hit her.
I are all alone in this world, I don’t have anything, no job, no family and no home, I am trash came the bad thoughts.
Tracy bent over. It was as if someone had stabbed her in the chest. It felt so painful. What was she going to do?
Anxiety hit her like a storm. What if I never get married? What if I can’t find a job?
‘What’s wrong?’ Helen raised voice jolted her from her thoughts.
‘Oh,I was just thinking’
‘What were you thinking about?’ Helen eyes pierced her.
Tracy bent her neck ‘My problems’
Helen eyes softened a little ‘Will you go for a walk in the park with me?’
Tracy looked at Helen quickly. ‘Eh, well, sure’ She shugged her shoulders.

They walked down the paved road toward the park.
‘So, do you go walking every morning?’ Tracy drew her coat closer as the cold wind hit her.
Helen nodded. ‘I love exercising, I want to run a gym one day’
Tracy smiled. ‘Wow! That’s great, I am a vet myself, I like animals a lot’
‘Wow,that’s great’’
‘Tracy, Do you know how to resist temptations?’ Helen continued.
Tracy widened her eyebrows. ‘Temptations?’
Helen gave her a piercing gaze. ‘Yea, the bible says in Ephesians 6:12 -For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Tracy stopped walking and faced her. ‘Are you telling me that there are evil spirits about?’
Helen stepped closer ‘Yes, Tracy, they try to make people sin so they can go to hell ’
‘The bible says in John 10 7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Tracy held her chest as she started breathing faster. ‘What should we do?’
‘Ephesians 6:17-And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
’
‘The word of God’ Tracy repeated.
‘Yes,the bible says in Psalm 119:11-Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.’
‘So, we need the word of God to resist temptations?’
‘1 Samuel 2:9-He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
‘God truly is mighty’ Tracy eyes were mist. ‘He helps us so much’
‘Yes, Jesus says in John 17:17-Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth’
‘But how did you know to resist temptation with the word of God’ Tracy asked.
‘Jesus spoke the word of God when he was tempted too’ said Helen.
‘Matthew 4:3-4 -And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of GOD.
So we need to live by the word of God as well as food’ She concluded.

‘The word of God really is powerful’ Tracy said

‘Yea, Hebrews 4:12- For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
‘Thanks a lot, Helen’
They had reached the park now, a large enclosure of trees with a playground.
‘Let’s head back’ said Helen
Tracy nodded and held her arm. ‘Tell me more bible verses’
‘James 4: 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you’

Once she was back in her room, Tracy picked up her bible and began to read.
Genesis 1:1-In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
She read for two whole hours
before leaving to look for a job.





Tracy woke up.
I should pray, she thought.
But it is such a sweet morning, why not just stay in bed came the thought
Tracy almost went back to sleep. No,She said . ‘1 Thessalonians 5:17-Pray without ceasing.

She moved out of bed and knelt to
pray.
She moved to take her shower.
Look at me, I have no home ,I am using a public shower, maybe I should kill myself came the depressing thought.
No Tracy said. ‘1 Thessalonians 5:18- In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you’.
Tracy began to sing a thanksgiving song.
She was walking out of the house to go look for a job when bad thoughts came again.
‘Look at you, you have no job, no family, no home’
A sharp pain hit her chest. Her chest felt heavy.
‘It is written- Philippians 4:6-Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God’ she said.
Tracy began to pray, give thanks and tell God what she desired.














3

‘Can I have a newspaper, please?’ Tracy asked a newspaper vendor outside in the cold.
The man handed over the paper to her. She took in the nice papery scent as she sat on a cold stone seats and opened straight to the Jobs section.
There was no offers for a vet. She rested her head on her hand. Her money was fast running out.
You can try finding another Job she
thought
She scanned the papers again. Then she saw one. A part time job walking dogs that paid a dollar a day.
You are a vet, how can you even take a job walking dogs? came the thought
It also came to her mind
2 Thessalonians 3:10-For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
What to do? She thought. I have to obey the word of God.
It is enough to pay for my food and board at the shelter, she moved immediately to go and apply.
She found the large brick
house just a few blocks from her former home.
‘Can I have a job working here?’ She
asked Pete, the blonde haired young man she met in front of the house.
He looked her over. ‘Are you any good with dogs?’
‘Yea, I am actually a vet’

His mouth dropped. ‘Seriously’
She laughed. ‘Yea, but I have never held a Job before, but I want to work hard’
‘You have the Job 100%’ He told her.
‘Thank you very much’
He led her into the low fence
surrounding the house and she counted seventeen dogs in the yard.
They all waged their tails at her.
‘Wow’ She bent low to pet their soft backs one by one.
‘We walk them two by two every day’ said Pete. ‘Their owners come by five to pick them up, I started the business a month ago, but the dogs are becoming too many for one person’
‘Sounds great to me’
‘When do you want to start?’
‘Any time you want’
‘Good, then why don’t you take the two brown ones by the tree over there for a hour long walk’
‘Okay’
She bent low and after petting the brown dogs, she took their rope.

‘Come on’ She jumped forward. She always felt this way near animals.
The dogs jumped after her. She walked them out the yard and into the streets.
She walked them round the block twelve
times before her watch said nine.
Both the dogs and Tracy both jumped their way home.



‘You found a job’ Helen jumped on her once she got to the shelter.
‘Wait, I’m all sweaty’ Plus she was stinking.
Helen took her hands. ‘We should celebrate’
‘It is just a job walking dogs’ Tracy laughed.
‘But it is a start, soon you might even get your own place’
Tracy eyes clouded at the thought. ‘ Oh ,I am so happy but what about you, we should look for a job for you as well’

Helen turned her face away. ‘ I don’t think that would be easy’
‘Why not?’
‘I always fail at whatever I do’
‘Oh,no, don’t say that, didn’t you tell me to speak the word of God instead’
‘- Philippians 4:13- I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
‘We can do it’ Tracy continued. ‘Let stay fighting’
Helen smiled and nodded. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Don’t worry we have our God to help us and he never fails’
Helen laughed and hugged her.

4
Tracy turned her bible sideways on her bed as she read on. It was really early in the morning so the shelter was unusually quiet.
She felt happy and content like she hadn’t felt even when she lived in that big apartment with all the comforts. Everything seemed so different now
The shelter clock stuck five.
It is time to get up, she though I need to be at work before seven.
Why don’t I just sleep a little before getting up , came the strange thought
Another thought flashed her mind
It came to her mind-Proverbs 6-9How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
11So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

She quickly got up from her bed and took her toothbrush. I best get ready.

Tracy headed for the shower to take her bath. Around her noises were now coming from the different beds.
Tracy found Pete stretching in his yard.
‘Good morning’ She called as she opened the wooden gate. Inside the small garden was the lovely smell of flowers.
‘Welcome’ He stuttered at her. She widened her eyes.
‘Thank you’
‘Excuse me’ said a voice. They both jumped and turned. It was a young lady over the fence, holding on to a black dog.
‘I heard this is a dog care institute’ she said. ‘Can you wash and care for my dog while I am at work’
‘Yes, of course’ said Pete, now opening the gate to let her in. ‘ You just need to do some paper work first’
Tracy reached for the slippery dog rope. ‘I take the dog for his wash’ she said.
Before the hour was eight, the yard
was full of dogs. Tracy had her hands full looking after them.

Before she knew it, it was five in the afternoon.
‘Time sure flies fast when you are busy’ She muttered, handing over the last of the dog to their owner. Then she stretched then waved at Pete

‘See you tomorrow’ She signed as she picked her bag from under the a tree.

At the shelter, she found Helen pacing the front of the shelter.
‘What’s up?’ She widened her eyes.
Helen rushed forward. ‘You have to help me find a job, Tracy’
Tracy mouth curved into a smile. ‘Let get to work immediately’
They curled up on Tracy buck bed to look over her computer.
‘Here we go’ They looked over all the job listing they could.
‘What do you thing about this?’ Tracy touched the listing on the smooth screen. ‘it is a job waitressing at a restaurant’
‘No, I will just drop plates everywhere’
Tracy paused and scrolled down the list. ‘Well,what about this job cleaning cars’
‘I might mistakenly hit the windscreen of the
car’
Tracy looked up. ‘Don’t think that, you can do it,remember
2 Timothy 1:7- For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind

Helen bit her lip. ‘You are right’
‘Fine, let me see, why don’t you take this job cleaning rooms at this motel, I am sure you would do just fine’
Helen looked deeply at the job description. ‘It doesn’t sound too difficult’
‘Great, then let go apply’
Helen nodded yes.




‘I can’t believe we both have jobs’ Tracy mounted as the women were walking back from the motel arm in arm.
They were passing by the front of the church right next to the shelter.
A though flashed though Tracy mind. Luke 17- 15And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
She wanted to be like that leper. She had prayed for a job and now had one so she should return to give thanks.
‘I want to go in and give thanks’ Tracy said.
Helen smiled. ‘Let’s go’
The church was a long straight filled with white chairs leading to the altar. It was decorated with massive curtains and was empty
Helen went to the front of the altar and closed
her eyes to pray. Tracy followed suit.


















5

Tracy sipped her warm tea, looking outside the big windows of the manor. Luckily it was Sunday, her day off work.
‘Why don’t I just go back to bed came a dark thought
She recalled the word of God- Hebrews 10:25- Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Tracy decided to go to church.
‘Are you ready?’ Helen appeared by her side wearing a brown dress .
‘Almost’ They were going to the church next door .
They arrived in church ten munities
before the service was to begin. Tracy looked around the church. It looked different today, with a small crowd seated inside.
After the opening prayer,Tracy sang and danced with the others , then sat down for the sermon.
Everyone clapped when the dark-haired paster took the stage.
‘Bring me a bowl of water’ he said immediately and when he got one, he called for and then washed the feet of the ushers one by one.

He returned to the front to read from the large screen in front of the church.
John 13 -12So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Today we talk about service and humility’ said the green-eyed paster. ‘Jesus Christ was God and yet he humbled himself to the cross, we should imitate his example’
Matthew 20- 27And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
‘If you want to be a leader,you should first serve others” The pastor contiuned. ‘We should follow the example of Christ’’

‘How was the sermon?’ Helen asked when the
Service was over and they were sitting at the back of the church

‘It was really great, I learnt a lot about being humble’ Tracy said.
‘Are you new comers?’ asked a voice.
They both turned and saw two young men,one with white skin the other dark skinned,both wearing dark suits.
‘No, I am not, but she is’ said Helen
The darker man helded up a card. ‘My name is Sam,he is Elliot,what are your names,please’
Both ladies said their names.
‘Would you like to join our group?” asked Elliot,his blue eyes sparking.
Both ladies looked at each other. ‘Group?’’ said Tracy.
‘Yea,we go house to house to spread the gospel’’
Tracy got a mental image of four of them walking door to door looking really tired. She gulped
The word of God came to her mind- Mark 16:15 - And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
‘What do you think,Tracy?’’ Helen turned to her.
‘Let do it’’ Tracy nodded. It was her christain duty because Jesus said to.
‘Great’ Both young men smiled.
‘Please give us your numbers and we will call you to make plans’’
‘Thanks a lot’ said Tracy



For the next few days,life contiuned just .
peacefully. Finally, on Wednesday,the two of them stopped at the front of the church.
Sam and Elliot were waiting for them.
‘Thanks for coming’’ Elliot was all smiles when he saw them.
‘We will be using my car’ said Sam
They entered his blue car and set
off for Vengord,a station where they could meet quite a number of people.
‘ Let divide and conquer’ said Sam. Sam and Helen went to preach together.
‘’Let’ s go then’’ Elliot said to her. Tracy gulped. She always shook in front of people.
Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
The Word of God came to her.
She nodded and stepped forward.
First they walked to a middle aged man.
‘Please excuse us, can we have a moment of your
time’ Elliot asked the man.
He glared at them. Tracy drew back a little.
‘What do you want?” asked the man.
‘We want to talk to you about Christ’’ Elliot said softly.
‘Í am not interested’’ The man walked away quickly.
Elliot eyes saddened.
‘Cheer up, why don’t we try that young woman over there?’’
It was a young woman making a phone call near the platform. They walked toward her as she came off her phone.
She shrugged at their request. ‘Why not?’’
Elliot told the story of Jesus, how he died so that anyone who believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God showed his love for us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

The girl listened for a while. ‘I have a bible at home’’ she said. ‘’Í try to read up more’’
Elliot and Tracy both smiled at that.
Time passed on quickly and soon it was time to go home.


















6

Pim
The loud noise joited Tracy.
She was walking home to the shelter,arm aching. And it was already getting dark.
She heard something move and jumped. It was only a rat.
On a large screen high above the road a group of men were sitting in a talk show. ‘Our economy is falling apart,things are getting too expensive these days’one of the men was saying.
Tracy signed as she looked away from the
screen. Money was so difficult to get by .
She got home just after
seven.
‘Will you have one,please’ It was Stella,distributing flyers.
Tracy took one of the flyers and
examined it. It was notice of a fast for the Happy Church
tomorrow because of the economy.They was to meet at six to pray and end the fast.
It was good,Tracy thought,that the Church
was fasting for the ecomomy of Atren. She crawled slowly to Room 7.
On Tuesday morning,she was walking to the dinning room for her breakfast when it came to her mind. It was the day of the fast.
She wanted to fast. She was passing the dining room when the scent of bread,potatoes and fried egg reached her. She salivated.
‘Why dont you go in and just have some’ a thought reached her.
Tracy resisted. She said-Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
She moved past and walked outside the
Manor dragging herself to work.

Tracy spent a fine day with the dog and by
evening, she was at the church beside Helen.
Everyone gathered around and the prayer began.Tracy opened her mouth and gave thanks.
She said the Lords prayer which Jesu s had said to pray and then asked God to help the economy of the world.She prayed for showers of blessing to fall upon the countries of the world and financial security to be the norm everywhere.
Things were going to get better.
She felt sure of it.

Everyone sat down after the prayer.
‘We are taking a donation for the needy now’ said Pastor Micheal. ‘Please lead a help to the helpless’’
Tracy looked down.All the money she had earned-nine dollars- was tied in a handkerchef in her purse. Should she give it?
‘There are people staving who need help’’ said the pastor.
Tracy looked up . She thought of what she she had just read in the bible.
Matthew 25:40- And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

She took out her money
2 Corinthians 9:7- Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver

It came to her mind and she smiled as she handed her money over





7

‘Will you like to live here?’’ Pete asked on the first day in June
Tracy nearly dropped her teacup. ‘Seriously’
‘Yes, of course‘’
Her eyes softened ‘Thanks for the offer, but it would give the wrong impression’’
They were drinking tea in the late afternoon just before Tracy went home.
‘I want to work hard and stand on my own two feet’’ she told him
‘Thanks for all the hard work’’ He said as she stood up to leave.
Back at the shelter, Helen was waiting.
‘How was work?’’ Tracy smiled at the sight of her
friend.
‘Terrific whenever I get discouraged I just say -Philippians 4:13-
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.


The women held hands as they walked towards their room.
Room 7 door was suddenly flung open and two women fell out, hitting each other.
‘How dare you, how dare you’’ The bigger one dragged the smaller one’s hair. Tracy recalled seeing both of them in Church.
‘Please stop’’ Tracy and Helen moved the smaller one away, covering her with their own bodies.
‘Stay out of my way, the girl’s is a thief’’ shrieked the bigger lady
‘I am sorry I stole your money’’ said the small one.
‘Please forgive her’’ Tracy begged for her.
The bigger girl tossed her blonde hair. ‘I would never forgive her’
‘In the past I never used to forgive other people but I changed’’ said Tracy . ‘ I thought to myself of what the gospel says-
Matthew 6-
14For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

The woman paused for a while then drew back. Both Tracy and Helen breathed with relief.
‘Thank you so much’’ Tracy said,
leading the big lady away
Later, Tracy walked down to her room. Curiously, she searched her suitcase for her savings.
She froze for a second then moved her hands very quickly through the bag.
It was gone. She searched again. All her
savings was gone. She turned the suitcase upside down, spilling out clothing and everything else.
‘Are you looking for your money?’’ asked a soft voice. ‘I am sorry, I took it also’’
Tracy turned suddenly. ‘What!”
It was the small female who was being attacked earlier.
‘I had a bad habit of gambling and I steal money to gamble” Her voice was very low.
It is all your savings, beat her up came an angry thought
But she recalled the parable of the unforgiving
servant.
Matthew 18 –
23Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

‘’No’’ she said softly. ‘God has forgiven me all my sins, and now I would forgive others so I won’t be like that ungrateful servant’’
She mounted to the girl to sit next to her.
‘Don’t worry about it, you don’t have to return the money”
The girl burst into tears.
Tracy wiped the tears from her eyes. ‘If you really want to, you can resist the temptation to steal’’
“How?’’
‘You can resist temptation with the word of God like Jesus did when he was tempted by Satan’’
Matthew 4:4-But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

‘Let’s say you are tempted by pride you can say – Proverbs 16:18- Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
‘Or if you are tempted to be sexually immoral you can say- 1 Corinthians 6:18- Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

‘And if you feel the temptation to steal you can say- Ephesians 4:28- Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working withhis hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
The girl rested her head on Tracy shoulder and cried.

8

Tracy spread out her curtain of dark hair and brushed it until it shone.
The wind blew at her hair, cooling her entire body. Suddenly darks thought came.
‘Look at my life, I have nothing and
might not amount to anything’’ it came.
‘What’s wrong, Tracy” Helen asked softly.
Tracy signed. ‘ I keep getting flashes of a hopeless future without a family or a successful career’
‘Oh, please don’t say such a thing’’ Helen cried. ‘It might be evil spirits sending such thoughts to you’’
Tracy froze.
Yea, what you need to say is this- It is written- Matthew 6:33-
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Tracy hugged her friend. “You are always helping me’’
‘What are friends for?’’
Tracy felt teary. She drew back and avoiding her friend’s eye began to repack her brown hair.
She needed to remember that It was a battle for my soul. I should pray over my concerns instead of just fretting.
She walked very early to work the next morning.
‘How are you, my dear’ She bent low to pet the first dog to come in , a grey hound .
Business was booming. The dogs had increased by more than ten.
‘We are doing well’ Pete rubbed his hands
together.
Tracy smiled but her insides felt numb.
Was she to amount to nothing more than a dog walker?
No, she told herself. I would pray and
everything would turn out fine.
Tracy took two Bulldogs for a long walk. The weather was clear and cool and the traffic was low, there was not many cars around.
Near a fence, a group of boys were playing with a ball.
Tracy saw it happen in a flash. The ball flew across the road and the dogs darted after it.
‘Billy, Tom’’ Tracy raised her hands and screamed
But it was too late. Billy was hit by a car and lay on the side, bleeding. Tom only escaped by a whisker.
Tracy rushed towards the dog. The car owner came down, too
She quickly examined Billy.His leg was bleeding badly.
‘ Do you have some water, antiseptic and towel’’ She asked the young car owner.
‘I have only a towel and some water’’ he replied.
He got the towel and some water and Tracy cleaned and bandaged the bleeding leg.
‘We need to take him to a clinic for some medicine’’ She said, holding on to Tom tightly.
‘I take you’’ said the car owner. ‘I am Jason’’

‘ I am Tracy’’ He helped her carry the injured dog to his red car. Inside the car, Tracy made a hurried call to Pete.
He drove her quickly to the nearest vet. Inside Billy was immediately cared for.
‘Thanks for all your help but I will pay’’ She told Jason when he brought out his wallet. He was a slightly tall, lean young man.
‘No, I insist on paying’’ he said.
‘It is not your fault Billy got hurt’ Tracy said. ‘I will pay’
‘ I insist’
Tracy smiled. ‘Thank you’

‘Are you a Christian?’’ She asked
‘No’
Tracy reached into her bag for a Christian flyer
‘Please have this’’ She said
He smiled again as he took it but Tracy remained deep in thought as he took her and the two dogs back to the brick house.


















9

Pete waved Tracy to a chair in his living room the next morning.
‘ We need to talk’ He was keeping his eyes away from her.
Tracy fidgeted ‘What about?’’ She swallowed.
‘Tracy, I would need to let you go’’
Tracy felt like she was sinking. ‘What!”
He fixed his gaze on a painting of the sky hanging above a sofa. ‘Billy owner was very unhappy about the incident yesterday and was prepared to sue, I only managed to persuade him not to but I had to pay him most of my savings’’
Tracy lowered her head. ‘ I don’t know what to say, If I had the money I would pay you back’’
‘Please forget about it, but for the credibility of the business, I have to let you go’’
Tracy tried not to shake. ‘I understand’’
Her insides were hurting but she looked firm as she stood up and forced a smile. ‘Thank you’’
As she walked out of the house with her head held high, she wanted to weep.
Tracy walked home slowly, her heart heavy. She had lost her first job.
The moment she got to her room, she
covered her head with a blanket and began to cry.
She had wanted a better job but now she had
no job at all. What was she going to do?
Pray came the thought.
She closed her eyes and said the Lord prayer then continued. ‘Thank you God for everything you are doing in my life, Please grant me a new, better job”
She wiped the tears in her eyes and laid down to rest.
Later that day, she met Helen for lunch.
‘You lost your Job’’ Helen repeated once Tracy told her the whole story.
‘Yea,and I only have 20 dollars with me now’’
Helen signed. ‘Things will get better’’
Tracy hands felt clammy. ‘What am I going to do
now’’
‘We will look for a new job for you, just like we did with me’’

Tracy smiled ‘Thank you so much’’
Finally she took a spoon of the sweet-smelling soup. It tasted delicious.
Night came soon.
During the night, she stirred at a a strange noise and stirred . Then she fell asleep again.
It was morning when she heard a loud
scream
‘ My box’’ shouted a girl at the far corner. ‘My box is gone’’
Tracy felt her eyes clear at once.
‘My box is gone, too’’ another voice cried.
Tracy threw her covers away and looked down for her suitcase. Everything she owned was gone. Her laptop, her clothes. Everything except the dress she was wearing.
‘Oh no’’ she cried. ‘My suitcase is gone, too’’
‘ Here’’ Helen was pointed to the windows. The windows were removed.
‘Someone broke into our room and stole the
Suitcase’’ said the Taffy, the woman next to Tracy bed. ‘it is awful’’



Troubled, Tracy knelt to pray.
The shelter warden, a tall white female, came in soon. Different loud voices tried to tell her the story.
The shelter warden took the situation calmly. ‘We am sorry about all your losses, and will try to help, I will personally inform management’’
Tracy was at a loss as to what to do. She showered with free soap that was provided and put back her only dress.
The warden came back very soon with a box of old clothing for them to wear out. ‘You will all be given a voucher for 7 dresses and a pack of underwear and 10 dollars spending money”
‘Thank you so much’’ Everyone
was gasping with surprise.
Tracy choose an old brown dress for her trip to the Pas Department store.
‘Here we are’’ Helen said once they got to
the front of the towering building
‘Wow’’ said Tracy as they went in.
The inside of the building was filled with racks and racks of clothing.
Tracy looked around. There were suits, blouses, dresses of varying colours .

‘Let ‘s look around’’
Tracy looked and saw a rack of short skimpy dresses.
‘Why don’t you have one?’’ came a thought ‘You would look so good with it on’’
No she said. ‘I resist in Jesus name, the 1 Timothy 2:9- In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

She chose seven simple dresses, of different colours- a black ,gray, blue, white, ash, a lemon and a pattered one. Then she collected a pack of underwear.
She chose a two dollar handbag,a dollar shoe and a dollar on toiletries- soap, deodorant and lip-gloss for herself. She paid for everything at the counter with the voucher and four of the ten precious dollars then placed everything she now owned into the big black handbag.
She waited at the counter for Helen.
‘I am done finally’’ Helen came over with a paper-bag of clothing.
Finally, everything was done and they left the department store holding hands and smiling.
Things were going to get better,
Tracy told herself. She was going to start from little and work her way up in the world.

10
Late at night, Tracy awoke feeling shaky. She knelt down and prayed for her country.
Is anything really going to change? Doubts kept flooding her mind.
She didn’t think the thoughts were
good. Could it be the evil spirits were interfering with her prayers ,she wondered.
The sword of the spirit which is the word of God, she thought.
James 5:17 - Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

She felt a lot better with that and continued the prayer.
Soon, morning came as usual
She took her bath and wore her blue dress and ran her hands through her hair before packing it up.
Out in the streets, she looked around. The cool wind hit her, cooling her to the bone but she had no jacket to cover up.
She stopped first at a barber’s shop.
‘Do you have perhaps a job for a cleaner or something’’ She asked the proprietor.
‘No, I don’t’’ The proprietor waved her away.
The next place she checked was at a restaurant. Her tummy growled when she entered.
‘Can I have a hotdog and a bottle of water, please’’ She asked a waitress. She grabbed the hotdog as soon as she got it.
‘And if I may ask is there space here for an extra staff?’’ she asked the waitress once she finished eating.
‘No’’
Tracy nodded then looked away to hide a tear in her eyes
She spent the rest of the day looking
for a job in different places. She entered the shelter tired and jobless.
‘Hey’’ called a voice.
It was Helen, looking breathless.
‘I got a place to stay’’ She said immediately she came close.
Tracy’s face was blank
‘The motel I am staying in is letting me have room and board and they agreed to let me bring an extra person with me’’
‘Wow you are so lucky’’ Tracy gave her
a hug.
‘We are both lucky because the person I would be taking with me is you’’
Tracy drew back in shock.
‘Yes, Tracy’’ Helen repeated smiling.
Tracy lowered her eyes ‘I don’t want to be a
bother to you, Helen’’
‘Don’t say that’’ Helen took her hands. ‘You are my friend not a bother, and
James 2- 14What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15If a brother or sister be Unclad, and destitute of daily food, 16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Tracy smiled at that. ‘Well, Okay’’
The two friends both laughed as Helen took Tracy arm as they walked into the building.
The next morning they went by bus to their new
home. Tracy gaped when she saw it.. It was a big round building that looked just like a mansion.
‘It is a fine mansion, Helen’’ Tracy said as they were let in the back door by a Indian housekeeper.
‘Yea, it is great’’
Inside looked as lovely as the outside with marble floors and cream curtains. And everywhere smelled like honey.
The Indian lady led them to their room at the bottom of the stairs. It was a small,cozy room with a bed, a wall wardrobe and a bathroom of it own.
Tracy jumped on the bed once the lady left. ‘A room of our own, how grand’’
Helen smiled. ‘Are you happy now, I noticed you have been down ever since you lost your job’’
‘I am so so happy’’ Tracy clapped her hands together. ‘Thank you so much’’
‘Thank God’’ Helen laughed
‘Why don’t you go back to bed while I go to bed’’ Helen said.
‘I think I should go continue looking for a
Job’’ Tracy said. ‘ I don’t want to turn back to the lazy person I was before I became a Christian’’
Helen nodded. ‘Good luck’’
Tracy put her big black handbag in the suitcase and headed out to find work.
She walked round the nearby streets all day but nothing came up.
She signed wanting to go home,
when she saw a poster on the wall.
It was an advertisement for a street
Cleaner. Tracy signed, It was going to be an extremely difficult job. And the pay was only hundred dollars a month But I have to do my best. The bible says- that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
2 Thessalonians 3:10- For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.















11

‘Are you really going, Tracy ‘’ Helen asked her for the tenth time that morning.
Tracy nodded as she donned her grey dress. ‘Yes, of course’’
‘Do you know how difficult street sweeping is’’
Tracy signed. ‘ I need to earn a living’’
‘But I told you, you can stay here as long as you want and there is free food too’’
‘I still want to try my best, I want to work even if it is such a difficult job’’
‘I know I won’t be able to
change your mind, but tell me you would take care of yourself’’
‘I will’’

The drive to the government office to get her cleaner’s permit was short but she was posted to clean the outskirts of Pento so she had to ride a train for a whole hour.
She finally got there at eight and saw the place. It was a long paved road next to a woodland.

Signing she set to work sweeping.
The work was hard and tiring and she started feeling really really tired.
She swept on and on.
Finally she came to the end of the road. There was a tiny road by the side leading into the forest.
I clean it too. She moved in with her broom. She swept the path clean. She was just finishing up when she heard a movement.
She edged forward and looked into the
grass and gasped. There was a small Iguana nested there
‘Oh my’’ She immediately ran for the public phone by the road. She called the police.
‘Please come, there is an endangered animal here’’ She gave the address then waited by the animal. Luckily it didn’t move far before they came..
‘Which animal?’’
‘An Iguana’’
Officials dressed in green outfits-obviously from the Zoo - soon arrived. They carefully put the Iguana in a cage.
‘Please come with us’’ One, a bald man came to her.

‘What for?’’ She shook.
‘There are prizes attached for finding this endangered animal’’
‘Really’’ She picked her broom and joined their bus.
They drove straight to the zoo.
They entered the massive cupboard with different enclosures filled with all kind of animals.
They lead her to a large beautiful office.
A tall man with glasses came forward. ‘Welcome, I am James Onos,the owner of this zoo, your name is’’
‘Tracy... Tracy Dunt’’
‘You are a street cleaner’’
Tracy lowered her eyes. ‘I am a vet, but I couldn’t find a job...’’
‘Would you like to work here?’’
Tracy started. ‘What!’’
‘Yea, we can only give you a thousand dollars per month but if you are willing’’
‘I take it, thank you very much’’ She could barely breathe .
‘So, can you start tomorrow?

Tracy sniffed. ‘I need to give notice at my work first’’
‘That is fine with us, take as long as you need’’
‘Thank you’’
‘You also get a ten thousand prize money for finding the Iguana’’
‘What!”
‘Yes’’ He handed her an white envelope .Inside was stuffed with notes.
‘Thank you ’She was almost jumping
as she left.












12

Tracy stopped by the shelter and dropped her reward money into the collection bin. She wanted to give back to them.
She thanked God before walking home. Tracy opened the door to the room to find Helen pacing around.
‘Where have you been?’’ She came forward quickly
‘I found a job’’
‘I don’t understand’
‘I found an Iguana in the fields and called the police and next thing I know some zoo officials came by and they took me with them’’ She said
‘What’’
Tracy sat her down and told her the story in more detail.
‘I can’t believe it ,you got a job at one thousand a month’’
Tracy shook with excitement. ‘’ Our days of suffering are hopefully over, we can have a better life’’
‘I am so happy for you, Tracy, now you wont just have 7 dresses to wear’’
‘Yea and we can get a good place to live in,Oh,I am so excited’’
They stayed making plans.
The next morning, Tracy went to the government office. Her sweeping job was surprisingly easy to resign as she had began only the previous day
Then she went to the Pento zoo. Animals of all kinds were moving around in their cages. Looking around the many massive beautiful enclosures, she gasped at the thought that she was now an employee of the place.
James Onos, the boss welcomed her into his office. ‘You have resigned from your job’’ He asked.
‘Yes, can I start here today?’’
He nodded. ‘I call my assistant to drive you around and show you your new office’.
The assistant,Mr Donaldson came in just
then
‘ Show her around, introduce her to the staff, and then take her to a new office’’
Tracy smiled and nodded as she was
introduced one by one to the staff, given a tour of the zoo
and then taken to a small but fine office with a lovely fine desk made of pine wood and shown to a lab with other vets.
‘Is everything to your liking’’ asked the young clear faced Mr Donald.

‘Yea, thanks’ Looking at the clock on the wall she could see that it was almost four.
Suddenly a lady burst in.
‘Please come and help, a kangaroo is having a baby’’
Tracy grabbed her chest. It was time to
Work.


From that day forward, Tracy began her new job. Everyday she got there just before eight and worked steadily till four. She was often tired but happy.
On her return home, she often helped Helen to do whatever work was left at the motel.
Being useful made her happy, she now loathed her days of laziness.

A week from her first day, she had leaving the zoo when Donald fell in by her side.
‘So, how do you enjoy your first day at work’’ he asked.
‘Very good’’
‘There is an animal rights conference on Saturday in the park, would you accompany me?’’
Tracy couldn’t determine if he was asking her on a date. ‘Just as friends, right’’
‘Yea’’
Tracy gave Helen the news once she got home.
‘But you haven’t got any good clothes’’
‘I just wear the simple white one’’
‘Oh I am so happy for you’’
‘We are just going as friends, you know’
Helen nodded at that.
Tracy meet Donald in front of the park on Saturday at two.

‘Hi’’ she said
He smiled . ‘Hi’’
The inside of the park was noisy as a small group of people were already seated.
‘It is a bright afternoon’’ she said
‘Yea’’
They went in and sat down just then.
The conference began then as a aged women with lovely white hair came to talk of the plight of animals across the world.
Two hours later, it was done.
‘Did you like it’’ He asked as they left the park.
‘It was okay’’
‘Would you like to go out another time ?”
Tracy coughed. ‘It depends, are you a Christian?’’
‘Yes’’
‘Then I think about it’’
He suddenly moved to kiss her. She jumped away.
‘It is just a kiss, don’t act like that’’ he said
The bible says -
1 Timothy 5- 1Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; 2The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

‘Most people kiss in their relationships’’
‘Donald, we are Christians, we are to do the will of the father ’’
‘Are you saying that majority of people are wrong to kiss before marriage’’
‘God is good and everything he wants is good for us’’
Donald was frowning. ‘I can’t date anyone with such ancient views’’
He walked away .
Tracy watched him go with a mournful look. She lowered her head as if to cry then walked on.
















13

‘You are always going to be alone, Tracy’’ came the dark thoughts as she was buying two phones.
Tracy felt like running away from it.
‘No, the bible says
Romans 8:28- And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
she thought .
It was getting chilly when she reached the motel.
‘How did it go?’’ Helen was wringing her arms.
She signed ‘We are still only work mates’’
‘What a pity, don’t worry the right guy will come soon’’
‘I hope so’’ She sat down on the conch in the bedroom, staring into mid air.
‘’Are you ever going to have a family ’ came hard thoughts.
Tracy gave thanks to God, and pushed the darks thoughts away.
Throughout the next two months
she kept pushing the dark thoughts away, giving thanks to God .
Tracy and Helen went flat-shopping on the second day of August. The agent, a young lady called Victoria came over by five.
‘We need something on Dawling Street’’ said Tracy. ‘Because it is close to both the zoo and the motel’’
Helen who was near the door, was suddenly
falling over.
‘What’s wrong’’ Tracy was near her in a flash.
‘Just excuse me for a while’’ Helen eyes were
downcast as she got up and left the room
‘How many bedrooms do you want?’’ asked Victoria.
‘Two with a parlour and kitchen ‘Tracy could barely believe she was renting her own flat.
Victoria took the both of them in her fine black car to go look at flats.
The first flat they looked at had two
tiny bedrooms and a middle-sized kitchen. It seemed perfect except
‘Why don’t we look at another one’’ Helen asked, biting her fingers.
‘But this looks so perfect’’ Tracy said but the downcast look in Helen eyes made her agree.
They looked at another flat, a big one with two bedrooms.
‘What do you think, Helen?’’ Tracy asked .
‘It is big but’...’’ The downcast look came to her eyes again.
Tracy shrugged. ‘We can keep looking’’
They looked at ten other flats with Helen declining each one. By the eleventh one, Tracy was exhausted.
‘Is something wrong with Dawling Street?’’
Helen jecked and looked away
‘If you don’t want to live here, we can always find another place’’
‘ You know that
this street is near both our workplaces so we should live here”
Tracy thought for a while. ‘Are you sure?’’
Helen nodded.
They finally accepted their next flat, a cream
coloured one on the third floor of a six floor apartment building.
Tracy immediately signed the lease.
The very next day, both of them carried their small bags to the front of the apartment building.
They passed tons of people on the way,some
turning to stare.
‘Why are they staring at us?’’ Tracy wondered. ‘Is there anything wrong with our dressing?”
Helen kept her eyes firmly fixed on the floor until they entered their new home.

14
‘Good morning, Helen Tracy called gently in front of Helen bedroom carrying a tray with a sweet-scenting English breakfast.
‘Morning’’ Helen muttered from beneath the covers. Tracy dropped the breakfast tray on the table beside her.
‘How are you enjoying your new home?’’
Helen looked away. ‘it is a good flat’’
Tracy smiled. ‘I can’t believe I am living in a home of my own again’’
‘I am glad because this is what you wanted so much’’
‘Are you happy, Helen?’’ Tracy lowered her voice.
“I am okay as long as you are happy, Tracy’’ Helen’s voice was very shaky.
Tracy looked at the clock. ‘Oh my look at the time, I really need to get going, will see you later’’ She went off whistling.
Things are really going well, Tracy was
smiling to herself later that morning in the zoo. Though work was hard, she felt happy and fulfilled for the eight hours she spent in the zoo each day from eight to four. And her home life was going well now with the renting of a new flat. Things were finally looking up in her life. All she needed was a husband and kids to make things complete.
Okay she clapped her hands loudly. I can do this.
You really think you are going to get everything came a dark thought as she left work
I have to have faith, she told herself Hebrews 11:6 .- But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Helen wasn’t home when she got home. Tracy put her bag of fruit away and looked away.
It was a small cute flat. There was a tiny
living room with a couch and two chairs, two bedroom and a bath. It wasn’t much but it meant so much to her.
She still remembered the long
months she had spent in the shelter always longing for a house of her own no matter how little it was.
But she still longed for a family of her own.
How come she get the faith she needed?
Romans 10:17 - So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God
came the thought
She decided to read the bible more diligently from now on.
But what really was faith, she wondered?
She searched through her bible on the phone.
Hebrews 11:1- Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

She knelt down to pray.
‘I thank you ,Lord for your loving kindness and tender mercies, Please God grant me the faith I need’’
You are never going to have enough faith a dark thought intruded.
She rejected that thought. Instead she thought
Matthew 17:20 - And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.


She got up feeling a lot better.






15

Tracy piled a pile of dirty clothing into a filler bag on Saturday. Time to do the laundry.
She staggered a little as she lifted the heavy bag down the lift to the lowest floor.
There was just another woman in the laundry room, a petite blonde who turned when she came in.
‘Please excuse me, I am the new tenant on the third floor of this building” She gave a wide smile.
The blonde widened her eyes, and then turned away, hissing.
Who the hell does she think she is came into Tracy mind. I should give her a piece of my mind
James 1:19- Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
the bible verse came to her mind
‘I am sorry, did I say anything wrong? She had to ask.
‘Listen closely, I don’t know how you got the money to rent an apartment here, but let me make it clear that I don’t deal with the likes of you”
Picking up her basket of clean clothes she stormed away, leaving behind only the smell of detergent while Tracy watched, mouth open.

Tracy put her hand on her head as she hanged her clothes in her cupboard. Why did that woman did behaved that way? .It really bothered her
‘Is something wrong ‘Helen had come in from her morning run.
Tracy signed ‘I feel that there is something strange going on”
Helen face turned ashen pale. Tracy rushed to her.
“Helen, what’s wrong’s should I call
the doctor’’
‘Please don’t, I just go to my room and lie down ‘She walked away very quickly
Tracy watched her go, eyes far-away.
Time to make breakfast , she nodded.



Times flies when you are busy, Tracy thought often as weeks turned into month.She was always busy at the zoo and spent most of her free time reading Christian literature.

It was very early when she entered the flat to find a new television on.
‘You got a new television?’’ Tracy said to Helen who was sitting on the couch .
‘Yes, I wanted to watch the news’’Helen was
smiling for the first time in a long while.
Tracy a seat on the sofa. ‘Can I watch,also’’
‘It goes without saying’’

Tracy watched as the President face come into view. He was a old gentleman with a lean build and greying hair.
Why don’t you talk to Helen about how useless the president is came a thought
No thought Tracy.
Acts 23:5- Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
‘I think I go take a shower instead”
she told Helen.



16
Tracy carried a pile of groceries to the front of her own flat. Out of the corner of her eye, she
noticed a young woman with long brown hair standing at the front of the flat next door.
‘Good morning’ she called
The woman turned and came over.
‘Hello, my name is Mandy, what is yours’’
Tracy smiled. ‘I am Tracy’’
The next morning she was jogging when
she saw the same girl. They both waved at each other.
The girl fell into step with her.
‘I moved next door with my husband only recently’’ she said. ‘We only just got married”
‘’Wow’’
‘Yea, what about you’
‘I am single but I am living alongside my friend”
‘So how long have you been married?” Tracy continued.
‘Two weeks”
‘Did you marry in a Church?”
‘Yes, we did”
‘That means you are both Christians’’
‘Yes, we are’
She jogged ahead in a minute and
was gone.
When she got home,she met Helen stitching a dress.
‘Helen, have you ever thought of getting married?’’ Tracy asked
‘Sometimes’’
The two women fell deep in thought.
That evening, when she returned home, Tracy put on the television .
There was an immoral show showing on it.
It is nice, isn’t it came a thought
No, she thought.
The bible says- 1 Thessalonians 5:22- Abstain from all appearance of evil.

17

‘How do you like the park here on Dawlings?” Tracy asked as they were walking past the trees on Saturday, the fresh air hitting them.
Helen smiled. ‘The air at Dawlings has always been great’’
Tracy turned to her. ‘Have you lived here before?’’
Helen jerked and lowered her head. She began to shake.
‘There you are’’ a voice said from
behind them.
It was Mandy, white teeth sparkling under her brown hair.
Tracy waved at her. ‘Helen this is Mandy from
next door, Mandy this is my room-mate, Helen’’
Both women said ‘Hello’’ to each other.
‘So, have you lived here long?’’ Mandy asked, falling in step beside them.
Tracy looked at Helen and she nodded.
‘This streets are a lot like the one I grew up in’’ Tracy smiled wistfully. ‘It is nostalgic’’
She told her about losing her family, then her
home, the help she received in the shelter and coming here.
‘It’s such a sad story’’ said Mandy. ‘But you seem so happy’’
‘That is because of Christ’’ She smiled ‘Jesus makes my life happy’’
Helen and Mandy both nodded, smiling.


Later, that day, Mandy came over to their apartment .Helen was in her bedroom.
‘Seems we are going to be good friends’’ she said as she sat on a couch.
Tracy smiled as she made a cup of tea for her. ‘That is great since we haven’t really made friends here yet’’
‘Why not, you both are so nice’’
Tracy signed. ‘ I honestly don’t know why’’
. ‘You know I am my husband are throwing a house –warming party, why don’t you both come over and you can meet more of the neighbours.’
Tracy smiled widely. ‘That be great’’ She wanted to jump up and down.
‘Could you help me prepare for the party?’’
Mandy asked.
‘I love to’’
When Tracy told Helen about the party, her face
changed colour.
‘Is something wrong?’’ Tracy asked, rising.
But Helen only covered her face and bent
down. Tracy felt like she was only imaging things.
The next evening, Tracy entered Mandy flat.
‘Wow’’ It was a small flat just like their
own but the curtains, sofas and carpets were all a lovely yellow.
‘Welcome’’ said a deep voice. It was Mandy husband, a tall bespectacled man.
‘Good evening’’ Tracy said.
‘Good evening, my wife has told me lots about you’’ He stood up and came to shake her hands.
Tracy smiled then Mandy took her arm, leading her to the kitchen.
‘What is on the menu for the party? Tracy asked.
‘The usual,Jellof rice and chicken’’
‘And the drinks’’
‘Grape Wine’
‘Sound great’’
Tracy wrote everything on her jotter. It felt nice, planning for a party.
On Friday, Tracy and Helen both dressed in lemon dresses for the party.
‘Great’’ Tracy held Helen arm. ‘Let’s go’’ Helen was shivering.
‘Are you all right’’ Tracy asked. Helen only lowered
her head.
‘Are you sure you want to go to the party’’ Tracy asked.
‘Everything is already set for the party, Let’s go’’ Helen replied.
Tracy and Helen walked into Mandy apartment.
A small group of people were already seated there. Some turned as they came in.
As if in unision, a hush fell on the crowd.
It was then Tracy suspected that she and Helen were being avoided.
Tracy and Helen stood on a sofa beside the other guests.
‘Hi’’ She tried to talk to a old lady. The woman looked away.
‘Hello’’ She waved at another woman. The woman walked away quickly.
‘Are you enjoying the party?’’ She asked a lady whose back was to her. The lady turned. It was the petite blonde she had met in the laundry before now with a glaring look on her face. Tracy drew back.
Tracy turned to Helen whose was standing
with her head lowered. ‘Do you want to leave this party?’’
‘I know why everyone is avoiding you, Tracy’ It was Mandy with a piercing stare.
Tracy felt her insides sinking. She took Helen arm. ‘I am sorry, Mandy but we will be leaving your party early’’
‘Dont you want to know why?’’ Her voice carried. ‘It is because your friend used to work as a prostitute here’’
Helen paled. Everyone in the room
was staring at them
Tracy held on to Helen. ‘We are leaving
now’’ She gently guided her to the door.
Mandy followed. ‘Are you going to keep being friends with her?’’ She cried. ‘After finding out what she has done?’’
Tracy chest was hurting as she led Helen past a staring crowd. She couldn’t believed she had stupidly led Helen back to the place of her nightmare.
She had thought Helen was so happy while she had just been suffering in silence.
‘I am sorry, Helen’’ She whispered as they left the room.
Mandy was behind them. She held Tracy
arm tightly.
‘Why don’t you let her go?’’ Mandy hissed. ‘She is the scum of society’’
‘She is my friend’’ Tracy voice was firm.
‘You would continue to be friends with such a person’’
‘Jesus said in Luke 6:37 - Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

And do you know the story the story of the Adulterous woman
John 8 –
1Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.


Mandy let go of her arm and she
led Helen back to their apartment.
Tracy helped Helen prepare for bed.
‘We should leave Dawlings Street’’ she
told her gently. ‘ We will make preparations in the morning’’
‘But.....’’
‘Don’t worry about it, didn’t I say it earlier, you are my friend and friends love each other’’
Helen smiled for the first time that evening.





18
Tracy packed her clothing one by one, loving the scent of clean clothing. It was time to leave Dawling Street.
Helen came to the door, her red hair in disarray.
‘Are you ready yet?’ Tracy smiled.
‘Almost, are you done packing?’’
The trip to Bonza Street took six hours by taxi. Helen was dozing when they got there.
‘Finally’ Tracy looked around at their new home. It
was a small house with a high roof and its own fence. It was just great.
They spent the rest of the day unpacking and cleaning the house. It took time cause this house was quite big with three bed rooms, a kitchen and a small study. By the end of the day, though they had cleaned it from top to bottom
Helen made them a sandwich and a cup of tea to celebrate.
That night, Tracy slept more deeply than she
had done in a long time
Within months, the two friends had settled into their new home. They jogged, they played they read and had lots of fun.
But Helen seemed listless for some reason.
‘You are coming home so late these days’’ Tracy said one evening while drinking tea.
Helen face dulled. ‘I want to be honest with you, Tracy, I was fired from my job’’
Tracy nodded. ‘Where do you work now?’’
Helen turned her back to Tracy. ‘I have decided to go back to prostitution’’
The cup Tracy was holding smashed to pieces. ‘What!’’
‘I don’t have a choice, I lost my former job because they found out I am a former prostitute’’
‘We could have looked for another one” Tracy got on her feet.
‘And how long before I lost it again’’ She said. ‘No employer is going to accept me’’
‘ God will make a way for us,there is no need to go back into such a life’’
‘Sometimes I feel God isn’t watching’’
‘No he is, and he loves us very much, he doesn’t want us to do things like this, remember the Word of God says
Hebrews 10:26- For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

‘God loved us very much’’Helen repeated like in a daze.
‘Yea, of course, and guess what, I just got a wonderful idea’’
‘What I got is this, why don’t we open a gym, I have saved up ten thousand dollars in recent months and I think I can afford to open a small gym’’
‘And you would give me a job’’ Helen’s eyes brightened up.
Tracy held her friend shoulders. ‘We will be partners, not just employer and employee’’
‘But I have no money”
‘That is true, but you know a lot about gyms and I don’t and you will be the one to run the gym while I work at the zoo’’
Helen eyes lightened. Tracy smiled.
‘Think about it,we will both be business owners and if the business works out,we could open other business together, What do you think?’
Helen’s face was glowing. ‘I think it is a great idea’’
The next morning, Helen sat writing the plan for the gym when bad thought intruded.
‘’ Do you think this gym will work out’’ came a though. ‘Just leave and enter prostitution’’
Helen cried. It is written- For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
















19
Tracy ate a lump of grape fruit calmly.
You are going to be late for work came the thought.
Tracy looked at the clock. It was ten minutes to seven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 - To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: She told herself.it was time to eat
She got to work at 7-30 just thirty munities before she was due at eight.
Tracy was tending a fox when darks thoughts came.
‘One day, the animals are going to eat you’’
‘No,God will protect me’’
She was on her way home after four when another thought came.
‘You are going to fall off the bus’’ came the thought
‘ 2 Timothy 1:7- For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.’
She got to the site for the gym smiling.
It was on the lower floor of a building right to the main rood of Benzo street. It held a big long room, a reception and two tiny offices.
‘How grand’’ She said. ‘And how much will it go’’ she asked the agent.
‘Ten thousand per year’’
Both Helen and Tracy paled.
‘That’s all the money we have’’ said Helen
‘We need to find something cheaper, maybe half the price’’ Tracy added
‘This is the cheapest available space for a gym’’ said the man.
Tracy and Helen looked at each other. ‘Give us some time to think about it ‘Tracy told the agent.
‘What are we going to do?’’ Helen cried as they got home.
‘We will think of something’’
‘I honestly can’t think of anything’’
Tracy thought for a while. ‘Why don’t we find an investor?’’
‘But who will want to invest in us?
‘I am receiving my November pay in two days, we can use some of the money to run an aid in a newspaper’’
‘Do you really think anyone will listen to that?’’ Helen signed. ‘And I don’t want my name in a newspaper, I am afraid that........’’
‘Don’t worry ,we would run the aid in my name’’
Helen laughed. ‘Okay, then’’
That very day, they wrote the aid.
Investor needed for a small gym to be run alongside two other women. One has the skills to run the place. Investor needs to have a fifty percent share of ten thousand dollars.
Signed-Tracy Dunt
Tracy wrote in her credentials to be checked by any potential investor. Luckily it looked good what with her being a vet in a reputable zoo. But nothing was said of the investor with the skill to run the place.
Once Tracy got paid, she placed the aid
on the Newsday paper.
The very evening of placing the call, Tracy phone rang.
‘Are you Tracy Dunt?’’ a male voice asked
‘Yes ‘She held her breath.
‘My name is Quinn Rodgers and I am interested in investing in your film’’
Tracy froze for a minute. ‘Can we meet tomorrow?’’ She whispered.
‘Okay?” Quinn said. ‘Why don’t we meet at the Spendor hall at five o clock’’
Tracy knew the hall. It was a place where business meetings were held.
‘Okay, then’She yelped the moment she
cut the phone.


The next evening, Tracy entered the hall at exactly four-thirty. She looked around. There were a lot of people in suits seated on the sofas spread across the room and talking quickly.
She sat on a sofa by the end of the room
and straightened her skirt.
‘Hello’’ said a voice.
She looked up. It was a lean blonde man who looked to be in his late twenties.
‘How do you do? He said again, smiling. “I am Quinn, Quinn Rodgers’’
Tracy hurriedly stood up. ‘I am Tracy, Tracy Dunt’’
He sat down on the opposite sofa. ‘So, we are here to talk about the gym’’
Tracy brought out the paper for the gym and gave it over. She then began to talk about the plan for the gym.
The man watched her keenly.
‘Fine then ‘’He said when she finished her speech. ‘I invest ten thousand dollars in your gym’’
‘What!”
‘Yes, I would like to be your partner’’
Tracy told him all about Helen part in the
plan again. At the end it was decided that he was to get fifty percent share while Tracy and Helen would get twenty-five percent share each. A lawyer was called and an agreement was made.

20

Now that they had money for the gym ,the plan for the gym went fast. Quinn entered the gym on the last day of November.
‘Helen this is Quinn and Quinn this is Helen’ Tracy introduced the two of them.
Both looked at each other and nodded.
They signed the lease that very day .
‘Everything is good, then’’ Tracy smiled as the three of them sat down around a round table.
‘We will use five thousand on equipment and supplies and spent three thousand to stock up on office supplies’’ Quinn said, looking through the papers .
‘Sounds like a great idea’ Helen said,smiling.
‘Hey, wait a minute’’ Tracy waved her hands . ‘Why don’t we open up on the 1ST day of December”
‘How can we open tomorrow?’’ Helen said

It is difficult but not impossible’’ Quinn said. ‘We can order all the supplies today and set it up tomorrow morning’’
‘Great’’ Tracy jumped up. ‘I cant wait’’
They made a list of everything they
needed and ordered from Drumsil, a credible supplier.
‘So, what should we name the gym?’’ asked Quinn.
‘I have always know what I want my gym to be called’ She said. ‘Health Place’
Both Tracy and Quinn nodded in agreement.
The next day was Saturday so both women
arrived at the gym early
“Time to work’’ said Helen. They cleaned the place from top to bottom.
‘The supplies have come ‘The sound of the doorbell came by eight. Before twelve the place was all fitted out.
‘I can’t believe the gym is ready’’ Helen cried.
‘Quinn will soon be here’’ As she said this, the doorbell rang again. It was Quinn.
‘Sorry you had to take a break from work’’ Quinn was an engineer with a famous car company.
‘It is okay’’ He smiled at the both of them.
‘Please do the honours, Helen’’ Tracy said. Helen flipped the card handing on the door from ‘Closed’’ to ‘Open’’
‘And Health Place is officially open” Quinn nodded his blonde head.
They sat down at the reception.
‘So what do we do next?”Tracy asked.
‘We wait for customers’’ Helen said. ‘ We show them round and they may choose to register’’
But the day passed without a single
customer.
‘It is only the first day’’ Tracy tried to cheer Helen up.
But the week passed with only an one lady coming to check the gym and she left without signing anything.
‘We need to do some advertising’’ Quinn said
‘But we don’t have so much money left’’ Helen said.
‘It is either that or we might watch our investment go down the drain’’
They spent one thousand on advertisment
and nine customers came around the next week. Three signed up.
‘We still don’t have enough customers’’ Helen told Tracy who was mopping the place.
Tracy signed. It was getting to Christmas and
she had always felt it was a time of good luck.
‘What are we going to do?” She asked Quinn.
‘Let’s distribute a flyer of our place round the neighbourhood’’ said Quinn.
They spent the whole next evening going from house to house.
Their client list increased to ten.
‘Still too low’’ said Helen. ‘If we don’t have enough clients our gym will be down with a few months’’
‘It might get better’ said Tracy who was beginning to be concerned
But the week passed with their client list up to only
twelve. And the one thousand dollars left for the gym was quick running out.
‘Let’s pray about it’’ The three of them put their heads together and prayed.
It was nearly Christmas so they took a two weeks holiday. Things will get better when they returned, Tracy hoped.


Tracy was leaving for work the next morning when Helen stopped her.
‘Will you hurry home once you finish work today?’’ She asked
Tracy nodded. ‘Yes, if you want’’
‘Swear it’’ Helen said.
Tracy remembered the bible - James 5:12 - But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

‘I cant swear,Helen’She said softly.
But when work was done Sheily and Jane fellow co-workers came over suddenly.
‘Come join us for tea ‘Jane a short redhead asked.
Tracy longed to join them for a cup of tea but she had said yes to Helen request to come home once she left work.
‘Thanks a lot, but I want to return home’’ She said.
She got the flat at half past five and opened the door.
‘Surprise’’ A rush of flowers fell over her.
‘Happy birthday’’ Both Quinn and Helen shouted.Tracy turned twenty-five today
Tracy took a moment to recover. ‘Wow’’
There were flowers all over the room and decorations that read ‘We love you, Tracy’’
Tracy put her hands over her mouth.
‘Wow’’ She said again.
‘Tracy’’ Helen gave her a hug.
‘Thank you both so very much ‘She said to the both of them.
‘It was my pleasure’’ Quinn smiled at her.
Tracy felt tears slid from her eyes. She
felt like she had a family again



Soon, it was Christmas Eve.
‘It is really time to celebrate’’ Quinn came over every day now.
Tracy and Helen went down to the homeless
Shelter.
‘Wow, this place is so nostalgic’’ said Tracy as they helped a sick woman to bed. ‘It was here I became a Christian’
‘And it was here I meet you’’ said Helen smiling. ‘What made you choose to become a christain?’’
Tracy smiled. ‘I believed the word of God, you know the bible says in Isaiah 55:11 -So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

I should come back and visit people here and even the church here too’’ Tracy though.
‘But it would be so stressful’’ came another though to Tracy mind
‘The bible says in Luke 10:27- And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
Tracy resolved to come and visit more often
and help out.






21
But like it or not, the holidays ended and a new year began. Tracy who had worked through part of the holidays now had the gym to consider again.
Helen and Tracy walked to the gym to clean on the second day of the new year.
‘We don’t have many customers’’ Tracy
said as they washed windows. ‘But we have to do our best for the ones we have’’
The place soon looked sparkling clean and bright.
Tracy sniffed the air. ‘Everywhere now smells of soap’’
Helen smiled and looked at all their hard
work. ‘It is clean’
Tracy returned from the gym that evening hoping for some good news.
‘No luck’Helen signed once she
arrived.
Quinn came over that same evening.
‘I have been thinking of a plan to make Health Place successful’’ He said . ‘Let throw a party where our services are free for a week’
Both women nodded to this. It might be their only hope.
They pasted a “ For Free’’ placard on front of
the gym.
The next day, Helen was dusting the equipment when a troop of teenagers trooped in.
‘Can we really work out for free?’’ A young man with dark hair asked.
Helen nodded and the teenagers
went to the machines eagerly.
When Tracy returned from work, Helen came to her and
took her hands.
‘It worked’’ She cried. ‘We got a lot of customers today’’
‘We have to wait to see whether they would come back next week’’
But it seemed their prayers were answered as the
customers kept coming even the next week.
The month passed with a steady inflow of customers.
‘This is great’’ said Quinn. ‘We should go to church for thanksgiving’’
Both girls smiled and nodded in agreement.
The Sunday for their thanksgiving came .
‘Wow, I can’t believe that our gym is running smoothly ‘’ said Helen as she put on her head -tie.
‘We need to thank God for everything’’ Tracy smiled.
Outside, a storm was brewing. The sound of the
wind was loud and Tracy could catch the freshness in the air.
Finally they were close to the church
‘Good morning’’ said a voice. Tracy turned at the sound of Quinn voice. Her eyes widened at the sight of the blonde beside him. It was Mandy.
‘Mandy’’ She gasped.
Quinn stared at her. ‘Mandy, this is my partners, Tracy and Helen and Tracy and Helen, this is my sister, Helen”
Helen gripped the wooden pew, and Tracy started. It was at Mandy party months ago that they had been shunned.
‘I am here as a friend ‘Mandy said. ‘My dear brother gave me a lecture after what happened last time’’
‘You knew about me?’’ Helen looked ready to faint.
Tracy gripped Helen arm . ‘Why did you do this’’ She said, eyes pained. ‘What do you want with us’’
‘That day, I was outside the room and heard the words you said to my sister’’He said. ‘I fell in love with you from that moment’’
‘I went to look for you the very next day but
you and your friend were gone ,and I couldn’t find you anywhere, When I saw the newspaper clipping with your name, I nearly screamed for joy’’
Tracy was frozen where she stood.
‘Will you accept me as your husband?’ Quinn was smiling now.
Tracy shook herself. ‘Yes, I love to’’ She said in a small voice. Quinn was everything she wanted in a husband.
‘Wow’’ Both Mandy and Helen cried out loud.
Tracy stood in a daze. She had liked Quinn from the very first day of noticing him at the business meeting and felt so happy.





22

Tracy was cleaning a side table when she heard the news.
The State government was prohibiting preaching except from inside the churches. Tracy pondered over the news. What was she going to do?.
She and Helen often went preaching.
But now it would cause trouble.
The Word of God says it is better to obey God than men .
I have to do my best, I know God is always watching me.
The knowledge that God is always watching us is from the word of God so it is a sword of the spirit too.
‘Did you hear the news?’ Helen rushed into the room. ‘ What are we going to do?’’
‘I am going to continue preaching the gospel’’
‘Me, too’’
Both women bent their heads deep in though.
Later on, Tracy was crossing the street when she bumped into a stranger .

‘’Sorry’ Tracy handed him a Christian flyer and told him about the gospel.
She was giving another flyer to give an old gentleman when two police-men approached her.
‘Is is true that you are spreading the gospel’ One, a bald man asked.
Tracy swallowed. ‘Yes’’
‘Then you are under arrest, you have the right to remain silent’’
The two policemen drove her to the police station. Tracy flushed as they took her Id, snapped pictures of her and put her in a solitary cell, obviously to avoid any more preaching.
She couldn’t believe it. She was locked in a cell. She was a prisoner. The bible did say in 2 Timothy 3:12-Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
‘Tracy’ She heard Quinn shout.
Helen was behind him.
He came towards her, like a knight in
shining armour.
‘Are you all right, Tracy?’’
‘I am managing’’ She longed to hug him but they were separated by bars.
‘Hold on, I try to get you out of here” He said.
‘Don’t worry, Quinn has called a lawyer and he is working hard to get you out of here’’
Finally, a warden opened the gates and led her out. ‘You have been bailed out ‘he told her
Quinn and Helen were waiting. She hugged Helen.
‘You will be all right’ Quinn patted her on the shoulder.
‘Thank you’’ She said to Quinn.
He drove them home in his blue Lexus. Tracy sat behind with Helen, her black hair flying behind her.
‘Thank you for the ride’ Helen said before leaving
them alone.
‘Thanks for everything’’ Tracy said, eyes lowered.
He smiled. ‘I just want you to be happy’
‘What am I going to do about the court case’’
‘I would do my best to help you get through this’’
‘I don’t know what I can do to repay you’’
‘All I want is your love’’

Tracy eyes saddened as she read the mail that morning. She had been dismissed from work.
‘What’s wrong, Trace’’ Helen asked.
‘I have been fired’’
‘What!’
‘It must be because of the case against me’’
Helen hugged her. ‘Everything would work out for your good, don’t worry’’
The next day, Tracy walked to the gym
beside Helen. She was going to work there from now on.



Monday was the day of the court case. Tracy, Helen and Quinn waited on the bench until Tracy turn came.
‘The State against Tracy Dunt’’ the court official called.
Tracy was lead to the stand.
A bible was brought. ‘Do you swear to say the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth’’

Tracy declined swearing . ‘The bible in James 5:12- But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
‘Will you tell the truth’’ asked the Judge
‘Yes’’ said Tracy.
‘Miss Tracy Dunt, did you preach the gospel in public last Tuesday’
Tracy swallowed. ‘Yes, Your Honour’’
‘Did you know of the law against preaching the gospel’’
‘Yes, Your Honour’’ There were noises from the audience.
‘May I ask your reasons for doing so’’

‘The bible says in Mark 16:15- And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Half the crowd laughed. Quinn and Helen looked on anxiously.
‘You get 20 hours of community service’’ said the Judge, hitting the table. ‘Case dismissed’’


Tracy wanted to finish her community service as soon as possible so she went to the State office for a posting the very next day.
‘You are posted to clean Larkin Street for six days a week’’
‘Thanks’’ She took her cleaner’s permit from
the Madam and headed out. Time for get to work.



Tracy worked hard in the days the followed and finally she completed the last hour of community service.
She was just finishing the last hour of community service when an old lady passed by.
Tracy was just handing her a Christian flyer when a police van seemed to come out of nowhere.
She was arrested again and driven to the police station.
She only waited an hour before Helen and Quinn came in running.
This time the Judge hit the table. ‘200 hours of community service’’
‘Excuse me ,Your honour’’ came a voice.
Everyone in the courtroom gasped. It was the lawyer Quinn brought,John.
‘I have a defence to make that the law in question is against the religious freedom of the defendant’’
‘Religious freedom has to do with the right of an individual to practice their religion freely without State interference as long as they are not impeaching on another person’s rights’’
‘The defendant here was only obeying her God will where she preached the gospel, she is not forcing anyone to follow her God, only spreading the good news’’
‘To the defendant, God will comes first so she lives to do the will of God’’
Tracy couldn’t believe her luck when
the Judge finally hit the table.
‘The defendant is hereby declared innocent and free to go without any punishment’’
Quinn and Helen ran to her to embrace
her when the court clapped.

23
‘What do you think when people say God is good’’ asked Tracy as she checked a wedding gown in a wide mirror.
‘That God word is the truth, that it is the sword of the spirit’’ Helen said.
Helen looked over the wedding dress. ‘That dress is a little too flashy, don’t you think’’
Tracy signed. ‘Yea, you are right’’
She slowly put it off and called the attendant to get another one.
The new dress had long sleeves and was rather short.
‘Can you get me another one?’’ she told the attendant again.
She then turned to Helen ‘What of when people say that God is merciful’’
‘Also the sword of the spirit which is the word of God’’
Tracy tried dress after dress until she tried
a lovely plain white gown.
‘This is it’’ Tracy said. ‘This is the one I want’’
They next went to the resturant where an assortment of different foods were waiting to be tried.
Tracy tasted some egusi soup.It tasted yummy.
‘Let take this one’’ she said
‘Shouldnt we try the other dishes’’Helen asked.
Signing, Tracy tried several soups one after another.
‘’What do you think ?’’ asked the baker
‘’I like this one’’ Tracy pointed to the banga soup.
The Chef wrote down her instructions carefully. Tracy took Helen arm as they left the restaurant .
‘What other sword of the Spirit have you heard
people say/’’ asked Tracy.
‘Well they do say-God is able’’
‘What about God is everywhere’’
‘Good’’
Suddenly, Tracy phone rang.It was from the Zoo. They were giving her job back.
She yelped with joy.
They had closed the gym for the day and were so busy. Next, they ordered the drinks, chose the venue for the reception and when Quinn came to their house in the evening, they chose the music and sent out the guest list.


Tracy woke up in the morning of her wedding and jumped out of the bed.
She couldn’t believe the day she had been waiting for had come. She was finally going to get married.
It seemed so long ago when she had nothing and was without a job and a home. Now she had a good job and was going to be married.
She knelt down and prayed. She prayed everything would work out fine.
Dressed and ready, she entered the finely
decorated car alongside Helen, who was her only bridesmaid.
The Church looked somewhat full when they got
there. Tracy was shaking like a leaf.
‘Calm down ‘Helen hugged her. ‘Everything will work out fine, you see’’
‘Thank you so much’’ Tracy smiled.
When it was time, they got out of the car and made for the church
Quinn was waiting . Tracy heart leapt once she saw him.














24

Tracy drove her new red volt wagon
into the garage of the gym and looked around. Everything looked the same but she had changed.
She was now a married woman.
A woman with a husband. She had never been so happy in her life.
She walked into the gym
with a wide smile plastered on her face.
Helen turned and shrieked.Tracy
hugged her smiling.
‘I missed you so much’ Helen said, tears in her
eyes.
‘I missed you, too’’ Tracy said. ‘How has work been?’’
‘Fine, there has been lot of customers’’
‘Thank God, I am still on leave so I will help you out today’
After work, the women stopped at a
shop for some hot chocolate.
‘I met someone’ Helen said suddenly.


‘Really, wow’’
‘He is a doctor than come often to the gym, he is kind ,considerate and a devout Christian but...’’
‘But what?’
‘I am afraid he won’t accept me if he finds out about my past, I just feel so guilty about everything i have done’’
‘It is true we have all sinned in the past, but Christ has paid the price’’
‘I know that but I keep getting racked by guilt’’
‘Helen when those feelings come tell yourself that the bible says in Romans 8:1-There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Helen signed. ‘I try’’
‘Talk to him, who know he might not hold it against you’’


When Tracy drove in front of her husband duplex, she saw him waiting by the door.
‘Hey’’ He came to welcome her. ‘How was the gym today’’
‘Fine, the place is packed with customers’’
‘I am glad you are happy’’
And so she was. Her dreams
had all come true.


Helen swallowed as she made her way to Peter, who was lifting weights.
‘We need to talk’ She said.
He dropped the weights. ‘Okay’’
‘I like you, that is my answer, but there is something you must know’’
He breathed deeply in relief.
‘ I was formally a prostitute’’
He came and took her hand. ‘You past doesn’t matter ,it is who you are now that matters’’
Tears filled her eyes.






Epilogue

‘Mommy can I have pancakes for breakfast’’ asked four year old Abel.
‘Of course, darling’’ Tracy smiled as she headed to the kitchen to make the pancakes.
Her six year old, Victor stood by the
door way picking his nose.
‘Victor, you are always picking your nose’’
‘Sorry, mom, I can’t bring myself to stop’’
Tracy bent down to her knee. ‘Darling you must learn to resist temptations with the word of God like Jesus did when tempted by Satan’’
‘When tempted to pick your nose ,to stop yourself you can say-Philippians 4:13-I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Quinn came in just then. ‘Tracy, Helen is on the phone,go talk to her,I make the pancakes’
Tracy took the phone. ‘How is my dear friend?’’
‘Everyone is fine, Peter says to say Hi’
Tracy smiled at this greeting from Helen husband. 'Tell him I said hi'

‘Well I called to tell you preparations are complete to open our nineth gym in Brookland’
‘Wow’ Business has gone so well that
they had opened gym after gym.
‘Well how is little Tommy doing?’’
‘He had recovered from his fever and is doing fine’Tommy, Helen little son, was a delightful two year old.
Tracy smiled at the news. ‘Then lets all go on a picnic on Sunday’
‘Great’ said Helen
Tracy went to the dining table where her family were sitting to eat pancakes.