So on Friday, I sat in a Trotro* by a woman on my left who was definitely airing her right armpit. It was so bad I just felt like telling her to put her hand down. I felt trapped and tortured so much that I kept wishing there was a rule that prevented anyone from raising their arms in a manner that exposed their armpits in any way after certain times in the day, say after 4pm, in public transport. Honestly she wasn't horribly reeking of foul body odour. But it definitely was that sort of smell one gets when your deodorant stopped being efficient hours ago, you've been in the sun and sweat for long, and all that's mixed with the remnant of strong perfume that now only smells of anything but sweet. Yeah, you get my drift now.
So here I was, stuck in traffic with the other 20+ people in the van and trying not to inhale the scent that's driving me crazy and obviously made me helpless about it. I mean, what does one say? Lady put your hand down because I'm suffocating from your odour? Well not in such a public vehicle. I mean, if I wanted that much freedom for my nose I should have taken dropping**, right? A breeze blows and I get some respite. That's when I began to pray.
In between thinking of how long I had to endure my ordeal and all the other unrealistic things that would save me, I prayed. I prayed for breeze, which often came to ease my intense discomfort. I prayed for the woman to put her arm down, which she did twice and put it up again. I prayed that my journey would end soon. I prayed the nauseous feeling I had would reside quickly after I got down. I prayed for relief. I prayed.
The funny thing is, when I got down to board my next Trotro, I kept praying but then about other things instead. I had no body odour dungeons to sit in and it was less crammed. I still prayed when I boarded the taxi that would take me to my junction. I was fortunate to have the front passenger's seat which is often very roomy and most comfortable. I prayed as I walked home, enjoying the free breeze and praising God for life and the willingness to pray for people suffering around the world and about other social happenings (and for the writing of this blog).
I prayed. And I realised that it all started with the awful attack on my nasal sanity (forgive the drama, you may have understood me better if you were my position that day). I was built up in prayer because that's all I could do then: pray for respite. But it didn't end after my torture was over, it had become a habit of some sort. I had prayed long enough to keep praying on my shorter less troublesome journeys. I had become more thankful and more God-focused than me-focused.
This whole incident has given me a lot to think about...
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4 (NIVUK)
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIVUK)
So now I pray, with all my heart, I pray that if any of us has to face trials that may even not make sense, God will build in us qualities we naturally lack for His glory. He will help us depend on Him and centre our lives around Him and not us. He will teach us and nurture us so we pray....
And you? Yes you, my dear Reader. What do you pray for the rest of us today?
*Trotro - vans used for public transport which is often the most affordable means of vehicular transport in Ghana
**Dropping - term used for chartered taxi service that gives the payer higher exclusive rights to the car and a customized route to his/her during the service. Often more expensive than other public vehicular transport services.
