May 23, 2026
Muyiwa Adetiba
A close friend told me a story last week that was very touching. It was about someone he had helped decades ago but who never lost touch. Every Christmas, every New Year and every birthday, he would send prayerful messages followed by calls. Then, last Easter, he made a request for a physical meeting. My friend said he was reluctant but intrigued. His curiosity got the better of him eventually and he consented to a brief meeting. He was met with surprises. This guy brought diverse gifts, including crates of bottled water for my friend’s guests to slake their thirst with during Easter knowing my friend loves to entertain. It was a classic ‘widow’s mite’ from someone whose earning power had plummeted due to a disability. The message was in the gesture as well as in the content.
This story needs to be told in full to be better appreciated. Some two decades ago, my friend’s thriving business suffered a setback. Sympathizers felt it could be spiritual and offered a spiritual fightback by way of prayers and vigils. He met this young man in the process. They had some prayerful sessions together and went their ways. He recalled this young man as exuberant and witty with a good business that more than paid his bills. Time flew past. Then he heard through a mutual contact that the young man suffered a sudden physical ailment that virtually paralyzed him.
