Jennifer Amede @bestie_love

Today’s meal was a mix of egusi and ogbono soup, all thanks to my friend, who said combining them makes the soup go a long way. I decided to give it a try and added beef, stockfish, and a few soup spices to give it the perfect taste. The pot was bubbling nicely, and I was already looking forward to tasting it.

While the soup was cooking, I remembered another tip my friend shared about frying eggs in a flat and tasty way. I cracked a few eggs, whisked them up, and poured them into the pan with just the right amount of oil. My aim was to get it evenly fried without burning or making it too thick. For someone trying this style for the first time, I must say it turned out really good.

It was tricky managing two things on the stove at the same time, but surprisingly, I didn’t mess up either. The soup kept simmering just right, and the egg came out golden and flat, just how I wanted it. I felt like a chef multitasking in a busy kitchen.

The egusi and ogbono soup is packed and ready for tomorrow, but tonight’s dinner will be simple. I’ll pair the fried egg with bread and wash it down with a chilled soft drink. Cooking today was fun, and I’m glad everything turned out great

It had been a long time since I last visited my childhood friend, Sarah. We had grown up together, but life took us in different directions, and distance kept us apart. When the holiday came, I was excited to finally have the chance to see her again.

When I arrived at her house, I couldn’t believe how beautiful she had become. Her smile was just as warm as I remembered, and her laughter filled the room with joy. We hugged tightly, both of us feeling the happiness of being reunited after so long.

We spent hours talking about our lives. I shared stories about my job and my adventures, while she told me about her studies and the things she loved to do. It felt like no time had passed at all.

After catching up, I offered to help her with some house duties. We washed dishes, tidied up, and even baked some cake together. It was fun working side by side, and we laughed as we made a little mess in the kitchen. The smell of fresh cake filled the house.

Not long we were done and the entire family can't wait to have a taste of want we have going on in the kitchen, no joke but we're very certain in our ability as we cannot disappoint their appetite.

After the meal we both left to grab a few stuff together and it was fun all through recreating some of our childhood memories along the way and smiling like babies

I just finished serving my family egusi soup and went to my room to eat mine alone. I wanted to hear what they would say about the soup from there. Not long after, I heard my dad say, "This soup is 100/100 minus nothing," and the others burst out laughing. I smiled to myself, happy they enjoyed it.

The laughter didn’t last long because the room became quiet again. My dad loves silence whenever he’s watching the news, so everyone settled down quickly. I relaxed, thinking the evening was back to normal. Suddenly, I heard my dad’s voice again, "China, una don start again," and my elder brother added, "Which one be HMPV? This one na season 2 of 2020."

I rushed out of my room to see what was happening. The TV screen showed a headline about a new disease in China called Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV). They showed people wearing face masks, just like the early days of COVID-19. My heart skipped a beat as the memories of lockdown, fear, and uncertainty came rushing back.

I stood there for a moment, unsure of what to feel. After a while, I went back to my room and sat quietly. “God, please don’t let this turn into another lockdown,” I prayed. I didn’t know what else to do, so I just sat there, hoping this wouldn’t be a repeat of 2020.

I started the semester with a lot of enthusiasm and seriousness. I made sure to attend all my classes because I knew it was going to be a short semester. I was determined to do well, especially since I heard we might have exams before the Christmas break.

As the semester went on, we all waited for the department to post the exam timetable. Days turned into weeks, and it seemed like it was taking forever. Meanwhile, I noticed that other departments had already started their exams. It became clear that we wouldn’t be having our exams before the short break.

With no other choice, I decided to travel for my break. I was excited to go home, but it wasn’t quite what I had expected. Instead of enjoying the holiday fully, I found myself thinking about the exams that would come right after the Christmas break. It was hard to relax knowing that I would have to dive back into studying soon.

Even though I was with family and friends, my mind was still on the upcoming exams. I tried to enjoy the season, but the thought of school took over me. It was a strange mix of celebration and anxiety, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that the break was just a pause before the real work began.

I bought my favorite food, and after eating, I started feeling some stomach pains. At first, I didn’t think much of it, after all, it was something I loved eating. But the pain got worse, and soon, I could barely breathe. It was clear that I needed help. I rushed to the nearest clinic, hoping to get some medicine to ease the pain quickly.

When I got there, I met a woman who was clearly dealing with a lot herself. She had suffered a stroke, and her office door was wide open. Her movements were slow, and even talking seemed difficult for her. Seeing her struggle like that broke my heart. This was someone who had spent seven years studying medicine, and yet here she was, suffering with disabilities. I felt deep sympathy for her.

As I waited for her to prescribe my medication, she asked for my name. I told her, and it took her almost 20 seconds to repeat it back to me. Each word seemed to take so much effort, but she kept going. Her hands moved slowly as she wrote down my details, and I could feel the frustration of how long it took.

Finally, she finished writing and handed me the medicine. In that moment, all I felt was gratitude and respect for her. Despite her struggles, she was still there, helping others in any way she could. As I turned to leave, I couldn’t help but say, “God be with you, ma.” She looked at me and said softly, “Thank you, my son.”

Walking out of the clinic, the pain in my stomach didn’t seem as bad anymore. My mind was filled with thoughts of her strength and endurance.

Over the time I have always declined Fatima's invitations to accompany her to her doctor's appointments, not because I didn't want to support her, but because I've never been fond of hospital environments. However, the tables turned today when I asked Fatima to take me to see her doctor. I've been experiencing sharp stomach pains for a couple of days and couldn't take it anymore.

Upon arrival, I was surprised by the hospital's setup and the amazing environment. I remarked on this to Fatima, then she answered that I would be even more impressed by the doctor in charge. As we entered the hospital, you needed to see the crowd of people waiting to see the doctor. We registered and waited for our turn.

After a few hours, we finally met with the doctor. Her condition was pitiful, even to the extent that I had to listened intently as she spoke, observing the struggles she faced as she prescribed medication for me. As we left the office, Fatima asked how the appointment went. I expressed my surprise, and upon further inquiry, I discovered that the doctor had faced numerous health challenges, including high blood pressure, stroke, and skin cancer, which has left her with some physical deformities.

The doctor's resilience and dedication to her profession were inspiring. Despite her physical deformities, she remained committed to practicing medicine. I left with a newfound appreciation for this strong and remarkable woman.

I've consistently noticed the vibration from my phone. I knew it was a call from either a family member or a close friend. However, it was uncomfortable for me to reach out and take the call because I was in a church service. On the constant ring, I decided to excuse myself and take the call. Fortunately, it was from a female friend. That alone kept me wondering why the disturbance and how urgent it was. Whatever the situation was, she wanted to distract me from the service.

Little did I know that it was a serious case, as she was crying. I kept asking what the problem was, then she said her dad was kidnapped on his way back from the office, and they hadn't heard from him. For one second, I was speechless, so she ended the call herself. Not too long after, she called again, saying they'd heard from the kidnappers, who were asking for seventy million. There was no possible way they could raise that money within the limited time. The situation was dire, and raising such an amount would be very hard. I never knew when I burst into tears with her.

At this point, we could do little or nothing but pray and believe in God for a miracle. So, we decided to take the next step and ask God for a miracle, which we did. After much conversation with the kidnappers, they were able to reduce the ransom to ten million. So, we started making calls, asking for help from all related friends and family members. Thank God we were able to raise the money they requested, and the payment was made instantly.