It was 4:25 am, and the hall of the Arise Pentecost Church was filled with worshippers, all exhausted after an intense but memorable all-night service. This evening of prayer, praise and prophecy had gone as well as everyone had hoped and prayed for, and now it was time to rest for the weekend. While a number of them elected to take a quick nap in the hall until daybreak, others were ready to move to their homes immediately.

Among the latter group was Hector and Lavender Adomako, one of the most pleasant couples in the church. Hector was a towering man with a gentle demeanour, and Lavender was a plump beauty with one of the bubbliest personalities one could ever encounter, and they were a true source of joy and encouragement to all who had the pleasure of knowing them.

With their coats draped over their arms, exchanging warm smiles as they prepared to head out of the hall and get in their car to get home, the pastor of the church, Pastor James Ayertey, walked towards them, his face glowing but tired.

“Mr. and Mrs. Adomako! Ready to get moving, aren’t you?” he asked cheerily.

The couple nodded enthusiastically. “It’s been such a powerful night,” Hector commented. “Definitely one all-night service I’m not forgetting any time soon.”

“Agreed,” Lavender echoed, her eyes sparkling with her usual effervescence. “God bless you for putting this together, Osofo. This was a real blessing.”

Pastor James clasped his hands together. “All glory to God, Lavender, all glory to Him alone. You know, I just have to say this: you two are such a blessing to this congregation. My wife and I were talking about it the other day, how you both are the best of friends, always showing such genuine love for each other. It’s really inspiring. You two make marriage look so beautiful.”

Lavender laughed, leaning into Hector’s broad frame as she her looped her arm through his. “Oh, Osofo, you’re too kind,” she responded, her voice light and melodic. “It’s all by God’s grace, really. We’re not perfect, of course, far from it! But we’re just happy to live this life together, aren’t we, Hector?”

Hector chuckled softly. “Absolutely, my love. We’re honored to be an inspiration, Pastor James. That’s what we pray for; to reflect God’s love and maybe encourage others along the way.”

Pastor James nodded, a grin spreading across his face. “Well, you’re doing just that. You know, my wife said the other day, ‘If I could bottle up the way Hector looks at Lavender eh, I’d be a millionaire! Easy cash out!’”

The three of them burst into laughter.

As it faded, Pastor James clasped his hands again. “Alright, you two, get some rest. Take care heading home, and we’ll see you on Sunday, God willing.”

“Will do, Pastor,” Hector replied, giving a small wave as Lavender tugged him toward the door.

“God bless you, Osofo!” Lavender called over her shoulder as the couple stepped out into the cool dawn.

***

The clock on the dashboard read 4:30 a.m. as Hector steered their Toyota RAV4 down the quiet road. The sky was still dark, with only the faintest hint of dawn creeping at the edges.

Lavender, nestled comfortably in the passenger seat, hummed a worship song from the service, still hung on the beauty of the glory they had experienced a few hours ago.

“Tonight was so powerful, wasn’t it?” she murmured, turning to Hector. “The worship… oh Lord, Hector, I really felt the Spirit moving so strongly. Especially when we were singing the ‘Hallelujah Chant’. It’s like God just came to sit in our midst and receive our praise, it was so beautiful.”

Hector nodded, his large hands steady on the wheel. “Yeah, it was something else. You could feel the weight of it all, like God was right there in the room. And that moment when everyone started praying in unity? Chills, Lav. Glory overload!”

Lavender nodded, and her expression softened as she leaned back. “And the Thompsons… the way I’m so happy for them, eh? Six years they’ve been trying to have a baby, and now they’re finally expecting! I’m so happy for them. I remember those days when Sarah would cry to me about it. We’d sit in that small changing room, and she’d just be crying, wondering if it would ever happen, if God just didn’t want them to have kids. So seeing her tonight, glowing and praising God… it’s a miracle.”

Hector reached over, squeezing her hand gently. “It’s a wonderful testimony, that’s for sure. God’s timing is always perfect, even when it’s hard to wait.”

They drove in comfortable silence for a moment, the hum of the engine blending with the quiet of the early morning.

Lavender yawned, then laughed. “Oh boy, I can’t wait to get home and crash. That comfortable bed of ours is calling my name.”

“Same here, baby,” Hector replied with a grin. “I’m dreaming of that hitting that pillow already–”

A sudden blur darting across the road cut him short.

“HECTOR!”

Lavender’s scream cut through the car.

Hector slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching as the car lurched to a stop.

A figure collapsed onto the road just inches from the bumper.

It was a young man. He was curled into a heap, murmuring incoherently, his voice a frantic mix of pleas and sobs.

“Help… help… mercy… please, mercy…”

Hector’s heart pounded as he threw the car into park and stepped out, his guard up but his instincts sharp.

Lavender cracked her window, her voice soft but urgent. “Hector, be careful.”

He nodded before turning to the young man, whose eyes were wide with terror, his hands clutching at the ground as if it might swallow him.

It was clear to Hector that something was terribly wrong. His broad frame loomed as he approached cautiously, one hand raised in a calming gesture. “Hey. Are you okay, young man?” he called, his voice firm but kind, while his eyes scanned the darkness for any sign of danger.

The young man’s tear-streaked face tilted up toward Hector, his eyes wide with desperation. “Please, help me,” he sobbed, his voice cracking. “I-I can’t go back. He’ll finish me. I swear, he’ll finish me.”

Lavender, curious at this stage, opened the car door and stepped out, her breath catching at the sight of the young man crumpled on the road. Her bubbly demeanour was tempered by concern, her eyes flicking between the stranger and her husband. She stayed close to the car, her instincts still on high alert.

Hector kept his distance, his frame tense but steady. “Who’s coming after you, young man?” he asked, his voice calm but probing. “What’s got you this scared?”

The young man’s chest heaved, his words tumbling out in a rush.

“My-my… my… my stepfather. He… he’s a police officer, a bad one. Th-those corrupt ones. He’s got friends in high places, and he’s… he’s abusive. I ran away tonight because he… he was drunk, and… and he nearly shot me… so I ran, but I… I can’t go to anyone. My relatives—they’re too scared of him. They’ll just send me back. And he might kill me. I can’t trust anybody. I just need a place to stay, please. Just for a bit.”

Hector and Lavender exchanged a long look, their years of marriage allowing them to communicate without words.

They’d heard stories of robbers using sob stories as bait, especially on quiet roads like this at 4:30 a.m. And the robbers seemed to get more and more creative every day. So as pitiful as this sounded, they couldn’t entirely be sure that he was for real. What if it was just a ruse, and he had some accomplices ahead, ready to rob them?

A few seconds of observing the young man, however, cleared up that suspicion.

His trembling hands, his tear-choked voice, the raw terror in his eyes… it felt too real, too visceral to be a ploy. This was a young man in real need of help.

“Please,” the young man whispered again, his head dropping. “I-I… I’ve got nowhere else to go.”

Lavender’s heart softened, her lips pressing into a thin line as she nodded slightly at Hector. He exhaled, his guard still up but his compassion winning out. “Alright,” he said, his voice firm but kind. “Get in the car. We’ll figure this out at our place. But you stay calm, do you hear me?”

The young man nodded frantically, slowly stumbling to his feet. Lavender opened the back door, her eyes never leaving him, while Hector stood watch, ready for any sudden moves.

As he slid into the backseat, still murmuring thanks through his tears, Hector and Lavender shared another glance, a mix of faith and caution guiding their decision.

They climbed back into the car, the weight of the moment settling over them as they drove toward home, the dawn just beginning to break.

Interesting. So this is the couple Izar has run into…