Mercy’s tale Dad’s next transfer was in Tema, Ghana and the whole family was anxious but excited. We got enrolled in school and life began. Tema did me good- had most of my best memories, life long besties and I guess, in hindsight, my future husband. Technically, I have known Bernard since fourth grade. He has always been the quiet, shy, reserved young fella. Though age mates, we were never in the same class at school but met at church(Sunday school). At an instance in grade school, we were both selected to recite the books of the Bible as part of the Children’s service week and met regularly for rehearsals. That’s when I got to know him on a personal level. Went through middle school and found out by accident we are in the same region/area for high school. That's how this beautiful friendship really started. In a span of 3 years, numerous letters and phone calls were shared. (Though I never honored a school visit. Maybe I was just too prim and proper). Ended up at different colleges and Dad got transferred. Friendship sure did hit the rocks but the foundation still stayed strong. Over the years, we stayed in touch after college but never a right moment to date. At the right time, God glorified himself. Once we had dated for a few weeks, we were sure marriage was the next step. After praying into and plans of relocating were finalized, both families blessed this union. Bernard is an awesome leader and a supportive partner. Fun in his own way, witty, jovial and most controversial being alive but I must add, a wise young man. I love and admire your service to me, your ability to calm my fast paced life, cheer me up and on. I AM BLESSED!!!!! Blessed to embark on this journey with you, bud. God's got us. We have a great friendship and it seems we know so much about ourselves but looking forward to knowing and loving you till we are old and grey. I really love you my Osikani(rich man). Super duper excited for the next phase- OUR GODLY ASSIGNMENT Bernard's side It dated back 1999/2000 in grade 4 but all started on a Saturday morning/afternoon adjacent a building named “White House” lies the STC bus terminal in Takoradi, Western Region,Ghana. Fate has it that , a club I was a member of—Accra/Tema Boys Association was unsuccessful in organizing a bus to transport us home from Campus so I had to go out to purchase my bus ticket. On my way back to campus, I saw a familiar face like Mercy around the bus terminal but I was quite unsure so I called out her name. Lo and behold, it was her. I shouted with joy to see a former colleague. I thought I was the only student from our junior high school who schooling in Sekondi/Takoradi,Western Region. During that vacation we got to talk more & was much easier because we had lot of friends in common. In those era, the medium of communication was mainly letter writing since mobile telephony was emerging which was not popular among the young back then. Usually talk on landline phone during vacation even though we both lived a stone throw from each other just to fill the gaps left in our conversation. As custom demands of the Methodist church, Mercy’s dad was transferred to serve in another church in some districts in Accra which got her moved from Tema. Distance always has it way of corrupting communication but some of the things that kept me in awe during her long stay in Tema was her caring nature, level of thoughtfulness & love for cooking. I remember back in senior high school, it was a reopening day- I was late to the STC Bus terminal Tema. Unknowingly to me, she had cooked & packed two meals waiting for me so she can give the food to me in person. Luckily enough, her twin sister, Lucy was on the same bus with me so I got the food. Love has a way of reconnecting in spite of breaks along the way. To know more grab a book “Tema2Takoradi- T&T love” of our love journey from Grade 4-High sch- college at any bookstore near you. Lol