the poor child

chapter five

Chapter Five – The Storm Before the Dawn

The months after the debate were some of the happiest of Ada’s life. She had become more confident, her teachers praised her often, and even some of the children who once mocked her now respected her. But life, Ada would soon learn, has a way of testing us most when we think we have finally found our footing.

The Sudden Illness

One hot afternoon, after school, Ada came home to find Mama Ifeoma sitting outside the hut, holding her chest and breathing heavily.

“Mama!” Ada cried, rushing to her side. “What is wrong?”

Mama Ifeoma tried to smile but winced. “I am just tired, my child. Maybe I worked too hard at the farm today.”

But Ada was not convinced. She had never seen Mama Ifeoma so weak. She helped her inside and gave her some water.

That night, Mama Ifeoma’s condition worsened. She had a fever and could barely speak. Ada stayed awake, wiping her forehead with a wet cloth and whispering prayers.

At dawn, she ran to Madam Chika’s house.

“Ma!” she cried, tears streaming down her face. “Please come. Mama Ifeoma is very sick.”

Madam Chika wasted no time. She sent for the village nurse and came with Ada to the hut. The nurse examined Mama Ifeoma and shook her head gravely.

“She is very weak,” the nurse said. “She needs medicine, but it will cost money.”

Money. That dreadful word again. Ada’s heart sank. The small amount she had saved for a waterproof school bag and new sandals would not be enough.

Madam Chika saw the panic on Ada’s face and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Do not worry, my child. I will pay for the medicine. Go and get it quickly.”

Ada ran as fast as her legs could carry her to the nurse’s shop, bought the medicine, and returned. Over the next few days, she nursed Mama Ifeoma carefully, giving her the medicine on time, feeding her warm pap, and praying fervently.

Slowly, Mama Ifeoma began to recover, but she was still too weak to work. This meant that Ada had to take on even more responsibilities.

More Work, More Burden

After school each day, Ada worked on the farm until sunset. She carried heavy loads of cassava, fetched water, and even learned how to feed Madam Chika’s goats and chickens.

At night, she would be so exhausted that she sometimes fell asleep with her books open. Her grades began to drop slightly, and Mrs. Okeke called her aside one day.

“Ada, what is happening?” the teacher asked gently. “You are not as focused as before.”

Tears filled Ada’s eyes as she explained everything—Mama Ifeoma’s sickness, the extra farm work, and her struggle to keep up with her studies.

Mrs. Okeke nodded sympathetically. “You are carrying a heavy burden, my child. But you must not give up. Even if you can only read a little each night, do it faithfully. One day, you will look back and see that this difficult time made you stronger.”

Ada wiped her tears and promised to try harder.

Temptation Knocks

One Saturday afternoon, as Ada was selling vegetables in the market to earn extra money, she met an older boy named Emeka. He was from the next village and was known for being a smooth talker.

“Why are you always working so hard?” he teased. “You are too pretty to be carrying all these heavy baskets.”

Ada ignored him at first, but he kept following her around.

“I can help you,” he said, lowering his voice. “I know someone who will buy all your vegetables at once for a good price. You will not even have to sit here in the hot sun.”

Ada was tempted. Selling took hours, and sometimes she did not sell everything.

“But what do you want in return?” Ada asked cautiously.

Emeka smiled slyly. “Nothing now. Just be my friend.”

Ada remembered Mama Ifeoma’s warnings about boys who made promises too easily. Something about Emeka’s smile made her uneasy. She shook her head firmly.

“No, thank you,” she said. “I will sell my vegetables the normal way.”

Emeka laughed. “Suit yourself, poor girl. You will never be more than this.”

His words stung, but Ada held her head high. She knew accepting quick solutions might come at a price she was not willing to pay.

The Humiliation

The next week, the school organized a sports day. All the students were asked to wear white T-shirts and shorts. Ada had no such clothes, so she borrowed an old pair from a neighbor.

When she arrived at school, some of the children laughed at her.

“Look at Ada’s shorts!” one boy shouted. “They are so big, they look like a sack!”

Everyone laughed. Ada felt hot tears well up in her eyes, but she forced herself not to cry. She participated in the races anyway, running as fast as her legs could carry her.

To everyone’s surprise, she came first in the 100-meter race. The laughter stopped, and the children began to cheer for her.

“That is how you silence them,” Mrs. Okeke told her later, patting her on the back. “With excellence.”

Ada smiled through her tears. She was learning that success was the best response to mockery.

Mama Ifeoma’s Warning

When Mama Ifeoma regained some strength, she called Ada to sit by her side.

“My child,” she said, “you have done so much for me. But I want to warn you: life will keep testing you. People will mock you, tempt you, and try to pull you down. You must keep your heart pure and your eyes focused on your goal. Do not let anything distract you.”

Ada nodded solemnly. “I promise, Mama. I will not let anything stop me.”

The Major Test

Not long after, Madam Chika announced that she would be traveling to the city for two weeks. She asked Ada to take care of the farm animals in her absence.

This meant even more work for Ada—feeding the goats, watering the vegetables, and watching over the chickens.

One evening, while she was feeding the goats, she noticed one of them was missing. Panic gripped her. She searched the entire compound but could not find it.

If Madam Chika came back and found out, she might think Ada had been careless—or worse, that she had stolen the goat.

Ada spent the whole night searching with a lantern until she finally found the goat stuck in a nearby bush. She pulled it out, crying with relief.

When Madam Chika returned, she thanked Ada for keeping everything in order. “You are a responsible girl,” she said. “One day, you will go far.”

Those words gave Ada new strength.

The Final Blow

Just when Ada thought life was beginning to settle, tragedy struck again.

One rainy night, a strong wind blew through the village and tore off part of their hut’s roof. The rain poured inside, soaking everything—clothes, books, and even the small mat they slept on.

Ada sat in the corner, hugging Mama Ifeoma, both of them shivering as the storm raged outside.

The next morning, Ada surveyed the damage. Her books were ruined, and their food supplies were wet. For the first time in a long while, Ada felt like giving up.

“What is the point?” she whispered bitterly. “No matter how hard I work, something bad always happens.”

Mama Ifeoma held her close. “Do not say that, my child. Storms do not last forever. This is only a setback, not the end.”

Madam Chika, upon hearing what had happened, sent men to repair the roof and gave them some food supplies. Ada was humbled by her kindness.

As she sat under the repaired roof that evening, she realized something important:

Life would keep throwing storms at her, but she had to keep standing. Every time she fell, she had to rise again.

She made another silent promise that night:

I will not let poverty defeat me. I will not let storms break me. I will keep going until I reach my goal.

And with that renewed determination, Ada picked up her wet exercise books, dried them carefully by the fire, and prepared for school the next day.

She knew the road ahead would not be easy, but she was ready for whatever came next.