Mother would always say "be good."  I didn't understand how that affects me or why she would always say that.

Even when Mazi Okafor come to our house crying that his mad wife had licked all the soup in the pot, leaving nothing for the children, Mother would still give him from  the little she had.

The other day Mazi  Okafor came around, He didn't say anything but Mother understood that he was ashamed to beg. But then, Mother had nothing on her, not even foodstuff to give to him. Aunty Nkechi, our first born was in the veranda chatting with her friends when Mother walked up to her , asking for a 500 naira note. That was when Nigeria's currency had value.

At first, aunty Nkechi refused . She was angry that Mother was too generous and open to everyone. I could remember vividly the exact word she said;

" Mummy, does this man not have a job? Why must he meet you anything he needs something? Are you the only one in this neighborhood? " Aunty Nkechi asked angrily. 

Mother couldn't answer her but promised to refund her the money. The man left with the 500 naira note feeling happy.

Then came a raffle draw hosted in our church. Mother bought tickets for all seven of her children. Mazi Okafor was the one who urged Mother to play. Mother didn't tell Papa knowing papa would be against the idea. To Papa, it was a waste of money.

Mother had a dream on the eve of the D-day. She saw her self amidst crowds, then a cute boy rode a Jeep past them, reversed and stopped directly in front of Mother. He told her that he had been waiting for her and then handed her the car keys. Immediately mother woke up and told the dream to Papa.

It was on Galilee Monday, after Easter Sunday when they announced the winner of the game. We were Catholics. Mother and Papa could not go because they had some work to finish in the farm. My siblings and I left for the event.

That moment when the first  result was about to be announced by the priest, everywhere was silent. The tickets were put in a basket and the priest just had to pick a ticket from the basket.

 Even though I was still young, I could see how my brothers were struggling to get rice. The priest picked a ti key and it was  Bro Chukwuma's. His name was called, he won the first prize. But then, He didn't his name being called,as all what was on his mind was to get his own share of the food. Our senior brother had to stand in for him.

We won a brand new car. Like this really changed our lives. We took the news to Mother and Papa, they couldn't believe their ears. Mother remembered that it was her good heart that paid off.

Papa sold the car and bought a plot of land where he built a family house. Finally, we got freed from landlord wahala, all thanks to Mother's good deeds.