10.
At work, I wondered if our friendship was ever going to recover from this episode, however, it was impossible to dwell on for long as the sweet kiss from Kai overruled any activity in my mind and body. Tuesday night arrived more slowly than I begged it would. Kai arrived, albeit a little late, settling my nerves and my thoughts that he wasn't going to pitch. A quick hug assured me everything was fine between us.
Mitch proceeded with this intriguing news about Jesus. We started at the part where Jesus got captured; an arrest made up with blatantly false accusations and how He took it all in as the scriptures declared he would. I learnt of how they barbarically beat Him and humiliated Him and made Him carry that heavy cross all that way until the other man helped Him. And when they nailed Him to the cross I was utterly gutted. How could they do this? I had no control over the tears that escaped me when we read how He hung on that cross slowly suffocating, enduring such immense and excruciating pain without complaining. It was too much to bear, and I cried. What savages were these people that ordered this? But even more so I was in complete awe of His suffering. When Jesus died, I struggled to understand what the point of it all was. But Mitch went on explaining that He arose again after three days and defeated death. That because Jesus lives forever and if we obey Him we too can live forever. I desperately desired to know how I could live forever. Kai sat next to me smiling like a Cheshire cat.
'Through baptism,' said Mitch.
He showed Mother and me how when we get baptised when we get completely immersed in water, we then get buried in Christ and are cleansed from all our sins. Everything wrong that we have ever said or done shall be forgiven, and when we come up out of the water, we are a new person living with the Holy Spirit of Jesus within us. And it is only by this grace given by God through baptism that we can have eternal life. It was a remarkable revelation when it all made sense. There were no questions as to why, if or how, it all made sense, and it was so simple it was ridiculous. I had one question left to ask.
'So when can I get baptised?'
Kai clapped his hands full of elation.
Mitch simply said, 'Praise the Lord.'
Everyone in the study group except Rylee – who had decided to visit her new boyfriend instead – gathered at the edge of the ocean early the following evening. We stood in a circle holding hands as Mitch prayed for mother and me, praising God in our acceptance of His salvation. Mother and I held hands as we entered the cold waters of the ocean. Mitch and Kai followed closely, and when we were knee-deep, we stopped. Mitch held Mother and Kai held me.
They ask us simultaneously if we understood what we were about to undertake, and we both answered with "yes". They asked if we believed Jesus was the Son of our Creator and the living God, and we answered with another "yes". Then they asked if we believed Jesus had died for our sins, that we would get cleansed of all sins through baptism, and then finally if we accepted Jesus Christ as our saviour.
I held Mother's hand as we replied together, 'Yes.'
And with that, we were both immersed into the water holding hands and came up new people – born again – in Jesus Christ.
'Amen!' everyone exclaimed and clapped hands before hugging us with congratulations. While Mother and I shivered wrapped in towels, Mitch prayed once more asking God to guide our lives in Him forever. As we Walked back to the cars, Kai wrapped his arms around Mother.
'So Griselda, it took you a while to become a real person!'
The humour washed off Kai's tongue.
'Watch it, fella, be careful how old you make me out to be. But yes, it has taken me a little longer than usual I guess.'
'Better late than never,' he replied remaining at her side until she was in the car.
We all went back to my house and celebrated with tea and biscuits. Much to my delight, Kai was the last to leave. I said goodbye to him at the door with an affectionate hug that he return willingly.
'So happy you committed your life. It is so amazing you will see.'
'I tend to remember you saying that to me once before,' I laughed at the memory.
'See you soon.'
He gave me another longer lingering hug, kissed me tenderly and left. Every sensory organ in my body was reeling with delight over this momentous occasion and of course the kiss.
I floated on a cloud for the next few weeks flying the flag of the Gospel. Rylee was truly sorry for missing study and my baptism. After a long heart-to-heart, we healed our friendship; her attendance at study became regular as did her interest in God's Word. She was baptised at church one Sunday after service.
Kai visited me regularly, and we finally went on a proper dinner date that turned out to be a most splendid evening. As much as I wanted to, Kai was hesitant to commit to any form of a relationship since he was leaving in December. He said as much at dinner when he admitted to having more feelings for me than he knew were fair toward me.
I had to respect his decision even if my heart was screaming out, 'Who cares if you're leaving and we're together now?'