Freetown Page #5

Yeah.

I have a toothbrush.

Toothbrush? What are they

gonna use a toothbrush for?

All right. All right.

Quiet.

What are we missing?

- I need this pen.

- For what?

No, this is good.

This is all we have.

Uh, this is enough for five.

Wait, wait. Here.

- Please. Here.

- That's for petrol.

- Take. Please take it.

- Okay.

- Six.

- We don't have any more money.

That's it. That's all we have.

- My friend, I said six.

- Wait.

- I have something.

- What?

Forkpah, Forkpah, Forkpah,

pay attention.

Look at this.

Three, two, one.

Dead.

God. That's the last drop.

All right.

I knew it, chosen ones.

This is the end of the line.

We are not there yet.

I know we are not there yet.

But this is how far

your faith will get us.

So much for, "We will be okay, brother. "

- "We will be okay. "

- We will be okay, brother.

Yeah, we'll be okay.

We'll be okay walking to Freetown.

Even a traveling band of miracle workers

cannot predict everything.

Oh, Brother Abubakar, take it easy.

Where is your faith?

Can't you see I'm easy? I'm so easy.

I've got faith... loads of it.

- I was just saying if I just...

- Guys.

There's a petrol station right here.

You hear that?

Come on. Let's go.

- Come on.

- Brother Abubakar.

- Abubakar.

- Faith. Faith!

Let's go!

Okay, it's okay.

They were asking for

$85 a gallon in Paynesville.

That's $85 more than we have.

Just say a prayer

and hope they are kind to us.

You have been traveling for long?

Yes, sir.

We've been traveling for long.

And it's not been easy.

Not at all. It's not been easy.

We will need your help.

We want to buy petrol,

but we don't have any money.

We can give anything...

everything that we have.

You've been traveling with your sons?

They are not my sons.

Not your sons?

I guess, in a way, you can say they are.

And you have all of them

in that tiny car?

Yes.

All the way from Monrovia.

Monrovia?

And where are you going?

Freetown.

How far away from the border?

Oh, not far.

But you must be careful, hmm?

The road is very bad.

And even though you are close,

you still have to drive slowly.

I will do that, sir.

And soon, you will catch up

with your friend.

Earlier on, a man came here

looking for a bunch of men wearing white

and claiming he was very anxious

to catch up with you.

Don't worry.

I will help you, hmm?

I will help you.

Open the trunk.

- Give it to him.

- What?

All of it.

That should be enough

to take you there.

We are not far from the border.

What if you don't find them,

Ansa?

- We will find them.

- And what if we don't?

We must find them because if we don't...

I will deal with you.

I'll make sure that you

and any other person

you care about wish that we had.

Help me.

Is it okay now?

Yeah, it's okay.

We're good to go, guys.

Philip, let's go faster.

Look, I can't go any faster.

We have to be careful of the tires.

There are rocks all over the place.

I wish you guys could be

up front here to see it.

If I should get out and walk.

We could get there faster.

Hey!

Keep going. Now we're

really making good time.

- Philip.

- Yes?

The rocks are very small.

Oh, look. Look.

We just got two more bumps.

No.

It is still bumpy.

- The rebels.

- Abubakar.

Guys, come, come.

- It's not good for my shoes.

- Did you see that one?

I can't believe Abubakar

is making us do this.

Philip.

You're a good driver.

- Hey, need some help?

- Hello.

You have a good driver.

He's a good man.

Everywhere is clear.

Philip, don't try me.

I'm warning you.

- Let's go, let's go, let's go.

- This is your last chance.

Abubakar, you should get out

so that you can jog.

How was the exercise?

Tolerable.

Scoot over.

I can't take this.

Thank you.

Next time, I'll drive. Youjog.

I think Menti's hungry.

I'm ready for this trip

to be over, guys.

Endure to the end, brother.

I don't think my end

can endure much more.

I wouldn't be opposed to a shower.

I wouldn't be opposed

to you having a shower.

When do you think

things will be back to normal?

- Normal?

- Yes.

Define "normal. "

I don't know.

We can go outside

and not talk about all

the things that we have seen.

The rebels, the killings,

and the hatred.

Never.

There will always be more of it

if we keep allowing it.

That's bleak, man.

He's right.

Maybe. Just seems bleak.

It is if you see it that way.

But the fact is

there are going to be

permanent consequences

to all our actions.

The families that were displaced,

the lives that were lost...

Those things

can never be back to normal.

And there will always be more of it...

more fighting, more wars, more racism.

Nothing that can be done

can make that better.

But you cannot argue over spilled water.

You cannot dwell

on the injustice of the past,

but rather anticipate

hope of the future.

Elders, look.

If we hurry, we can make it before dark.

Look.

Just get your passports ready.

Anyone need their bags?

Anyone?

Menti?

Selli? Anyone?

Get your papers ready.

Anyone need their bag?

Forkpah?

- Brother Abubakar.

- Nyanforth.

Yes?

What were you thinking?!

That you don't have a passport

to get across the border?!

What, you think you could just show up

and shout scripture, sing a hymn,

and they'll let you cross?

That is not the way things work!

We didn't know.

Some of us have never left

the country before.

Clearly! And we aren't

gonna tell them that!

"Sorry, forgive us that we're

not abiding by your laws.

We've never left the country. "

I've been traveling for two days

with barely enough sleep

and barely enough food,

listening to your miracle stories

and faith-promoting coincidences.

And yet, not one of you

would just sit down to think

that if you would just take

a little time to prepare,

then God wouldn't have to work

so hard to watch out for you!

Look. I'm...

Look. I'm sorry, okay?

It's just that we've worked so hard,

and a lot has happened

to get us this far.

And it's been, like,

miracle after miracle.

Then why are you doubting?

Is faith supposed to be

this exhausting?

Let's finish this.

You mind telling me

how this fits into the plan?

There's nothing

we could have done differently.

All the preparation in the world

wouldn't have opened this bridge for us.

So, what do we do?

We find a place to sleep

and head back in the morning.

So, the scripture teaches us

that in the deal of faith

among the children of men,

God can do a miracle of wonder.

Therefore, he showed not himself

until after they had faith.

Do you believe in Jesus Christ?

Yes, of course.

I want to show you.

Will you be willing to pray for peace?

Definitely, I will.

At least we got to see

Sierra Leone, sort of.

Yeah.

But would the Lord bring us this far

only to turn us away?

Did we do all we can?

Philip?

Where are you going?

Just going for a walk.

Look, stay by the car, would you?

What are we doing here

if we're going to be turned away?

What good is it?

You control everything.

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