Aita Ben Able
Part 2 – The Years of Testing
Time went on, God blessed them with twins, Akena (the boy) and Apio (the girl). The twins grew in strength and beauty, though their lives were shaped by hardship.
Elizabeth often said, “They were born in poverty, but they will not die in poverty.” Her words became a quiet song she whispered to them when she rocked them to sleep.
Every morning before sunrise, Elizabeth strapped one child on her back and held the other by the hand as she followed John to the fields. Akena was curious and playful, always chasing butterflies and grasshoppers. Apio was thoughtful, often sitting under a tree, watching the sky as if she were already dreaming of bigger worlds.
The villagers would shake their heads when they saw the children in worn-out clothes, their little feet bare. Some would pity them, others would mock them. But Elizabeth only tightened her grip on their hands and whispered prayers.
There were times when food was scarce. Seasons of drought dried the fields. Sometimes the harvest was eaten by pests before it ever filled their granary.
Elizabeth learned to eat little, often skipping meals so her children and her husband could have enough. Her body grew thinner, but her spirit never broke.
One evening, after a long day of work, she sat outside their hut, watching her children eat roasted maize. John noticed she had nothing in her hand.
“Elizabeth,” he said, “why are you not eating?”
She smiled faintly. “I am full from watching them eat.”
John’s heart ached, but he said nothing. Deep inside, he promised himself that one day he would repay her sacrifices in a way the whole world would see.
Unknown to Elizabeth and the villagers, John’s trips to town were not only for selling crops. He was also working small jobs, carefully saving, and learning about the ways of business. He watched how the wealthy lived and how the foolish wasted their money.
John kept his savings in a place no one knew, slowly building what would one day change their lives. But still, he remained humble, dressing like a simple farmer, walking barefoot, carrying his hoe.
He wanted to see who loved him without wealth. He wanted to test hearts.
And the only one who passed that test every single day was Elizabeth.
Elizabeth’s parents never stopped pressuring her.
One day, her uncle came to the village. He had heard of her struggles and was angry.
“You are still here? Still living in this mud hut with a poor man?” he thundered. “Elizabeth, you shame our family. Leave this man. Bring your children to us—we will raise them. You cannot raise them here in suffering.”
Elizabeth stood, her twins clinging to her dress. Her voice shook, but her words were firm.
“Uncle, I thank you for your concern. But I will never leave my husband. Poverty is not a curse if there is love. And riches are not a blessing if there is no peace. This man you despise is the man God gave me. With him I will stay, with him I will rise.”
Her uncle spat on the ground and left in anger. But Elizabeth did not cry. She had cried in the past; now she had learned to stand tall.
Despite their suffering, moments of joy lit their days. The twins would sing songs as they walked to fetch firewood. On market days, Elizabeth would dress them in their cleanest clothes, and though the fabric was patched many times, she ironed it with care using a hot stone.
Sometimes, in the evenings, John would carve toys out of wood for the children. Akena loved little soldiers, while Apio loved dolls. The children would laugh and play, and Elizabeth would watch them with a heart full of gratitude.
Their hut was poor, but it was full of love. And that, Elizabeth always believed, was the richest treasure of all.
One day, after selling some produce in town, John passed by a real estate office. For years, he had been quietly growing his savings, and now he realized he had enough to make a bold move.
He entered the office, his clothes dusty from the road, and the man at the desk looked at him with disdain.
“What do you want here?” the man asked.
John spoke calmly. “I want to buy a house.”
The man almost laughed. “You? A farmer?”
But when John laid down a bundle of cash, the man’s laughter died. His eyes widened.
John did not boast. He simply signed the papers and left quietly, carrying in his heart a secret that would one day astonish Elizabeth.
Not long after, he also bought a car. He kept it hidden in town with a trusted friend, waiting for the right moment to reveal it.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth never stopped praying. Every night, she knelt on the earthen floor of their hut and prayed aloud:
“Lord, You gave me this man, You gave me these children, and You gave me this life. I will never complain. I believe You have a plan for us. I trust You.”
Her twins would sometimes kneel beside her, their small voices echoing her prayer. And in those moments, the forest of Mvepi seemed to glow with unseen angels….
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