After the preacher beg a few more times, one of the worshippers go stand in front of him. I travel to plenty plantations, but I never seen her before. She look so small and slight, I can hear Melon say, ‘She need fattening up.’ But all I see is beauty, her dark skin shining in the glistening moonlight. After she step forward, a few of the other worshippers buck up courage, follow the preacher down to the river. Watch as him wade out until the water come up to him waist. Then him lift up him arms, call out to the young woman to come and be saved. She hold back a little, and one of the older women, all eager now, grab up her skirt them, wade into the water ahead of her. The preacher take a hold of her, bend her back under the water. She a big woman and she almost pull both of them down before him manage to lift her up, saying, ‘From this day forth, you are now a child of the Lord. You are no longer a sinner, you have been saved.’

Two more enter the river, a man and a woman and they get baptised, until finally the young woman turn come round again. She stand at the edge of the water, but she can’t seem to go in, and I notice that she trembling a little.

The preacher call out, ‘Come, child. Do not be afraid, I and the Lord will protect you.’

She gather up herself, start to wade out towards the preacher. I move closer, try to get a better view, by which time the young woman reach where the preacher standing. Him bend her back under the water, then lift her up, and when the water streaming off her face, her eyes shine with a joy brighter than the moon. She start to turn back to the shore but her foot must be slip on a rock and she lose her footing. She try to right herself, but the current too strong. She slip again, start to get dragged downstream.

What a ruckus! The women start screaming. The preacher shout for somebody to help, him can’t move quick with all the robe them. I can see nobody going reach her in time, so I run from me hiding place, rush into the water. Reach the young woman just as she start to go down again, drag her back to the shore with much clapping and celebration from the little group of worshippers.

I think me done a good deed, only trouble is the preacher not happy. He start to question me, ask to see me permission slip. Lucky for me, I leave it behind in me crocus bag.