The day I caught my brother stealing church money

Two years ago, I came to the church office late one evening to pick up a file I forgot. I found my younger brother Chidi at the finance desk with the offering envelopes spread out. He looked at me and I knew immediately. His hand was inside the safe.

My brother Chidi, the one I grew up with, the one I taught how to ride a bicycle. He had a business that failed. Tailoring shop in Abakpa. He owed people money. Instead of telling me, he started taking from the tithe.

I sat down and I did not say anything for a long time. He was crying. I was trying to understand how we got here. The church elders would have called the police. My mother would have died of shame.

I covered it. I replaced the money from my personal savings. I told Chidi he would work it off. He has not stolen again but something broke between us that day. He cannot look me in the eye. I cannot fully trust him.

Our people say that when you hide a thing for your brother, you hide a thing from yourself. I still wonder if I did the right thing. Some sins forgiveness cannot fix.