THE DAY THE CHOIR LOST IT'S MORALE.___DAILY PROMPT 22 SEPT

The small church choir in Nkpor had not sung in three weeks.

Their choirmaster, Sister Joy, traveled to Lagos and left them with one instruction - "keep rehearsing". But without her, nobody came on time. Mama Nkechi said her wrapper was not washed. Brother Emeka said NEPA took light. Chidi said he lost morale.

The word hung in the air. Morale.

One evening, the parish priest came to check on them. He found only two people sitting in the empty hall - little Amara with her big hymn book, and old Pa Joseph with his walking stick.

"Where is everybody?" he asked.

Amara said, "They said their morale is low, Father."

Pa Joseph laughed. He stood up slowly. He tapped his stick and started singing alone, off-key, loud and terrible. "How Great Thou Art" in Igbo.

Amara looked at him like he was mad, but then she joined. Her small voice and his shaking voice. Two voices in an empty hall.

Outside, Mama Nkechi was passing with her basin of garri. She heard the song. She stopped. She dropped her basin and entered.

Then Chidi heard it from the compound. Then Brother Emeka.

In ten minutes, the hall was full. No choirmaster, no keyboard, just voices that were not perfect but were trying.

That evening they didn't sing well. But they sang together. And that was enough to bring the morale back.

Sometimes morale is not loud. It is just one person deciding to sing first when everyone else is quiet.

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