Tychicus and Onesimus Comot for Road

Two men dey waka one long road go east, with letters wey dem roll and pack well for bag. One of dem know di road well. Di other one know am too. Na di road e take run away, and now e dey come back.

Paul na prisoner, and e dey write to di Christians for Colossae, one small town for di valley of di river Lycus, for di place wey we dey call Turkey today. Paul never visit di place. Di church there start through Epaphras, one man from there wey hear di good news and carry am go home. Near dem, two more towns dey wey get believers, Laodicea and Hierapolis. Paul no fit travel. So e do wetin people dey do for di old world. E send im letters through people wey e trust, wey go read dem loud, answer questions and bring news.

Di first messenger na Tychicus. Paul call am beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant for di Lord. I dey send am to una, Paul write, so dat una go know how we dey, and so dat e go comfort una hearts. Letter no fit talk everything. Tychicus go explain di rest. And with am, Paul send another person. Onesimus, faithful and beloved brother, wey be one of una. Dat three small words, one of una, carry one whole story. Onesimus come from Colossae. E be slave for di house of one believer wey dem dey call Philemon, and e don run away. Somehow e end up with Paul, and e become follower of Jesus. Now e dey go back. Paul even write one separate short letter to Philemon, dey beg am make e welcome Onesimus no be only as slave, but as dear brother. So Onesimus dey waka go home with letters wey dey talk for am. No be, see di one wey run away. But, see our faithful and beloved brother.

Then Paul send greetings from di people wey dey around am, and you fit picture dem as dem crowd round. Aristarchus, wey dey share prison with Paul. Mark, di cousin of Barnabas. Paul add, if e come meet una, welcome am. Years before, Mark don leave Paul for middle of one journey, and Paul and Barnabas argue because of am. Now Mark dey with Paul, co-worker wey e trust. Another second chance. Then Jesus wey dem dey call Justus. Then Epaphras, dem own founder, wey Paul say dey always wrestle for prayer for dem, make dem stand firm. Luke, di beloved doctor, send im greeting, and Demas. Paul greet di believers for Laodicea, and one woman wey dem dey call Nympha and di church wey dey meet for her house. When una don read dis letter among una, Paul talk, make sure say dem read am also for di church of di Laodiceans, and make una read di letter from Laodicea. And tell Archippus: take care of di ministry wey you receive for di Lord, and fulfil am. Finally Paul collect di pen from di person wey dey write for am, and e write di last line by imself. Dis greeting na with my own hand, me Paul. Remember my chains. Grace dey with una.

Di Lycus valley na land wey earthquake dey shake. Di Roman historian Tacitus write say around di year sixty, one earthquake destroy Laodicea, and di city rebuild itself with im own money, without help from Rome. Na around dat time dem dey carry Paul letters go there. Laodicea na rich city, and dat wealth come up again much later, for di book of Revelation.

Tychicus and Onesimus comot for road. You go find dem for Colossians chapter four, verse seven to eighteen. One faithful messenger, one runaway wey dem welcome as brother, and one whole crowd of friends wey dey send love. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Who be one person wey you fit welcome back, and give second chance?