JOURNEY TO THE EAST - MY EXPERIENCE AT KOFIKWEI

 LIVING LIFE WITHOUT RECORDING OUR EXPERIENCES IS PRETTY BORING

My alarm bell rung. It was 3.30 am. I opened my eyes and remained on my bed for a couple of minutes. My body was saying I need more sleep, whiles my itinerary was saying I have a place to go. I reluctantly got up. In a yoga posture, I prayed and thank God for sustaining me. In fifteen minutes, I’ve done my brushing, bathing and dressing. Afterwards, I embarked on a journey to a place I’ve never been before –Kofikwei. A relatively small rural community in the Eastern region.

Together with my cousin and church friends, we set off at 05.28 am. The road traffic was less…expect this on a Sunday and special occasions like Easter. Around Kuntunsi, our car became thirsty and it took about eleven sachet water to quench it. On the way too were government road expansion projects. At Doboro, were huge billboards of spiritualists advertising their so-called competency to cure and solve all manner of dilemmas.

Bread here, bread there, bread everywhere. That was Nsawam. For a moment, it seemed like we were lost. So we enquired from the folks around and we were shown the route that leads to Kofikwei.

On both shoulders of the road were tall trees, coconut trees and shrubs. Vapour was coming out of the mountains. Even though the road wasn’t tarred, it was smooth and well-outlined.

We reached Kofikwei at 07.31 am. It was a convention expedition. And my church members who took off two-days before us welcome us with smiles and “Christ-like” warmth. The women were housed in the Junior High school for the community and the men, were lavishly residing in the chief’s palace. My Sunday school children were so glad to see me. And I really love it when they make me feel worthwhile in their lives. I asked them a few questions and their responses were satisfactorily enough to give me a fair understanding of the situation there (Kofikwei).

I was taken to a river. A water source they’ve resorted to as a result of water shortage in the area. It was meant to be used only for bathing and cleaning cooking utensils.  We were walking briskly to the river. Then suddenly, “Hey stop there…stop there….”  A middle-aged woman shouted in a warning tone to us. Apparently, some women were bathing along the river, including my female church friends and elders. Honestly speaking, such situations are really tempting. So tempted was I to watch, but I didn’t.

Later in the day, one of my female cousins decided to do some cooking. Thus, she requested that I buy some eggs and spices for her. After buying these from a woman, who appears to be in her fifties, I decide to ask her some few questions. “Please, may I know the foodstuffs cultivated here?” She eagerly responded, “Well, we cultivate plantain, cassava, pineapple, pawpaw, mango…” And she was all smiles. This compelled me to generalize that the people of Kofikwei are hospitable. Apart from that, the environment is serene, marshy and forest-laden.

I’m not a glutton. And for that reason I ate only milky oat and bread upon arrival, banku and stew, yam and boiled cassava with kontomire stew, rice and stew and had as dessert sliced pineapples in the afternoon.

After satisfying the “gods in my stomach”, I engaged in a hearty banter with my fellow men. Peoples’ legs were pulled and inexpensive jokes were cracked.

Before leaving, I was privileged to see the chief of Kofikwei, Nii Kofi Kwei II. A well-built man who has given his heart wholeheartedly to God and ensuring that the word of God is preached in his jurisdiction.

It was 15.40 pm. Time to come back to Accra. Frankly speaking, it was difficult. As I entered the car, I can’t help relishing the few hours I’ve spent ministering the word of God to some children as well as my experiences. Yes, it was Easter and it has really paid to be in the East.

LET'S ACT - A CLARION CALL

The foundations were laid yesterday. We are building on it today. But the foundation has developed cracks. Would we continue to build on and hand over a fragile system to posterity? OR we would sacrifice and repair and consolidate the foundations.

There are more questions than answers. There are more problems than solutions. But Ephesians 2.10 gives us hope. It reads, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto GOOD WORKS, which God hath ordained beforehand that we should walk in them”. We’ve been equipped, individually, with the requisite skills and abilities to do something that would be of immense benefit to humanity. All of us can do good works in our respective fields to make this country a better place. For we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Yes.. all things.

Big things are achieved by small things. The theory of gravity has explained uncountable number of phenomena. It took Christ and His disciples to get millions re-united to God. It took six men to achieve the freedom a current population of over 24 million are enjoying. It took Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu to liberate about 50 million South Africans from the apartheid. So you and I can go far. Very very far. You and I can move mountains.

So what can you and I do to better our motherland?

You and I can start by condemning ethnocentric and violence-laden speeches made by our political leaders. The power of life and death lies in the tongue, as the Good Book puts it. We can’t afford to have our relatively peaceful country torn into shreds by irresponsible and uncontrolled political statements. We must shut our ears to the mouths that spew violence. Likewise, you and I should respect our constitution and act within its framework. Mob action may be instant justice but is not instant peace of mind. You and I can make sure human dignity and pride is upheld through fairness and justice that follow due process.

Religion wields so much authority in Ghana. You and I can use it to ensure unity and not division, love and not hate. We’ve got to be religiously tolerant of each other’s views. Our proselytizing ambitions should not cause us to inflict other faiths with inflammatory lashes. We should understand that diversity is inevitable. The reality is we can’t all be the same. That’s why we have male and female, tall and short, blacks and whites. You and I can be able to share progressive ideas irrespective of whether you are a Muslim and I’m a Christian or African indigenous religion practitioner. You and I can mingle.

You and I can ameliorate poverty and create economic opportunities. How? 5p, 10p, 50p or GH 1 cedi saving a day, differentiating need from a want and a futuristic attitude are all it takes. A seed destroyed can never grow. The utility of money is best enjoyed when earned lawfully. Sakawa would put smiles at your cheeks today and eternal torture tomorrow. You and I can find pleasure in work.

Domestic violence, marital instability and divorce have reached astronomical rates. When love is put under the carpet, when forgiveness become the twin-brother of vindictiveness, and self-control, conquered by illicit sexual adventures, you and I are doomed. But you and I can make families work by re-defining the concept of love. You and I can make forgiveness work by letting bygones be bygones and respecting each other’s limits. You and I can check our libidos and forge first-class relationships. With you and I, it’s possible.

According to Benjamin Franklin, “If a man empties his purse into his head, no man can take it away from him. An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest”. You and I can re-adjust our attitude towards learning. You and I, after treating our tummies to heavy balls of kenkey and fish, can make reading a dessert. Indisputably, we are the future leaders in business, politics, religion, family, health and education. University students, polytechnic students, SHS and JHS students, and those in technical and vocational training institutions…we are acquiring skills and abilities to solve problems someday. That’s what unites us.

Prevention is better than cure. You and I can be the Zoomlions and Metropolitan Assemblies to ensure a clean Ghana. You should be able to tell me, “Ernest, pick up the sachet water you dumped on the floor and dispose it off properly”, and I should be able to find sense in your statement. You and I can wipe out cholera by enforcing the principles of sanitation. You and I can wipe out malaria by making stagnant water flow. You and I can show compassion to people living with HIV/AIDS.

We’ve  complained. We’ve whined. But how about… you and I, becoming the change we want to see? How about you and I putting into action the things we’ve been talking? It's time to ACT. THAT’S THE CLARION CALL.

God bless you and I. God bless Ghana.

WHAT SHE DESERVES

What would do the magic?
What's the trick?
To be a primary stakeholder of her heart,
To get the whole of her and not a part,
You've wondered,
You've pondered
And you're about to be answered,

This is what she deserves,
A caring, flamboyant and nurturant shoulder to lean on,
An unblemished trust-worthied folk to count on,
An attentive ear not to hear but listen,
A voice to soothen,
A mind to find grain in a multitude of chaff,
A tongue to make her laugh,
A hand to appreciate her beauty,
Plus a sense of duty,
Legs to go the extra mile,
And confidence to walk her down the aisle,

What she deserves,
I've just said,
And you've now heard,
So go out,
And let these out.

LETTER FOR EMPLOYMENT

My address is not necessary.

Your address really bore me.

Hi Sir/madam,

LETTER FOR EMPLOYMENT AS CEO

Eheh, I’m wasting my ink to write to your little and pathetic company to apply for the post of the CEO. In fact, I’m applying to unseat your overall boss – someone must go for someone to come.

I completed Agbaa Dzen Naa Creche and Nursery School in 80 B.C and graduated in crawling colours – straight F’s in all my subjects and big A’s in peeping under the skirts of my female teachers and farting.

I’ve got heavy hands to slap any son of a bitch who dare oppose me, and a sharp tongue to rain insults on anyone who comment on the size of my head.

Also, I’m sexually potent to satisfy, sexually, all the single female staff in the company, so as to ensure intrinsic motivation.

I want forty (40) Gigabytes of fufu and “aponkyekrakra” with sixty (60) kilobytes of “panin de panin” every Friday.

I prefer an office with at least three (3) air conditioners, a tennis court, a 62” inch Plasma TV, a bathhouse, a gold-embroidered water closet, a high density mattress and seven (7) female “office assistants”. And listen to this caveat – I don’t want to see anything that looks like work in my office.

I hope my application would merit positive consideration. If you reject it or use it as a loo paper, I don’t give a foco! Fank you.

Your future CEO,

I’ve forgotten my name

MYSELF TO MYSELF

Focus,

My conscience told me,

The corners around you are dark,

Like the impenetrable skin of evil,

Lamps are but momentary,

The arrays of the moons and stars are transient,

Look neither north nor south,

Likewise east nor west,

Look within,

Explore the gallery of your inner being,

Sprint through the mind and soul of you,

With all diligence and tenacity,

And at last,

There lies the LIGHT,

An inexhaustible antidote,

To your despairs,

To the fears that stifles you from your true self,

Like the peeled skin of banana,

Making your mind and soul naked,

At the mercy of arbitrary consumption,

By an idiot or wise,

What God has put together,

Let no devilish delinquent separate,

Merge yourself to yourself,

Don’t dance to the tunes of wet blankets,

Let you be you,

And not you, them

Cos God made you,

You are the light,

Switch yourself on,

And brighten your corner.

ALL DIE BE DIE

my sweet love, all die be die. Se woti.

My sweet love,

You are the reason for my living,

Though you are tall,

And I’m unfortunately short,

I believe the power of love would unite our hearts,

I willing to die for our love,

For all die be die,

My sweet love,

Though it’s clear that we’re in love,

It appears you are giving me tough time,

You’ve made me desperate and frustrated,

I suspect another guy,

Taller and knowledgeable than me is perching on your heart,

Sweet love,

I promise you on this,

That I would strive to unsit that dude on your heart,

Even if it means I should lose my life,

Cos all die by die.

WHEN HEAVEN IS HELL

”To grow in faith is to deepen, extend, and perhaps revise our understanding of its meaning and to arrive at clearer means by which to state and act on our convictions”
                                                                                                 Stone and Duke

Why would a Church raise its musical melody to a point that it becomes a noise which adversely affects the ears of its members and the public? Why would a Minister of God vigorously preach about the things of God while doubting what he is preaching in his heart?

I’ve observed that many of us (Christians) are emotionally responsive to religious discussions, especially when the issue at hand appears to stifle our faith in God. But that’s just superficial. The case is beyond our emotional reactions. To put it bluntly, our resistance is as a result of fear and close-mindedness – a gross refusal to appreciate reality and possess a better understanding of our faith.

According to Wikipedia, Faith in Christianity “is based in and on the work and teachings of Jesus Christ”. It moves on to say that faith is not static, but it grows, flourishes in a bid to possess higher understanding of the object of our belief. Faith is not constructed through the mere transfer of doctrines and teachings. Our faith, as Christians, must cause us to learn, meditate, and grow on the things of God. It extends to investigating certain religious claims for our selves. Understanding is key to the development of our Faith.
In my life, I’ve come across Christians whose actions have been detrimental to humanity. And you would be shocked to know that they justify their actions with scriptures in the Bible. Their actions are not deliberate neither are they aware of their transgressions (I’m not being judgmental here). It all points to our understanding of our faith and perception of God.

Many Christians are backsliding not only because of negative circumstances but also because of the fact that they (we) get confused along the course to Heaven. Why? Because we were born and bred in Christianity in which Biblical doctrines was forced down into our throats. That’s perfectly excellent! But the problem started when we were told to shut up when we asked the tough questions (and get not answers, but clarifications).

For instance, imagine going on an evangelism and a stranger poses this question to you, “If God loves us and want us to get to heaven, why did He not place us in paradise (heaven) but rather brought us on earth to sin so that some of us would by hook or crook book appointments in hell?”. Your perfect answer to such question would be scriptural. We must bear in mind that the Unsaved is as familiar to the scripture as we do. This brings to mind the encounter between Jesus and Satan in the wilderness. Satan was scripturally knowledgeable as Christ but the exciting thing was that Christ understood the scripture better.

Fellow Christians, we have a responsibility to get a firm understanding of the Faith we live. That puts us in a better position to address and liberate the confusions from the minds of the unsaved. It starts by asking our own selves the tough questions concerning our religion. There is a need to understand our faith better so as to manifest the true nature of Christ.