Afrenhyia Pa – My Fellow Ghanaians

Today marks the birth of Jesus Christ, who roamed the earth a little over 2000 years ago preaching the good news and admonishing people to change their mode of lives for the better. Therefore, as usual millions of people including my fellow Ghanaians would attend church services, listen to the wonderful preaching, shake hands with those around and then dash home to enjoy either fufu and chicken light soup or rice and chicken soup. Those who can afford more would go for the cows (nantwi) and goats (aponkye). Of course the main meal would be topped with cakes, biscuits, Fanta, Coca Cola, Sprite and Citro. But the sad news is that there are millions of other Ghanaians who would not be able to even put a smile on their faces much more enjoy any of the goodies I have mentioned above.

Ghana has more Christians than Muslims, but there is something that Christians can learn from our Muslim brothers and sisters. During their celebrations, Muslims are known to cook and distribute food to people of all shades including Christians. How I enjoy their rice and aponkye stew. But have you ever heard or seen a Christian church for example Lighthouse Chapel that is situated in the heart of Korle Gonno, cooking plenty of meals during Christmas Day and distributing it to the poor kids in the very neighborhood that they rake billions?

Or have you heard Dr. Mensa-Otabil rolling his priestly robe and scooping rice and stew for kids around Agbobloshie Market? Or what a wonderful spectacle it would have been to see Pastor Kurankyie Ankrah serving rice and stew to poor people and kids who roam the Kaneshie Market on Christmas Day.

Or what do you think Christmas in Ghana would be like if the Catholic Church, Methodist, Anglican, Zion and other charismatic churches like Action, Baptist all join forces and cook some meal on Christmas Day and share it to the poor people at where their churches are located? That would be the most wonderful Christmas package these churches can give to Ghanaians and this would even make them win more souls.

To me this is what Christmas is all about. And this is what these churches should be doing, otherwise it would be very difficult for them to convince non-churchgoers that they are following the exact examples set by Jesus Christ. Of course some would argue that these churches occasionally donate to destitute institutions, but is that enough? Christmas is about sharing and the show of love. It is not about long preaching followed by good meals by church members alone.

If you read the Holy Bible, the Gospel of Luke gave the Most Important Commandment of all. It happened when a Jewish law expert came to test Jesus by asking him what he must do to receive eternal life. Jesus threw the question back to him by asking the law expert what the law of Moses say. The law expert answered by saying that “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. And, Love your neighbor as yourself.” Well said Jesus told the man. “Go do this and you will live.”

But lawyers would always be lawyers. The man did not go away but asked Jesus who his neighbor was. This then led Jesus to tell the story of the Good Samaritan to the lawyer. Fellow Ghanaians, we have so many poor people especially children in our communities. Some walk bare-chested and we pass by them everyday on our way to churches. Has it ever occurred to us to stop and even have a conversation with them?

As we celebrate this Christmas, I urge churches in Ghana to do more to help the poor people in our society. If Churches fail in taking an assertive role in helping the poor in Ghana then they are diluting whatever Christ came to preach and do in this world. Christo Asafo led by Apostle Kwadwo Sarfo, for years have been donating food and cash for destitute institutions every Christmas. Can other churches follow this noble example? What does Mensa-Otabil do with all the money of his church? What about Kurankyie Ankrah and Dag Heward-Mills? I won't forget asking about the traditional churches too.

Can't be join hands and do something noble during Christmas Day for poor people. I urge the church leaders in Ghana to ponder over this and do something on Christmas Day to make it more meaningful to people especially the poor. I will hammer on this from time to time until I see some change.

But before I go I wish to take this opportunity to wish every Ghanaian the very best during this Christmas and a wonderful but enjoyable, peaceful and flourishing New Year. Afrenhyia Pa OOO.

ekwansema@yahoo.com

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