She spoke into his heart

It was dark. Cold covered the city of Accra. Up in the Mountains of Aburi fog was covering grass and bushes. Broken streets lights with now repair in sight were making driving on the Tema Motorway and Accra-Kumasi road a gamble of survival. In the Orphanages of the city children had to sleep without a third meal as usual. Dumsor Dumsor. Long time promised to be over for good, made life a constant challenge for people and companies alike eating into the development of the country. Concrete structures once started by the Government of the past, stood uncompleted in the middle of nowhere reaching high into the night sky.

Her boy was to be born in the next couple of days. Breathing had become a problem for her. How she got there, she did not know. In her village no health facility was able to take care of her delivery and only a broken down motorbike of her neighbours could have ever brought her to a clinic for the baby and herself to survive. How to feed the child later and take him to school for him to find a good job to support her in old age, she did not know.

“Lady,” was she hearing a tenor voice from behind, “…Lady…may I ask… what are you doing here at midnight all alone in this big place…you seem to be lost. This is a very hugh place and the hour is not now…no time for church service.”

She was holding her breath as she thought the voice was familiar to her. Not, it could not be him…him, at this hour, here in that particular place.

“Lady…do not be afraid…it is me, Nana Akuffo Addo, the President of Ghana…so, do not be scared…I am all for you…and as I can see, the future is beating in you…oh, how nice.”

She was scared to move around. Nana Akuffo-Addo slowly walked around her to stand smiling in front of the Lady from the village in the Upper East Region of Ghana. His eyes were the once of a small boy looking so innocent not knowing what he could possibly do wrong in life.

“Here in this magnificent new National Cathedral GOD is with us and looks over us. To him we go, to him we pray and he will answer all our prayers sooner or later…as long as we believe in him.”

She took heart and dared to ask him a question: ”Does this building, the new National Cathedral, pay for my hospital bills, the food for my child, his education, give him a job, help me to see a doctor when I need one and develop our village to stand on our own feet away from aid?”

“GOD is a provider and this Monument of a Cathedral is a clear commitment of us people to him. I have seen what this makes in USA, in far land. Stupid people say it cost too much money and comes at the wrong time. I told them the costs are mostly covered by people and companies, not the Government. It is also going to be a tourist attraction. People complained about the Tajj Mahal in India for which reason the King that loved his wife so much was ousted by his own son for overspending of taxes for the building. Even in Hamburg in Germany the Elbhilharmony estimated at the cost of Euros 80 Mio. But finished at Euros 800 Mio.in the end was a concern to many. The Opera House in Sidney Australia was costing more than originally calculated, now is a famous landmark and tourist attraction.”

She looked around the big empty space in the quietness of the night. Her son was kicking her in the womb. She took heart and said:” The places you mentioned, do people not pay to see them so that the cost can be recovered over time? The burial place in India has an attractive story behind for people to be attracted and pay money for. Did anyone in these countries mentioned not get medical care, not a job or were not able to attend school? What is the story behind this gigantic building, Mr. President, a landmark for the whole world to see the wicked mind of us Africans that we are willing to glorify ourselves at the expenses of others in our nation? I need to eat today and not in generations to come when possibly something good will come out of this idea. Could you not have asked the Donors to invest their money into something that can help us turn around our situation NOW and make Ghana a better country for people not to migrate illegally and cause confusion outside? We are the country of cocoa, the best in the world, could we not have built a chocolate city that create jobs and put us on the map of tourists and chocolate lovers. One thing is for certain, when we have lost all our natural resources, what will stay with us for generations to come are our cocoa beans, that is our identity as Ghanaians! Or develop a rival concept to Carnival in Rio or an attractive form of Xmas market in our African style with an impressive African Xmas parade for Nation Building, to create jobs, make a landmark in this world and bring in through it much needed tourists for further revenues?

Why, Mr. President, do you not focus on such projects with might? We have churches all over the country, more than in the world of the White Men, do you really believe that this National Cathedral can be a place GOD will better listen to us and turn our fate around to make Ghana great and strong and he has not done that in the years past in all other churches?”

“Lady…oh Lady….my political opponents have confused you. Do not listen to their propaganda. This is a place GOD will lift all of us up to a better place…,” was Nana Akuffo-Addo turning around himself inhaling the atmosphere of the gigantic place he had created in his mind and that had stood right around him.

“Mr. President, I humbly say, this is not the place and time to joke with our future. Please do not disgrace us in the eyes of the world but make us move forward…I need my future…my Pastor is there in my village and he is protecting us.”

“Lady…oh Lady…your mind is so innocent. A Pastor in the village, what can he do for you...but a Pastor in this National Cathedral…oh my GOD…he will perform miracles and you will see, very very soon all of our problems will be solved…have trust in me.”

The Lady looked up to the ceiling of the National Cathedral. Her heart was angry, her mind confused. They were hearing a knocking at the mighty main entrance door. Nana looked over his left shoulder, walked to the door, pulled it open and saw a light before him.

“Turn away from your idea…before it is too late for you ….and your people…as I have come to judge you.” His shock made him fall down on his knees.