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I’ve read a great deal about paganism and the general behavior of its practitioners. However, after many years, it just occurred to me that my father was a pagan. “The original pagans were followers of an ancient religion that worshiped several gods (polytheistic). Today, pagan is used to describe someone who doesn’t go to synagogue, church, or mosque. It could be that they worship several gods at once, or they have no interest in a god at all. Religious people sometimes use pagan as a put-down to describe the unreligious as godless and uncivilized.” VOCABULARY.COM

I’m satisfied to describe my late father as a pagan because he never prayed to God, never went to church, never read a bible, and, as far as I know, was completely irreligious. I had never contemplated his behavior seriously until after his passing. When he finally died, he was about 96 years old. He was no longer alive to have religious disputes with me. Then, I remembered brief mental movie episodes of his history occasionally. Unconsciously filmed in my mind, with life’s continuously rolling camera. I recall the day we were together at The Apple Valley Market. I had just finished paying for a few grocery items when a well-known friend of mine walked in. I introduced them both to each other. My friend told my father, “Did you know that Jesus is coming soon? He is even at the door and, at any time, can appear in heaven’s clouds.” My father remained silent and just listened to my friend’s gospel grinding. “The only thing delaying His return is probably you,” my friend continued. “In mercy, He is waiting for your repentance.” “Well, if that is true, then I plan to stop Him completely,” my father interjected. “Stop him?” my friend unbelievably exclaimed. “Yes,” my father concluded. “I plan to stop Him because I don’t want any of those things to happen.”

My father was a divorcee. He first married a woman who had borne six children by a previous lover. His mother (my paternal grandmother) advised him against such a union, but he did not notice her. “My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother, For they will be a graceful ornament on your head,
And chains about your neck.” Proverbs 1: 8-9 (NKJV). The marriage was concluded and consummated, but it didn’t last. His first wife bore him no children. She was continually in contact with the father of her six offspring, and eventually, they were reconciled. My father’s problem in his first marriage was that he rarely worked. Although he was a skilled Goldsmith, he couldn’t hold a job. Consequently, none of his romantic relationships lasted because a woman yearns for security, not only emotional but also financial.

No one knows the number of offspring that my father sired. I don’t think he knew either. Because he was a rolling stone. The fact that he worked on a ship as a sailor for some time was a major contributing factor to this kind of lifestyle. He would continually have impermanent romantic encounters that were only transitory. Then, he would move on, leaving the results of his brief, passionate, and intense liaisons for other people to manage. My own birth and upbringing are a testimony to that gruesome reality. I was born in Saint Ann, Jamaica. In the home of my maternal grandparents. My paternal grandmother took me home to Port Antonio about six months later. She and her husband were responsible for molding my character during my formative years. Several years later, when my paternal grandmother worked in England, I was transferred to Spanish Town to live with my grand aunt. Occasionally, I would travel by bus to Higgin Town in the Parish of Saint Ann. I went there to spend time with my maternal grandparents and build meaningful relationships with my aunts, uncles, and cousins.

After moving to England at the age of 12, I had the opportunity to visit my father’s abode. Where he lived with his second wife. But it was only for one or two weekends. Maybe they couldn’t possibly tolerate me for a longer time. I was only there to collect some furniture they had gifted to my paternal grandmother at my home. His wife had a very long list of complaints and grievances. Which she systematically downloaded onto my grandmother. Who responded by scolding and lecturing my father. He, in turn, squinted at his wife in a vain attempt to minimize the rapid current of her expressions of profound displeasure. He wore too many shirts in rapid succession. He refused to help her with the domestic chores. He smoked and drank too much. He was always going out at night and never returned home until the wee hours of the morning. His wife energetically and repeatedly accused my grandmother of spoiling my father.

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THE TEACHINGS OF AN AUTHENTIC PROPHET WILL BE CONSISTENT WITH SCRIPTURE

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,  and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.“ 1 John 4: 1-3 (NKJV).

THE PREDICTIONS OF A TRUE PROPHET ARE FULFILLED

“But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’—when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.” Deuteronomy 18: 20-22 (NKJV).

THE LIFE OF A TRUE PROPHET WILL BE CONSISTENT WITH GOD’S REVEALED WILL

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” Matthew 7: 15-20 (NKJV).

THE TRUE PROPHET HAS A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1: 16-21 (NKJV).

The prophetic gift is almost as ancient as planet Earth, having existed since time immemorial. Many individuals have claimed to be prophets, but not all of them have proven to be authentic. According to scripture, who is a true prophet, and how can he be clearly identified?

A TRUE PROPHET WORSHIPS GOD

Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, And light dwells with Him. “I thank You and praise You,
O God of my fathers; You have given me wisdom and might, And have now made known to me what we asked of You, For You have made known to us the king’s demand.” Daniel 2: 19-23 (NKJV).

A TRUE PROPHET IS AN INTERCESSOR

And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking a king for ourselves.” Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.” 1 Samuel 12: 19-25 (NKJV).

A TRUE PROPHET EXHIBITS MEEKNESS

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,  fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2: 1-8 (NKJV).

A TRUE PROPHET IS WELL ACQUAINTED WITH SCRIPTURE

So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” 1 Samuel 15: 22-23 (NKJV).

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22: 36-40 (NKJV).

A TRUE PROPHET DELIGHTS IN FORGIVENESS

Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them stepped forward, he said, “Listen to my words: “When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” The anger of the LORD burned against them, and he left them. When the cloud lifted from above the Tent, there stood Miriam—leprous, like snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had leprosy; and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, do not hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.” So Moses cried out to the LORD, “O God, please heal her!” Numbers 12: 5-13 (NKJV).

A TRUE PROPHET IS FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.” 1 Cornthians 2: 14-15 (NKJV).

“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” John 14: 16-17 (NKJV).

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China has almost 12 million unemployed youth, an almost insoluble problem. The CCP doesn’t seem to be able to devise any mitigating scenarios to ameliorate this severe conundrum. In fact, the backward policies of totalitarianism being pursued by Xi in particular and the CCP in general have, in recent years, created a hostile environment towards private businesses in China.

After a six-month absence, China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has again released official youth employment data for December 2023: 14.9 percent.  The government stopped reporting the rate in June 2023, after it had risen continuously to record high of more than 21 percent, as high as 40 percent in rural regions or as high as 50 percent when you factor in part-time or underemployment. ….But the youth labor market in China has a few unique characteristics as well. The cultural demands on young Chinese workers are high—they are routinely expected to work “9-9-6”—from 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week. The resulting burnout is a key contributor to the elevated and stubborn youth unemployment. The general economic downturn and collapse of the property and housing market in particular has led to a hiring slowdown, with jobs that might be most suitable to new labor market entrants continuing to be among the hardest hit. Meanwhile, in the face of grueling hours for low pay, young people in China are opting out, choosing instead to “lie flat”—remain idle and not work or engage in any economic activities—or become “professional children,” paid by their parents or grandparents to live with and care for them. ATLANTIC COUNCIL: Youth Unemployment In China: New Metric Same Mess, February 16, 2024 By Nicole Goldin.

All of the issues mentioned above are quite serious. What, however, have the Chinese leaders done to solve them? In fact, can they even be solved? If anything is being done to address these pressing debacles, then it’s a well-kept secret. The Island of Taiwan, which happens to be 1306.77 miles from mainland China, is not only prosperous. They are trying to mind their own business and get along without being entangled with their undemocratic neighbor, who has no respect for human rights or freedom of worship. In fact, in China, citizens are subject to a multiplicity of human rights abuses, including repression in Xinjiang, fear of arbitrary arrest, religious freedom abuses, stifling freedom of expression, forced labor, assault on Hong Kong’s autonomy, and severe restrictions in Tibet. Suddenly, China’s CCP came up with a brilliant idea. Since we have these urgent problems, why don’t we create a distraction? In that way, we can divert the attention of the Chinese populace from our incompetence, ineptitude, and stupidity. Let us proclaim that we intend to invade Taiwan for the reasons that we will specify. Such a cooked-up emergency will take the heat off our backs for some time. The only problem is that South Korea, Japan, and The United States took them seriously and dispatched a formidable naval force to make the Chinese think twice. An armada, which China would definitely prefer not to confront. Accordingly, their preposterous plan and grandiose verbiage have been discontinued. Now, Taiwan has more time to prepare to defend itself effectively from any future Chinese aggression. Such defenses, I predict, will not only include hypersonic missiles but also nuclear weapons.

“The US Navy 7th Fleet remains committed to upholding the rules-based international order that underpins regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” a public relations officer at the 7th Fleet told Reuters when asked to comment on the Chinese military drills around Taiwan this week. The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is continuing “normal, safe, and responsible exercises” as part of its routine deployment in the 7th Fleet area of operations, the officer said in emailed remarks without directly commenting on or referring to the Chinese drills. On Friday, Chinese warships and fighter jets surrounded Taiwan in the second day of drills that Beijing said were testing its ability to seize the self-ruled island, days after its new president was sworn in. China’s military kicked off the war games Thursday morning, encircling Taiwan with naval vessels and military aircraft as it vowed the blood of “independence forces” on the island would flow. THE JAKARTA POST: US Navy: Watching ‘All Of The Activities’ In Indo-Pacific Region, Washington, Friday, May 24, 2024.

Nowadays, China is suddenly faced with a multiplicity of chronic problems. These problems are social, economic, environmental, financial, political, and international. After being permitted to enter the World Trade Organization in December 2001, China proceeded to dump as many of its products as possible in the economies of member countries. After multiple warnings, Europe and the USA started pushing back against these unfair trade practices by imposing steep tariffs on goods imported from China. The most recent scuffle has to do with Chinese EVs and the duties that they are attracting in Europe and North America. Another massive problem in China is the collapse of its real estate industry.

“A Hong Kong court has ordered the liquidation of the Evergrande Group, China’s giant and massively indebted real estate developer, after the company was unable to restructure the $300 billion it owed investors. Just six years ago, Evergrande was riding high, preselling apartments to middle- and upper-income Chinese. In 2018, it was listed as the world’s most valuable real estate company. But just three years later, it was on the financial ropes. Massively overleveraged and unable to complete some existing projects, Evergrande has become symbolic of a Chinese economy that faces some major near-term obstacles: slowing growth, increasing debt and a shrinking workforce.” NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO: Here’s what to know about the collapse of China’s Evergrande property developer, JANUARY 30, 2024 By Scott Newman.

China’s next big problem is disinvestment. Multinational corporations and other businesses are pulling their capital out of China at an alarming rate. What a contrast to the years when foreign investment was pouring into China and reached a peak of 344.07 billion in 2021?

Foreign businesses have been pulling money out of China at a faster rate than they have been putting it in, official data shows. The country’s slowing economy, low interest rates and a geopolitical tussle with the US have sparked doubt about its economic potential. All eyes will be on a crucial meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden this week. But businesses appear to be already erring on the side of caution. “Anxieties around geopolitical risk, domestic policy uncertainty and slower growth are pushing companies to think about alternative markets,” says Nick Marro from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). China recorded a deficit of $11.8bn (£9.6bn) in foreign investment in the three months to the end of September – the first time since records began in 1998. This suggests that foreign companies are not reinvesting their profits in China, rather they are moving the money out of the country. BBC: Why businesses are pulling billions in profits from China. 14 November 2023, By Annabelle Liang.

Another serious problem is that wealthy Chinese citizens are voting with their feet by leaving China and taking their money with them to what they perceive to be greener pastures. It is estimated that approximately three trillion US dollars have been clandestinely ferreted out of the Asian economy. A vast amount by any standard and a loss from which China might never recover.

“China, with the world’s second-largest economy and the second-highest population, will again see the biggest exodus of millionaires this year, according to new research. According to a report by investment migration consultancy Henley & Partners, China is expected to lose the largest number of dollar millionaires this year due to migration, when compared to any other country. Data from the firm showed that a net 10,800 high-net-worth individuals migrated out of China in 2022, and another net 13,500 are expected to leave this year. This is not an issue that started with the coronavirus pandemic, and has been going on for the last 10 years. China has seen the biggest departure of millionaires each year for the past decade, causing general wealth growth in the country to slow down, Andrew Amoils, head of research at global wealth intelligence firm New World Wealth which helped create the report, said in an accompanying statement.” CNBC: China to see the world’s biggest millionaire exodus this year, new study shows. Published Thursday, June 15, 2023. By Charmaine Maria Jacob

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I’m constantly reminded that I’m only a mere creature operating under divine supervision. But I’m superior to dogs, monkeys, horses, and mules because I was created with enough intelligence to study the world around me, gather important information from Creation, and pray to the Almighty for help and guidance. These ever-present facts confront me daily, probably to keep me humble and remind me of my limitations and mortality. My fall and injury while walking from Sofokyere and intending to reach the Village of Nyame Nnae merely reinforced these important realities in my mind. At the time, I was confused because I couldn’t figure out the meaning of these unfortunate events. Nor was I supposed to be able to accomplish any such fete. Since that is the way Providence works. I was merely required to trust God and rely upon His goodness because I was convinced He was leading me.

Many questions filled my mind. Nor were they simple. However, trust in God and patience are important virtues to cultivate and exercise in this life and on this side of eternity. One important lesson I’ve learned over the years is that every pressing human problem has its solution within the divine bosom. Man’s biggest problem is his alienation from God. “Behold, The Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.” Isaiah 59: 1-2 (NKJV).

Human iniquity and waywardness are inescapable and brutal realities since we sin in thought, word, and deed. ^“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8 (NKJV).

Although sin is an ever-present and vexing issue in the relationship between the human and the divine, scripture assures us that the chasm can be bridged through Jesus Christ. This is not some frivolous prospect but a vital necessity to foster a truly meaningful relationship between man and God and also to achieve eternal life. However, such accomplishments must be worked out one day at a time. While sitting on the chair in the healer’s yard, she massaged my right foot with ice. Intending to facilitate my full recovery. This process, however, was also a journey of faith for me. After I fell into the slippery mud and lay on the ground contemplating my next move, I never imagined, even for a moment, that part of my pilgrimage of faith would require me to travel to a remote village. Where an unsophisticated, uneducated child of God would minister to me in my hour of need. I recognized this development for what it was: an answer to my fervent prayers to God for help and deliverance. All the king’s men and all the credentialled professionals at the hospital had failed me. Because they were incapable of putting my Fibula back together again. Something that The Spirit of God was able to accomplish through Ms. Diana, the healer. What a wonder!

This journey was painful because I was not supposed to forget it. Amnesia is the fatal ditch into which, as humans, we are prone to fall. While traveling to the Village of Senasi and sitting in the Okada, I took my eyes off the road and became preoccupied with other trivia. In fact, I lost my concentration. When I attempted to refocus, I became disoriented and, for a brief moment, forgot exactly where I needed to be before disembarking. I asked the taxi driver to stop because I had mesmerized myself into thinking I had arrived at the right place. Unfortunately, I had miscalculated and discontinued my journey at the wrong stop. I paid the operator, and after walking in the opposite direction for a few minutes, I realized something was wrong. I soon boarded another Okada and told the driver where to go. He claimed to understand, but after only a few minutes, I became painfully aware that I was going in the wrong direction. I asked the driver to turn around. He did, and soon, I was exactly where I needed to be, but he charged me 10.00 GHS. I could have avoided that unnecessary expense if I had only remained focused. Such is life.

All of my future problems would be many because that is the nature of human existence “Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue. And do You open Your eyes on such a one, And bring me to judgment with Yourself? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one!” Job 14: 1-4 (NKJV).

If my relationship with God was right, my future problems would easily dissolve like Alka Seltzer effervescing in a glass of water. That was the moral of this experience and even others. My frequent visits to the hospital and the subsequent meetings with the Physiotherapist were mere distractions, and many such developments will occur in life. But we are called to stay focused. Even if we must stop, turn around, and retrace our steps occasionally. There are many forms of sin and human depravity raging in our world today. We are all called to live above them, to keep our relationship with God sacrosanct so that our prayers may remain unimpeded and our problems soluble.

One of the benefits of living in Ghana is that I have friends. I’ve learned over the years to be careful and selective in my human relationships. Because some friends invariably have ulterior motives. One of my female friends telephoned me last week to determine if I had purchased the apples she requested of me? I was very happy to be able to tell her that I had fractured my Fibula, and accordingly, my movements were extremely limited. Therefore, I couldn’t run many of the errands I would normally accomplish. I suggested that she send me her WhatsApp number so that I could transmit pics of my leg enclosed in Plaster of Paris. She promptly promised that she would do as I had requested. However, I’m still waiting for her words to be fulfilled. After studying and observing her for four years, I feel she will never send me her WhatsApp number because she fears obtaining more information about my problem. At the age of 32, psychologically and emotionally, she is still a child. She yearns for other mature people to take care of her. Yet, she is unwilling to exercise any adult responsibility towards others. Another friend away at school studying for his first degree arrived in Berekum recently. He came to my home to visit me. After examining my injury, he suggested I accompany him to the village of Mpatapo, where he would introduce me to an alternative medicine practitioner.

I met up with my friend on Thursday afternoon, June 27, at the Happy Hospital in Berekum. From there, we walked to the Mpatapo Taxi Station, where we boarded an Okada, which took us to the village. The car transported us directly to the property, and after disembarking, we walked over to the healer’s house. She gave us chairs to sit on, and we sat down after some brief introductory niceties. There were several people in the yard. Most of them were young women and girls. They sat and stared most of the time because Ghana is largely agrarian. Employment opportunities are scarce, and young people in their teenage years and early 20s have a great deal of time on their hands. Everyone was pleasant. A few older men who lived nearby came to examine my foot and afterward assured me that I would walk normally again within three days. The healer soon got down to business. She and my friend removed the bandage and plaster of pairs from my leg and foot and were both amazed at the pervasive black and blue they observed. They warned me the bandage should not be re-applied since my foot, ankles, and lower leg discoloration was so severe. I was certainly not prepared for what ensued. She placed her hand firmly over a small plastic bag of ice and massaged the black and blue area forcefully with the ice. The pain was excruciating and almost unbearable, but I endured it until the end. Several onlookers stood by to gauge my response. A few of them informed me that other people who had come there with similar injuries had been reduced to tears.

After this therapeutic procedure ended, I was actually able to walk. I thanked Ms. Diana, the lady administering the treatment, and cautiously made my way to the roadside, accompanied by my friend. We both stood and waited patiently for another Okada headed towards Berekum. At the end of each session, she rubbed a certain ointment that looked like clay over my injured foot and lower leg. I allowed it to remain there just as applied until it was dry. The following day, during my morning shower, I washed it off. The property’s location seemed complicated initially, but I knew exactly where it was situated after several trips.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

As usual, several nurses were at the Nursing Station. They were all dressed in white and very charming. They took my vitals (Blood Pressure, temperature, and weight). After that, I was directed to the waiting room, where I sat like other patients and waited until one of the nurses arrived to collect the record of my vitals and my hospital card. After we had waited for about 30 minutes, a male nurse came along and made an announcement in TRI. I listened carefully, and then I said to him, “Sir if it’s not too much trouble, can you please repeat what you just stated in English?” He smiled and apologized, but before he could repeat himself, another patient sitting directly before me issued an accurate translation of the nurse’s announcement for my benefit.

The first doctor I saw was a beautiful young woman. Not only was she charming, but she was also professional. She asked me to describe my ordeal, which I did. Afterward, she briefly examined the injured area of my right foot and leg to ascertain the level of pain I was experiencing. Then she furnished me with a signed paper directive to take to the X-ray department, probably to determine if I had suffered any fracture. Unfortunately, that office was closed for a local Muslim holiday. I returned to the physician’s office and was given a prescription for medication that lasted seven days. From June 17-23, I went to Berekum almost daily except on Saturday. Since that day is the sacred day of the rest of The Lord Almighty.

I returned to the hospital early Monday morning, June 25. I proceeded to the receptionist area, where I was redirected by a gentleman who seemed to have some authority over the X-ray lab. After waiting about one hour and delivering the signed physician’s directive to them, the staff on duty instructed me that they could not proceed with the X-ray because the attending physician had not placed me in the system. After returning to her office, she informed me that she could not order the procedure in question because the staff at the reception had not codified me as needed. I was quite frustrated by this time, and my anger was simmering. However, I restrained myself. The lady on duty was blameless because she intended to do her job. But for the nincompoop who advised us that I needed to proceed immediately to the X-ray lab. After arriving at the reception for the second time that day, I asked the young lady on duty, “What’s going on? This is my second trip to the reception today, and I’m wasting a lot of time!” I handed her my hospital card; she took it and codified me as was the required hospital procedure.

My attempts to reach the attending doctor’s office for the third time that day were fraught with many setbacks. One was the necessary delay encountered because some patients were ahead of me. While waiting outside of her office to be summoned, I fell asleep. My body’s automatic response to being up since 4:00 A.M. that morning. I was advised by the physician’s nurse assistant that I had been called much earlier. I was oblivious to their attempts to summon me since I was in sleep mode. After arriving in her office, the physician placed the order for my X-ray in the system, and I was soon on my way again to the X-ray lab.

She ordered an X-ray of my right foot. All attendant signs preceding the X-ray warned me that something serious was wrong. My right foot and the immediate area around my lower right leg were black and blue. The upper surface of my right foot was swollen, and I was experiencing a great deal of pain. Although that area seemed to be able to bear some weight. I wore both sneakers for approximately one week before reaching the physiotherapist. I was subsequently counseled not to wear anything on that foot, period. After the X-ray procedure was completed, the technician examined the picture and informed me that I had suffered a fractured Fibula. The Physiotherapist examined the same slide and confirmed that diagnosis. This was the afternoon of Monday, June 25, after discussing some of my immediate needs, including staying completely off my right foot for the foreseeable future. Indeed, such a posture would necessitate purchasing a four-legged metal cane or a stroller. I opted for the former, and when I returned on Tuesday afternoon, my new doctor/consultant had the cane waiting for me. Everyone I spoke to at the physical therapy location solemnly advised me to stay off my right foot. Ultimately, their good counsel sank into me like water, ascending to a higher concentration level during osmosis.

Before I left the Physiotherapist’s office, my injured foot was bandaged. I was escorted to a back room and instructed to lie on my back, on top of a hard bed, for this procedure. A support device was affixed to the bottom of my right foot and heel, extending upward to cover and enclose my calf. The bandage encircled my shin and calf. I was also given a prescription and handed the cane that I had purchased. Finally, I was solemnly warned again to put no weight on my right foot and instructed to return on Monday, July 1, to have the bandage removed and replaced with fiberglass.

Over the years, I discovered that I just couldn’t wear leather. My feet wouldn’t tolerate that substance in any shoe that enveloped my shank’s ponies. Therefore, I was forced to wear sneakers as early as my 30s. My feet loved them. I could wear them indefinitely without any negative consequences, which has been my practice for decades. While living in North America, I would fearlessly walk for several miles. The roads are made from solid concrete and steel, and the pavements are smoothly paved. Accordingly, there was minimal danger of falling as long as I walked outside during the fall and summer months. During Spring and winter, I would frequent a nearby health and exercise center where I accomplished all the walking I needed to do. Not so in Ghana. Most of the thoroughfares out in the country are merely dirt roads. I, therefore, learned the hard way that as long as anyone walks on a dirt road, there is always a danger of falling. Because of the likelihood of soft mud in the dirt, you are stepping on. Especially if you are only wearing sneakers. Leather boots afford better protection for one’s feet and the rest of your body.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Early morning walking has been an intricate part of my diurnal program for over a decade. On Saturday, June 16, it rained all night. By the time I arrived outside to commence my routine of a brisk stride to the Village of Nyame Nnae at 4:30 A.M. Sunday, the rain was drizzling, and predictably, the ground was still wet. I would not permit these uninviting realities to dissuade me in the least, and I courageously persisted on my journey. Descending hills, passing through gullies, ascending steep, stony inclines until I crossed the Berlin Road. At that juncture, I noticed a marked deterioration in the road surface quality on which I was walking. Bare rocks were exposed, water puddles everywhere, and soft soil. However, I became more cautious and even carried a flashlight. Since it was still dark, I couldn’t see clearly, so I accidentally placed my right foot on what seemed to be solid ground. Unfortunately, however, it was only slippery mud. Which gave way beneath my right foot. Thereby facilitating an extremely painful fall. In fact, as I fell, I twisted my right ankle and heard the wrenching of the tissues and sinews in the area affected. I did not attempt to get up immediately but remained lying on the ground. Not only to gather my composure but also because I knew I would be strengthened by my close encounter with Mother Earth.

When I eventually attempted to rise from my fall, I was shocked to discover I could do so. But although I got on my feet, I was experiencing so much pain in my right foot that I had to abandon any plans I had to complete my morning journey. I turned around and started to retrace my steps. With a lot of traumatizing pain and great difficulty, I finally made it back to Berlin Road. I desperately looked around to see if there was anything on which I could sit just to rest and recuperate. I eventually saw a bench near the shop of a well-known welder. I sat there for about 10 minutes. Enjoying the relief that situation afforded me. When I rose again to continue the journey on my return home, I was painfully reminded of my new predicament. I was now an injured wayfarer. I was no longer a pedestrian with all my joints and musculature beneath my control and command. Such is life. No one knows what the future holds. Because our circumstances can suddenly change without warning. Natural upheavals and catastrophes worldwide faithfully and continually remind us of life’s uncertainty and vulnerabilities. As a religious person, I asked the Lord Almighty, “What is the meaning of this sudden misfortune?” Over the years, I have garnered from personal experience that nothing happens on planet Earth by accident or chance.

After several stops and starts to find relief as needed, I eventually came to a concrete slab on Sofokyere Avenue, and there I sat and remained until an empty Okada came along and responded to my attempts to wave it down. When the driver stopped near enough to chat comfortably with me, I explained what had occurred, and he agreed to take me home. I left my home as a healthy hiker but was an invalid when I returned. All my grand exercise plans had been ruined. In fact, all my wonderful plans for the day had to be consigned to the dustbin. I was able to eat on Sunday. Since I was not completely incapacitated, I prepared sufficient food to consume as needed. On Monday morning, I showered, dressed, and made my way back to Sofokyere Avenue, where I awaited the arrival of a vacant taxi to take me to the local hospital. The driver charged me twenty Cedis (US$1.60) to deliver me to the new administrative block of The Holy Family Hospital. A journey that, under ordinary circumstances, would only have cost me seven Cedis (US$0.42), but I uttered no word of complaint. As required, I went to the billing station and presented my hospital card issued the first day I visited that facility for needed medical intervention. I described my problem to the attending receptionist and was directed to the nursing station to have all of my vitals taken.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

The more disturbing Trump’s public proclamations become, the more US plutocrats seem to want him to win. As an ever-greater portion of the nation’s total wealth goes to the top, it’s hardly surprising that ever more of that wealth is corrupting US politics. In the 2020 presidential election cycle, more than $14bn went to federal candidates, party committees, and Super Pacs – double the $7bn doled out in the 2016 cycle. Total giving in 2024 is bound to be much higher. That money is not supporting US democracy. If anything, that money is contributing to rising Trumpism and neofascism. There is a certain logic to this. As more and more wealth concentrates at the top, the moneyed interests rationally fear that democratic majorities will take it away through higher taxes, stricter regulations (on everything from trade to climate change), enforcement of anti-monopoly laws, pro-union initiatives and price controls. THE GUARDIAN: Billionaires Are Lining Up To Fund Donald Trump’s Anti-Democratic Agenda, By Robert Reich. November 21, 2023.

People like Mayor Juliani and his fellow criminal conspirators charged in Fulton County are not merely malefactors seeking to undermine the rule of law. They are also culture warriors and enjoy broad support among the Christian right. Rudy Giuliani, former mayor and US attorney, called Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis a “ho” before making fun of her name at a far-right conference. Over the weekend, Giuliani referred to the Georgia prosecutor as “Fani the ho” at the ReAwaken America Tour, videos posted online show. The former mayor of New York City then complained that the spelling of her name does not align with its pronunciation. “I’m not calling her Fani,” he told the crowd. “I could drop the ‘ho’ part if she’d just quit and go away.” The audience roared with laughter. That’s exactly what defendants in Willis’ case have been trying to do. Last August, Willis indicted Giuliani, along with more than a dozen others, including former president Donald Trump, in a sprawling RICO case in Georgia relating to alleged election interference in the state in 2020. Both Giuliani and Trump have pleaded not guilty. Willis has faced repeated attacks from Trump and his co-defendants since her probe began. YAHOO NEWS: Juliani Calls DA Fani Willis A ‘Ho’ To Rapturous Reaction At Christian Rally, By Kelly Rissman. Monday, June 10, 2024.

This is where we have reached in America today. We are on the cusp of a cultural revolution. What Trump and others did on January 6, and the lies that he told leading up to that event, are regarded as acceptable weapons of warfare to achieve a tectonic social change that is widely desired among significant numbers of Americans. Now, in the aftermath of January 6, 2021. Not only have the wheels of justice been decelerated. The perpetrators of the various election interference crimes are resorting to outright disrespect, mockery, and contempt to further frustrate the smooth operation of the law. Make no mistake about it. Their sole objective in such a sea change is to place Jews, Blacks, immigrants, and all other minorities under the gun.

• A federal jury today found four members of the Proud Boys guilty of seditious conspiracy. That includes the group’s former leader, Enrique Tarrio, along with members Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, and Zachary Rehl. A fifth member, Dominic Pezzola, was found not guilty of seditious conspiracy. But he and the others were convicted of obstruction and destruction of property. Attorney General Merrick Garland spoke about the Justice Department’s victory earlier today.
• Merrick Garland, U.S. Attorney General: The department has secured more than 600 convictions for a wide range of criminal conduct on January 6, as well as in the days and weeks leading up to the attack. We have secured the convictions of defendants who fought, punched, tackled, and even Tased police officers who were defending the Capitol that day. PBS NEWSHOUR: Proud Boys Members Convicted of Seditious Conspiracy In January 6 Case. May 4, 2023

WASHINGTON (AP) — While sentencing a North Carolina man to prison for his role in the U.S. Capitol riot, a Republican-appointed judge issued a stark warning: Efforts to portray the mob of Donald Trump’s supporters as heroes and play down the violence that unfolded on Jan. 6, 2021, pose a serious threat to the nation. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth condemned the depiction by Trump and Republican allies of Jan. 6 defendants as “political prisoners” and “hostages.” Lamberth also denounced attempts to undermine the legitimacy of the justice system for punishing rioters who broke the law when they invaded the Capitol. “In my 37 years on the bench, I cannot recall a time when such meritless justifications of criminal activity have gone mainstream,” Lamberth, an appointee of President Ronald Reagan, wrote in a recent ruling. The judge added he “fears that such destructive, misguided rhetoric could presage further danger to our country.” As Trump floats potential pardons for rioters if he returns to the White House, judges overseeing the more than 1,200 Jan. 6 criminal cases in Washington’s federal court are using their platform to try to set the record straight concerning distortions about an attack that was broadcast live on television. A growing number of defendants appear to be embracing rhetoric spread by Trump, giving defiant speeches in court, repeating his false election claims and portraying themselves as patriots. ASSOCIATED PRESS: Claims That January 6 Rioters Are Political Prisoners Endure. Judges Want To Set The Record Straight. BY  MICHAEL KUNZELMAN AND ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, February 4, 2024

We live in the last days of Earth’s history, at the very end of time. Therefore, we are eyewitnesses to judicial corruption at the US Supreme Court of Judicature level. Where justices such as Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito actually take bribes from multi-billionaires and most likely rule on extremely important cases to the nation in the interest of their financial benefactors. There is also much political confusion. Neither senators nor congressmen can decipher right and wrong. Even though Donald Trump is now a convicted felon, elected members of his party line up to support him and, in the process, decry the rule of law. Never in my life have I witnessed such a plethora of hypocrisy and doublespeak. Have these men lost their balls? Can’t they just tell Donald John Trump to take a hike and never show his face in Washington, D.C. again. Because over the years, he has demonstrated that he is nothing more than an agent of chaos and calamity. All the events leading up to and culminating in the violence at the Capitol on January 6 were not only a conspiracy but also treason against our nation, against our democracy, and against the rule of law.

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” 2Timothy 3:1-5 (NKJV)