THE COOKING POT

The era of industrialization (technology) has not only being of enormous contribution to the lives of people but also made us to forget some fond memories especially in its usage. In modern times, there are all manner of equipment  used in the preparation of meals. Even charcoal/firewood  seems no longer to exist since it has long been substituted with LPG and other heat transfer devices.

 A remarkable story is shared about how a young lady who used her vacation period to transform an entire community from obscurity to relevance.

Zambri Naomi came to Guyangabr3 a suburb in the western coast. After she had settled in the community to resume post as a volunteer pupil teacher, she began asking if there was any form of social gathering or church activities held in the community. She was in total dismay to be told that it was an animist community with no interest in church or any other religion except what they have been worshipping for a long time. After much probing, she discovered the callous acceptance of human sacrifices, infringement of human rights (do they even know what human right is?). Guyangabr3 is a peaceful town, but you can clearly sense the dominance of evil in the community.

Very often we stay in the comfort of our churches especially in the cities and seeing the thronging attendance we think everybody is saved. Let us not be deceived there are a many people living in darkness waiting for their liberation. Who will go to them? Except we reach out to the vulnerable in desperate quest to receive the message of the Lord.

Naomi was so sad, she knelt by her bed and prayed ‘Lord may I never leave this community the way I came to meet it’. When all was set to teach the pupil, she really taught out of passion and was loved by the students. She was really revered in her community because of how she carried herself and her comportment among tenants where she resided.

As the days began turning into weeks Naomi was looking for opportunities to witness to the students and the tenants regardless of their deep animist acts. Naomi was daily asking the Lord in prayers for insights in winning this people to come to the saving power of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit impressed on her on the account of the Widow of Zarephath  who was sustained in the famine simply because she made a provision for God’s servant-Prophet Elijah.

With this understanding, she decided to also use the preparation and sharing of meals to be an avenue to get the opportunity to witness to the children. To her advantage, the community folks are not familiar with her delicacies and as a matter of fact, they will be pleased to see a ‘city’ lady preparing meals using the traditional cooking pot.

So every Saturday evenings, she will prepare meals and invite the children to eat with her after which, she will be speaking to them and encouraging them. Week after week she continued this practice and had more and more of the children visiting her house and she seized not mentoring them and teaching them the word of God.

The lives of the young ones were really transformed and their parents could testify about their respect, humility, discipline and hard work.  

According to one student, he had this to say, since Teacher Naomi came to teach us, she always tells us not to go to the bush to chase rats and other animals but we should sit down and learn and we will be great people in future. Teacher Naomi imbibed them with nuggets of good character amidst their spiritual formation.

The compound of Teacher Naomi could not contain the thronging number of children to hear her speak every Saturday evening. She decided they could build a structure to accommodate the increasing number.

Two weeks after, the thought of raising a structure came into her mind, she mobilized some of the Junior High Students to build a shade supported with bamboo sticks and dry leaves as roof. She named it House of Hope Centre.

Her other contemporaries couldn’t figure the real intentions of Naomi, they always teased her as Queen Mother of Guyangabr3, she laughs at it and gives a broad smile.

No sooner than later, Teacher Naomi became a household name with community leaders trying to figure out, what at all she has been doing in the community that children always hail her in their various homes.

Time was due for her to return to campus. On the day she was leaving together with her colleagues, many gifts were presented to her with most of the children weeping. Bye Bye Teacher Naomi, Bye Bye Teacher Naomi, we will miss you. The king pronounced blessings on her and the rest of the team, she was given a lantern by the king and made a declaration that, the light and transformation that you have brought to this community let it shine around the world.

The ‘Cooking Pot’ was the means Naomi used to witness to the people in her community. If she had held back she would not have gotten the opportunity to witness and impact the lives of the young ones.

We cannot claim to be Christians who always holdback on our resources without showing love and care for the needy and the vulnerable among us.

In this period of Covid-19, have you checked up on your friends, loved ones and even neighbors on how they are faring? Do we intend to share the love of God abroad irrespective our denomination.

In the bible when Jesus fed over 5000 people he didn’t ask them whether they were believers or not. Believe you me, such acts will trigger people to love Jesus Christ more.

Lets show love, not for public showmanship but because we love the Lord and following His instructions

Jesus is Lord

Samuel Elijah Boateng