If Our Dreams Were Realities

BY: Dan Phale*

The way things happen most of the times does not reflect what we actually might have wanted and envisaged them to be. So we happen to be the victims of the situations which we did not anticipate. It could be issues of healthcare services, economic activities, justice delivery system, the working relationship among employees or with those in command, and many more issues… Well, this article seeks to address such matters that are psychosocially and socioeconomically linked to the status quo in which case life becomes very much unbearable for the plebeians as compared to the rich and high class people.

Most of us are living in a world where the majority of the plebeians would have no reason to talk about anything good in the healthcare services sector. Why…(?!) The fewest of the service providers have ever been human, considerate as well as dedicated to their work. In fact if our imaginations were realities, plebeians would have robust and result oriented services from the duty bearers… There should have never been thieves – in the identity of the administrators or doctors or nurses or pharmacists – working in the public health facilities. Well, only if the imaginations were realities, quite many jurisdictions should have the strictest laws and regulations that would be very instrumental in curbing the pilfering of medical drugs or the equipment, and flouting of the procurement procedures of the same.

From time immemorial, laws in justice adminstration system have been applied immaturely and selectively. Most of the players have been corrupt, partisan and unprofessional. The bottom line is that fundamental human rights are taken for granted hence little or no attention is given by the players and the ones who suffer most are the plebeians. But when things get worse from bad, lawlessness becomes part of life, the plebeians get tired of social injustice to the effect that they may react in such a way that has a potential to trigger anarchy both at the national and at international levels. It is indisputable that the earth would be a paradise for every single person if there were no corruption, greed, nepotism, regionalism, and tribalism in the justice delivery system. It is very rare for a rich offender to be declared guilty by the court of law as would be if the offender was an ordinary person.

Likewise, in the economic sphere, surely everybody would be okay if there was an equity in wealth distribution. I mean, why should very few people be inconsiderate about the welfare of others on issues of finances? In fact it is very absurd for the high class people only to be financially okay when others are struggling to make ends meet. Ironically, the plebeians are the ones who largely contribute towards the economic of a territory and even the entire world through agriculture, art and craft, mining, and many more activities. In all fairness, any surplus wealth ought to be shared evenly to the plebeians in cash or in kind. But what happens often is that those who are already rich want more for themselves, and in the process they corruptly and fraudulently deprive the poor masses of the little they have, a tendency which is like milking thin cows. And gradually the welfare of plebeians deteriorate as they remain poorer and poorer while those on positions become richer and richer.

Well, in all the situations, as outlined in this article, I have a feeling that if there was no corruption, discrimination, greed, jealousy and selfishness, everybody on this planet would be happy. In fact we have ever known that if our dreams were realities, we would not have courts or tribunals because there would be peace, love and harmony among people all over the world. And we continue to dream that time shall actually come when all the social irregularities and/or atrocities will be over.

The Grand Prize Of Sinful Life Is Death

BY: Dan Phale*

From what we often hear, coupled with what we see, most of people prefer soft life to hard life; and at times this wish leads them to making decisions that are against the will of God. In this regard, many people are tempted to go against the order of humanity as is expected by the heavenly Father, as such their life is characterized by sinful acts. And in this article I’ve picked one of the numerous sinful acts commonly committed by quite a number of people across the world – as our focus – and this is stealing. Of course it is needful, before we actually get into details of this article, to make ourselves familiar with what stealing implies.

In clear and concise terms, theft refers to the taking possession of somebody’s property against his or her will… At law, this occurs when a person, intending to bring about a permanent deprivation, without a claim of right and fraudulently, takes or converts to his or her own use any other person’s property. At times an act of stealing is accompanied by some violence, a situation in which owners of properties are subjected to grievous injuries or in the worst instances, death… And the fact that whenever a person is deprived of his or her property his or her economic growth gets inhibited cannot be overemphasized. As already observed above, this is against the law. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, particularly under Article 17(2) No one should be arbitrarily deprived of his or her property.

Having said that, we have to quickly admit the fact that the victims of robbery and/or theft get not only confused and worried, but they also become angry. And in the worst circumstances, they resort to administer vigilante justice whereby the perpetrators are grievously assaulted or even killed. Suffice to mention herein that two wrongs don’t make a right thing. But what can they do when the innocent people become fed up? Perhaps this is one of the most difficult questions. As a matter fact those who are entrusted with a duty to protect people’s lives and/or property must tirelessly work in order to preserve confidence and trust among the people they serve.

Well, I reasonably believe that it is not by mistake that Yahweh bestowed this planet with such natural resources that every prudent and hardworking person can maximally use in order to enhance his or her life status. The old wise folks in Africa say that Digging is weariness, but eating is sweet… I mean, it is quite important for all and sundry to realize the immense pleasure one gets at the end of working; otherwise it is inhuman and wicked for somebody to reap where he or she did not sow… Well, even the scriptures are very clear on issues of acquisition of properties in a diabolical way. In accordance with Proverbs 21: 6, as per the impeccable wisdom of Solomon, then king of Israel, the riches a person gets by dishonesty soon disappear, but not before they lead him or her into the jaws of death. Simply put, wickedness is the road which leads to death.

Selling Coffins At High Price Is Bizarre And Inhuman

BY: Dan Phale*

Having consulted quite several people on pertinent issues aligned to illnesses which negatively affect human beings and the subsequent deaths and all other related problems, I have decided to take time to publish this article. The aim is to bring out such views that came out from those people whom I consulted during my research which to some extent bordered on sales of coffins or caskets. Of course I may not be in a good position to know clear facts as to when and how people across the world began trading in coffins and caskets. But I dare say that not even a single person can bring us convincing facts on why things which are supposed to be sold at giveaway prices are more often than not sold at very expensive prices.

In the first place I hereby very sincerely congratulate the one who invented a coffin or a casket. It is too obvious that the primary focus was and is to ensure easy carriage and conveyance of dead bodies of human beings from their homes to the graveyard for burial. Of course the other significant idea which I subscribe to – as many people often say – is to pay the last respect to the beloved one after his or her death.

No matter how skillfully the coffin or a casket may be crafted there is no any single mentally sane person who can welcome death in his or her household; not at all. This is why in order to save their beloved relatives and/or friends from succumbing to different illnesses, people go to various hospitals to seek medical attention. As a matter of fact this is done in the spirit of hope that medical doctors shall use all their best skills in line with their trainings and/or books to help restore healthy lives of the patients. And when the situation fails in any way to improve as expected, patients are referred to other hospitals at least for better medical services. Suffice to say herein that every human being here on earth is a mortal such that he or she is obviously bound to pass away from this planet, one day.

Also clearer than water is the fact that during the period of different illness, resources – more particularly financial resources – get exhausted. This implies that by the time a person passes away the bereaved family may be financially challenged, with very little or no money left in their accounts. Furthermore, it is sad to observe that most of the times coffins and/or caskets are sold and/or bought at very high prices. Additionally, there are expenses which are always incurred by the bereaved family, and these are to do with transport, food, and the like.

Now, my argument – which according to some people, may be construed as very controversial one – is that selling coffins and/or caskets to the bereaved family is somehow bizarre because it is more like cashing in on somebody’s sorrow. I know this is rebuttable, but this is my personal position.

To begin with, let us have a critical look at issues of commerce and trade which are characterized by a common and/or general knowledge that all merchants aim highly at making profits. By virtue of this fact we are fully aware of the reality that any business person looks for the potential customers to buy his or her merchandise; and this happens through various forms of advertisements. Others have even reached an extent that they erect their coffin shops very close to the mortuary. Of course we do not need to remind one another herein that having failed to get the expected returns a business person gets worried.

And we all know that stakeholders across the world are busy day in day out endeavouring to enhance the well being of all and sundry by, among other things, improving health services, promoting coexistence in their countries… So what would happen if the mortality rate got drastically reduced? Would the coffin workshop owner get upset? Else, would he or she pray for the death of somebody in order to make money out of it?!

I remember correctly that when I was still young, people in my home village, under the community leadership, were mobilised to contribute planks and other related raw materials which were stored to be used at the time of any person’s death. This communal initiative lessened the financial burden caused by the death on the part of relatives and friends of the dead person. If anything, a carpenter was only given a simple kind token of appreciation for the job done, and not payment as would be the case with the hired carpenter for other carpentry work. But, by and large, this tradition phased out.

In view of the aforementioned facts, I boldly propose that there be no coffin workshops any more. The time of death is the rarest moment for us to show our support and sympathy to the bereaved family. As I have already stated above, selling coffins and/or caskets is more like cashing in on sorrow… In a nutshell, all I am saying is that somebody’s grief should not be taken as another person’s opportunity to make money. Otherwise, coffins should be sold at very low prices.

No Life Condition Is Permanent

BY: Dan Phale*

It is our common expectation that each of us should have a quality life which is often measured by what we basically need to get pleasure. And it is an open secret that, irrespective of status, each of us wants to be able – and should be able – to say that “I get such a significant recognition that I am a human being and I am valued and respected as such; I am empowered to do things that are vital in my life by myself; I live in my own decent house; I am independent almost all the times…” Of course these are but some of the indicators of quality human life. And the naked truth is that there is a good meaning of human existence when there is satisfaction and pleasure. But in a sharp contrast to the expectation, it appears that most of the times we are not able to attain such things. It is in this regard that we find ourselves groaning.

Suffice to say that sometimes we worry too much as if we don’t know that we exist by grace and plan of the almighty God who created us all. In case we forget, it is an irrefutable fact that He who created us is the sole provider of whatever we need for our better being. Therefore we must understand that no matter the excruciating pains caused by the iron grip of Lucifer, but sooner or later the heavens will smile upon us. As such, we shall never be the same for we shall have what we have always longed for.

I remember pretty well a certain man whose means of subsistence was a very primitive one. In fact he was a skilled repairer of faulty bicycles whose owners could approach him for maintenance work, and in return he would be paid. This man, not only liked his career, but was also very hardworking… But after some years of socioeconomic woes, his life changed drastically as he emerged the winner of the grand prize which, in fact, was Six million Malawi Kwacha in a promotion that was organised by one of the mobile phone network operators in our country. Apparently, that was God’s unique way of rewarding the man for his hardworking spirit and passion in his smallscale income generating activity. Thus he became a millionaire simply in overnight, and his socioeconomic life improved entirely. He used some of the prize money to construct two medium dwelling houses for rent. And from then henceforth his duty to bring bread and butter on the table for his family was quite simple.

According to the Bible, a certain woman had been suffering for twelve years from menstrual bleeding. She had consulted many doctors and spent all what she had, yet instead of getting healed her health situation got worse and worse. But at some point in time she heard more about miracles which were performed by Jesus whenever He met and/or taught people in various places. Therefore, she went to meet Him for the healing power, and as she came closer to Him, she touched His cloak and got healed instantly.

There is another story of Hannah, one of Elkanah’s two wives. It is a very much impressive story such that somebody has to refer to it when missing his or her expected pleasure. Unlike her marriage sister – Peninnah – she had no child. And because her womb had been temporarily closed, her marriage sister usually made fun of her in order to provoke and/or irritate her… Year in year out, Hannah never got pregnant which was the only reason she usually wept in bitterness. But, believing that God would surely answer her prayers, she never ceased to pray. And, it happened that in course of time she conceived, and gave birth to a son who she named Samuel. For obvious reasons she was full of joy so that she showered praises to God for answering her prayers.

As a matter of fact, each one of us has his or her graph, and God, vis-a-vis, has His own time to respond to our prayers… We may be leading a miserable life, yes, but our destiny will still come. We may not be promoted to the next rank at our work place, but we will not remain the same. With our God, the life condition for each of us will certainly be changed. We only need faith in Him and when time is ripe our turnaround will come. However, we need to change our life pattern. Each of us must develop such viable plans that will enable us realise our dreams, as we all know that failing to plan is planning to fail. Not only that, we should also be active in putting our plans into action. There and then we shall all be able and proud to say that “No life condition is permanent.”

Wrestling With Adverse Or Evil Powers

BY: Dan Phale*

Following the busiest and most tiresome day, yesterday, I retired to my bedroom earlier than all the average days. In fact I worked from morning to the evening without a sufficient rest. I was thus dog tired such that after supper I didn’t feel like spending a good time with my family in spite of the fact that we had missed one another for some hours. Sooner than later I got into a deep slumber in which I had a dream.

Melissa giggled, her laughter echoing in the entire mansion as Gilbert struggled to put off his jeans. She unbuckled her bra, making him groan until his pants were finally off and he began moving his fingers along her attractive body curves. Gilbert then slid his hands between her thighs, gently pushing them apart before returning to her lace underwear, as he cunningly smiled at her. Melissa let out a soft joyful moan, tightening her grip around him while pulling him closer to her as he slid his palm in her heat.

Her innocent eyes closed amid such a great rapture as was caused when he rocked his fingers against her feminity, stimulating her delightful orgasm. Her back arched as her mouth opened up involuntarily, while her lips released some whispers of clear sensation.

As the foreplay continued, Gilbert chuckled lowly, enjoying the rapture he was cunningly giving her. Then he was of the view that her body was consumed in ardent lust, and that she would not move up from the bed until he penetrated her. So, he suddenly pulled himself away in order to take a very little sachet of a poisonous powder from the drawer next to his king-size bed. Melissa frowned, feeling both surprised and disappointed – surprised because she didn’t expect a man who had always said “I miss you darling” to suddenly pull away from a foreplay; and disappointed because she thought he actually had no intention to make love with her on that day. Well, in accordance with her instincts, one of the two was more likely to be the reason for Gilbert’s abrupt halt of the foreplay.

Now as Gilbert turned towards the drawer, Melissa wanted to find out. She falsely moaned as if she was on the summit of sexual desire… while peeking over his shoulder, and caught sight of a sachet containing poisonous liquid. At the same time the heavens warned her to be on her feet, now. Therefore, keeping a watchful eye on his muscular body, she rose up, hastily wearing her clothes as she saw him tear open the sachet. He swiftly threw the liquid in the direction where she had lied down on her back in the bed, targeting her naked womanhood. But he missed his devilish target as she was already standing some feet away from there. In fact he knew the poison would diffuse into her body through her exposed tender feminity, in order to instantly cause her death… But why? He was a member of a secret cult group, except that Melissa was not aware of this fact from the time she fell head over heels in love with him.

The next events scared me too much. Gilbert realised that Melissa had taken clear notice of his evil motives and that if he let her go, she would disclose everything to the law enforcers, which would lead to his arrest. He sprang up, stretching both his arms in order to grab her neck, but she effortlessly pushed him back. Instantly his hands flew up and his eyes, widened as he fell down on the floor. His mouth opened widely, gasping for air like a fish outside water. Blood started dripping heavily from his mouth and nose, and finally his eyes became dull and lifeless… With a mere effortless touch she managed to kill her would-be killer.

“But why are these events occurring in my full sight…? Or, couldn’t they notice my presence when I stormed into this house as a law enforcement agent following the seemingly terrible noise…?” I had several questions but without answers, astonished. Suffice to mention that in spite of having hurried, and entered into Gilbert’s mansion, and particularly in his room, I suddenly felt physically too weak to do the needful.

I woke up with a jolt, heavily perspiring, only to come to my senses that I had been dreaming… Actually they were not mere dreams. Clearer than water is a fact that dreams can provide us with such a real-life lesson that in times of danger we cannot be saved by mere human powers… For us to wrestle with the evil powers, we rather need such divine powers that come from the holy spirit of our mighty Father who reigns universally. Of course we don’t see Him, but His works.

Friendship Halves Grief And Doubles Joy

BY: Dan Phale*

It appears there is a wide gap between those people who are rich and those who are poor. poor person associates with another poor fellow, while he who is rich chooses to associate with a rich person. It is as if human beings are not equal to one another, which is contrary to the common fundamental creed that God created all and sundry in the “likeness” of Himself. And this is chiefly why I have thought of publishing this article here and now.

Let me begin by stating that two days ago, I attended a social clinic meeting that was organised by a certain social activist in my community… In fact I had nothing to do at home because currently I am on an annual leave from my work. Everything that was ably presented by the activist and other facilitators carried a very good message. Of course, I don’t intend to bring forth in details of every single idea here as per what was shared. Suffice to proudly mention herein that I felt highly impressed when I noticed that every participant accepted the idea that any person has a duty to actively foster good friendship in every human society.

Well, the word “friendship” means quite a lot when used in a broader sense in as far as life on earth is concerned. It is synonymous with charity, cordiality, and kindness, among other words. Yes, there is nobody who firmly stands alone. Rich or poor, but one wants something from other people. With reference to what the old wise people say, we are people because of other people. Whether in times of joy or sorrow, only somebody can scratch your back. As a matter of fact, friendship doubles the joy and halves grief.

My belief is that if all the wealth was shared equally among people all over the world, surely there would be little or no challenges which come with poverty. Unfortunately, most of the rich people do not have passion to help other. It should be understood by everybody that all possessions are given by God, and the best way to thank Him is by helping others with the same help received from our God.

The apostle Paul, as per what we read in the Bible under 2 Corinthians 1: 3–4, said that “Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father, the God from whom all help comes. He helps us in all our troubles, so that we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles using the same help that we ourselves have received from God.”

To crown it all, all who live under the sky are woven together like one big mat; that is a rule of civilization. For sure, we are the images of one God who created us all… And as the headline of this article suggests that friendship doubles joy and halves grief, it should be noted that there is power in unity. In times of joy, let us be together, and when one of us is in troubles, let us show one another love because love is the pain killer… and walking in two’s is medicine.

God Is Mighty, But Don’t Dance With Lions

BY: Dan Phale*

I have been prompted to publish this article because of the reports which indicate that we have lost our fellow human beings due to misguidance which comes with teachings by some religious faith groups in some parts of the world. Hence, the contents herein are a strong warning against negligence or omission to take any of the necessary actions in preventing premature deaths under the impression that God will be there to do anything to save the deadly situations.

Let me begin by sharing a disheartening story which happened in our community last year… There was an expectant lady. When her time to deliver was due, she went to the temple, as a matter of requirement based on church doctrines. In fact, one doctrine in her church is that nobody should seek any health service from the physician in the hospital, no matter what. Instead the church elders should pray to God for healing and/or delivery. This happens due to their shallow understanding of the commonly preached faith or belief that God heals. The problem, however, arises when they don’t admit the difference that God is immortal compared to human beings, and that some of His healing powers are delegated to the medical doctors.

Now it happened that when the expectant woman arrived at the temple, the elders assembled for prayers. But the prayer session started and ended without the desired results the contrary of which was that she was wincing in terrifyingly great labour pains, profusely bleeding. And finally the worst of its kind occurred… She miscarried. From there she went back home where the situation turned to be intensively critical until she breathed her last… May her soul rest in peace.

Certainly, we were destined to face a similar situation when three children were about to die of diarrhea. But some of the people in the neighbourhood secretly reported to the local authorities for intervention. As such the authorities immediately ordered the parents as well as the faith group leaders to take the sick children to the hospital or face prosecution in the court of law. And for fear of the legal punishment, they took the children to the hospital where they got the relevant medical attention.

As a matter of reality, such leaders have so far procured deaths which might otherwise be prevented… I mean, what is the rationale of having church doctrines which have the potential to put church members at risk…? Ironically, the Bible does not prohibit administration of medicines to the sick people… The book of Sirach 38: 1-2, 4 is very clear on the physicians and health. It says, “Honour the physician with the honour due him according to your need of him, for the Lord created him; for healing comes from the Most High, and he will receive a gift from the King… The Lord created medicines from the earth, and a sensible man will not despise them.”

It is very true that our heavenly Father is the almighty God, but we don’t have to play with Lions… Thinking we should not go to the hospital for a mere thinking that God is a healer is not different from playing with a hungry lion. It should be understood that in His own mysterious manner God gave each of the people a talent to serve others… In this regard the medical doctors are there to help everybody who falls ill. And the most worrisome fact is that some diseases are communicable, and if not dealt with, there is a very high likelihood of disease outbreaks which eventually will inhibit human growth and development.

Friendly Enemies Are The Most Dangerous

BY: Dan Phale *

The wise elderly people say that “When there is no enemy within, enemies outside cannot hurt you.” Furthermore one of the most popular music artists in my country – Malawi – once produced a song… in which some of the song words give a caution to the listeners to beware of the unknown enemies… And based on different issues and/or stories enmity develops as a result of bad motives, or as a matter of necessity, whereas the latter is a situation where somebody deserves to be disliked by the other. But whether such an enemy has good reasons to hate you or not is not a question here.

In fact there are statistics which indicate that some people were put in some great troubles and/or killed… And through investigations done by various reputable criminal justice agents it has been discovered that relatives and/or friends might have or had a hand in such fateful happenings. Well this only means that we have to be very watchful so that we survive any of such evil plots… But – no – we are only mortals devoid of such powers to avoid being subjected to such troubles in life. Suffice to mention that it is only very worrisome to note that some people are not reliable friends. Such friends are like snakes in the grass.

In the light of the foregoing, a person’s heart is not a sack open to everybody. And it is further said that it is easier to measure the depth of an ocean than that of somebody’s heart… Well, in this article I would like to make a few references to the some situations in which some people are on record as having faced some tragedies in their lives.

The first one is that of Julius Caesar who was assassinated by those who had been always close to him all the time of his reigns. Those who often surrounded him are the ones who conspired to kill him, which they actually did. Before actually dying he was stunned and shattered by the unexpected Brutus’s involvement in stabbing him.

Of course I should also make mention of Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus to the local leaders and the priests to be tried for a wrongs He never committed. And, surprisingly, Judas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ who had been with Him all the time of His ministry. Suffice to say that Jesus Christ with help of the holy spirit managed to foresee the persecution He was to go through sooner than later; however He let it happen for the sake of mankind.

In the then Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) a political leader namely Laurent Dèsìrè Kabila, was disliked by his people and those who were with him in the governance system. Of course they did not show it in the first time; but as time went on it was clearer than ever before that he was not wanted as manifested by a wider political and social rift… And on 16th January, 2001 he was shot dead by one of his bodyguards. It only transpired that the murdered leader neither knew that his own security detail could no longer be trusted; nor did he predict that one of his bodyguards would one day think of killing him in lieu of protecting him… Surely, other political leaders in the entire world were also murdered in the similar manner by their closest partners.

Of course it is said that “He who eats alone dies alone” but I think it is better to die alone than to be betrayed by a close friend. The above tragic stories make us aware, or remind us, of the fact that it is very simple for everybody to identify a distant enemy. But in a sharp contrast it is very difficult for all of us to realise the adverse feelings which are harboured by the closest friends or allies of ours. The enemy you know is better than the one you don’t know. In a nutshell, friendly enemies are the most dangerous of all enemies. They can kill you softly.

What is required, therefore, is for everybody to keep watching, because the earth is like a beehive where we enter through one hole but we live in different cells. As a matter of fact when you know your enemy you at liberty to do anything possible to diffuse all the impending dangers; even if it means committing the prohibited acts in self defence… In fact, it is better to be a lion for a day than to be a sheep all the time of your life.

Washing In The Muddy Water

BY: Dan Phale *

This article is published at a time when the OUR LIFE ISSUES blog has clocked its third anniversary. It is, therefore, dedicated to all and sundry who look forward to realising the best out of this life on earth.

Most of the times we wonder as to whether all such people who are, or claim to be, the spiritual shepherds deserve our trust and confidence. Actually, more often than not we observe quite a lot of nasty issues by which their life is hugely characterised; such issues that very negatively affect their positions. When these people are ordained, they are called with various names such as befitting holly leadership amid members of congregations. Some are called prophets while others are known as apostles or evangelists.

In the like manner, we frequently question the integrity of people who are put on social leadership positions… Some are called with names like His or Her Majesty, The Right Honourable, and many more… but their actions and/or behaviours are not in tandem with impression that comes with such names.

The nitty gritty:

Whatever the case, the bottom line is that we bath in the muddy water… The general expectation is that all the spiritual leaders ought to be leading with good examples, as emulating what and how Jesus and all other prophets did when they lived on the planet earth. They were a source of light whenever social and/or spiritual darkness engulfed mankind in a manner that at least life was not harder than in the present era… In fact we even fail to grope for the meaning of having spiritual leaders in our midst by the very virtue of the fact that they act in an unusual manner as opposed to a code of human conduct.

In fact the clergy are recruited or ordained or chosen in order to act as water that can help fellow human beings to cleanse their souls from the evil stains, and to help keep them clean for as long as they live on earth… Thus the detergent is the Holly spirit of God; and what does this mean? The detergent – herein the Holly spirit – will be successfully used to cleanse the stained clothes – herein the spiritually challenged souls – if and only if the water – herein the clergy – are spiritually upright. In fact, the Holly spirit can be manifested through good behaviour and acts of the clergy men; but as the situation is the spiritual leaders are devoid of the power of the Holly spirit. Just imagine the clergy selling blood calling it the holly blood of the old prophets; I mean where does that blood come from…? Today’s clergy men involve themselves in drug trafficking and some other illegal or unnatural dealings… They promote divisive language and/or acts, plunging the entire world into perpetual conflicts or fighting… Yet these clergy men preach to the multitudes about the kingdom of God.

Today’s clergy – whether apostles, evangelists, pastors, prophets – are pathological hypocrites. No wonder, currently there are too many spiritual congregations but the rate of sins is too high.

The Hand That Gives

BY: Dan Phale*

The earth is like an anthill where we go in through the same door, but we stay in different chambers. And it is the naked truth that all human beings under the sky are woven together like a big mat. It fact, a person scratches oneself only where his or her hand can reach… … But only somebody can scratch another person’s back.

Some people are abundantly blessed with such resources that make their life soft. On the other hand other people have very little or nothing to survive on. Yet those who have plenty things do not share with those who are dire need of the same… A moral bombshell, however, is that the rich people have a tendency of distancing themselves away from the poverty stricken ones. They pay less attention to the plight of their fellow humans than to the welfare of their pets, to the extent of making special budget allocations for cats and dogs. Thus, cats and/or dogs are given expensive and delicious food to eat and more comfortable places to stay.

It is high time we learnt that to eat from the same pot with another man is like taking an oath of perpetual friendship. As we live on earth, we do compliment one another. Without fingers the hand is but a spoon; and likewise, without a hand fingers are but sticks. Let us help one another in the fight of poverty alleviation.

Jesus – as per the gospel according to Luke 6: 36 – says “Be merciful even as your Father is merciful.” Furthermore, we are encouraged by the Bible to be generous towards the needy. In the new testament – 2 Corinthians 9:11 – St Paul says, “You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” This is a confirmation that the hand which gives is blessed than the one which receives.

Giving alms is pious… But the Bible warns us against seeking praises when giving alms; for then we shall not have reward from our Father who is in heaven. Thus when we give alms we should not blow our own trumpet as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets for purpose of gaining praises. In other words, when we give alms, we don‘t have to let our left hand know what our right hand is doing.