News
Indebtedness and gratitude
Often times in the face of some eventuality that has overtaken us, we find ourselves saying regretfully. “If I had only known, I would have done differently.” Sometimes this is true, but more often it isn’t the fact that we don’t know what gets us into difficulties, but rather we choose to ignore what we do know.
We mix so little wisdom with our knowledge. We know the facts of history. We know what causes have produced what results in the past but time has a way of making the past seem different from the present. We may believe that Babylon and Rome fell because of their moral and spiritual dissolution. It seems so easy to believe this because it is all far in the past. But it doesn’t seem so easy to believe such probabilities of our own time and our own generation, however true they may be.
From history and from scripture it seems quite easy to believe that the breaking of a law has always exacted its penalty. It seems easy to believe of the past that the terrible luxury of over indebtedness has always brought a day of disastrous reckoning; that those who would rather mortgage the future than curtail their appetites have always been brought low in remorse. It seems easy to believe of the past that the Lord God has often permitted evil men to pursue their purposes for a short season before overruling their evil works. But what is not so easy to believe, but is also solemnly true is that, these same causes will still lead to these same results in our day.
We have not charmed immunity from the consequences of our own doing. On this point the Father of all men has said: “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.” Knowledge of the past we have both of scripture and of history. It would seem now that we might well transmit that knowledge into wisdom, by believing of our own generation what we so readily believe of the past and then order our lives accordingly. No, it isn’t so much what we don’t know that causes our troubles but rather what we choose to ignore.
Not long ago, a University Researcher decided to conduct an experiment on gratitude. But her motives weren’t purely academic. This researcher is a mother of four teenagers. She explained, “I wanted to learn more about how I can raise my kids to be more grateful in an era of entitlement.”
What she learned might be a bit surprising: gratitude is tied to feelings of indebtedness. We often think of debt as a burden, an obligation that must be paid. But the research study found that feeling indebted to God, acknowledging what He has done for us, “leads to increased overall happiness and well-being.” The debt we owe to Him is one we can never pay, yet those who recognise that debt actually feel closer to Him, not intimidated by Him. What’s more, they are also more likely to reach out to others in acts of service and kindness. Rather than feeling burdened, they seem to be uplifted and inspired by their debt to the Giver of all good gifts.
The study was published in a major academic journal, but it had a major influence in the researcher’s family. “In our house,” she said, “we don’t just practise the feeling of gratitude; we practise acknowledging our indebtedness and expressing our gratitude through service.”
We all owe much to the kindness and goodness of others. While we’re certainly responsible for our own choices in life, we are indebted also to those who have taught us, nurtured us, and helped us along the way. And, above all, we are indebted to our Maker for life and everything in it. Indeed, every good thing comes from Him.
The more deeply we feel that, the more inclined we are to see that goodness all around us. We start to see God’s hand not just in our lives but in others’ as well. In this way, we draw closer both to God and to His other children, our brothers and sisters in God’s wonderful world.
By Samuel Enos Eghan
The Executive Director of DAD Micro-Credit Limited (MCL), Mrs Christiana S. Dzitse-Awuku, has called for urgent and collective action to prevent the recurring loss of lives and destruction caused by flooding during the rainy season.
Reacting to the devastating effects of last Monday’s heavy rainfall in parts of the country, she expressed condolences to families who lost loved ones and sympathised with residents whose homes, businesses and livelihoods were affected.
In a statement signed by Mrs Dzitse-Awuku and copied to The Spectator in Accra on Friday, she said although rainfall was a natural occurrence, the destruction associated with it was largely preventable.
According to her, DAD Micro-Credit Limited provides financial support to owners of small and medium scale enterprises, the majority of whom are women.
She noted that the recent heavy rains have significantly affected these businesses, resulting in many clients losing their capital and facing challenges rebuilding their livelihoods.
She noted that clogged drains, indiscriminate dumping of refuse, poor drainage infrastructure, and buildings constructed on waterways, and disregard for environmental and planning regulations had worsened the impact of heavy rains over the years.
“This is a wake-up call to all of us. The responsibility does not rest solely on government institutions. It is a shared duty,” she stated.
Ms Dzitse-Awuku urged citizens to desist from dumping waste into drains, maintain clean surroundings, and comply with environmental and planning regulations to reduce the risk of flooding.
She also called on the relevant authorities to intensify efforts to desilt drains regularly, remove unauthorised structures obstructing waterways without fear or favour, and strictly enforce city planning laws.
According to her, investing in preventive measures would save lives and reduce the enormous cost of rebuilding communities after disasters.
She appealed to government, local authorities, traditional leaders, civil society organisations and all Ghanaians to work together to build safer, cleaner and more resilient communities.
Ms Dzitse-Awuku stressed that the country must not wait for another rainy season to revisit the same challenges, emphasising that every life lost to flooding was one too many.
She offered prayers for bereaved families and those who had lost their homes and property, expressing hope that the nation would be spared further tragedies.
“The Ghana we develop today will be our safe haven tomorrow,” she stated.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
Last week’s heavy rains that got parts of Accra heavily flooded have left residences and offices in difficult situations as they try to gather the remains of their properties.
“Life after the flood has been difficult because we have lost a lot of things; some were also destroyed. We are currently gathering the pieces left but as to whether they would serve any use, we can’t tell for now,” a resident of Adabraka told The Spectator on Wednesday.
Along the North Industrial Area enclave, a number of office structures were flooded with water rising to unimaginable height.
The New Times Corporation (NTC) and other nearby establishments were not spared the flood ordeal as they became receptacles for excess water that were supposed to flow in the choked gutters around.
For workers of the NTC, the days after the flood were ones for cleaning and putting the offices in shape.
Staff had to get documents, furniture and other equipment dried, affecting production on the first day after the flood.
The situation was similar to what was seen in nearby offices where The Spectator visited.
Visits to some communities around ‘Circle’, Alajo, and Kaneshie revealed heaps of rubbish left behind by the flood waters.
In some of the areas, floodwaters have negatively impacted streets, gutters and homes with those areas littered with plastic waste, broken furniture, mud and other debris.
In some of the huge drains, vehicles were seen stuck in heavy mud.
This waste and stagnant pools of water have become a major concern for residents as they generated an unpleasant odour. A number of residents in the affected areas have since called for urgent intervention from local authorities.
Some residents said the waste has still blocked drains, increasing the risk of further flooding should the rains come again.
Others expressed concern that the accumulated rubbish could become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and thereby, expose the communities to diseases such as malaria and cholera.
At the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and Odawna market areas, traders continue to tidy up their stalls and shops.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
