ANADWO ADWENDWEN
Story by Jedidiah Appiah (Fmr. President, Pensa-KATH)
Before I stepped foot in Tech, I had heard of the great
"Paa Joe" and how many people had walked the length and breadth of
that land seeking the face of God. Wishing to add my name to this list, and for
other deep reasons, I joined the prayer force of PENSA. Every Monday, I located
the prayer team and went to "kabee" with them. But I couldn't help
but notice the gymnastics that were going on on the ground, in my group and
other groups! For some, their waists were moving side to side while their arms
were lifting spiritual dumbells. Others were doing squats. Some were doing one
handed "Maso y3 den". There were many motions I witnessed that made
me wonder if these people had extra joints. And then there was the rhythmic
claps that were supposed to make sure the prayers followed the 1-4 time
signature. And then we had some prayer leaders also using big big words they
didn't understand. I remember someone
was leading a session and he went like, "Say after me, Every demonic
activity, I OVERRIDE, I OVERTURN, I OVERSEE!"
I said "Ei bra!!! You want to OVERSEE DEMONIC ACTIVITIES!! If possible,
let this cup pass me by!" To crown all of this, the laryngitis stricken
voices of the prayer warriors. I'm sure these guys have kept streptol and other
sore throat lozenges in business!
All this was so fascinating for me, and I couldn't wait to
develop my own skills. It didn't take long kraa, and voila!!! I also had the
laryngitis prayer voice! I also developed my own prayer dance (just with my
hands though). It involved me reaching
out, taking something and pulling it to myself. Obviously my inspiration was
Matt 11:12. With more intense prayers, I graduated to a break-punch- tear
motion with my hands. In no time, I became a clapper myself. I had finally
become a PaaJoenian!!!
But in all of this, I had began to lose the essence of
prayer. Instead of going to have a heart
to heart talk with God, I went there just to lose weight and sweat! Some of the
prayer leaders weren't helping because they incited these rituals with
statements like, "I cannot feel you prrrraying!", "Are you in
the house at all!" Etc. With time,I realised the emptiness that had filled
my prayer times.
Dear prayer warrior, in all you do, don't lose sight of what
prayer essentially is; communication with God. Don't get caught up in all the
frenzy. Remember, the power of a prayer is in the one who answers the prayer. I
still have my skills. No one can take
them away from me. But now, I make sure I'm fixed on God, and not myself. That
is prayer. Selah
#anadwoadwendwen
