4 Simple Ways To Remember Names.

“If you want to win friends, make it a point to remember them. If you remember my name, you pay me a subtle compliment; you indicate that I have made an impression on you. Remember my name and you add to my feeling of importance” – Dale Carnegie

To remember a person’s name is of much essence and importance in social and business life. It creates a good feeling when we are able to remember our clients or friends’ names. Here are some tips if practiced will go a long way to help you remember the names of the people you meet.

1. Repetition is a key. Repeating the person’s name a number of times in your conversation is critical. As you mention it, you deepen the trace the name has made in your memory and this helps in easily remembering it. Try to remember the name of the person you met after a while.

2. What is the meaning of your name? Ask for the meaning of the name. Most names have meanings and the name bearers will be enthused to share it with you if only they know it. Perhaps, some people have not ever cared to know the meaning of their name. This interaction can trigger them to check it out.

I have done this for quite some time and the reaction is awesome. He or she will feel great to tell you the meaning (if there is). The meaning will help you appreciate the name and that incident with all its emotions helps you to mention the name many times helping you to make a conscious effort to save it in your memory.

This also creates the opportunity for the person to search for the meaning of the his or her name if he or she doesn’t know.

3. Visualization. Visualize something about the person with the name. It can be another person you know with that same name whom you have had an encounter with or a feature about the person which fascinates you.

4. Spell It For me. The point of asking a person to spell his or her name for you helps you to picture the name in your mind’s eye as it is spelt. This helps you to encode it into your memory and easy to remember.

This also makes the person feel a sense of importance and he or she will feel good around you.

NB: Also, pronouncing someone’s name wrongly is s blunder and so is spelling someone’s name wrongly. 

This can help you to spell and also to pronounce the name better.

With these tips, you can remember names and make every moment of meeting your friends and clients a remarkable one.

Thank you.

REQUEST FOR SUPPORT: A Great Opportunity To Make An Indelible Impact.

James Robert Myers is also known by the pseudonym as MJ Jimmy. He is one of the prolific young poets I have known. Jimmy recently published "Breaking Silence: A Poetic Lifeline From Slavery to Love". 

He is currently connected with the Girl Child Creativity (G.C.C) http://girlchildcreativity.blogspot.com/ based in Zimbabwe to serve in utilizing poetry as a means to facilitate girl child development in Harare. He have therefore been served with an invitation to take part in this wonderful societal transforming event slated for September 13-28 November, 2013.

He is kindly requesting for your support to help with his plane ticket fare. He is looking at a budget of $1,500.00 and by God's grace he have been able accumulated $500. Please, DONATE to support Mj Jimmy so that he can go and cause POSITIVE CHANGE in the lives of these young women. DEADLINE: 10th September, 2013

"We make a living by what we earn but we make a life by what we GIVE" - Winston Churchill

MTN MOBILE MONEY transfer. #: (*233)0545479543 (In Ghana)

If you are outside Ghana you donate to help through PAYPAL: info@bkc.name

Please, kindly inbox or call 0545020259 for any further details. 

Thank you.

Why The OLD Man Told Me Wise Words.

It was a hot sunny afternoon, where I needed to catch up with an appointment and I was already behind time.

 As I stood at a junction patiently waiting for a bus, I turned to my right and saw this old man coming. He was in a blue shirt with double pockets on the chest, a woven straw hat, a sunglasses and holding a bag.”

As he got closer to me, he stopped and asked with a calm phonation, “If I was in the military?” I replied that, “no” and gave a smile. 

He continued that, “I would perfectly fit for a soldier man and why don’t I apply to be one.” I replied, “That’s fine but I am not interested in that.” He followed up with another question that, “then what am I interested in?” “I would like to make use of my talents”, I said to him.

He doffed his hat and asked, “What would I like to do with my talents?” I replied that, “like solving the problems in the communities.”

He removed his sunglasses and told me again, “I look like a soldier man.” I chuckled and looked unto the road if a bus was coming.

He continued that, “do I know am very handsome?” I chuckled again and nodded. He added that, “What makes you more handsome is that, you have a dimple and that the women will be flocking around you.” I felt overwhelmed!

He said, “What thrills me about you is the way you’ve tucked your shirt into your trousers.” I took a majestic look at myself and raised my head. He asked again, “what makes me handsome?” I smiled and turned my head away, not knowing what to say. He went on to say, “what beats his heart is to see young men of late with their pants down their buttocks and some of these claim to be in their final years in the university.”

I looked at his gray hair, the energy in his voice and time he is offering me, I wondered why, but my mind told me to show respect and be patient.

He referred me to the Bible and told me to check Proverbs: 20: 29, “The glory of young men is their strength and the slender of old men is their grey head.”

He asked, “How can a young man misuse his glory?” I replied, “To involve in bad practices.” “Like”, he asked, I said, “Immorality, armed robbery, drinking, smoking and womanizing.”

He showed me a small book, which was elaborating what a young man should look for when in search of a companion. He asked me, “If I was dating”, and I said, “Yes”.

The attributes the book indicated were spiritual mentality, moral uprightness, trustworthiness and you can add the last one because I have forgotten but it must exclude beauty, funny etc. The book meant not for us to look for superficial qualities.

He said emotionally that, “because of the way I had dressed, he could stick his head for me in every place and guarantee his support for me and he will be looking to attend my wedding ceremony.”

He realised he was taking much of my time; he took my number and told me he would give me a call.

Has the time spent with this gray man been fruitless?

Or what do you think about this incident?

The Prostitutes Verses The Military Men

It was around 3:00 am, 12^th April, 2013(Mothers day) when I was raised from my sleep to obey nature’s call. As I came back to the room and sat on my bed to say a word of prayer, I overheard some whisperings outside my un-curtained window.

I tried to peep who were those at that ungodly hour, as I looked, I saw two soldiers (uniformed but not armed) who were trying to communicate to each other on a very low tone. I stood there trying to make a view of their faces but they had their caps on. However, intermittently they took it off and wear it again.

Eventhough I heard a few statements like, “you are afraid lets go” and “as for me I am going oo”, I could tell from their body language that, one was influencing the other to join him in an anticipated action.

Around and behind our house, were women selling their bodies for money. It suddenly came to mind that, these soldiers were on a mission to satisfy their libidos.

Unfortunately, as I was peeping, my un-curtained window lead me astray and these military men saw that, I was watching them silently all awhile. We kept eye ball to eye ball for about 8 seconds and I saluted them of which they responded. Immediately, I redrew from my post and went back to bed.

In some few minutes, I heard grievous feminine shouts amidst chanting of curses and deep insults echoing from where these prostitutes reside. I woke up from my bed to see what was happening.

As I peeped through my un-curtained window, I saw these two military men amidst about four civilians coming out with some bold steps from where ‘those’ women reside. There were two prostitutes who were furiously shouting and chanting curses on these military men and when they were asked by a friend to explain, one said, “one of the soldiers had come to enjoy himself and had paid 5 Gh cedis(which was below the standard amount of 20 Gh cedis) and when they questioned him, he refused to add up and tried to cause mayhem by assaulting the woman.

Some male friends of the prostitutes tried protecting their women and also to deal with the military men. This resulted that, the military men responded by spraying their pepper’s spray into the eyes of some of the male friends of the prostitutes.

It resulted in a havoc which caused many civilians within our area to awoke and come up to witness the scene.

What should make a man of the law trained to protect the civilian behave in this awkward way?

Thank you.

Been Insulted For Addressing A Point Towards Social Change

In the late noon today, as I was descending from a hilly dusty road, I spotted a young woman and a young man coming towards me.

As we got closer, I just saw this young woman throw a PLASTIC WATER SACHET onto the road. Fortunately, there was two dustbins in-front of a house right behind them.

I pointed it to this woman that, what she has done is very bad and didn't see notice there were two dustbins right where she was coming from?

She replied that, she didn't see. I was very surprised.

As she came close to me, this lady spat right in-front of me(Didn't understand that though).

As I was speaking with the young woman, the man beside her was on phone, so after, he joined the conversation and said, "she said, she didn't see. What is my problem?". I interrupted and said, you are walking with the lady and she has done this deliberate blunder, what you should do it's to let her know that, she has done the wrong thing.

All that this young man would say was that, she said,"She didn't see" and went further to insult me.

I wondered and asked myself, how does some Ghanaians think? These people were students in a nearby University.

However, we are not relenting, WE SHALL OVERCOME.

I will urge you to be an ENVIRONMENTAL AMBASSADOR and see to it that, the right things are done in your communities, PLASTICS are properly DISPOSED, use INNOVATIVE IDEAS to address the problems in your community.

LET'S BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE

Thank you

Visit www.cleanghanafoundation.org and know how Patrick is causing a POSITIVE CHANGE in his community in the area of sanitation.

Pretty Girl Felt Bad Because Of Her EGO.

I believe you would like to be associated with leaders don't sit down for things to get out of hand but leaders who are concerned and provides solution?

As I was coming from a dusty curve into a main dusty street, the sun was scorching and made me thirst. As I entered the main street, I saw this beautiful young girl, I mean beautiful! There was an old lady with a stick limping behind her. This young lady had just finished drinking from a sachet water and proudly threw the empty plastic waste onto the road like she was throwing a tennis ball.

It suddenly caught my attention and I said," a beautiful girl like you and you are acting this way?" Her face gestured the guiltiness of her act, it made her paused, looked back at the plastic and looked back at me again(I stood to see what she would do next). As she took another step from egotism, the old lady(her grand mother) picked the rubber behind her.

I felt something within and I busted out saying, "Your grand-mum have picked the rubber". I think she motioned to her grand-mum and the old lady dropped it unto the ground.

I went back and picked the went plastic water sachet, straightened it, folded it and placed it into my pocket to put in a bin I will see.

The young girl asked me, but the enviroment is already dirty? I replied that, she should serve as an example for others to follow so that, the place will be clean.

Her ego again, made her interrupt by saying "its okay! Its okay!

So as I want to be associated with a noble cause, I believe so do you?
Then lets be conscious of your acts, let them be geared towards doing the RIGHT things even when no one is watching.

With a clean mind, we will see a clean Ghana.

"Clean Mind, clean Ghana"campaign project.

Thank you.

Education the Foundation of Society

 “Education is more than a luxury; it’s the responsibility that society owes to itself” – Robin Cook

“Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.”- G.K. Chesterton

Society and education are bedmates. Since time in memorial, society and education had rub shoulders with each other to augment the progressive development of humanity. And for that matter, the role of education in the society can never be underestimated. I will like to touch on three thematic areas which make education the foundation of society.

Firstly, I would personally say am very passionate about this peculiar topic as a professional teacher graduated from the University and doing a National service in one of the hinterland areas in my country.

I believe you will side with me that, education begins at home?

Educated parents are likely to train their wards or children in a more healthy and educated lifestyle. An educated pregnant woman will see to her pre and antenatal care, immunization and the education of their children. Hence, these form a strong foundation for the child’s development whilst the illiterate may have a lukewarm attitude towards this critical task as they groom the future leaders of the society.

Educated parents create an interactive atmosphere for their children’s social and academic development. 

This helps the parents to identify and enhance the strengths or competencies of the child. This then helps the child as he grows to understand him or herself better and find ways to pursue their passion or latent talent. This creates maximum significance in innovation and technology which helps in building a strong foundation and future for the society.

Common sense also suggests that a child who develops well physically, mentally, socially and emotionally during the early years are more likely to be a happy and productive member of society than who does not.

Secondly, the educational system which offers the ambiance in laying the brick for our future leaders and the future of the society shouldn’t be compromised.

As we strive to achieve the millennium development goal 2 (Universal primary education) through governments educational policies such as Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE). This policy is to erase the school fees paying system in order to help the poor who can’t afford to pay school fees also to send their wards to school.

In my country and other countries like Lesotho, Malawi, Tanzania and others who are implementing this policy has seen a 100 percent increase in the number on roll in the classroom. In my school, the number on roll for basic 1 is 97 pupils.

Although this policy is helping, let’s ask ourselves, how will the student-teacher ratio be like?  And I believe that, standard of quality education remains a challenge.

You will side with me that, people doesn’t value free things! Their parents have been psychologically affected by this policy, as they believe everything about their ward’s education should be borne by the government. 

However, there are some petty items the pupil will need in the classroom and the parent should be able to provide them for the child without waiting on the overburdened government to provide at an appropriate time. Such of these items are books, pencils, slates and crayons.

NGO’s, social clubs and other community development agencies are to support governments in the stead it is lacking like providing infrastructure, educational resources and other ways to motivate the teacher. For re-engineering education is not enough, we must participate in re-engineering the way education is re-engineered.

I also urge governments not to politicize issues relating to education. But to inject more of its resources and enhance the vocational and technical institutions to serve those who were not able to make it through the formal educational system.

Education it’s the life-blood of the society and it should be treated with much attention and concentration through robust strategies and a concrete long-term vision towards solidifying the backbone and future of the society.

Lastly, is about the educated individuals who hold the society. “When asked how superior the educated is to the uneducated. Aristotle answered, as the living is to the dead”. ~ Diogenes Cornelius

The educated individuals fill up the various occupations like Architects, teachers, doctors, pastors, nurses, entrepreneurs, leaders etc. These people cast the anchor of the society by steering its affairs for the socio economic development of the society and the nation as a whole.

Educated individuals understand themselves, their culture, acquire occupations, vote, and volunteer, raise healthier, better educated children and are likely to question the discrepancies and support policies of the government which aids the society to achieve financial stability. They also observe the rights and participate in the building of the socio-economic agenda of the society and the country as a whole.

We can still say proudly that, as education is the foundation of society, is like the breath of the human, the light in the darkness, the life among the dead, the engine of the vehicle and the future of the nation.

Then I ask, how are we preparing ourselves and for that matter our society for an improving future?

“Make me the master of education and I undertake to change the world”. ~ Gottfried Wilhelm.

The Power Of Reading.

Let’s take a look at these statistics, 1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives. 42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college. 70 percent of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.

57 percent of new books are not read to completion.

(Source: Jerold Jenkins, www.JenkinsGroupInc.com)

With this information we can then tell that most of the youth does not find time to improve themselves through reading of good books. This is one of my favorite quotes that keep me reading and it’s by Ralph Waldo Emerson, this how he puts it, “A man is known by the number of books he reads”. Then I can ask this question that how many books have you read so far?

I will like to throw more light on three facets of this subject. These aspects are

 A. Power of reading

B. Improving your vocabulary

C. Applying what you read

Power of reading;

Reading is not just a process that is to be ‘achieved’ but is all about power- the power of imagination, the power of gaining messages through literature and the power to gaining ideas from the contemporaries and great forefathers of our time, that can change how you think. If you will want to meet the likes of the wise Confucius, the questioner Aristotle, the thinker Einstein, most revered Mohandas Gandhi, the valiant Martin Luther King Jnr etc. then you will happily meet them in their books.

“The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of the past centuries.” 

- Descartes

“To read is to fly: it is to soar to a point of vantage which gives a view over wide terrains of history, human variety, ideas, shared experience and the fruits of many inquiries.” 

-A C Grayling Financial Times(in a history of reading by Albert Manguel)

Improving your vocabulary;

I believe, this is one the numerous benefits that one educes by reading. I found myself doing an attachment with a newspaper organization as a Proofreader and this really improved my vocabulary. When I am reading the papers before they are being published, I take the pain to check the meaning of all words I don’t know in a dictionary I have on my phone, for their meaning and write them down in order to memorize them. You can also try this and it will help brighten the corner you are. “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”  –Dr. Suess, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!”

Applying what you read;

Personally, what sense does it make when one does not apply what he reads? “The essence of knowledge is having it, to apply it, not having it, to confess your ignorance”-anonymous. From the onset I find a wonderful idea in a book I am reading, I then start implementing it. I remember, a friend of mine made a comment that, “don’t mind Patrick, he always comes and try to play with our minds by the things he had read”.  Apply whatever you read from good books and you will be amazed by the results. “A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I began by reading, I must finish by acting.”

 - Henry David Thoreau

In a nutshell, what we should know is to start cultivating this habit of reading and once we commit to it the rewards will follow. I have heard most of my friends made statements like, “when I finish school am done with learning.” I then laugh in my mind. I will advocate the idea of being a lifelong learner, Lets all continue reading towards our quest to become better leaders and create better societies. Let’s ponder over these quotes and reflect on them:

“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read”. - Mark Twain

“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.” – Confucius

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” – Fredrick Douglass

“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.” – Groucho Marx

“So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install, A lovely bookshelf on the wall.”- Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 

REFERENCES:

http://www.readfaster.com/readingquotes.asp

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/reading.html#ixzz1L2ZuBYo 

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/reading.html#ixzz1L2ZuBYo

http://www.personal-development.com/chuck/value-of-reading.htm

The Key Advice To Young Women Who Seek Marriage.

Am speaking from the point of a man who plays a critical role in what women need, which is marriage. I once had a female friend from the early days to the final year of my University education. She was such a lovely young woman. I loved sharing my ideas and circumstances with her. She was also always there to listen to me and help me find solutions and make decisions.

I must say, she was the lady who really gained my respect and trust. She was very different with the way she dressed and how she communicated with me. She dressed decently without exposing some parts of her body and spoke gracefully with me. We were very close for about three to four years. She witnessed a radical transformation in my life.

The crux of my meeting with this virtuous young woman was relationship and even if, everything goes on perfectly to marry her after we attained our degree from the university. This girl friend never had sex nor even allowed me kiss her within those years. There were opportunities I tried and tried but this young lady never gave in for me to enjoy this pleasure. I felt bad at times when my friends asked me if I had been able to hit the mark. Then the answer was obviously no!

Honestly, this friend of mine because of the image she created to me during those years. I will say any man who will marry her have married a true, virtuous marriage material.

Why? Because, she resisted me from having sex with her, but all a while, supported me, made room for my company and did what every woman will do for her man. This I will say, have made me speak about her in this piece.

How will you answer this my reader? What is the essence in it if you want to pay for something you cherish and fortunately, you had this valuable thing on a silver platter? You will not value this item anymore, right?

This replicates itself when you let the guy you want to marry have sex with you before the marriage ceremony. Even though, we men will love to have it, create a room where we can be with you but not to have the valuable thing. Being there for us, discussing and planning the future, taking actions towards the plans that will help both of us enjoy the future we anticipate.

I will say, this guy will respect you (but some men might not let you know), it builds trust and offers a very solid foundation for the relationship or marriage to thrive.

I will say premarital sex have made room for the many street children, the many divorces crippling our marriages and other social problems.

If you are a young woman who really wants to get married to a man, never commit such lawless and uncompromising mistake, because it will end you up with a broken heart, feeling cheated and wondering why every guy comes into your life and leaves you. You might then attribute it to spiritual or superstitious beliefs, which might be wrong.

Hold on to your precious equity until you have that precious gem on your finger and your precious man will adore, respect, appreciate and honour you as the God - sent gift to him.

This is my advice to you my female reader. I know if we get more of such ladies for marriage, myself and other men who want virtuous young women will appreciate this piece and it will also bring a social change into my community and the world as a whole.

I dedicate this article to that my girl friend and to all young women who will stand on their grind and keep themselves into their marriage. May God bless them and their marriages.

Am most grateful for your time and I believe if you apply what you have learnt here, you will see and manifest all and even more as I have mentioned here. Cheers and have a blessed day.

Thank you!

The Heart Of the Little Girl (True Story)

It was a hot sunny Sunday afternoon after I had a nap. I stood in front of our mart and was thinking where the wind comes from, as it blows through the leaves of the trees in various directions and we feeling it around our succulent bodies. It left me pondering while I sit in front of the mart admiring nature.

In some few minutes, I saw these two little girls around three years old walking together, chatting and living in their own world. There was one among them I knew. She was called Perpetual. Her mother is a fruits seller just opposite our mart. Her mother sells fruits like apples, pineapples, watermelons, oranges and bananas.

Suddenly, I heard this little girl heartily crying and heading to her mothers’ place without her friend. After a while, I saw Perpetual happily running towards the direction her friend went with two bananas in her hand. 

She even stumbled but didn't fall, one of the bananas she was holding fell because the rate at which she was running to catch up with her friend was high.

I shouted at her to take her time, her mother busted out that, the reason Perpetual was running was that, she was running to catch up with her friend and give her one of the bananas so that they could enjoy together.

I thought about the gesture of this little girl and felt fascinated to share with you my reader. I will ask you my reader, what do you make of this act Perpetual exhibited?

This little girl has seen the need to share what she had with her friend. The action Perpetual exhibited speaks a lot to me and reminds me of the golden rule ‘do unto others what you want others to do unto you'. How many times have you seen a friend whose shoes were worn out and you gave him or her one of your shoes? 

When you see a friend whose clothes are tattered, what then comes into your mind?

The act of benignity of this little girl serves to me as a wake up call to share what I have, to be kind to others and as we share or give unto humanity. We share be replenished in a thousand fold. May this little girl’s gesture remind you whenever you find yourself in such situation. Let’s give and it share always be given unto us. Lets always be guided by this principle and we will live a life worth remembering.

I am most grateful to have you spend your time reading this article, let’s keep a positive mental attitude and it’s my prayer everything works together for our good.

Thank you and let’s meet here again on this blog. Have a blessed day!

A Trickster - Ex-convict Preacher Caught In A Bus (True story).

It was a cool sunny day around 4: 30pm, where I got onto a bus. As I got on the bus, there were few people onboard which made me question myself that, when will this bus be full? I spotted a pawpaw seller down the pavement, I observed as she peeled the pawpaw appealing and ordered her to bring me some to buy. As I was enjoying the slices of pawpaw, I looked through the opened window and right beside the pawpaw seller, a young man in an ash short sleeve graph shirt with a bag at his back and who was also enjoying an orange stood at the entrance of the bus. He threw the finished orange onto the pavement and entered the bus.

I immediately paused the music on my ipod as this young man begun to speak to us. He started that, he was an orphan and that, sometime ago, he was working at the harbor, some items got lost and some other colleagues and himself were wrongly accused and they were sentenced into prison. He was released not long ago and even a police officer around the area taught he was lying as he shared his story of the experience in the prison cells. This made the policeman to enquire from other police officers to certify that he was actually not a fugitive.

Moreover, he needed to get to kpando (a village in the Volta region) where his relatives were and he could start something on his own (All this while he had a small blue Bible in his hand covering his mouth). He continued that, he was left with nothing to travel with and he was so hungry. He even drew people’s attention to the fact that, if they had diaries, they should note today’s date and write that they made a donation to an orphan prisoner and that, it’s a seed they have sown into the lives and they will reap it in thousand fold in the future. He said a lot about the sad life of prisoners concerning; the way they eat malnutrition diets, how they sleep on their sides, forty people are clustered in a small room and men selling themselves for food (gay). He also talked about how he was transformed by a visited preacher’s book and how he also helped others by not letting them involve in gay but taught them the word of God. He also quoted the Holy Bible in some instances and counseled passengers to be prayerful at all times.

Passengers on the bus felt sympathetic and started giving this man some monies. When this man collects the money, he says a very big thank you amidst expressing God’s blessings onto your life and even started prophesying to an old man who donated that, “if he had a daughter, he should make his daughter do a day fasting on the day she was born and she will become a great lawyer for the family” (Holding this old man’s hand as he says all these).

Other passengers who wanted God’s blessings gave to him and he also said a lot unto their lives. Gradually, the bus was getting full and he needed to get off the bus.

Before he left, I felt to also give this orphan and a wrongfully prosecuted ex-convict something to feed with, I called him closer to my seat, he made a step forward and stretched his hand as I give him the money. I made a suggestion to him that, he could write a book from the experience he had from the prison and that people are going to buy and it will also earn him some income to carter for some of his necessities.

He replied that, “he had a jotter in his bag and he had started already with that”. I then said, “fine! And I will not expect to see him begging for arms again” and he joyfully replied that, never, he will be going to his hometown to start a farm.

As he was about to get down, I ask of his name and he replied that, he was called ‘Mark Apoh’ (even spelling the ‘Apoh’ for me to note it well). He got down and the bus moved us safety to our destinations.

On the next day, which was on the 21^st September, 2012 around 12 – 1 am midnight, after I had completed with an event I was participating in and was been escorted by my cousin and her husband who came to support me. I got to the bus station and gladly there was a bus ready and waiting to send us to our destinations.

I was the first person to get onto the bus, feeling very hungry, I called an ice cream seller to bring me one ice cream and one pastry. He hurriedly brought it and he also got me some credit for my phone. All this while, other passengers were on boarding the bus and soon the bus was ready to move.

As we moved, I heard a voice from two rows back near the window, this man was holding a New Testament Bible (the small blue Bible in hand covering his mouth with it). He told us to bow down our heads for him to pray with us. He offered a touching prayer (fluently in English) to the Most High God and started with his plea for passengers to help him with some money and that, he was an orphan and he was then a prisoner and he needed money to transport him to his home in Tarkoradi.

I realized this was Mark Apoh again! I waited for him to say all that he had to say. This time he was no more going to Kpando but to Tarkoradi, that was where his family was. Once a man gave him money, he said, if the man had a daughter, her daughter should do fasting on the day she was born. He uttered the same words as he said in the other bus to the old man.

I asked myself, how could this happen? I called out his name ‘Mark Apoh’ for the first time, maybe he didn’t hear so I called him again and this time he responded, all the passengers turned to watch me as I started that, 

I had met him the day before in another bus and the passengers in that bus had contributed some amount for him to use as transportation home and not to be begging for arms again in Accra. Mark was trying to defend himself but the destination of going to Tarkoradi and not to Kpando this time exposed him that he was a trickster. I turned and could see Mark bowed down his head his in shame.

All passengers in the bus were astonished, they started murmuring and groaning. One man told the driver to alight ‘Mark Apoh’.

The long and short of this true experience was that, we should be careful with the people who in the name of God come and ask for our help. Mark Apoh, that night smelled massively of drugs which the people seated beside him complained after he had gotten down, however, due to his confidence and public speaking ability, he was able to outwit me and other passengers to give him monies.

We are in the end time and there is no doubt about that, people and devising strange and bad ways to make money for themselves but I will say ‘caution’ so that you don’t fall a prey to someone. Let’s be sober but vigilant in all our ways. There are some false ministers of God also going round in the name of the Almighty God and dubiously making money for themselves. Not left out are also some politicians who will come to fill your bellies with words and if you vote them into power, you already know the results.

 Lets be cautious and not to be taken for granted or deceived. Thank you for your time spent with me, let’s keep a positive attitude, expect the best and believe everything is working together for our good. Cheers and have a good one!