By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

 

Senior Secondary School Three pupils of Eva Adelaja Girls Secondary Grammar School, Bariga, want a block of eight classrooms renovated by Nigerian Breweries Plc to be designated for their use.

The one-storey building which boasts of finished 24 pieces two-seater classroom furniture, a teacher table, a white board and ceiling fans in each classroom, was inaugurated last Tuesday at a brief ceremony in the school.

Once the tape was cut, the girls who attended the ceremony made their way into one of the classrooms and expressed delight at the comfort compared to what was there before and other classrooms.

A teacher then announced to them that the classroom would be for SS1 pupils to which the girls chorused a loud “No!”

They were happy with the refurbished classroom, which they said would make teaching and learning more conducive.

Head Girl of the school, Kehinde Ogunleye, said of the structure: “It is amazing.  It is very conducive unlike the previous structure.  It is an improvement.  It will improve learning.”

Though happy about the renovation, a teacher, who did not want to be named, however said the school had much larger classes – with a class having up to 80 pupils.  Kehinde said some classes had up to 150 in a class.

In her remarks, Principal of Eva Adelaja Girls Senior Secondary Grammar School, Mrs Oluyinka Soyooye, thanked the donors, saying the school wanted more.

“For you to have done this to encourage and enhance teaching and learning, we are using this medium to promise you that last year we had 85.6 per cent pass in the WASSCE; but this year, we are getting 100 per cent.

“But like Oliver Twist, we ask for more.  I heard a teacher saying, ‘how I wish all classrooms were like this.  So Nigerian Breweries, we are asking for more; we want more structures; more furniture,” she said.

Nigerian Breweries Plc also provided toilets for the building and library books.

Its Managing Director, Mr. Jordi Borrut Bel, represented by the Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Patrick Olowokere praised the Lagos State Ministry of Education for offering the necessary approval and support towards the success of the project.

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He said the renovation was funded by the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund and reiterated the firm’s commitment to investing in the education sector with the aim of improving the quality of teaching and learning in schools.

“As a responsible corporate citizen, our interests in Lagos state and Nigeria as a whole goes beyond the pursuit of business or profiteering.

We believe that the right investment in the education of our children will secure a bright future for our nation. We are resolutely committed to supporting the development of the sector going into the future”, Bel stated.

In his remarks, the Chief Whip, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Lateef Abiru described NB PLC as a good corporate citizen that appreciates that government needed support to meet society needs.

“Nigerian Breweries deserves applause for appreciating the importance of education in Nigeria.  I want to appreciate you on behalf of the Governor, teachers, and students.

“I implore the management and students to put into good use this edifice.  Eva Adelaja is one of the best, if not the best in our constituency,” he said.

 

By Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

 

Grace Adichie, mother to the renowned writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has urged teachers to devise means of making the teaching of history lively and entertaining.

Adichie gave the advice in Awka, Anambra State, at the opening of a two-day training of teachers for the newly introduced history curriculum.

She said the versatility of teachers and their ability to provide proper guidance, including teaching aids, would  increase pupils’ interest in the subject.

She said, “It was a shame that at a certain stage, history was dropped in the school curriculum. But I thank God that good reasoning prevailed and it is back.

“I hope our teachers will make good use of it so our children will benefit from the teaching of history.”

Declaring the workshop open, the Commissioner for Basic Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha, said the re-introduction of the subject into the school curriculum was a fallout of clamour by stakeholders.

Omenugha, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Linus Nwankwo praised Governor Willie Obiano for listening to the voice of reason to return the subject to the school curriculum.

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“It’s obvious the children of today cannot tell the history of Nigeria, and how can they take over the leadership of the country if they are not conversant with the history of their country?” she asked.

Earlier, Head, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Awka office, Johnson Ukpong, said the newly introduced history curriculum was meant for both basic and senior secondary schools with unique features.

He said the training was to serve as support for the teachers for proper implementation of the curriculum.

“The training is planned to ensure that the already developed teacher’s guide for the history curriculum which has seven chapters is carefully followed,” he added.

On her part, Deputy chairman, Post Primary School Service Commission, Lady Pat Offiah said over 500 persons, including all Education Secretaries in the 21 local government areas of the state and Directors of Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) were among the participants in the exercise.

Our Reporter

 

In commemoration of the 2019 International Volunteer Day, Oando Foundation led a team of Oando PLC employee volunteers to engage pupils of Metropolitan Nursery and Primary School, Sari-Iganmu, Orile – one of its 88 adopted schools – in creative activities.

The initiative themed “Trash to Art” focused on refurbishing the Early Child Care classes in the school and increasing creativity among learners through arts and crafts using fun-based activities.

Mandated by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1985, the International Volunteer Day (IVD) held annually on December 5 to promote volunteerism; encourage Governments to support volunteer efforts and recognise volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at local, national and international levels.

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This year’s Volunteer Day presented an opportunity for Oando’s employee volunteers to make on the school.  They not only worked with the teachers and pupils to refurbish their early childcare classes, but also taught them arts and crafts to promote creativity.

The pupils painted the class; sketched, coloured, used decorative paper for chain making, did face painting, still-life drawing, and card making.

At the end of the event, the excited pupils eagerly showed off their individual and group creations.

In addition, Oando donated age-appropriate furniture and instructional materials for the classes.

Speaking on the visit, the Head, Oando Foundation, Adekanla Adegoke noted, “On this year’s International Volunteer Day, we are reminded how fortunate we are as an organisation to have such dedicated individuals willing and able to volunteer their time and resources in enriching the lives of others, especially those in our adopted schools.

We believe in the power of collaboration through volunteerism in actualising the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal Four which remains Oando Foundation’s key focus. We are hopeful that today’s donations and engagement with the pupils have positively inspired them, and more importantly will help improve their future learning experiences for better outcomes”.

The Chief Compliance Officer, Oando Plc, Ayotola Jagun, one of the volunteers, appreciated employees for the impressive turnout.

The school’s Head Teacher, Mr. Abiodun Julius said: “We truly appreciate Oando Foundation for adopting our school and what they have done.

 

By Justina Asishana, Minna

 

The 1969 set of the Government College Bida met recently – 50 years after leaving school.

While it was a happy reunion, they had to acknowledge the sad fact that about half of the class was no more.

Convener of the meeting, Inuwa Musa Kuta, an engineer, said after 50 years, the class decided to meet to give thanks to God for those of them who were still alive.

“When we came here, we were quite young.  After 50 years, we have reason to thank God. We are shocked that over 50 percent of us are no more. Most of us have not met since we graduated. That is why this meeting is important to us,” he said.

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Only 16 of the 1969 set attended the meeting.

Under the aegis of the Bida Old Boys Association (BOSA) the Class of 1969 donated 50 mattresses, 30 tables and chairs, and some jotters to the school.

Kuta said the items donated were based on the school’s needs.

“It was important we come together and put something down for the school to show the appreciation that the school gave is something. We had talks with the management to see what their problem was and we were able to pick from their problems and make our little contribution.”

Receiving the items, Principal of the school, Mallam Muhammadu Baba Aliyu appreciated the old students for the gesture pledging that the institution would put the items to judicious use.

 

 

By Damola Kola-Dare

 

The President of St Teresa’s College, Ibadan, 65-69 set, Mrs. Titilayo Abiodun, has urged the government to return mission schools to the original owners — the missionaries, to arrest the dip in the quality of education.

She made this plea during the Fundraising Dinner held to commemorate 50 years of leaving their alma mater last Wednesday at the Darlington Hall, Ilupeju, Lagos.

“The education standard has fallen. When we went back to our school a couple of weeks ago, most of the students could not even speak correct English.

This is a call to the government to return mission schools to the missionaries. This will improve the poor standard we now have. Government cannot do everything alone,” she said.

She also said the old girls had renovated some classrooms, adding that the fundraising dinner was to make them double their efforts towards repositioning the school.

Mrs Abiodun said: “We went back to the school and renovated some classrooms. It is our way of giving back. This fundraising event will also help us to do more because want to renovate more classrooms and some other things.”

Mrs Abiodun said back in the good old days, the College offered them quality education as well as values.

“It has been 50 years since we left school. We still have the values of honesty and excellence inculcated in us. Sadly, that cannot be said of our country today.

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There is an erosion of values. We have lost our values. Nobody is honest anymore; people want to get rich without working.

Also speaking at the event,Mrs Yejide Wise, National President ,St Teresa’s College Old Girls Association, said members of the association would try their best to pass on the values they learnt to  the next generation.

“As Teresians, we must continue the tradition of inclusiveness and excellence. We will try to inculcate the values of discipline, dignity and determination in the next generation,” she said.

The National Secretary STC Old Girls Association, Olori Bola Ajibola advised everyone to give back to their old schools, while urging the government to put systems in place for proper administration of schools and adequate funding.

Earlier in his address, Chairman of the occasion, Chief Dele Fajemirokun noted that the importance of giving back to the society could not be overemphasised.

Donations were made to further boost the activities of the 65-69 set.

 

Our Reporter

 

Visitor to the Benue State University (BSU) Governor Samuel Ortom has directed the institution to offer admission to Miss Goodness Thomas, an indigene of Kogi State resident in Niger, who emerged as best graduating student of St. Clement’s Secondary School, Gbaiko Minna for year 2019, but was not selected for her preferred course, Medicine and Surgery, at the Ahmadu Bello University.

Ortom’s directive follows reports that despite scoring 302 points in her Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), 278 in the post UTME screening, and six A1s in her Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), Goodness was not accepted for Medicine.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Terver Akase said the Governor got to know of the girl’s problem through the media.

The Governor further gave assurance that his foundation which runs charity programmes will place Miss Thomas on scholarship during her stay in BSU.

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He said his administration would encourage young people who excel in their chosen careers to succeed, irrespective of religion, tribe and place of origin.

Explaining the likely reasons why Goodness was not admitted for Medicine at ABU, Public Relations Officer of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB), Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said she did not make merit list but had been given Anatomy.

He said: “The candidate was not qualified for merit as others were ahead of her in ranking.  For catchment area, she was number three on the ranking and only two was to be picked.

The two ahead of her were picked.  However, because she is a high scoring candidate, she has been offered Anatomy, which she has since accepted.”

An unconfirmed report noted that Goodness was earlier offered scholarship to study Medicine at the Igbinedion University, Okada, in Edo State.

 

By Chris Njoku, Owerri

 

A new Registrar has been appointed at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri.

She is Mrs. Eucharia Chidima Anuna.

Mrs. Anuna, was a deputy registrar in charge of senior staff personnel prior to her appointment.

She replaces the outgoing Registrar, Mr. IIoba Matthew Aligbe whose tenure terminates on January 10, 2020 having assumed duties as registrar of the institution on January 11, 2010.

Aligbe told The Nation that 14 people applied for the job out of which seven were selected.

“At the end of the screening exercise, seven were short listed, four were good materials from the institution while three came from outside.

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He said that Mrs. Anuna came first out of the seven applicants, adding that Mr. Anyanwuocha Ngozi also emerged as the Bursar of the institution.

He said the two candidates emerged by merit which was the directive of the Governing Council.

“The Council insisted that the process of picking the candidates must be on merit.  Only one person would be there and the two candidates that finally got the job were appointed on merit,” he said.

 

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

 

Having spent four years as chairman of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Ganiyu Sopeyin knows what it means to manage a large workforce to fulfil organisational goals.

His experience in that regard is contained in his new book “Managing your Workers – Roadmap to a committed workforce in the Education Industry” launched recently at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers Ikeja.

The 272-page book was reviewed by Prof. Ngozi Osarenren of the University of Lagos, who described it as a “compendium of essential ingredients for managing workers effectively and efficiently in both school and non-school settings.”

The former Education Commissioner for Education praised the book for exposing the damage corruption had done in the education system in one of its chapters.

“The book brought out the damaging effect of corruption in areas that they have been normalized,” he said.

She also said the 20-chapter book discussed human behaviour in organisations; workers’ motivation; classroom management; management of education bodies in Nigeria; teachers’ morale; corruption; evolution of education ordinances in Nigeria, among others.

Chairman of the event, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole, underscored the importance of quality workforce to the prosperity of an organisation.

He said there was need for more resources like Sopeyin’s book to drive the re-orientation of Nigerian workers towards productivity.

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“One of the reasons for my deep interest is because I understand and believe strongly that ‘everything rises or falls on human resources.’  The better the personnel, the better the organisation, the better the civil and public servants, the better the government, the better the citizens, the better the country.

“As a manager of human resources and an employer of labour for over 40 years in both private and public sector, I strongly endorse this book and also advocate that more books with similar subject be written to further enhance a long-overdue mental transformation that is seriously needed in this clime,” he said.

In an interview, Sopeyin underscored the need for managers to understudy their workers and how to motivate them.

“You will need to identify individual traits of your workers and at the same time, be able to strategise in managing them. It is important that when you know your workers.

Sometimes you have to deal with finance, psychological state of individuals and sometimes it is the health state of the workers. For instance, some managers who do not really know the quality of managing individuals might likely worsen the situation.

“Basically managing human resources is key to development.  We cannot continue to live in the past; we have to think of a way to move the system forward,” he said.

Top functionaries in SUBEB, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Lagos State government, as well as the private sector and representatives of the Oba of Lagos graced the occasion.

By Femi Kusa

 

COMRADE Ibe, like Darlington, Barrister Okon from Mende and Oluwatosin from Ikorodu, are regular callers on Mofe Oyatogun’s early rush hour programme on FM 101.5 radio station in Lagos.

They are all strung together by rebellious and rejectionist energy, hardly believing that a coin has a side other than the one we are seeing.

But, surprisingly, Oluwatosin broke ranks with the predictable comrade Ibe on December 20 when Mofe interviewed the special adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwoolu on tourism, arts and culture.

The interview was on Christmas funfare carnivals sponsored by Lagos State government. Predictably, Ibe said the economy was still drab, life ever brutish and short, jobs were scarce like money, and there was no need for government sponsored merry making on empty stomachs when the money expendable on all these could have been spent on jobs creation, hospitals, roads and stuff like them.

The special adviser  was on top of the game, and made Ibe sound and look like a one way man. He said the  governor had a five-point agenda, which included all Mr Ibe raised concerns about and tourism, which was a money spinner and jobs provider any day everywhere worldwide.

For this reason, said Sanwoolu, the government could not focus exclusively on jobs, hospitals etc to the exclusion of tourism which, in any case, would bring part of the money to be spent on roads, hospitals and the likes of them. And he was right. Oluwatosin was drawn into the net.

So was Mofe, the host. Co host Joseph, always cynical and with a poisoned tongue, followed Mofe. An equally rejectionist mazi, a barrister presumably a pastoras well, was absent from the show, otherwise he would have tried to nail the coffin one way or the other, putting biblical authorities.

The position of Mofe and Joseph holding the forte against Ibe this time was that at near breaking point, a wise society has to learn to not be rigid, to let off some steam.

What passed off in this programme on that day was the question this column always asks at this time of the year about the best way Christians should observe Christmas.

Should the time be spent in spirit suffocating revelry in the wrong notion that Jesus has won the battle for salvation, and what should follow next is wild celebration? Or, should the time be spent in sober reflection by Jesus followers, christians, about how they stand today before their maker? Iam not a revelry person.

I see important dates on the calendars of all religions as reminders that my shoe laces are still not well done, that I need, still, to roll up my sleeves and have myself jerked up by the shirt collar.

So, I would rather be withdrawn in such seasons or be in gatherings which afford me  opportunities to deepen my recognitions about many conceptions of existence and of LIFE, GOD.

While I have been behaving like this since the mid 1970s, I have recognised that Ceasar must still have his way wherever he remains Lord of the Manor. There’s nothing any one can do about that. Even the Lord Jesus taught us to be sensible as we fight our way towards salvation.

I believe this is what the state wide carnival in Lagos State this Christmas season is all about. An adult who is walking a child who is learning to walk will be a bad teacher if he tries to make the child walk faster than his or her tensile strength.

Is comrade Ibe listening? I can see Oluwatosin giggling. At the carnivals, the sale of liquor and soft drinks (soda)will go up. Ditto sales of snacks and food. Jobs will be kept. Governor Babajide Sanwoolu’s public image will arise and shine.

Social tension will be doused, maybe for weeks, as young people, target of this carnivals, recall their experiences. And the Arts and culture and tourism folks will be grateful to the government for another industy buoy.

Back in high school economics class in the 1960s, we learned about the kinetic theory of money. This is the velocity or speed at which money travels between one person and another.

If the velocity of money is suggish, everyone will be hard up and try to zip up his or her purse or pocket. Most people in such an economy would be hard up and wear long faces, always angry and cursing, making the government their whipping boy. Even in highway traffic, who likes a jam or what we call go-slow.

Everyone likes sweet flowing traffic. When the velocity of money is in top gear, money passes through the
hands of everyone quicker with little or no hinderance.

When the right seller whose previous daily net income was N500 earns four times that on a carnival night, she will remember to pay school fee or buy a new school bag for her child.

The woman who previously sold no more than two bags of pure water can sell 10 bags, she will settle her rent arrears, her landlord will give his wife money for rice and turkey at Christmas Day, the rice seller will buy new cloth for Christmas and the tailor will smile.

That day may not be distant, I always like to think , when the Christmas season will be experienced differently, when we would all be waist deep in the SPIRITUAL AGE which James Redfield predicts in his CELESTINE PROPHESY will succeed the information age(the present age), which succeeded the industrial age which succeeded the agrarian age which succeeded the hunter/fruit gather age, which succeeded the glacial age…

In the spiritual age, which Germans call THE THIRD REICH or third kingdom and christian theologists know as the AGE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT(after the age of the father and the age of the son), mankind will ultimately sense onrushing spiritual danger in the fast approaching end time or final judgement and, without much prodding, hunger for and live almost solely in search of true spiritual enlightenment and knowledge.

It will not be like the agitated storming of the churches of today, or the endless vigils, dry fasts, shouting and screaming spells during prayer, or of prayers or petitions rather than thankgiving, in which man sees his God as his servant who must do his bidding, even wage war on his enemies, forgetting that other people see him, too, as their enemy and are praying for his liquidation as well.

So, I will spend this Christmas season as usual contemplating interesting spiritual questions, the answers of some which are clearly evident in the bible, the trusted book of christians, but which many christians, though seeing do not comprehend. What are some of these questions?

Do people who depart the earth in death stay or live in their graves until the judgement day when righteous ones float heavenwards with the Lord Jesus and unrighteous ones are swept into hell fire?

This question played on my mind for more than a decade after I saw the live specimens of a human skeleton in high school labouratory in 1965.

The skulls, thigh bones and arm bones belonged to different people in different parts of the country. How will these dismembered parts congregate on resurrection morning and rejoin the human soul who owned them as we still sing at funerals that they would?, I never ceased to wonder. Over the years, deeper and deeper recognitions came of the truth of the matter.

After our earthly demise, we do not remain in the graves unless, perhaps , we are earth bound. We are not our bodies. Our bodies, to us, are like the office clothes we cast off at bed time.

They are derived from the earth and remain there. We come from a higher sphere of existence in the world and there we would return “dead” or “alive’ after the end time on earth.

Moses and Elijah taught us  this lesson when they appeared with Jesus at his transfiguration. Were they in their graves? No. They were working in the service of the Lord.

That ought to be the goal or dream of every christian …to awaken to joyful activity in the service of the Lord wherever they would be an after life on earth.

Our Lord taught us the same lesson as Moses and Elijah taught us when he said whatever He would do, we, too, could. Did he not  present himself to the disciples in the upper chamber? Do African tradition and culture not teach us that the soul, nay spirit, and the flesh are different entities? Are earth- bound people sometimes not encountered in haunted houses or places or sensed to visit families and homes they left behind? Thanatology, the science of dying, is urging us to abandon teachings outside the teachings of our Lord Jesus which suggest that life is all over for us at physical death until Judgement Day.

Anyone who has read Raymond Moody’s Life after Life or experienced what some of the people he mentioned there went through would recognise that life is beyond what is taught by many christian priests today.

In that book, people who have been confirmed dead in hospitals but who returned to earthly life spoke about their experiences in another world. Albert Steinpach confirms this in his book, HOW IS IT THAT WE LIVE AFTER DEATH AND THE MEANING OF LIFE.

Steven Lampe takes us through many possibilities of a second life on earth reported in the bible in his THE CHRISTIAN AND REINCARNATION. Lampe tries to show that emperor Justinian who manipulated the episcopical council of Constantinople in AD 553 did not quite succeed in his efforts to erase christian belief in reincarnation from the literature on the mission of Jesus Christ on earth which were compiled into the book known today as the bible. Many teachings of early christian fathers which confirmed the reality of reincarnation were rejected by these manipulated council.

Many Christians who today reject reincarnation and are illiterate when it comes to church history do not know that pope Nero opposed the emperor’s attempt to change this christian belief, that the emperor placed him under house arrest and threatened to depose him if he did not toe the line, that, the pope, unfortunately, threw in the towel to save his high office and that church leaders from the eastern world walked out of that conference.

Steven Lampe’sTHE  CHRISTIAN AND REINCARNATION beautifully answers the question I asked earlier…Upon death of the physical body, is the soul of man a prisoner in the grave in which his or her earthly remains are buried, or is it free to go on experiencing life, joyfully or otherwise, in other spheres of existence?

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One of the recognitions I have gained along the way is that we cannot rise beyond our thoughts. They are like anchors which hold us down and fast or the lifelines which pull us up and away from dross.

People who cannot free themselves from the notion that they would remain in the grave until resurrection day would inevitably remain in their graves.

They may even be sighted there, earth-bound, by sensitive people or clairvoyants, who, unless they are

inwardly mature, may misunderstand or misinterprete what they are seeing. Sometimes what is cited is not the departed soul. It is the astral body which interfaced between the soul and the physical body.

And interfacing is necessary to step down the energy of the soul which would burn up the body were they to connect directly.

When the soul is going away it pulls the astral body out of the discarded physical body. As the soul distances itself from the astral body, the latter withers and dissolves because, like the physical body, it has no life of its own.

So, if the astral body, also known as ghost, is cited near the physical body, it means the soul is not too far departed. Where the soul cannot extricate itself from the physical body it can no longer use, the astral body is also stuck and the physical body may decay slowly or not decay for a long while.

This is a great punishment for a soul that is meant to be free…experiencing the decay of a body it once cherished. It is like the experience, though not quite the same, of a woman challenged with a putrifying cancerous breast, a part of her body which is decaying right on her while she is still physically alive.

One such case was cited a few years ago in Nigeria. Knowing people saw in it the possibility of a departed soul earthbound in its physical vessel, whereas spiritually illiterate people believed the departed soul must have been a pious man.

We make our environment here as elsewhere. Our environment doesn’t make us. Our thoughts, like our other activities determine the weight of our souls.

We may, therefore, sink, become earth-bound, or soar homewards, depending on the density of our souls. The same law, issued by an unchanging God, which makes the cork to float over matter and a piece of rock to sink, governs what becomes of our souls as well as after earthly demise.

Should a husband and his wife have sex when the wife is pregnant?

Even Christian doctors support the view that sex during pregnancies relaxes muscles which would help a pregnant woman easily and safely expel the baby during the birthing process.

African tradition discourages this, as we know. In this tradition, a pregnant woman does not share the same bed with her husband.

She retires to the women’s section of their house. The herbalist knows what herbs to give at every stage of a pregnancy. One of them is named EWE ABIWERE, the leaf for easy birthing.

Again, the bible offers the christian an answer to this question. Christians will remember that Mary the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth, mother of John the baptist, forerunner of Jesus in his mission on  earth, were cousins.

While Mary was pregnant, she paid a visit to Elizabeth who, like her, was pregnant. When both women met, the bible reports, the babies in their wombs leapt with joy.

My understanding of this is that both babies recognised  each other and were happy that the mission they had come for was in progress. John the baptist is a leader of the human specie in a region of paradise which is the CREATED paradise.

In this part of paradise are to be found the spirit beings created in the image of God. Turn or twist as those of us human spirits on earth may be, we are not the ones created in his image.

Our own realm in paradise is a much lower one where inhabitants developed to maturity in the LIKENESS of CREATED BEINGS.

We are here on earth like seeds sown in the soil(remember the parable of the sower by Jesus.) From the earth soil we are to sprout, flower and fruit…and return home in the lower regions of paradise . Created beings, like John the baptist, only come here to help us out of those beliefs and actions which delay our ascent homewards. Do we as christians ever wonder why Jesus said no man born of a woman on earth can be as great as John the Baptist?

Back to our question. The knowledge of Baby Jesus and Baby John the baptist greeting each other across the wombs of their respective mothers-to-be has been expanded for us by science. Now, we know that babies in the wombs respond to music and to incantations.

In experiments, babies have been shown to respond differently to particular music. Traditional attendants educate us in their work that babies with irregular presentations in the womb can be “spoken” to, to properly engage the birth passage .

With this knowledge that the unborn baby can literally see us and know what we are  doing in the “other room”, should these things happen even if the doctor says we can go ahead? We deceived ourselves if we think there are no third parties in the room with us.

When these babies are born and begin to indulge in adult activities too early in their lives, sometime with consequent permanent emotional or physical damage, are we not spiritually culpable and bound to them until they can resolve their discomfitures sometimes in another or more earth lives?

So, ladies and gentlemen, this Christmas season, like any other, should be a season of spiritual retreat for us all, and not  a time for revelry, during which we focus exclusively on the High salvage  Mission of the Love of God, JESUS, to the earth, examine ourselves to see if we truly are following His teachings, pinch ourselves on the skin if we are not, revisit all old teachings in  THE LIGHT OF TRUTH that He brought, cast off wrong notions and deepen our recognitions of the grains of Truth we still can salvage from the Chaff.

 

Does shall we grow in spirit every Christmas and minimise the risk of being counted among the chaff in the end of days. May we have a beautiful FESTIVAL OF THE RADIANT STAR. AMEN.