The pharmacist told the young man his blood pressure reading was bad. At 194/90, he stood the risk of getting complications like stroke and even death. He advised the young man to go and see a doctor immediately.
Rather than go to the hospital, our young man decided to visit Nana Kofi Akanta, the local fetish priest held in high esteem by the entire community. At the shrine, he was informed by the young attendant that Nana had gone to renew his Health Insurance 😁😁😁.
Stunned, our young man decided to do the needful, by going to the hospital.
A few days ago a friend of mine lost an auntie, tragically. This auntie started complaining of dizziness at a funeral. She was advised by her friends and family to go to a hospital. Her response: she will go and see her Pastor!
Truly, Auntie did not go to the hospital, but rather took some concoction from her Pastor. Two weeks after complaining of dizziness she suffered a stroke.
She was subsequently sent to the hospital where she was admitted for a number of days. Upon release from the hospital Auntie refused to take her drugs meant to control her blood pressure. She instead called for her Pastor who, when he came, told her not to entertain any family members around her since they were the cause of her ailment. He blessed a bottle of Voltic water and gave it to her to use as a substitute for her medication.
In the weeks following this encounter with her Pastor Auntie’s condition kept deteriorating. Even in such state she stoically refused to go to hospital. Ironically, Pastor refused to set foot in Auntie’s house till she sadly passed away on Wednesday.
I can recount countless instances where people have lost their lives as a result of the “advice” of Pastors. I know of an instance where a Pastor advised a pregnant member of his congregation not to go for CS, even though the doctors had recommended it to save her life. This woman died because she refused the CS on the advice of her Pastor. Interestingly some of these Pastors have personal physicians who attend to them at the slightest ailment.
I will not presume to have all the answers. But I believe there is a lot of ignorance among Christians, particularly. The Bible has never been against orthodox medicine. One of the most prolific writers of the gospels, St Luke, was a medical doctor. Jesus, the Master Healer, always had Dr Luke around Him. Apostle Paul advised his spiritual son, Timothy to drink “a little wine” for the sake of his recurring stomach issues. Here was an Apostle who healed several diseases, to the extent that aprons were brought into contact with him to be used to heal the sick.
I believe in miracles. I believe in divine healing. But I also believe that it is God who gives doctors the wisdom to operate. Being a Pastor does not make you a doctor. Use the wisdom God has endowed you with to save lives. Refer members of your congregation to the hospital after praying for them. There is nothing wrong with that!
Source: Kojo Ellimah
