By Stephen Obidike
I stood in awe. I was at a loss on what to say. I thought I had seen it all before but definitely no. I could not believe the expanse of the land. I could not see the end from where I stood. It has merged with the horizon.
The steel structure at the middle is big enough to contain fifteen very tall skyscrapers laid side by side. The well laid out driving paths, parking and lawns made it a beauty to behold. My mind quickly went to the magnificent structures that adorn cities like Singapore, China, and the US.
Ahh yes China, I said to myself. Yes China. I learnt they built a full modern-day hospital in a few weeks in the height of the Covid pandemic. They are also touted to have the longest man-made bridge in the world. I remembered a joke my friend told me once: He said that the Americans built a very small thin wire and told the Chinese they will not be able to make any wire thinner than that. The Chinese took the wire and drilled a hole in it. I somehow know this may have never happened, but it was a metaphorical demonstration of the technological superiority of China.
I was justled back to reality when a bird flew by very close to me. That brought my attention to another interesting reality. The place seemed deserted. I wondered why one would have a magnificent edifice as this in this area and not be using it. I stared around the place to see if I could see anyone to ask what the place is. My eyes rested on the huge sign board at the far corner of a huge compound. The face covering most of the board is that of a very happy looking well fed young man. He seemed to be pointing to heaven and there was a dove flying just above his finger.
There were no writings on the board yet. It made sense now. It should be a church site I mused within myself. I can’t just presume. I quickly looked around as if looking for an answer around me. I marvelled as I saw a lonely figure approaching me from the corner of my eyes. He looked very tired and dejected. His head was bent to the left side as if he was carrying an invisible heavy load. From a good distance I could make out the wrinkles on his face. They formed deep furrows on his forehead, around his eyes and cheeks. He was wearing very worn pants and short sleeve shirt torn on the side. His footwear was a pair of slippers which was as thin as a Mango tree leaf. He dragged his foot on the dusty ground raising a pile of dust as he shuffled his feet along.
I could guess he is probably much younger than his facial features paint him to be. I shrugged at the thought that just crossed my mind. I have heard the saying that when the student is ready, the master appears. Here is the master to my question, “What is this place?”.
I am the student; I need some information from the master. I was still marvelled as the sudden manifestation of that saying that I nearly missed the man. He was now standing a couple of feet from me. He was drenched in sweat as if he has been under the sun for good few hours. I noticed he was clutching to a black plastic bag that contained some few food items. Sir, I said as he slowly raised his head in my direction, “what is this place?,” I asked. “The new church, ” he responded, barely slowing down. He said it with such an indifference of someone tired and did not care at all of what was happening. Thank you I shouted as he continued trudging along.
It stunned me that such wealth and poverty existed side by side in this community. A church, I further thought. Will that elevate this man out from poverty? I wondered. I remember attending one of these churches where people were encouraged to bring in gifts in form of offering to the church in exchange for eternal life and miracles.
Miracles do happen and the miracle this man needs is elevation out of poverty. How can he achieve that, I asked myself? He needs a job where he can be paid a living wage. He can earn some income to take care of himself and his family. Give his children some education and empower them to be able to overcome poverty. That will be the miracle for him.
My thought was cut short by the squeaking birds on the electric pole in front of me. I looked at the edifice in front of me and I wondered if this were a factory, an industry, or some form of production facility, this man may benefit from it. This would have been the miracle he is looking for.
His miracle has been converted to a church where he will go to seek the miracle. I paused for a second. I have been standing here for a few minutes now. It is time to go. I looked towards the road the man had disappeared into, and he was not there. There was only one thought in my mind: what if this edifice was a factory. It may be able to provide about five hundred jobs directly or indirectly to the community.
Maybe the man would have had a job now. Maybe he would have been able to take better care of himself. As I started to find my way home, there was only one conclusion in my mind; we need more factories instead of churches.
Dr. obidike, an emergency physician, wrote from the UK.
