What does it
take to build a church? Well first you need a good Sheppard if you will, with a
voice so strong, and a message so pure that even in the face of all obstacles she
will still be able to gather the flock unto herself, be it one, two, or three. There
will be the need for deacons and benefactors, the congregation of course, and a
piece of holy ground. There will be meetings, and ministries, outreach programs,
and prayer groups to fill to overflowing the building fund in an effort to raise
high the roof. The good Sheppard’s face will appear as if overnight on
pamphlets, and television screens, her voice will ring from every radio
entreating us to give for in giving she will reach out her hand, and we too
shall be blessed when we hear her say god speaks through me.
But alas for
the little church in Guanapo the piece of holy ground was procured not by the
will of god but by two plainclothes policemen carrying guns, intimidation, and
a paper bag containing fifty five thousand dollars. The only prayers that must
have been said on that faithful day were the words uttered by the squatter family
thanking god for spearing their lives as the cops drove away. The ground breaking
was done not to the noisy thanksgiving of a joyful congregation praising his
name for filling their cup, but to the muffled sound of an inner circle of patrons,
for god in his wisdom had granted unto his people state lands, and the right to
build without so much as entreating them to obtain the legal and mandated permits
with which to do so.
How can
there be a church without a congregation one may be tempted to ask? I would say
shut your mouth, tempting is for the devil. Much better to praise god for the
thirty million dollar loan approved with no traceable written letter of
government guaranty, just a polite word from Manning’s ministry, better still
be ever so thankful that the construction project was won by the Chinese, god
bless their heathen souls forgoing the binding conditions of the government to
government contracts to serve the needs of the good Sheppard who in turn serves
this great country.
And what of the good Sheppard you may ask, and
I would say she is most fortunate; yes she is the ultimate mother, to have the
ear of the Prime Minister in one hand and through him the balls of the taxpayer
in the other.
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