THE
‘DUMSOR’ CHRISTIANS
‘Then
Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while
you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does
not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light that
you may become the sons of light”’ –
John 12:35-36 (NKJV)
The term ‘dumsor’ has become very popular
in Ghana in recent times. In a homely sense, it denotes erratic power
(electricity) supply. It literally means ‘off and on’ power supply. There have been recurrent energy crisis and power blackouts
in most parts of Africa in the last three decades despite the abundance of
energy resources[1] and power sector reforms on the continent.[2] About 30 of the 48 countries in sub-Saharan Africa have
suffered acute energy crises in recent years.[3]
This means that majority of the countries in the region “are struggling to keep
the lights on.”[4] Ghana, for instance, has had five major power crises since
1984[5] despite several reforms in its power sector.[6][7] Ghana is among the top 10 countries in the world that have
experienced and continues to experience crippling load shedding.[8] South Africa’s economy has also suffered over the past
decade due to the lack of adequate electricity supply.[9] One of the root causes of this unhealthy trend in Ghana
and South Africa is the failure to invest in the power sector;[10] more particularly investment in clean energy
infrastructure.[11] Likewise ‘dumsor’ in many parts of Africa, many Christians
have become erratic in their walk with God. ‘Dumsor’ Christians usually wallow
in darkness instead of walking in the Light.
Light and darkness are opposite forces and
cannot co-exist. Although light can shine in the midst of darkness, the latter
cannot easily operate wherever light reigns. This implies that anything that is
erratic in nature and usually operates in light and darkness at different times
cannot be trusted and relied on. Biblically, darkness connotes sin, disorder, falsehood,
ignorance, corruption, evil and wickedness while light represents truth, transparency,
transformation, glory and progress. More
generally, light in the Bible relates to the personality and nature of Jesus. A
person who walks in the light (lives and believes in Jesus) ought not to walk
in darkness but that person must always strive to walk in the light. Like
mature Christians, people who always walk in the light are trustworthy and have
a clear sense of direction for their lives. Such persons know their God-given
purpose and seek to fulfil them by always walking with God and depending on
Him.
Christians are the light of the world.
Sadly, however, many Christians allow darkness to overtake them. They allow
darkness to overshadow their lives due to lack of sustainable investment in
their relationship with their Lord and Saviour (Jesus). Their Bible study,
prayer, fellowship, giving, evangelistic and discipleship lives are so erratic
that sometimes others find it difficult to consider them as real Christians. They
usually read the Bible only during church services; they only make quality time
for prayers when in crisis or anxious to meet a great need; their feelings
dictate whether or not they should attend church services and fellowship meetings;
they have wrong mindset about paying tithes and giving offerings although they
may be faithful in paying taxes; and they relegate and denigrate the need to
prioritize evangelism, visitations and discipleship in their walk with God. Are
you a ‘dumsor’ Christian or a son of the Light?
Richard
Obeng Mensah, author
of Daily Wisdom Blog: www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com Email: richardobengmensah@gmail.com.
[1] Africa
Progress Panel, Power People Planet Seizing Africa’s Energy and Climate
Opportunities: Africa Progress Report 2015 (Africa Progress Panel 2015).
[2] International
Monetary Fund, ‘Regional Economic Outlook: Sub-Saharan Africa’ <https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/reo/2008/AFR/eng/sreo0408.pdf>
accessed 10 March 2018.
[4] Louis
Schoeman, ‘Top 10 Countries That Have Experienced and Continue to Experienced
Crippling Load Shedding’ (Power Plant, 15 May 2015)
<ww.powerplanet.co.za/blog/top-10-countries-that-have-experienced-and-continue-to-experience-crippling-load-shedding>
accessed 1 March 2018.
[5] Paul
Adjei Kwakwa, ‘Energy-Growth Nexus and Energy Demand in Ghana: A Review of
Empirical Studies’ (2014) 1 Applied Research Journal 28.
[6] Ishmael
Edjekumhene e’ta, ‘Preventing and Enhancing Public Benefits under Power Sector
Reforms: The Case of Ghana’ [2001] Energy for Sustainable Development 39.
[7] Ishmael
Edjekumhene, Martin Bawa Amadu, Abeeku Brew-Hammond, ‘Power Sector Reform in
Ghana: The Untold Story’
<http://www.wri.org/sites/default/files/powerpolitics_ghana.pdf> accessed
13 June 2016.
[9] Jessica
A. Bohlmann, Heinrich R. Bohlman, Roula Inglesi-Lotz, ‘An Economy-Wide
Evaluation of New Power Generation in South Africa: The Case of Kusile and
Medupi’ (2015) University of Pretoria Working Paper: 2015-40
<http://www.up.ac.za/media/shared/61/WP/wp_2015_40.zp58417.pdf> accessed
13 June 2016.
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