Points of view on Lent and how it is observed:
Interviewed by Mirabel Azangeh Tandafor Fru
Ndifor Williams, Vice Principal, GBHS Tiko,
CMA member
"Right from my days as a child I was told that lent is a period
when Christians forgo many things which they normally eat or do, in order to follow Christ dedicatedly during the 40 days set aside for Lent. From then till now, that is what I have been trying to do. I used to take at least two bottles of beer each night before bed time........".
Ndifor Williams, Vice Principal, GBHS Tiko, CMA member
"Right from my days as a child I was told that lent is a period when Christians forgo many things which they normally eat or do, in order to follow Christ dedicatedly during the 40 days set aside for Lent. From then till now, that is what I have been trying to do.
I used to take at least two bottles of beer each night before bed time.I have foregone that during this period.
Each time I return from work, I just stay indoors and either watch TV or do some something else.
I am aware of other ways of observing Lent such as fasting and praying the Stations of the Cross, but unfortunately my programme does not permit me to do that because I leave the house at 6:30 a.m and I only come back at 5 p.m. However, I make sure that I am up every morning by 4 a.m to recite all the 14 Stations of the Cross before leaving for work.
Fasting as a means of observing Lent does not mean you should kill yourself. You can forego one of the meals of the day. If you don't eat at all, you would be jeopardizing your health, and thereby not serving Christ as you ought to".
Scholar Maloke, Journalist & Member of Buea
Diocesan Communication Council
"As far as observing Lent is concerned, it is not easy to fast, pray, give alms, attend Stations of the Cross and to forgo certain things in an effort to pursue Jesus Christ in his journey of temptations in the wilderness, but I am struggling to do just that. Since I sometimes have to work till late in the evenings, I have made it an obligation to do the Stations of the Cross in the mornings. I leave the house on a daily basis at 5:30am to begin the Journey to the Cross at 6 a.m and attend mass at 6:30 a.m.
As a lector, I sometimes do it twice a day.
On fasting, sometimes you decide to fast on a particular day, but before you know it, you are standing in front of a delicious plate and ready to devout it before it occurs to you that you are fasting. It is thanks to prayers that one is able to cope. Everyone observing Lent should remain steadfast in prayers. Always put prayers first and God will show you the light".
George Asanga, Engineer,
CMA member and member of auditing Committee,
Muea Parish
"What every Christian ought to practice during this period is to carry out good works, be humble, charitable, forgiving, compassionate, and prayerful and to follow Jesus on his journey to the Cross daily.
By so doing, we would be emulating Christ who gave his life for us. These are the things that characterize my days during Lent.
I also make sure that I focus my attention on Church activities and serve the Church dedicatedly. I pray with my family often, too. I advise everyone to do same and be very prayerful because prayers are the core of Christian life".
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