"I WENT TO ALLIANCE" - Dallienst Marshel

"I was right there walking in one of the best national schools where most achievers come, a place the community and myself wanted to be ..."

Yes. I went to Alliance Girls. Not once but twice and not alone nor as a student, I went there with my team for a church service - a music Sabbath. Here’s my story.

It all started when I was inside the compound. The determination to learn about Alliance Girls National School, or as they say, 'BUSH-GEE'. I was right there walking in one of the best national schools where most achievers come, a place the community and myself wanted to be - Only that this was the girls' school. Right, at that very moment my eyes began a tour. The landscape was beautiful. Trees on either side were like an avenue and they seemed to say, “Keep walking.” It was a serene space and the flowers could testify. Everything seemed organised right from the gate and you could feel some direction coming from the trees and the signage as though they spoke. I was not keen to note whether the signage was pedestrian or vehicular, so I just followed. Just about the gate were gardeners, and they were finishing up on a new building: characteristic of every beautification work; Exterior and interior finishes usually come after all the hardscaping work. Looking back, I realize that they were all busy but in silence except for the sound of their tools at work. Even so, they were not loud. It’s kind of a rare thing. I journeyed on.

The roundabout was my next stop. It was suddenly an open space. It was a lesson well applied and I could tell the designer had attended an equivalent greenspace management class. A circular space coming out from a linear space creates the feeling of arrival. I had arrived. Some ‘Bush-g/Bush-gee’ citizens were walking around dressed in full school uniforms. At that time, I assume their movements were to the washrooms judging from their little numbers. I was amazed at a lot and started noticing why they must have been different from my high school and probably most schools. (Again, apart from being a girl’s school). “A full school uniform on a Saturday?”

There was no teacher walking with a rod as you would expect in my high school then, especially on a Saturday. The girls seemed calm and had a sense of direction. Their ties were well put, their socks clean white and straight enough, their black shoes polished, their hairs; their natural hairs, oh, neat; whether long or short. “This certainly is discipline!” I thought to myself. And now looking back, I can confidently state that discipline is in the air at Alliance girls. It is perhaps, what they breathe. (Scientists should study the atmosphere there and prove my claim) “But does that have some link to success? Maybe.” I thought.

I was late to church that day, a few minutes past 10 O'clock, but I was glad I made it. It is always beautiful to be in Church and learn through word and fellowship. I am always delighted. Congregants had gathered for worship that day at the usual chapel just near the roundabout. I noticed a few girls outside on my way in, seated on a bench engaged in a serious talk; later on, I realised they were talking through some problem, the spirit of Ubuntu.

The only voice I could hear just before and while in was that of the facilitator, except for sometimes when the speaker engaged the congregation where we would all respond. There was no murmuring, or if there was, I didn’t hear. We were all following keenly, the girls all dressed in their perfect uniforms and the rest of us in our sabbath best. They had their bibles and whenever a verse was read, they keenly followed along with the speaker. You could hear the beautiful sound of pages turning amidst the silence in a unanimous chorus. This is something that I love about my church, sola scriptura. No wonder they have been called the people of the book for a long time. I wonder if that’s still the tag.

The programs unfolded perfectly. I had prepared a little presentation I purposed to share in 6 minutes as was the program. Apart from good vegan food, there is nothing I find as sweet as speaking to fellows about God and about life. I did my presentation and being a music sabbath, we sang after every presentation. Other speakers followed with short presentations, then singing, then collected tithes and offerings, then singing, and it was pleasant. Lunch was a well-prepared plant-based meal (Rice served with potato-beans stew, and cabbage) A meal typical to my church on sabbaths. And by the way, it was self-service and plenty. I wondered who had prepared the food for the 20 plus of us, and in such quality. "Could generosity be an ingredient in success? Maybe." I thought. I was keen to see how these people do their things, and nothing was going to pass unnoticed.

One thing I have learnt about the body of Christ (The church) is that within the body of believers are many spiritual gifts from God. While someone can preach, another can't do it as the other but can exhort better. There is a diversity of gifts but the same spirit according to 1st Corinthians 12:4. Knowing this, when I am called to minister in whichever capacity, I ask God to take full control of the whole program, and that the spirit of God may lead each and every person involved in ministry, including myself. When I’m done with my part, I pray for the rest of the program and the leading of the Spirit of God on the rest leading the program and the same I did while at Alliance Girls that day. In my own measure, God faithfully answered my prayer and the overall was not the exaltation of one person but God.

The service that day was a blessing, not only to me but also to the girls. That is the nature of the word of God. It is like a double-edged sword that cuts the preacher as well as the listener, and a proof that God is interested in both.

From my visit, I learnt a few things that are characteristic of every successful person. Here are my deductions.

- God – Did you know that Isaac Newton wrote more religious books than scientific ones? God is the source of every knowledge and we are only borrowers. No wonder all innovations are borrowed from God's creation. There's a thin line though. You can be good and choose autonomy, or be good and still choose theonomy. Like most scientists, they let their science lead them away from God instead of realizing God's power and falling down in aww to worship. There is always a choice of whom you chose to render your services to.

If you connect to God more, you be like him, not only in character but in wisdom and intellect. You grow to your full measure as he purposed and never much to dethrone Him. Stay connected to God my friend. You are stronger far together.

- Discipline – This is an important factor yet very much ignored. Discipline from my dictionary is the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behaviour. Understand that life has got principles that need to be obeyed. Play with fire, it will burn you. It is upon us to first, know these principles and then leverage them. Obedience that stems from discipline will help us navigate better. What if they made planes and disregarded Bernoulli’s principle? We wouldn’t have the planes we use today but since they understood, they leveraged the principle to their advantage and the result is a blessing to all. You do not invent these principles, you discover them. You do not have to like them either as Jim Rohn says, but you have to obey them. Stay with God and you will know these principles. Discipline stretches from knowing the principles that govern life to the principles that govern our daily activities. You need to faithfully conduct duty even when your boss is not around and the like. Hard work will take you there, discipline will keep you there.

- Generosity – In the context of Bush-gee, they were generous. They gave us food. Giving creates room for more they say. The more you give, to God, to man, and to charity, the more you receive. Generosity includes sharing knowledge. The more you share, the more you know. Many times, I tell my friends that it is better to go home with a ‘thank you' or a ‘God bless you/bless you’ than with a 1,000 or 50,000 cheque from a service you did to someone. The blessing will accompany you where money can’t. Generosity is giving, with no expectation of getting back.

- Community – We live in a world with many houses but few homes, many friends but little friendship and a lot of knowledge but little wisdom. There are a lot of fakeries no wonder some say fake it till you make it and I have problems with that. We, however, need communities around us. We need friends and family to hold us when we are weak. In the case of the girls, they are there for one another, as I saw from the two who sat outside while I was entering the church. Not only do we need such a company, but we also need to be that company. Be the other person’s keeper and let them be your keeper. In this sin-sick world, it can be tough. We need shoulders to lean on. You need that church’s youth group, you need that community of workmates, you need people. Yes, there will be a lot of fakeries but why don’t you be the genuine first and see if you won’t attract the genuine? Like attracts like, right?

N/B If you are good, you are good even if they spit on you. If you are good only at certain times, then you are the fake we are saying and need to change.

- Being organised – I’d say I have struggled with this most of my life, but I have made progress, and so can you if you are not yet organised. They say, organize don’t agonize. Have a plan to follow. If you fail to plan, then you are planning to fail. This has no grey area, you just have to be organised, and if you are not, begin today. Don’t be the impulsive buyer or the one who never says no. Have a plan, a well-thought plan to follow. God in creating the world had everything for a day, for six days, and on the seventh day, he rested. Jesus did not just wake up and say, ‘Hey, let’s go to Capernaum’ he had it planned prior. And so should you. Organize my friend.

There’s wisdom all around, just look and learn. God is trying to teach you from people, from nature, through His Spirit and through His WORD.

Proverbs 2:10-11

When wisdom entereth into thine heart and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee.

IT-SAYS: Journey on