Rev. Father Clement Hotze of blessed memory, the founding father of St. Peter’s School, Nkwatia-Kwahu, was an American priest who emigrated to Ghana to establish the school.
Fr. Hotze gave up everything to construct the St. Peter’s School, which is unquestionably one of Ghana’s top schools, because the community had neither power nor water.
He died and was buried at Nsawam, close to Accra, after serving in several capacities. An old lad from St. Peter’s, this writer benefits from Fr. Hotze’s sacrifices.
We also had Rev. Fr. Andrew “Nii Lamptey” Campbell, SVD, who chose to serve as a missionary in Ghana after leaving all the pleasures in Europe.
He has been a priest in Ghana for nearly his whole life, and as a Catholic priest, he has vowed to remain obedient, chaste, and impoverished.
He dedicates his life to caring for the elderly, sick, and impoverished, particularly lepers, as well as to celebrating mass and preaching the message of salvation.
His selfless existence has warmed many people’s hearts and given the forgotten love and hope. He is a real-life illustration of love.
“Odo ye wu,” which translates to “to love is to die,” is how the Akans, who are said to be descended from Jews, define love. According to the excellent book, there is no greater love than giving your life for someone else.
In this context, the verb “to die” comes from a Jewish concept and custom that implies to offer someone hope and fortitude, especially during difficult times, without anticipating recompense.
In essence, true love is a self-gift. It is about the hardship, sacrifice, and service you undergo in order to prioritize the needs of others over your own. Therefore, to love is to die or suffer, and to suffer is to love.
A few methods to express your affection
Have an optimistic outlook: Your mind is your most powerful tool. Therefore, you need to cultivate a positive outlook about your marriage and family.
Good things happen if you think it’s good. Make your marriage seem successful and concentrate on yourself. According to studies, a marriage requires one dedicated partner since your spouse only reacts similarly to your words and behaviors.
Give your spouse your whole attention. Make the decision to bear the weight rather than add to it.
Remain dedicated to your spouse: Research indicates that spouses in committed relationships are more content with their lives. Your happiness and well-being increase with your level of commitment.
Consequently, don’t give up. Despite obstacles, give yourself another opportunity. Share everything about your life, including your finances, time, and vision.
Make the decision to put the weight on the other person rather than the other way around by making every effort to improve your connection. Never forget that maintaining a relationship requires one dedicated partner.
Make sacrifices for your mate to show that you are a dedicated companion. Make the decision to never give up.
Be humble: The Akan term for humility, “ahobrase,” implies to put oneself on the same level as your spouse or partner, even if you think they are less worthy than you. To offer your partner power, you must humble yourself. According to Mother Theresa, the mother of all virtues is humility.
Be patient: When things do not go your way, resist the need to rush your partner. Rather, allow your partner to have their own space and support them in developing their own feelings, dreams, and goals.
Recognize that a relationship develops at its own pace, much like wine. Despite your impatience, patience leads to success.
Unconditional forgiveness: Since angels don’t get married, it is impossible to have a conflict-free marriage. It seems that God included strife in the Christian life.
We act like porcupines in relationships; we want to be close to our partners, but in the process, we hurt them, and we have to forgive them every single day.
Keeping grudges damages your relationships and every aspect of your life. Never forget that your heavenly father will not pardon you if you do not extend forgiveness.
That’s why Mother Theresa says you have to learn to forgive if you want to survive.
Some examples of demonstrating love despite hardship
According to Ghanaian history, Tweneboah-Kodua was a famous Ashanti monarch who willingly offered himself as a sacrifice in order to stabilize the Ashanti nation.
Only John, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles, is known to have perished on the isolated island of Patmos from natural causes.
Peter was crucified upside down, while the others were killed in torturous methods, including being struck with spears, cooked alive in oil, skinned alive and decapitated, bound to the cross to die, and pounded on the head with a club.
To express their devotion for God, they all gave their lives.
Jesus is the best example of genuine love for Christians. He did not sin and was modest. Despite his unwavering love for humankind, Jesus was deceived, stoned, ridiculed, spit on, and executed on the cross in order to save humanity.
His name will always be above all others because he demonstrated his love by dying on the cross.
Let Jesus serve as your example of genuine love. Don’t alter a thing if you must endure daily suffering in order to improve your relationship with your partner; God will strengthen, stabilize, and complete you as a result. Therefore, consider your suffering to improve your partner to be pure delight.
You will discover genuine love—one that beyond human comprehension—through it.
Never forget that “odo ye wu,” or “to love is to die for others,” applies. Give your life every day to express your love.
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