The wife of the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Mrs. Rose Kumi-Larbi, has said that God is concerned about the physical purity of the body of every believer in whom the Holy Spirit resides.
She said that God no longer lives in tents and temples but dwells in the human body, therefore, God expects Christians to keep their bodies and their environment clean for Him to make their bodies a fitting place of abode. “The residence of the Holy Spirit is our bodies, and so we need to keep it pure and blameless,” she added.
Addressing women of the Accra Newtown Zone during the recently held Women’s Ministry National Week-long Celebrations at the Dr. Thomas Wyatt Memorial Temple on May 6, 2019, on the topic, “Personal Hygiene And Environmental Care In The Home,” the wife of the General Secretary posited that exercising proper personal hygiene is very essential in the daily life of the believer.
Reading from Deuteronomy 23:12-14, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 and 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Mrs. Kumi-Larbi pointed out that healthy living can only be achieved when Christians make a conscious effort to live it, saying, “Personal hygiene is not only protecting you from poor health but also shields those around you from suffering illnesses that arise from poor sanitary habits.”
She added that exercising good hygienic practices makes one feel good about his/herself and also drives bacteria, viruses and illness away from humans.
Giving some tips of personal hygiene, the wife of the General Secretary called on women to keep their hair clean and neat at all time, wash their hair regularly with soap or shampoo, wash their faces at least twice a day, never share face towels with others, use tissues when blowing their nose, keep two or three handkerchiefs – one for the nose, one for cleaning sweat of the face and another one for dancing in church.
She indicated that the mouth should be rinsed after each meal since it is the best way to avoid gum diseases and tooth decay, while the teeth should be brushed in the morning and before going to bed.
She stressed the need to keep the hands tidy always since it is one of the organs of the body that is usually used for most human activities.
On the human body, Mrs. Kumi-Larbi noted that a regular bath every morning and after a day’s activities helps in keeping one clean, fresh and odour-free. She advised that towels should be washed regularly and that sponges and towels should not be shared with anyone. She further advised that efforts should be made to ensure that clothes are always neat and fresh.
“Dirty clothes are sources of contamination and can cause very serious skin disorders if you wear them over and over without washing,” she said, adding, “Underwear or underclothes such as underskirt, vest, brazier, panties and T-Shirts are right next to the skin and collect sweat and dead skin cells. Our “undies” must, therefore, be washed frequently. When washing, we must pay particular attention to the inner layers of our clothing because they have direct contact with the skin.”
Touching on environmental hygiene in the home, Mrs. Rose Kumi-Larbi focused on water, waste management, and air pollution management.
She identified five critical elements of water systems as follows: the source of water, treatment, storage, distribution and usage. “Water may be polluted if these critical elements are polluted. As Christians, it is our moral duty to ensure that we preserve and use water wisely at home,” she stressed.
To avoid possible contamination of water sources, she advised that septic tanks should not be constructed close to boreholes, pipes and rivers, dumping of rubbish and open defecation close to water sources should be avoided, chemicals should not be disposed into river bodies, among others.
She also explained that water should be stored in clean tanks, and that storage tanks are washed at least every quarter.
Giving some possible ways of managing wastewater, she stated that it is a bad practice to pour wastewater at any other place aside a well-constructed drain because it serves as a breeding grounds for disease-causing vectors like mosquitoes.
“Drains must always be kept clean and de-silted. Those who have their own buildings must know where the outfall of their drains are and must ensure it leads to a place that does not harm anyone else.
“Each household must have a constructed toilet. The wastewater from our toilet should not just be poured on the ground but must be disposed of at the right designated place as it could slip into the underground water system into our wells and boreholes,” she indicated.
On solid waste management, the wife of the General Secretary advised that solid waste in the house should be stored in a covered bin. She also called for the segregation of solid waste in the house, and that it should be collected daily, saying, “It is better to pay a waste contractor to come for your waste bin daily than to pay to be healed from diseases.”
To avoid polluting the air, Mrs. Rose Kumi-Larbi noted that rubbish should not be burnt because it releases toxic fumes into the atmosphere.
She further called on Christian ladies to plant flowers in their surroundings, keep their kitchens clean to avoid food debris which usually attracts insects and rodents.
PENTECOST NEWS.