God was in the house!!

There is an 8.7 mile stretch of highway in Accra, Ghana named after former U.S. President George W. Bush.  The former N1 highway is officially, since 2012, the George Walker Bush Motorway. The decision to name the highway after the former American president was in recognition of his contributions towards the establishment of the Millennium Challenge Corporation which funded the construction of the highway.  I’ve asked a few Ghanaians who this man is and not one has provided a correct answer; although one was close in saying he was the first president of the U.S. (same first name anyway)!!!  Hell, his presidency was not that memorable even in the U.S.  If I asked the average teenager in the United States I might find the same scenario.  

My experience tells me that Ghanaians don’t do anything small.  A celebration is a CELEBRATION and an event is an EVENT!!  Weddings can be elaborate and they are preceded by an even more elaborate Engagement.  An Outdooring, which takes place on a baby’s eighth day of life, when the child is presented to the world, is a happening.  Funerals take at least three days; one day for viewing, one for mourning, and one for burying.  I’ve heard that funerals use to take a year but modern life has shortened the time period.  

Also graduations, even if they are for two to six year olds, are quite the affair.  I was invited to the Oakwood International School Graduation Ceremony.  The theme for the graduation was:  “Quality is Not an Act but a Habbit” (not a typo!!).  Stephanie (4) and Jayden (2) (the grandchildren in the family I am staying with) were graduating from Pre-Kindergarten and Nursery Class; children start school at two years old in Ghana.  

Stephanie and Jayden in their school uniforms with their mother, Joyce

We were requested to be there by 9am so that the children could prepare for the program, which was to start at 10am.  By 10:30am all of the children had not yet shown up so the decision was made to start the program without them.  Based on my limited experience this is pretty typical in Ghana.  So here was the program:

·         Opening Prayer

·         Mock assembly

·         Welcome address and invitations of officials to high table

·         Pulpit performance

o   Pastor Selasie (Prophet)

o   Pastor Michael (Apostle)

o   Pastor Sethyna (Sorfo Maame)

·         Choir singing

·         Choreography Shakalili group

·         Nursery class presentation:  Butterfly

·         Everyone in the community is important: short Drama by grade 1

·         Pre-kindergarten Class performance:  Borborbor dance

·         Speed test by Grade 2

·         Farmer

·         School report – School Adminsitrator

·         Spelling bee contest by Kindergarten graduates

·         Guest speaker’s speech

·         Nagra dance

·         Graduation ceremony Modeling by Grade 2

·         Award ceremony

·         Announcements

·         Closing prayer

·         Refreshments

None of the presentations lasted less than 15 minutes; and some much more.  The spelling bee listed was an actual spelling bee with eight 5-year old contestants fighting it out to last person standing.  The “speed test” was a math face-off between the girls and the boys that lasted several rounds.  The dances were full length.  It was astonishing.  However, this was a bit much for this old “obroni” with a short little span of attention.  Actually, I think it was a bit much for the Ghanaians in the audience also.  I KNOW it was a bit much for the children.  Nearly 7 hours later I sat beside very tired and cranky 2 and 4 year olds on the way home.  

It was actually pretty amazing and I am glad that I had the privilege of attending this slice of real life during my time here.  I don’t think it’s on the average tourists agenda!!  The school administrator’s speech was actually really inspiring.  She quoted Derek Bok, “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.”  Ain’t that the truth!!

I’ve been to three church services since I’ve been in Ghana.  I went to church several times last summer while I was here.  One startling difference from last year is the way people seem to dress for church.  Last year the women were mostly dressed in elaborate African traditional clothing, including headdress.  This year most women seemed to dress western style.  Oh, they are still in their “Sunday go to meetin’” attire it just looks different without the colorful Ghanaian clothing.

The first service I went to was in a Charismatic church with a congregation of about 200 people.  The preacher’s topic was “What can prayer not do?” It was a great topic and a great sermon.  He even used one of my favorites, “Faith without works is dead.”  He preached for about an hour and a half and I thought it was over.  He was just taking a break.  He came back for another two hours.  This had been preceded by an hour of singing and dancing and was followed by another hour of announcements followed by even more singing. Wow, do these Ghanaians have stamina!! 

Auntie Comfort in her choir robe

The second service I went to was at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church with around 500 members of the congregation. I’ve been to Mass many times and this was pretty typical. My hosts, Comfort and Alfred are members. 

My Hosts, Uncle Alfred and Auntie Comfort

One difference, the offering was given pretty much like communion.  Everyone gets up, in order, and dances to the front of the church, puts money in the basket, then dances back to their appropriate seat.  This was repeated for an offering for the women of the church.  Then something called the “offertory” where members of the congregation offer food, water, toilet paper, and various other daily needs.  I assume these are for the Priests so that their needs are taken care of.  Another difference, the hymn music is accompanied by traditional African drummers.  It’s pretty cool.    

After the service a doctor was going to give a presentation on ebola.  He got a couple of minutes into the speech and just kind of slowly tipped over.  He was carried off but a few minutes later he returned to the podium with an apology.  Just as he was about to restart his talk he slowly started to go over again.  In unison the congregation went “ahhhhh” and the Priests and Alter Boys rushed over to catch him on the way down.  The ebola talk was postponed and the doctor was whisked away in an ambulance.  Never did hear what that was all about.

Evelyn and Joe

The third service was at the Pure Fire Miracle Missionaries, a “mega-church” with about 5,000 members of the congregation.  There was singing, dancing, jumping, shouting, more singing, and just a lot of movement and noise.  The preacher screamed so loud and got so close to the microphone that I could not understand a single word he said. I actually fell asleep a couple of times and got elbowed by Evelyn (who I stayed with last year).  After going on for a couple of hours yelling and jumping, covered in sweat, the preacher finally ran out of steam.  He turned it over to the assistant pastor for more of the same.  About three hours total.

Pure Fire Congregation

Pure Fire Church

What was similar about all three of these services?  God was in the house!!  I felt moved by the faith and love of God at each of these churches.  I was moved to tears at the pure joy I found from the people of these churches.  They may worship God in various ways but the power of belief is abundant in each church.  I even found myself “swaying” a few times which, for those who know me, is about as close to dancing as I ever get.