I want to share with you a few experiences from the past week that (I think is safe to say) are unique to African culture:
The other night as we sat around the table finishing dinner, we heard a marching band in the distance. Curiously, we put on shoes and bug spray and headed off to see where it was coming from. After walking around town we finally caught up with them. It was a band of men and women of all ages, announcing the celebration of the 50th anniversary their churches choir. Since it was dark out, they were all carrying torches with fire (some were even balanced on their heads) and were dancing and singing along with the instruments. The people along the streets were watching and some even clapping and dancing along. It wonderful entertainment for the evening.
Last Friday I went to Akrofe-Christellar Institute (a premier religious institute of West Africa). Once there we had lunch with a professor. And during our conversation he told us his testimony. He was raised a Muslim in Northern Ghana, and he shared with us his transformation from Muslim to Christian. He told intimate details of his personal Muslim beliefs and expectations, and the weight of having to earn your salvation through prayers and deeds, and then he told of his discovery of Christ and the recognition that Christ has come to bring salvation. In my limited knowledge of Muslims, if a person leaves the faith you are disowned by your family, so I asked, what is his current relationship with his family. He said that they are very close, he talked about the strength of African families despite religious differences. Although I was surprised by this it was also encouraging to witness the importance of family connections.
Last weekend, Paulina (the mother in Ashley's house) took Ashely and I to a traditional engagement and wedding ceremony (in the tribal language Ga). In African culture the two take place on the same day, the families believe that once the man and women is engaged there will be confusion whether they should live together (since they are committed), so to avoid this confusion the wedding takes place directly after the engagement. The engagement is an exchange of gifts (dowry) from the man's family to the woman's family. Interestingly enough, this exchange of gifts does not take place between the man and woman to be married, but rather between a designated family member from each side. Once the gifts have been received the man and woman finally enter, dancing in seperate lines. Then the families shake hands and a pastor conducts the ceremony.
As I was sitting on the bus to go home, to Ho from Accra, I noticed a man standing outside in a suit. I wondered if maybe he owned the bus or even the bus station or if maybe he was a business man (but then he should have private transportation?). Finally once the bus was full he, got on and stood facing the passengers, then the door was closed and he started to pray for save travel (which isn't unusual, almost every time you leave in a bus, someone will pray for safe travel). But this time wasn't just prayer, the man in the suit proceeded to conduct a worship service for the next hour and forty minutes, complete with singing, scripture reading (by him and passengers), prayers, and many sermons. I was tired from the long weekend and at one point put my head down to sleep and he said, "Lazy giants who sleep are the work of the devil." what??... I guess I won't be getting any rest. Needless to say it was quite the event.
