Learning, Adapting, and Growing

This week marks week two since landing in Ghana. In a way it feels like not  much occurred. Truthfully, when analyzed deeper, more went on through growth and learning than originally seen. I have learned not only more about the wonderful people of Ghana and their culture, but more about myself as well. 

Ghana is a place full of welcoming people. They thrive on hospitality and genuinely caring about those who come to visit them. They are very proud of their little country and will tell you, with enthusiasm, all about its history. While in Accra we learned that March 6th is their Independence Day. They have been a country for 69 years this year. To celebrate, much like the Americans, they have parades and dress in their traditional dress or countries colors. We witnessed some young girls practicing their dances for the parade. While in Damongo we have been told about the chiefs of the various tribes of people. Many of the people we have met so far have had a chief as a family member. The chiefs from my understanding own the land that everything is built on and the government must work together with them to build new things. We were told by Bishop Peter Paul that we would be meeting the chief of this region, who is one of his friends, while we are here. I am excited to meet him! I hope that they give us instructions on the proper greeting so that I do not offend him in any way.

Ghanaian culture is very vibrant. Family is very important and pretty much anyone and everyone is family. Patricia is a woman who has invited us into her home and been cooking for us everyday until we can move into our house. She and Father Peter say that they are brother and sister, yet there is no biological relation. This is not weird to me because my family calls people who are not technically biologically related aunt, uncle, brother or sister too. Ghanaians also love feeding you! Every time that Doris and I go to eat at Patricia’s house, Father Peter is always encouraging us to eat more, sometimes even by adding more scoops to our plates. I think they truly just enjoy taking care of people.

I have also learned that Ghanaians are not direct in their conversations. You must greet them with a hello and good morning, afternoon, or evening. Then you ask how their day was or their sleep. Then you ask after their family and make sure all their family is good. Then you proceed to what you want to talk about. It has been a big learning curve for me. I have learned that since I was raised with a very direct upbringing, I like to get straight to business. It has been a welcome growth point, learning how to slow down and take the time to check in with a person before getting to the discussion of why you came.

We have been relying on the generosity and hospitality of these extremely welcoming people which has shown me how hard it is for me sometimes to rely or be dependent on another. I know they do it all out of love and kindness for all visitors, but it's hard sometimes to not feel like a burden. We have spoken to Patricia about it and constantly thanked her for her wonderful and delicious food. She has assuaged my worries by explaining this is how their culture is and that she loves doing it for us. I think this is a big aspect of my personality that God is not only revealing but trying to help me grow in. I am seeing that I need to be more willing to allow people to take care of me and help me.

I am sure that I will continue to learn more of the intricacies of this different, yet beautiful culture as I continue through these next three years. I am grateful for all the revelations that God has given me and will continue to give me as I go.

Doris and I out on a walk past the Unity Center.

Big Tom Turkey marking his territory under the mango tree.

Our turkey neighbors at the guesthouse.

Visiting Patricia at her office.

 This Lenten season I have been reading from scripture. I have wanted to read specifically books that focused on our need for Jesus and the purpose of His passion, death, and resurrection. The books I am reading and reflecting on are Genesis, Exodus, Isaiah, Proverbs, Matthew, and John.

         

While reflecting on my readings I am yet again struck with how God allows my life events to match those of what I am reading in scripture. I think it is His way of allowing me the wisdom of the moment to truly feel and relate to those in the writings. With my long journey to Damongo, over the past four days, I feel a deep connection yet again with Our Holy Mother. I have been wondering if these feelings of nervousness, confusion, and fear are at all what she felt while journeying to Bethlehem or even fleeing to Egypt. As I reflect through my travels I have been making some comparisons.

         

I started off my journey with a good dose of spiritual warfare when I was in Columbus catching my flight to NYC. We had just boarded the plane when the captain announced overhead that the cargo hold door was not latching and we were to disembark the aircraft until maintenance could fix it. The flight at this point had already been delayed by 30 minutes and we were to expect another hour of delay. Once seated back at the gate I quickly turned to prayer asking God to “kick the devil in the rear” for I knew that this was just spiritual warfare trying to make me give into fear and doubt. I was ready to change my flights, for I was going to miss my connection if we delayed a full hour, when it was announced that the plane was fixed and we were to board and head out. God +1, devil 0. The anxiety was still pumping because I had a very short window to make it to my connection. Good thing I ran track in high school because I was running to my next gate. Reflecting on this on the plane to Accra I wondered if these were similar feelings that Mary had when she was told she must flee to Egypt. Did she have doubts or fear the provision of the Lord? His ability to keep her safe as well as the new infant she bundled in her loving embrace? Did she quickly turn to prayer and feel the immediate peace of the Lord wash over her?

         

The next day we landed in Accra where it was bright and sunny. We were tired from our nine-and-a-half-hour flight where sleep was a little difficult. We were blessed with a quick trip through immigration and then met Father Peter who would be taking us all the way back to Damongo. We spent the day driving and exploring this new and foreign land while trying to also get all the little things accomplished for our stay of three years in the country. We were exhausted and overwhelmed. Everyone we met though showed us genuine kindness, with large smiles and kind greetings.

  

       

The next day we flew to Tamale hoping to make the drive to Damongo on the same day. Sadly, with trying to get more things accomplished in Tamale, it was too late to make the drive so we stayed in a nice little guesthouse in the city.

         

Doris and I arose early the next morning to the crow of a rooster, which reminded me of home. We were ready to make the final stent of our journey to Damongo. The evening of when we arrived in Damongo I had time again to reflect on my journey. Did Mary and Joseph feel like complete strangers in a foreign land? Did they feel nervous about not offending the people because they did not yet know the culture? Did they also receive tender mercies from God, like Doris and I did, throughout their journey? I think that God was trying to show me that yes they probably felt all these things because we are human, and it is normal for us to go down these thought paths. The important thing to remember though throughout all these feelings is that God is ever present, walking along beside us. If we allow ourselves to be open to the knowledge that God will get us through it all, that He will not abandon us, then we will be able to see for ourselves through His tender mercies how He has never left our side.

Beginning With An Ending

 

Today we felt the loss of Mark McGraw in the people of Damongo. We went to meet with Aidan to be formally introduced and get a plan in place. He explained how he was comforting the housekeeper at the Secretariat because she was close to Mark and very distraught with his passing. 

We went to the requiem mass held in Mark’s honor and truly heard firsthand the impact he had on the people. They loved his urgency, comparing him to St. Mark the evangelist, because in Mark’s gospel he is always saying they immediately went out. They loved his eagerness to do the Lord’s work in any way that they would allow him. They gave speeches (what they call tributes) telling how deeply his living out the faith touched so many of their lives. 

I am very sad that I was never able to meet him in person, but I know that I will see him, if I am lucky, in our eternal life in heaven. May God grant him eternal rest, free from suffering, and the hardships of worldly life. May God wrap him in His warm and loving embrace. And may Mark hear “Well done my good and faithful servant” from the lips of our savior at the gates of heaven.