I-Heart-Smiles

This picture is the one that I entered into a contest over at iheartfaces photography. It was hard to choose, but Patty and I finally chose this one.

Facts about the Picture- It was taken at the European Market in down town Kumasi. It was taken with a simple point and shoot.

A Muslim Wedding

Sunday afternoon I had the opportunity to go to a wedding. This was my first personal invitation to a Muslim wedding, and I was very excited to see how all the parts worked together. The formal cultural engagement (this is the time when the two families sit down, and the young man pays the bride price) occurred at 9:00am in the morning. Unfortunately this was the same time that my family would be heading to church, so I had to miss out. But, after church I had the opportunity to attend the after engagement and the more modern time of the wedding party. This is the time where the community comes to welcome the bride and groom, and give them their gifts.

The first thing that happens when a person goes to this kind of wedding, is the greeting of the bride. (I did not get to greet the groom, he must have been taking care of a few last minute things). The bride was located in a small room off the main courtyard. Here she is surrounded by her sisters. They make sure to allow everyone time to greet the new bride. Each person complements the bride, wishers her good fortune, plenty of children (hopefully sons), and the opportunity to be a good wife!
The bride has prepared for at least two days for her wedding. (Many Ghanaian Muslims are not strict followers of the Hadeth, so there women are not forced to cover their faces. Most are content if the women only wearing some form of covering on the head).
In Northern Ghana many of the Muslims tribes follow the culture of painting the bride hands and body on the wedding day. They first rub the skin with henna. This makes the skin a very bright reddish brown. Then they take a black dye called 'kohl', and begin to draw designs on the body. Modern times have added new things to these. Now many have fake nails applied and have their hair breaded or woven for the wedding.

After greeting the bride it is time to move to the compound of the house. This space is filled with women and children. They have a tent set up to block the sun. Some women are making food for the celebration, others are complementing the mother. Still others are just sitting around talking and laughing. The place is a sea of head coverings, brightly colored clothes, and children.

Here are a few pictures of some of the babies, children, and women in the inner courtyard.

Inusah's mother. She is the third wife of her second husband.

After greeting everyone inside and eating some food with Inusah in his room, (I think I forgot to mention, the wedding was for Inusah's younger half-sister) our group of guest headed outside. On the street outside the house, there are two large tents set up. There is a long table covered in white fabric and large speakers playing very loud music.This music serves to entertain everyone and to tell the community that a special event is happening. Under the tent all the men are sitting. Waiting. They are talking and fellowshipping. Also with these men are the other guest, ones that are not so close to the family that they are allowed to remain inside after greeting the bride. Overall the outside is filled with patient, as everyone waits for the groom to return, and for the celebration to begin.

The party will last most of the day. Their will be dancing. (Strict Muslims, will only allow the men to dance with the men and women with woman). There will be eating, singing, and mostly likely a little drinking. Though Muslims are not supposed to drink, many men will sneak off to the local bars and drink. So will fill their hand washing pots with local brewed liquor, and while some go off to pray, will drink the contents. Overall a few will be drunk by night, and after many hours the bride and groom will leave to their house.

For our little group, the wedding ended quickly. After greeting, eating, and giving gifts, it was time to go. It did open up some good chances to talk to a few of our young people about Biblical dancing. So after a time of teaching, this tired broni headed home to get ready for evening service.

New Experiences

Well, I had a few new experiences this last week. One was quite funny the other not so much, but both seem worthy of recording for posterity sake.

The first experience happen on Friday of last week; that would be the 9th of April. Andrew and I had finished visiting church people and were sitting on a tro-tro on our way to down-town. I was feeling like enjoying the sounds and sights, while Andrew was talking to everyone in the back of the tro-tro. Everyone was pretty impressed with his Twi, while I was just enjoying watching him work through the language. Then it happened!?!

Very close to our finally stop, where Andrew was going to get off the tro-tro and buy somethings, a young man jumped on the vehicle. He looked like a young man of about 25 years and was dressed a lot like an American or (at least an African version of one). After just about two minutes the tro-tro stopped at a stoplight, and Andrew asked to get off. (Now, this is not the normal way of getting off a tro-tro, but not ad-normal either. Most times a person waits to stop at the road side, but at times people do get off if the car is at a red light).

Well, the young man sitting next to Andrew (the one dressed up in American costume) took offense at his departure for some reason, and started yelling at the mate (the young man helping the driver to sell seats and get people off and on). He did not know that Andrew and I spoke Twi, and he began to belittle the mate. Basically yelled at the guy and asked if he was the slave of all white people, and a few other not very nice things. Well, Andrew just smiled, and decided to wait to get off. The mate must have felt sheepish after hearing all this guys yelling, so he jumped back on the tro-tro and shut the door.

I figured it would all end there, since I was sitting in the front, and could not see what was going on and was confused a bite. But, the young man had decided that this was a big issue and proceeded to yell at the mate more. This is when the culture got interesting.

See, I have been in Ghana for seven year, and have never really seen someone get so angry over something so small, and it was quiet amazing to me. (Maybe he got up on the wrong side of the mat, or someone burned his rice porridge, I don't know! But I do know he was angry). It was so amazing to me I did a normal American thing. Something that a person does when they see something confusing and frustrating. I shook me head!

I had no more than shook my head when a noise exploded in my ear, right behind me. In a loud English voice I hear, "DON'T SHAKE YOUR HEAD AT ME!" This was proceeded by the young man asking me if we would do this in our country, and other various and sundry things, that would not make much sense to a foreigner, or even me for that matter unless in lived here for a long time. Least just say the guy got really mad.

Well, the most Christian thing would have been to be quiet and smile, or ask why I had offended so much that he felt he needed to yell. But, sorry to say my Christian conscience jumped out the window with the hot air that was blowing on my neck. I was shocked! What was this guy's problem? Not only was he angry over nothing, but now he was yelling at me like I cursed him or something!

At this point I turn around and asked him in Twi: Why he keep asking me about my home, since we where in Ghana at the moment. Ghana was not America, so the ways of the one do not apply to other, and that the whole thing that he was asking about did not matter or make sense. Also adding that I thought that he talked to much, and that he needed to calm down.

Least say this did not help matters. (Hind sight is better than 20-20: Bibles says-- Proverbs 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. I should have kept quiet!)

Well, by this time our stop was up, and Andrew fly out of the tro-tro and went ducking for cover. The guy started cursing at me in Twi, and all the people outside where looking on, trying to figure out why this guy was so mad that he was insulting a foreigner. By this time I had gotten out of my sit... and hit the guy. NO, NO, NO, just kidding. I did not do anything like that. I just walked away, and told the guy that he needed to learn some wisdom, and not to yell at people.

So after the whole thing I felt pretty bad. The score was pride 1 and testimony 0! I was glad that I had not really yelled at the guy, but I had answered in anger and felt that I should have handled it better.

The next few days I started asking my Ashanti friends how I should have handled it. Know this is not an easy process, since self analyzing and self criticism are not parts of the culture. But, finally after ten to fifteen minutes of them each giving me sympathy, (this is what culture would do), I made them understand that I wanted to know what I did wrong, and how I could have handled it better.

I got a few interesting suggests. Some told me to use a proverb to rebuke him softly, some said to smile and be quiet. One told me to turn around and ask the men if he know how important I was? (Needless to say this was not a Christian man, and not a good idea!). But, finally my friend Nat told me something that no one else had told me.

See, I was not only confused about what I did, but why he attacked me. This is what Nat told me. I Ghana, when some is yelled at a person, they can do three things. 1. Smile and take it. 2. Answer back. How and what they say will determine what happens next. This can make things better or move things deeper into trouble, but it is a stronger response then being quiet. 3. The person can shake his or her head.

See Nat, told me that in Ghana, when a person is talking 'at' you or about you and in response, you want to show your anger, you shake the head. In Ghana culture, the person that shakes the head is saying to the person talking, "You are so crazy and stupid, that I cannot reason with you, so I will just shake my head at your foolishness".

I had no idea. What I thought was a harmless shake of the held, was total different in this man's mind. It was like shacking a red flag in the face of a angry bull. I had drawn a line in the sand and basically dared him to cross over!

Oh, the joys of culture learning! Needless to say everything started to make sense after Nat told me this. Fact is I had to laugh a bite. I felt sorry for the guy. To add to it, after I made my ignorant faux pas, I spoke to him in Twi, which only added to the fact that he thought I had insulted him on purpose!

Needless to says, I will not be shaking my head at angry people any more, and I will start learning a few new proverbs, so that I can keep my testimony when dealing with angry tro-tro passengers.

That was my first new experience. The second is much shorter and much more light hearted.

Wednesday of this week was our normal time to visit new people and hand out fliers for the Bible Studies. While visiting with Robert, our path chance to cross a large group of young people. They ranged from about 20 to 30 year in age. Robert and I talked to them for quite some time, and were able to invite them to our Bible Study. But this is not the funny part.

About half way through our conversation, a young man that I knew came walking up. He was part of the group. He had attended a Bible study before. I was surprised that he remembered me, since the night he blessed us with his presents he was quite drunk, but that is another story. He had told me that night that he was a movie star, and it turns out that he was telling the truth. The group of young people where there shooting a movie.

Well, after talking to them for quite some time in Twi, they offered me a job. (Ghana movie companies love trying to find foreigner that speak Twi). They told me that I could star in a new movie, they said I would be great!

Please do not get in mind Hollywood or me getting my name in a golden star on some side walk, think rather a low budget India movie with subtitles and a really long boring plot. Well, as 'tempting' as this opportunity was for my fifteen minutes of fame, I turned them down.

When I told Patty see laughed. My family will not have the pleasure of seeing my name in the end credits, but I will always have the knowledge that I could have been.... a MOVIE STAR!

These are just a few new experiences from my week. I hope the reader has the chance to have some of his own!

The Shield of Faith

I learn something this week, or should I say that I was reminded of something this week. What ever it was, learning something new, or just deepening of old knowledge, I needed the thing.

This week was not the easiest one that I can remember. Funny thing is that the work load was not to heavy. I even was able to get back to all my excising and other thing more ministry and spiritually related that had stop for the crazy week of pre-Easter! But, despite this, it was tough!

Friday night after a long swimming, and a even longer time talking to my wife I figured it out. Saturday evening turned out great after I had the chance to study my thoughts out from the Bible. Here is what I learned.

Somewhere during the beginning of the week I stopped using my Shield of Faith.
Ephesians 6:16 "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked".

It seems amazing to me the times Satan seems to attack. There are the normal day to day attacks, but it seems as if he likes to attack most during two different times. First, when a person is weak and sickly. Second when a person has just had a victory or miracle.

Sunday was one of those great victory days. Five people baptized, great services, good activities on Monday. It was like a Goliath had fallen and everyone was standing around jumping for joy. Sometimes these time of rejoicing can be dangerous.

Here I was jumping up and down, shouting about the victory, not thinking that I had raised my shield and sword up over my head. Here I was cheering over the victory, paying not attention to the enemy soldiers that were left. At this moment the enemy show it. Bulls eye! I am sure he thought, "Lets try and shoot a couple of arrows in there and see if they might hit something"!

Tuesday came around and with it came arrows of doubt, fear, anger, frustration. It was like a endless on slot of little thoughts that where meant to smolder and burn. See, Satan knows that if he can get your faith, he will dampen your hope, and if he dampen your hope, he can stop your love.

In-attention is a great way for a soldier to get killed. Well, that is what happened to me this week. It took me a couple of hard experiences and times of quite to figure out what was going on, but finally I figured it out.

I thought, I have been doing everything right. Reading, praying, obeying, but why did I feel so weak and fearful! I had forgot faith, above everything else I had forgot to hold hold it. Little by little I let the devil knock it out of my hand.

See, faith and fear can never live together. They are incompatible. I am not saying that a person that has faith, never fears, NO! But faith pushes out fear and as it grows fear reduces. One most always be in control. Either I am ruled by fear, or I am ruled by faith.

Well, finally on Saturday night I figured it out. I had not been fighting the battle the right way. I forgot to quench those darts of discouragement, fear, and doubt with faith.

Where did that faith come from? Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God". I did not have faith to quince the fire, because I was not really listening to the word. I was reading it, praying it, but not really hearing it!

A person is always listening to something, if it is not God's faith building words, it will be Satan's doubt giving accusations. Once I saw this, God let me fix the problem. I got out the word and listened to it!

After just about an hour of reading and study about faith, the shield was back and ready. The fires were quenched. I learned that weather in victory or failure, keep the shield in place. Weather a person is tired from long times of fighting or elated over victory, they need to see the important of keeping a firm grip on the faith God gives them through the promises of God. They need to read them, claim them, and believe them!

Easter Monday Activities- A Photo Essay

Easter Monday was a wonderful time, here are a few pictures.

The first game that was played after eating all the fried eggs, bread, tea, coffee, and hot chocolate was great! Everyone was split into two teams. Here they can be seen playing our first game, "Frozen t-shirts".

Fred, Dennis, Moses, Bismark trying to pull their frozen t-shirt apart.

Nat and Fred competing in egg race.

Carey doing a surprisingly good job in the egg race!

She was the youngest person on her team.

John giving out instructions.

Peter getting ready to listen to Pastor Andrew preach.
(This was the man that was brave enough to pull a hair from a cow's tail in our scavenger hunt!)

During preaching

The contest decider. A drink off! Nat against Peter.

Who can drink that large bowl of hot chocolate first???

AND THE WINNER IS.... Peter!

Easter Baptisms

On the 4th of April, Easter Sunday, our Bible study had the privilege of baptizing five more converts. It took a little effort this year to get everything and everybody ready for the event, but it was worth it.


The Bible study has baptisms every three months. This allows our converts to pass through a five to six week baptism class before they are baptized. This group of baptism happened to fall on Easter Sunday. Not only was it during our Easter time, it also happened to be during the peek of our dry season. Last year the Lord provided a heavy rain the night before, so the river was very full. But despite a rain two nights before the river was very low. (Some Chinese road construction companies have been pumping the water off the river, so the water level is much lower than it has ever been before).

Since the river was low, Andrew and I decided that maybe we should dig out an area for the people to be baptized in. (see top picture) But after about ten minutes of trying to dig through rock and sediment, we decided that we just need to find another spot on the river. So, the search began down river. Most times when there are baptisms, it is nice to be located close to the road. This allows the people the opportunity to watch without walking far. But this time that was not an option.
Andrew and I decided to pass underneath the road culvert and head up river. (Top picture- Andrew and Fred are trying to clear a path through the tall grass with machetes). After some time it was decided that the baptisms would be held up river near the water pumps that the Chinese were using. They had made a larger pool around the equipment and the metal pulls to hold all the water pumps would provide a good way for people to get into the river.

(Matilda about to be baptized)

Easter Sunday came, our five converts were ready. After about a five minute drive up the dirt road to the river everything was set. It was such a blessing to get to see these five people baptized. Two northerners Kasin-Nankana (Matilda ad Peter), one Wala (Mary), one Ewe (Mensah), one Nzema (Vironica) where all baptized.

Peter being baptized (Top)

Mary getting baptized.