A Look Back

It has been a year since I boarded the plane at LAX bound for Ghana, Africa.  Accompanying me on this trip was Merton’s A Prayer of Unknowing (Blog 2) as a reminder that I do not journey alone.  I travel with Christ and with all the LMH Missionaries past and present through their prayer and support. 

So how has it been?  Is it everything that I thought it would be? As with any long journey, there are challenges and joyful moments.  In my previous blogs, I talked about some facets of the Ghanaian culture and what I have been doing. This time, as I look back on my first year of mission, I would like to share the beauty of Ghana and more importantly its people as I have been blessed to have travelled to the other areas of Ghana.

In July of last year, I was invited to attend the Thanksgiving Mass of the newly ordained priest of the Diocese.  The Thanksgiving Mass was held in Cape Coast, Ghana which is about 342 miles from Damongo where I live through Kumasi (bypassing Accra).  At Cape Coast, I was able to visit Beseasi, the hometown of Fr. Peter Akomanyi Tawiah where the Thanksgiving Mass was held.  Also in attendance was the other young priest ordained together with Fr. Peter, Fr. Fauster Baapele. It was a sight to see these two young priests atop a pick-up truck following a drum and bugle band to the Church.  The liturgy was celebrated mostly in the Fanti language.  As expected, there was much dancing during the liturgy.  

The Castle along with other slave castles in Ghana is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979.  The castle served as a timber and gold trading center for the British until the 19^th century when it became the starting point of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The dungeons of the castle housed huge numbers of African slaves destined for travel to North America.

At the museum, it was surprising to learn that the word “Obroni” as we are fondly called here to designate a ‘white person”, or a “foreigner” actually comes from the Akan phrase “abro nipa” meaning wicked person which was what the Ghanaian ancestors generally called the Europeans based on their general behavior back then.  This visit was a humbling experience for everyone including our Ghanaian brothers and sisters from the North.

St. Joseph’s Minor Basilica Church is a Roman Catholic Church in Elmina, Cape Coast. It was the first Roman Catholic Church established in Ghana in 1880 by Fr. Maru and Fr. Marat, Dutch Catholic priests who were the first to minister to the Ghanaians.  The place provided a blend of religion and history.  A Catholic museum is also located in the premises.

It is such an interesting place considering the time and place where it was built. It sits high on a hill where one can view the Elmina Castle (another slave trade fort) and bay. It is indeed a very beautiful location and a great reminder of how the faith has been kept and preserved and how from here the Church continues to evangelize to her children in Ghana.

Kakum National Park is located in the southern part of the Central region not too far from the coast.  This park is named after the Kakum river which starts inside the protected area. The landscape is about 90% tropical forest.  It features a canopy walk in the air through trees.  The walkway hits a heigh of 130 feet (40m) as it crosses rivers and ravines.  Some of the tree canopies reach a height of 160 feet (50m).  The trail stretches between 7 trees, cross rivers, and ravines a distance of 1,150 feet(350m).  Most people claim that the walkway is easy.  It is challenging for those who have a fear of height.  That day, I conquered that fear as I exited the trail, I got cheered on and received “high fives” from priests and the Damongo delegation.  Lesson learned:  we can do what we fear if we put our hearts into it and of course when you have no option but to move on.

More than these beautiful places I visited, Ghana’s beauty comes from its people, the welcoming smile, the kindness, ever willing to help and sincere hospitality.  The photos say it all.

In the next blog, I will take you to the South easterly region of Ghana, the Volta Region.