Ghana Journey: CHURCH OF JUSTICE

Saturday 8 June 2013

One begins to run out superlatives when every day is filled with superlative moments, but that truly describes this continuing adventure in Ghana. That said, the morning began with the distressing news that two of our companions had taken ill overnight. They felt it was best to spend the day at the hotel and close to the facilities.

Our first stop was at a center that supports people who live with HIV/AIDS. This is not a hospital or hospice ministry but a place where adults, teens and children can come to spend the day and feel safe and supported. One of the biggest problems in Ghana (and probably most of Africa) is the misinformation that surrounds HIV/AIDS. 

Forget the way the condition is judgmentally regarded in the United States (the gay disease, the promiscuous disease, etc.) In Ghana, people who live with HIV/AIDS are branded with a stigma that essentially cuts them off from society. Families are known to throw sons or daughters out into the streets if they are found to test positive with HIV/AIDS. Because the virus can often be passed on to children of an HIV/AIDS mother, or through blood transfusion, even young children are ostracized, through no fault of their own. HIV/AIDS carries a stigma in Africa that reminds me of the way lepers were regarded at the time of Jesus.

SHARPER is the name of the center: Strengthening HIV/AIDS Response Partnership and Evidence-based Research.  It is a welcoming place where people of all faiths -- Christian, Muslim, or indigenous beliefs -- can feel loved and supported for basic needs. From the program brochure:

- "Through support groups, CRS reaches a large number of people living with HIV who are unable to access health care. To improve the quality of life of these individuals, a cadre of trained volunteers provides home-based care, strengthens health referral systems, runs programs to reduce stigma and self-stigma, and actively searches for new AIDS cases and defaulters to ensure they receive proper care."

SHARPER is also simply a place to socialize during the day, to meet others with HIV/AIDS, and to love and be loved back.

We met and interacted with 80 or so of the people of SHARPER. After introductions and prayer, they told us their stories. I was frankly overwhelmed by their honesty and the sad circumstances of being cut off from their families. And yet, as the project coordinator pointed out, they are a happy people and proved it by singing and dancing for us. We returned the favor and sang a few uplifting songs to celebrate our solidarity together.

Our next activity was to visit the Zaare Amisuure Basket Weavers Group, a craft center that empowers women artisans to create beautiful hand woven baskets, hats and fans in a safe working environment. Their products are sold internationally as part of the growing Fair Trade movement, described in a CRS brochure:

- "Fair Trade is based on the principle that people should earn a fair profit for the items they produce. Fair Trade guarantees fair wages to disadvantaged artisans, farmers and workers. It provides access to the technical and financial assistance that poor people so desperately need and so rarely get in the conventional trading system. Most importantly, Fair Trade connects these producers with people like you who understand that the choices we make every day as consumers have the power to make the trading system work better for our brothers and sisters overseas."

As we have consistently encountered in every place we have visited here in Ghana, the 25 women artisans greeted us with rousing song and lively dance. The rhythm of their song reminded me of a reggae beat and we couldn't help but to join them in their dance. I'm not a dancer at all but when I was "called" by one of our hosts to a spotlight dance moment, I could not refuse. There was no way I could replicate their energetic gyrations, so I fell back on a couple of dance moves I knew: ska skanking and 70s disco. LOL.

The women then went on to demonstrate their craft, sitting as a group on the workshop floor to do their intricate work. It was very moving to witness their expertise in basket weaving, where each strand of straw is is woven and woven and woven painstakingly and with obvious love and pride. This was definitely quality work!

Afterward, our group made purchases from the store. Ben, Val, Martha and Alsy bought several baskets to take home with them. My suitcase space is limited but I purchased a lovely hand fan as a gift for my mother.

In the evening, we sang at a concert fund-raiser at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bolgatanga. The concert was a benefit for the SHARPER program that we visited in the morning, and seven outstanding parish choirs from around the region participated. The joy of the African Church filled that sacred space for almost three hours! Each choir sang on their way from the pews to the sanctuary, sang two songs, then sang on their way back to their seats. 

Congas and drums beat out their constant rhythms from the choir area and in the pews. The beat was non-stop, and drummers played lightly when the emcee introduced each choir. Even the collection was accompanied by singing and drumming as the audience formed conga lines on their way to place donations into the money boxes at the sanctuary.

With all this exciting local music, our group wondered how we would fit into the program. After all, we were just four singers and three guitars with no percussion. But our Ghanian friends received us enthusiastically was we sang "Open the Eyes of My Heart," "We Are His People" (by Greg), and "Walk Together Children" (by ValLimar). Ben and Sarah did a stunning and simple rendition of her song "In the Silence" that had the audience mesmerized. We even sang my song, "Grant Us Peace" as a sign of solidarity with friends throughout the world.

Remember that song we composed together a few days ago? It made its debut  at this concert! The audience listened attentively as we sang of the marvelous hospitality that has so touched our group.

SEEDS OF JUSTICE

Refrain:

People of justice, people of mercy,

People of welcome, open wide;

Seeds of service in our needing,

Love of strangers, love divine.

Verse 1:

Our hearts are lavished by your kindness;

The table set before our eyes;

Our lives united in communion,

That's where our real self dwells.

Verse 2:

Faith guides our journey through the darkness.

Hope paves the way to set us free.

Love makes us friends, no longer strangers.

That's where our real self dwells.

Bridge:

Sow the seeds: our lives, the gifts we're giving.

Sow the seeds: our love, in thought and deed.

Sow the seeds: in giving and receiving.

That's where the living God dwells.

© 2013 by Ben Walther, Sarah Kroger, Greg Walton, Ted Miles, ValLimar Jansen, and Ken Canedo  

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Note: Robert was sick on this day and he had to remain back at the hotel. After we returned home, he helped us fine-tune these lyrics to the version that we sang on the AKWAABA album. 

CHURCH OF JUSTICE 

Refrain: 

Church of justice, Church of mercy, 

Church of welcome, open wide. 

Church of service with the lowly; 

love of stranger, love divine. 

Verse 1: 

You breathed your Word and created. 

You speak and now all things sustain. 

As rain and snow pour down with purpose, 

your promised justice, God fulfill. 

Verse 2: 

Our lives united in Communion; 

your table set before our eyes. 

Our hearts are lavished with your kindness. 

Your promised banquet, God fulfill. 

Bridge: 

Send us forth! Our lives, the gift we're giving. 

Send us forth! Our love in thought and deed. 

Send us forth! In giving and receiving: 

Your promised kingdom, God fulfill. 

Text and music © 2013, 2016, Ken Canedo, Robert Feduccia, ValLimar Jansen, Fiat Music, LLC, Ted Miles, Ben Walther and Greg Walton. Published by Spirit & Song, a division of OCP. All rights reserved.