Mad dogs, an Englishman and (a couple of hundred) Ghanaians

The last couple of evenings have been taken up with church services and other activities, so I've not had chance to sit down and write an entry for a couple of days.

Ghanaian-style

I had some visitors on Wednesday: Dorinda Appiah, a friend from Reading who is currently staying with her family in Accra, came to see me with two relatives for a short while.  They were kind enough to bring two Ghanaian-style shirts too.  I think I will have to donate some of my clothes to others before I return home!  The rest of the day was largely spent in the circuit office, followed by a service in the early evening.  



The excitement of the day came mid-evening when Joseph, Emma and I went to the local radio station to record items for subsequent broadcast.  All was set to start when thick smoke started to issue from the electrical supply panel, so we all made a quick exit.  Once the power was switched off, the smoke stopped, but the recording will have to wait for another day.

Joseph and Emma preparing to broadcast

So, to the title: May Day yesterday was a public holiday in Ghana, so most ministers would be having a day off in common with the general populace; the market and most of the small street-side shops were still open and busy, together with the hawkers.  I travelled with the bishop to the dedication of a new prayer house on the edge of Adzentam, a village several miles away.  The prayer house is to be built in the middle of a field, so we were outside for a few hours in the heat of the day (thankfully under canopies).  Yesterday was probably the hottest day since I arrived, certainly the sun was out for much of the time and even some Ghanaians were feeling the heat.

Blessing the ground for
the prayer house at Adzentam

I was asked to give a short address towards the end of the ceremony, so was able to talk about a Bible passage (Colossians 1) which has been read at several important times of my life including my reception into membership of the church and our wedding.  I am very grateful to Grace who sat next to me throughout and translated the previous speakers' contributions, so that I could ensure that I didn't repeat what had come before.


After a late midday meal (about three o'clock) it was definitely time for a siesta, before I headed off to the Cathedral for a meeting then an early evening service.  Holy Communion is celebrated in worship on the first Sunday of each month, so there are additional services in the preceding days to allow church members to prepare for this in the few days beforehand.

Today (Friday) has been quieter so far, but the local festival starts today and lasts all weekend, so will see what that brings.

Patrick