Faith In Wonderland

I just got back from a fascinating evening at National Theater...My pals did a great version of  JJ RAWLINGS, the man who ruled Ghana for almost 20 yrs, from  1979  to 1996. He  originally took over in a coup against military elite, but was then imprisoned for treason. He was later freed by loyal troops, but still put on trial. His impassioned speeches won him much sympathy,so he was re-installed as president in 1981 till he handed power over in 1996. However, he was no Boy Scout, & once in office, arranged a firing squad death of over 300 Ghanan civilians...BRUTAL!! Plus, he installed a 1 Party system,saying it was the only way to protect the ppl from the men he had deposed. However, as he slaughtered most of  them,was this really necessary? He also established a curfew, a la Pinochet in Chile, & everyone was so scared, they had to obey. After that bloodthirsty "house cleaning" (Rawlings term for execution of 300 Ghanans), can you blame them for bei...

So, I had a fascinating but ultimately exhausting evening...and morning! I went to a 10 HOUR marathon church fellowship meeting with my darling devout Rita. It's apparently a world wide organization called Aglow, & it sponsors all kinds of conventions/ fellowship worship meetings. It is 98% women, mostly of a middle aged to elder population. There WERE men there, but out of this vast convention hall, easily the size of two football fields or airplane  hangers, I only counted 3 men out of hundreds & hundreds of women all dressed in snowy white turbans & flowing white gowns. It's quite a remarkable sight, because Ghanan women are so dark & the white sets off their dazzling smiles & broad faces. It reminded  me once again of the Baiana women in Brasil, only they are VERY VERY strong in their original polytheistic views from Nigeria, where gods w/ same names are still worshipped both in Nigeria &  N. Brasil. White shows the Baianas are follower...

As far as I can tell,(a highly unscientific sample) it seems the man is still in charge, the lord & master, for the most part. Women are expected to kind of be meek & submissive, but that doesn't mean they are. Of course, no country, no society is all one way or the other. I am uncomfortable speaking in stereotypes, so am not going to do it. There does seem to be more equality in upper class society, but I have heard it can be more hidden...Men pretending they don't​ think that way, but they do. Honestly, who wouldn't want to be in complete charge ? As far as working, most women do have jobs. But in the smaller Muslim community, it is highly unusual for a woman to work.

Am staying here with my lovely angel host Rita Jumpah, & am completely in awe of her gracious generosity at making me feel right at home. Ghanans are so welcoming, it's really their custom to be this way .  I am once again oh so aware that a Ghanain visitor would maybe not receive such warmth in US! She lives in a new section of Accra, about an hour from city center, so actually considered suburbs. Many new concrete cinder block houses, most one or 2 stories, some painted, most not. Her house is VERY lovely, painted white with warm accents of melon. Many call it The  Ghanain White House, because it's the nicest in neighborhood. But I think it's that because it seems to be the social hub, with friends & neighbors always dropping by for a visit & chat! She &her mom are always so generous, they also feed some poor families in neighborhood who are in need, especially children.  Although we have food stamps &food banks, church kitchens, etc, I don't...

Hello!!! I was blessed enough last night to go to my lovely friend Rita's church for their  New Year's Eve celebration!! Ghana is a deeply religious country, I am not sure why or where this comes from. They are a former British colony, who got their Independence in 1957, the 1st African colony to do so. In fact, their success directly encouraged other colonies to do the same thing. But the British have always been mercantile, not seeking  religious converts at all. So I am not sure where this deep, fervent religious fever comes from. Most are various forms of Protestants...Pentacostal, Presbyterian, etc . There are Muslims here, but not a lot. And there are a few Catholics. So we went to Rita's Presbyterian Church, which in the best black gospel tradition, was rocking & rolling with great joy & energy. I am fairly sure that the roots of the black gospel tradition come from here, Ghana, because the vast majority of slaves came from either Ghana or Nigeria. ...

Just sitting on Air Italy flight, waiting for take off!! Am flying by Milano, have 10 hrs or so, & then flying from Milano to Accra, where the LOVELY Rita Jumpah is the world's best friend & has agreed to pick me up, at 2 in the very UNGLORIOUS AM! It's so funny to me that as soon as I got on the plane, they were playing that RIDICULOUS Dean Martin song "when the Moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie, that's AMORE!" But what fun to hear lovely Italian again!