Cape Coast Castle

I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about today. To say it was powerful doesn’t even begin to describe the imposing structure known as Cape Coast Castle. 400 years ago, the first slaves were ripped from their families, held captive in another castle, branded, shackled, and sold to the highest bidder. Let this sink in. Human beings were bought and sold. Among the things they lost: their families, their homes, their names, their language, their religion. I could go on. They were taken to the castle, thrown in a dungeon where as many as 200 men (or women) were “stored” until such time as the ship came to take them away. This dungeon is about the size of my bedroom. The floor is covered with a solidified mixture of blood, urine, and feces. A team has gone into one of the dungeons and chiseled away so that you can see the original brick floor. Just above the dungeon was the chapel where the white men worshipped. Think about that. How can you worship God and keep other human beings captive under the floor of the church, then sell them for profit? I am still struggling with that part of the day.

This morning we started off with morning prayers. That was really lovely, then we went to the Cathedral and had a service with Bishop Victor and his staff. They didn’t have musical instruments but one of the men would sing through the hymn then we would join in. Just beautiful. After that we got our itinerary for the week. We watched the man make the communion wafers for Bishop Victor. It is just pastry flour and water, poured into a very thin layer on a sort of waffle iron, then cut out in the appropriate sizes. We got to sample some of the unblessed wafers.

We had lunch at the same restaurant as yesterday. We ordered a ham and cheese sandwich, but the guy said they didn’t have that. We looked at the menu and ordered a cheese and ham sandwich, so that’s what we ate. Cheese and ham, NOT ham and cheese.

I’m still amazed by the children. We were entertained by some boys on the beach today who were doing acrobatics. They passed around a bowl for money when they finished. Other children are forced to sell things.

It has been a breathtaking day. I need to decompress.

Humans selling other humans. It happens today and we need to stop it. Children are being exploited every day and it is going to take more than distributing soap to stop it.

Let’s work together.

A day of worship – Part 1

We began our day with a breakfast buffet with an omelette station. Delicious. It was a great way to start the day. We can’t eat anything raw, but there was this delicious purple juice that had some ginger and other tasty things in it. I think I could make that my entire breakfast.

Off we went to church. Edie and I were sent to St. James the Apostle Anglican Congregation in Elmina. What a service! There were two keyboards, several tambourines and horns, drums, and a trombone. People danced and clapped but the clapping with with a rhythm – not 1 2 3 4. It was more like Rest 2+ Rest Rest. Only my musician friends will understand this, but it’s okay. The church had reserved an entire row for us and had assigned a lovely woman, Harriett, to help us navigate the service. They were singing “To God be the glory” when we walked in, which I thought was a little unusual for an Anglican Church. Hymns were sung in English though most of the service was in another language.

In the middle of the service was the annual meeting of the church. It was right after the sermon and before the Eucharist. The priest laid out the guidelines in English. “Everyone who has tithed this year, stand up!” These were the people who had a vote. Harriett, our “guide” for the service is a senior warden and is not eligible to run again. The rector was so passionate that, even though we couldn’t understand a word, Edie and I were both captivated. It didn’t matter what he said; he said them with conviction.

After the new vestry members were elected, it was time for tithing. People who were paying tithed walked up and placed their gifts into the bowl. Then came two offerings. Neither Edie nor I had a lot of cash with us, but we were not going to embarrass ourselves nor the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta! We gave what we thought we could the first go-around, and we gave the rest the second time. Giving involves a parade of people walking up and placing their offering into another bowl. There was also a good offering that involved children.

Then it was time for the Eucharist. This was a little different, but mainly because of language, but we were comfortable. The church sang “Just as I am” though in a tune other than Southern Baptist.

Then the rector asked us to stand up and say a few words. Talk about being put on the spot! As if that wasn’t enough, the women were having a meeting after church to plan their week-long celebration of mothers. They asked for our advice and input. Again! No idea! We were busy playing with the cutest little girl – lots of fun.

So we have 15 people in a van and we’ve been sent to individual churches, two by two. We had to wait to be picked up, which wasn’t an issue because the rector had cooked lunch for us. It was the most delicious rice with a red sauce and chicken. Father Theo arrived to retrieve us and take us to lunch with the group, but he kindly waited until we finished eating.

Lunch was on the beach beside Cape Coast Castle. Red red was as delicious as John had said it was like be, at least according to everyone who had it. Edie and I were still full from lunch, so we watched the ocean. We got back to the hotel for a quick 40 minute break before Evensong.

More later. It is almost 6 and we still have Evensong and dinner before we can sleep.

It is very hot and very humid and I feel like I’m melting!

Arrival in Ghana

First of all, no selfies today. I look like death warmed over and I haven’t brushed my teeth since yesterday. Rule #1 for international travel. Carry a toothbrush and toothpaste in your carry-on. Rule #2, unless you are confident about your destination’s bathroom facilities, carry toilet tissue in your backpack.

Now back to Ghana. I have traveled a lot but this is definitely different. As we made our way through Accra to Cape Coast, there was a constant parade of people carrying various goods for sale on their heads. Fruit, bread, laundry detergent, toilet paper, bottled water, soft drinks…you name it. They’ve got it. You don’t even have to get out of the bus. They come right up to the door.

It was a four hour drive from the airport to Cape Coast. It was one of the more interesting rides of my life, sort of “Tortola van driver meets New York taxi.” I didn’t really feel unsafe but it was like being on a four hour ride at Disney! We stopped and got soft drinks and snacks to help break up the trip.

I saw one of those giant ant hills! It must have been 6 feet tall, at least. We were speeding down the road so I couldn’t photograph it, but it was so interesting!

The hotel is great and my roommate is a lovely young lady who attends Oglethorpe University. She may be questioning why she’s stuck rooming with an old lady! We will make it work.

Dinner was delicious, a buffet here at the hotel.

That’s it for tonight. I’m sure I will have more to say tomorrow, when I’m rested.

Prayers Answered

Our flight was originally scheduled to get in at 9:15 and we were to have a 2 hour layover at Kennedy. Our plane didn’t leave Atlanta until close to 9 and we weren’t scheduled to get in until 4 minutes before our flight to Accra was to leave. I can’t speak for anyone else but I was nervous. I could see us spending the night in NYC. Flight tracker continued to show the Ghana flight departing on time.

Until 30 minutes before landing. I looked at my Delta app and the Ghana flight had been delayed by an hour! That wasn’t a ton of time, but it would at least give us a potty break! The fact that 767 toilets flush at 146 mph or something ridiculous like that bothers me. I hate it!

But we made it! Claudette flagged down the cart to transport us to the other gate and wheelchairs were waiting for us. We are on the flight and tomorrow, my feet will hit the ground in Ghana. It doesn’t seem real.

Maybe Delta was influenced by the prayers of 15 pilgrims going to Cape Coast. Maybe it was just easier to delay the plane than deal with 15 disappointed people. Who know. All I know is this: I am excited to be on this trip.

My daughter gave me very wise advice in the 1990s when I was going on the Walk to Emmaus. Participate, she said. Don’t anticipate. Just participate in whatever comes your way.

I think that applies today.

Good night. See you tomorrow in Ghana!

The Adventure Begins

Back in January an email went out from the Bishop’s office for a pilgrimage to Ghana. I got the email a little after 0700 and couldn’t wait to apply. An essay was required, which I quickly wrote on my iPhone. The shock of my life came two weeks later when I was one of 15 selected to go.

Today is the departure day and we are finally on the plane to JFK, where we will connect with another flight to Accra. But here’s the thing. We were supposed to depart at 7:10. Then we were supposed to depart at 8:00. Then 8:25. We are still on the ground and it is 8:37.

I am still riding in a wheelchair to the plane because going downhill hurts my knee. The knee has been another saga and I will leave that for another day. At 8:00 they announced that security had just cleared the plane, which had been on the ground for about an hour and a half. The person wheeled me down but we couldn’t board; they were still cleaning the plane. It was finally cleaned at 8:10 and I got to my seat. The door is closed now and hopefully we will leave soon, though likely not soon enough for us to make our flight to Accra.

I promised updates and this is the first. I’m traveling with really great people and I know it is going to be good.

We just have to get there first. 8:44 and we are still in Atlanta.