Our Third Day in Cape Coast, Ghana, October 17

We were up early for a long day of visiting people today.  We were greeted with a bit of a rainy morning.

We began our day at an eye clinic which sees over 16,000 people a year and helps with every kind of thing you can imagine. They do basic eye care as well as surgery.  The staff is doing amazing work and the place was well cared for and in the process of expanding. They desperately need new equipment and would like to raise the money to get the equipment overseas.  They will need approximately 30,000 U.S. dollars to get everything in and set up.  This will enable them to do cataract surgery the way we do it in the U.S.  They have the trained doctors, just need to get the equipment here.  This is their cost for an up to date clinic.  They are continuing to add on. Amazing work...truly amazing.

We then made our way to St. Nicholas Seminary.  It was founded in 1975.  It is the center of training for West Africa. It is an Independent Anglican Seminary and its dean (Victor) has been elected the new bishop of the Cape Coast. He has served on the Anglican Doctrinal Commission, The Covenant Design Group, and now the Indaba group.  

Today Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Guinea, Sudan, and Western Sierra Leone all have students there.  It has raised up and trained 4 missionary bishops.  Currently there are 40 students. We were able to visit with them and they were wonderful!  They train men and women; though they don't have the dormitory space they would like. So, they are building the dormitory as we speak as well as a new chapel.

They were wonderful hosts and sang with us and we shared our experiences as leaders and as seminarians. I love spending time with seminarians anyway...so this was a delight.

We closed the day with a trip to one of the finest and best run boys school in Ghana...its name...you guessed it St. Nicholas.  It was begun as a school to raise up African priests.  Its first buildings were built in the afternoons by the students after class and can still be seen today.  They have all faiths at the school but have Anglican worship for all the main school events and on Sundays (with other worship provided).  Here are pictures of the school bell tower that rings the kids to awake and to class, the hand bell at the head's desk in the cafeteria, and a sign from the cafeteria that reads, "manners make the man."

We were able to go to the hotel for a little while. My friend the horse greeted me. We did a quick turnaround and were at a nice reception at the bishop's home to visit with the diocesan leaders.

Our Second Day in Ghana, October 15

Today we woke up and had a lovely breakfast overlooking the Cape Coast. We then piled into the bus for what was going to be an exciting day!  We went first to the Bishop's Court.  There we met with Bishop Daniel in a more formal setting.  He welcomed us and we were given water. In the tradition of the tribe here water is a sign of a hospitality. We received our water and then we were introduced to the Bishop Coadjutor elect Dean Victor.  He is the dean of the seminary and a rector.  We also met the various leaders of the diocese including the headmistress of the school at the Bishop's Court.

The bishop then spoke these words: "I am Bishop Daniel and I am the servant of the servants of God."  Wow!  What a wonderful way to begin.  He then talked with us for a while focusing his conversation on the unity of God's diverse creation.  He was passionate about God's love and joy in diversity; unity and not uniformity.  Then Canon Kenneth Kearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, and Canon John Peterson, former Secretary General and current President of the Compass Rose Society spoke.  We each introduced ourselves.  It is at these moments that I am proud to represent the Episcopal Diocese of Texas.  Both Bishop-elect Victor and Bishop Daniel were delightful. Bishop Daniel was humble and kind.  He is very wise to be sure.

When we were done we were taken by Bishop Daniel to meet the tribal chief of the Cape Coast.  His name is Osabarimba Kwesi Atta, the second.  We were brought in with drums and singing.

We then greeted the tribal council and they greeted us. We were given water to refresh us. Then there was an exchange of greetings. Once again there were introductions all around.  Afterward I found out that one of the woman chiefs (for both men and women can serve as a tribal chief/elder) has a sister in TEXAS! It is truly a small world.  Then there was a lot of dancing.  I joined in of course and there was a great deal of love and happiness and joy in the room. It was a powerful experience of welcome.

Then Chief Osabarimba talked with us.  He is an Anglican choir member and often is known to speak and quote the bible at the local church where he attends.  He did so in fact with us and he repeated the message that we are all part of God's family, that we are to love one another, that we are to follow Christ and to serve God.  Bible verses floated in and out of the message he had for us.

Afterwards we shared smoked octopus while we talked a bit.  Then the most gracious thing happened. We had of course presented the chief with the Jerusalem tile of the Compass Rose, in turn he gave each pilgrim a gift.  Truly generous!  Then I was humbled to be invited to pray a blessing upon the chief which I did.  What a gracious moment for me.  Afterwards we took pictures with him and visited with the tribal council before going to visit the Cathedral Church.

Christ Church Cathedral is across from the British slave trading fort! Today it is a lively center of the Ghanian Church here in Cape Coast.  With a mix of worship from drums to the hymn book they are a growing and thriving congregation.  The Dean greeted us as did the staff and we were able to hear about the work they are doing.  We learned that Canon Peterson and Canon Kearon would be made honorary Canons of the Church of the Cape Coast an the Cathedral there!

We had lunch, then journeyed to see the Portuguese slave trading cite. We will visit the British Castle on Thursday. Here is the entry to the slave castle.

What I am amazed at is how the tragedy of war and slavery and the diversity of tribal communities has impacted the culture here in a very profound way.  The focus of ministry here is unity, love, a focus on Jesus and the spreading of the Gospel, and a true desire to be Anglicans and to form Anglicans.  Because, Anglican spirituality is a faith of reconciliation and love where all people can come together and be one family.

It was a good and beautiful day.

Our First Day in Ghana: Monday, October 14

We slept well and were up and at breakfast which was a lovely omlette and fresh fruit with coffee.  We immediately packed up and got on the bus and headed to the Cathedral to greet the bishop, see the cathedral and to visit the tomb of the first African president of Ghana.

We arrived and took a tour of the cathedral.  The Anglican Church of West Africa was founded here in Ghana; we would find out that is was spicifically founded in the Gold Coast area.  

The great missionary work was undertaken by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG).  They sent out bishops who then raised up leaders and missionaries to further spread the Gospel throughout the mission districts. 

Trinity Church once collected rain water into a great cistern in order to provide clean water for the people.  Here is a picture of the rain gutter.

It also started schools.  While the cistern doesn't work anymore the diocese in Accra is growing and seeking to become self sufficient.  Below is a picture of one of the school houses and a picture of a few boys.  They were in trouble and so had been sent out to the carpark to get their hair cut.  The young man cutting the hair was doing a fine job and the boys were willing to visit and drag out the plan (skipping as much school as possible).

The next stop was the Presidential Tomb of Kwame Nkrumah.  While he was exiled after a coup (sponsored by the U.S.) he had been a builder of Ghana's future. He had built a great deal of infrastructure including a very important dam project. He was part of the Independence from the colonial power of Britain and proclaimed Ghanian Independence on the polo field - which is now the presidential tomb and museum complex.

We then visited with the Bishop Torto of Accra.  He is called Bishop Daniel (there are two bishop Daniels here in Ghana).  We greeted the bishop and talked about the mission of the communion and the mission of the Compass Rose Society.  Bishop Daniel has been a bishop for one year.  He was delightful.  We talked about his focus on liturgy (bringing in drums), mission and growth, and youth as his priorities.  The Diocese is engaging in a number of projects to increase the Independence of the diocese.  He said that the diocese was focused on empowerment of leaders, spirituality, financial stability, ecology and health.  He was presented with a Jerusalem made tile of the Compass Rose.  

We then went and had a traditional meal in Ghana outside under this stunning tree.  I had fish, pepper sauce, and banku (a dough you eat with your hands combining the peppers and fish together).  Kofi, our leader and a priest, seminary professor, and rector said, "You are a brave man."  It was good to be sure...though a little messy.

We then headed off to the Cape Coast.  Along the way there were many street vendors selling plantain chips, cd's, sweet rolls, nuts, clothing items, and souvenirs...all walking up and down the street.

It was a four hour bus drive to our hotel and we got in very late.  We arrived late and Bishop Daniel (of Cape Coast) was there to great us!  We ate a quick bite to eat after checking in and went to bed in order to get some rest.

General Information on The Anglican Church of Cape Coast

The following information is taken from the history section of the Cape Coast Diocesan web page.  You can learn more about their ministry and projects here:  

http://capecoast.anglican.org/capecoast/Diocese.html

The Anglican Diocese of Cape Coast is co-terminus with the Central Regional Administrative area of Ghana, with Cape Coast as the seat of the Diocesan Bishop. The size of the region is 3815 square miles with a total population of 1,593,000 and the percentage of Christians is 46%.

At its inception in 1981 the Anglican Diocese of Cape Coast had one Archdeaconry and six priests who ministered to 24 congregations in six parishes, with a total numerical strength of 3000 members.

Ghana as a whole covers an area of 239,460 square kilometres with a total population of about 20 million. The Diocese is one of the seven Anglican Dioceses in Ghana; the oldest is Accra, established in 1909. Kumasi was carved from Accra in 1973, followed by Cape Coast, Koforidua – Ho, Sekondi and Sunyami – Tamale in 1981. In February 1997 Sunyami – Tamale was divided into two autonomous units, Sunyami Diocese and Tamale Diocese.

Cape Coast Diocese can currently boast of five Archdeaconries and five Deaneries. There are 21 priests currently ministering to 37 congregations in sixteen parishes and six Titular parishes with a total membership of nine thousand five hundred members. There are also twelve Catechists serving in some of the outstations.

Post Ordination training and development of the Clergy and Laity for effective mission and ministry in the Diocese is of great importance to the leadership of the Diocese. A good number of the Clergy have thus benefited from U.S.P.G. bursaries for overseas training, whilst some of the laity have also benefited from overseas training sponsored by the Diocese. Beside the USPG funding for overseas training, the Diocese encourages the Clergy and Laity to make use of local institutions e.g. the Universities and GIMPA.

The role of the Diocese in the development of education in the Central Region cannot be over emphasized. There are 54 Day Nurseries, 62 Primary Schools and 74 Junior Secondary Schools under the administration of the Anglican Educational Unit. There are two Senior Secondary Schools in the Diocese.

With regard to the provision of health care the Diocese has two medical facilities: a health Clinic at Dominasi in the Upper Denkyira District and an Eye Clinic at Cape Coast. There is yet a third clinic to be established at Birimso, a village near Cape Coast.

To enhance and facilitate the training of evangelists, Catechists, Guild and society leaders and other Church workers the Diocese has acquired a property to be used as a Retreat and Lay training Centre.

It is hoped that with the acquisition of the property for the above purpose, more evangelists, catechists and other lay workers and leaders can be trained to assist with the mission and ministry of the Diocese. It is worth mentioning that the property was acquired with a Festina from USPG.

To promote evangelism and the printing of Christian literature the Diocese has established a Desktop Printing Unit in addition to the Printing Press, also through a Festina Loan obtained from USPG. The Desktop Unit also serves as a source of income for the Diocese.

The plan of the Diocese to establish an Apprenticeship Centre for the youth in the region, for them to learn a trade and enable them to earn a living has not yet been abandoned. The project is still on the priority list of the Diocese, despite the financial loss experienced by the Diocese in 1995.

The Diocese since its creation has struggled to survive until now, the first two bishops have done their part by laying the foundation. The vision and the zeal they had, to spread the Gospel, to open more Anglican Churches in the region, to build a Spirit-led church, and to put the Diocese on a sound financial footing should vigorously be pursued and sustained for the advancement of the mission and ministry of the Diocese.