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First Baptist Church in Ghana
Reflections (Day One)
Co-written by Hazel Burnett-Davis and Robert Graham
The flight to Ghana was safe and uneventful (except for the moment that the pilot said loudly, and sternly over the PA system , “All passengers take your seat and fasten your seatbelts!) By the Grace of God, nothing happened…Whew! Towards the end of the flight, as Pastor shared with the congregation during one of his sermons, we experienced a strong sense of dejavu when we approached the coastline of the continent of Africa. After we landed, warm and friendly faces (and a gigantic sign over the airport entrance) shouted, “Akwaaba” (Welcome to my home-be part of my home.)
Once inside the terminal, we were delighted to see the familiar warm and
smiling faces of Nana Este and Pastor Asante who skillfully ushered us through
customs to our ground transportation. To our pleasant surprise, and our
enduring delight, we were given an official police escort usually reserved
for dignitaries and heads of state. We were whisked through the streets
past traffic jams that would rival 5 o’clock traffic on any local
street or artery after a Rutgers game.
We arrived safely at a hotel befitting its name, The African Regent, newly
built and opened in March 2007. (It still has the new hotel smell!) After
a short rest, we freshened up and met for lunch in the hotel dining room,
where we were nourished, “Mary Barnes style” by our brothers
and sisters in the kitchen. (We ate and ate and ate some more!) We collectively
breathed a sigh of comfort with our bellies full, our hearts happy, and
our minds jet-lagged. We rested! (But not for long before our date with
royalty.) I should point out that while some of us rested, Pastor, First
Lady, Rev. Gipson, Deacon King, Linda Bennett and Nana were meeting with
the US Ambassador to Ghana.
Now to the King!!! As we entered one of the palaces, we were enlightened
about the traditions and protocols for meeting and greeting a king in Ghana,
even though he is a member of First Baptist Church. Tradition has it that:
everyone stands when the king enters the room; no one speaks directly to
the king; and an interpreter speaks to the king on your behalf. However,
even the interpreter must get permission from the linguist to speak to the
king. The linguist carries a shaft that represents the Asante Kingdom and
stands at attention whenever the king is speaking. It is also customary
that visitors must say who they are and give the reason for their visit.
According to his Majesty, living abroad gave him a unique perspective and
the courage to break certain traditions of the kingdom if it is in the best
interest of the people, such as: having only one wife; championing unpopular
environmental issues, and dealing with health care (AIDS). Pastor Soaries
eloquently shared his overall vision for Faith in Action: educational excellence;
economic development and spiritual growth. The mission of this delegation
is to find ways to extend this vision of service to our Ghanaian brothers
and sisters. He further commented that he had brought a group of dedicated
professionals to listen and learn how First Baptist could be of service.
At the end of our meeting, his Royal Highness further deviated from custom
by giving each of us a warm hug. We felt a sense of belonging and knew that
God had directed our path for this important mission.