Sunday - The Commissioning

On Sunday, the team had the privilege of attending the formal commissioning service for the new church building in Sankpem village, a small remote mud-hut village in the Northern Region.  The village is predominantly Muslim.  The Christians there have been meeting under a tree for several years. 

Upon arrival, Chris and Cheryl were taken to meet the Muslim Chief, something that is considered customary in this culture.  After Cheryl cut the ribbon and everyone got settled in the new church building (a one room structure), we began to sing.  Shortly after that, we began to hear very loud, rhythmic drumming.  Boy, we were surprised when the Chief and his elders walked in, followed by the village drummer, who was announcing his arrival.  The church leaders rushed to get a bench, which they placed right at the front.  The team was sitting in the "choir" section, so we were facing one another.
 
After that, we began to hear more drumming and in came the cultural dancers.  Wow!  I cannot even describe that experience.  I hope to post a video when we get home, so be sure and check back.

There was a guest preacher and lots of singing and dancing.  The team had great fun joining the circle of dancers and most of them have decided that our churches back in the states could learn a lot from African worship.

Even though we had a lot of fun at the commissioning, the significance of what was happening was not lost.  The church members have been praying for a church for many years and so have we.  We thank God for his provision for Sankpem Church.

When Cheryl unveiled the plaque that was attached to the outside of the building, it read

"Hope Mission Church".

That pretty much says it all.

P.S.  And as a thank you gift, we received a live goat as a gift from the Chief of the village.  A. LIVE.GOAT.

Love in Action

Widow Ayi and Family

July 2009

Yahaya, the boy on the far right, has now received medical treatment for rheumatoid arthritis

The entire family has received healthcare

The family has also received 2 female goats, which in turn, helps provide much needed food

October 2009

This is the first day of school for these children.  They had never been to school because they could not afford the uniforms or school fees.

The Dagomba Tribe

The Dagomba are a large people group living in northern Ghana. Their kingdom, called Dagbon, was established centuries ago and dominated an area near the Dagomba capital of Yendi.

They speak Dagbani, which is a Gur language.

The Dagomba make their living primarily through farming. Much of the land of the Dagbon is infertile and requires that a farm be left fallow for up to five years; therefore, Dagomba villages are somewhat small, leaving room for farms to be widely separated. Farmers use much fertilizer from the manure of the village cattle, and eventually the soil does become quite fertile, enabling the farms to be used year-round. However, farms located in the bush are used only for two or three years and then are left fallow. Since yams are the specialty crop, the Dagomba plant over 32 varieties. Farmers also grow crops such as maize, millet, rice, peanuts, and beans.

The Dagomba are not only skillful farmers, but also are fishermen and hunters, and some even engage in administrative and managerial work. Dagomba craftsmen are skilled tailors, traders, and makers of ropes and mats. Some also specialize as blacksmiths, butchers, and barbers. Parents send their young sons to be trained by these craftsmen. Through observation and practice, a boy will gradually learn a trade and assume his role in the new occupation.

In Dagomba society, villagers arrange their houses in a particular order. The chief (eldest man in the village) locates his dome-shaped hut in the center. His hut stands out above the rest. The village is divided into wards or quarters, all facing the chief's home. A quarter is identified by its head or by its dominating specialist group. For example, there may be a soldiers' quarter or a butchers' quarter. The commoners are scattered throughout the village in round or rectangular huts (for female and male, respectively); there is no physical separation of the commoners from the ruling class.

Drummers play an important role in the village, for they not only are musicians, but also are court historians. They must learn and retain much information. In most cases, a drummer's son follows in his father's footsteps, becoming a drummer and learning from his father the origin of the people and their kingdom.

What are their beliefs? Although almost half of the Dagomba follow the Islamic faith, many also believe in and worship additional spirits and gods. Each village sacrifices to its individual ancestral gods and the entire society collectively worships the more powerful gods. The Dagomba also practice witchcraft and consult diviners to rid themselves of curses. The Dagomba honor their ancestors with a pagan festival called Bugun, which means "fire" or "hell." The celebration begins with a great feast and culminates when the people gather together with lighted torches near a tree outside the community. There they recite the names of their ancestors and throw their torches into the tree.

Information obtained from The Joshua Project.