TRAVEL TALES.

The Day I Found Myself Laughing and Dancing in a Church

It was a different kind of cultural experience

On the first Sunday in Ghana, I woke up to this loud party music. And after I was asking around where a party was being held nearby, someone explained to me the music was coming from the church. Church music that inspires me to start dancing? I didn’t know that existed. I certainly have to explore this further.

Today, on my second Sunday in the country, I joined my host family on their church visit. My first problem was going to be finding something I could wear. Mavis was asking me if I brought a dress along. Of course, I did, but not a dress I could wear to church, I thought. It is strapless, shoulder free, and a bit shorter than my knees. None of that was following the local rules on how to dress in public. I put it on and ask my host mother what she thinks of it.

“Wow, that’s nice. Take that.” She responds immediately.

If she says so.

We’re heading out.

Entering the church, I can see different groups of people sitting in a circle around one person. Mavis explains to us that this is a question round. Here you can ask all kinds of questions about God and their belief.

We sit down in a corner where only women are sitting. In another corner, I can see a lot of young people. Women and men. They all are dressed interestingly. In the last group, I can see our host father. In this group, women and men are also mixed.

I am listening to the leader but I can’t understand anything. I observe the women sitting in front of me. They all are dressed in beautiful colorful dresses. A lot of them are wearing a headscarf, the others have perfectly styled hair.

Outside the church, I rarely ever see someone wearing a headscarf. All of them are dressed beautifully. Nothing reminds me of the sad and dark black of German churches. Everybody is dressed in colorful clothes. Also, the men. This alone makes the surroundings appear friendlier.

After about half an hour, we take our chairs and put them back in line. The church service begins. A man begins to talk and as I learn later, this is not the priest. He greets the community and says a few words the crowd then repeats. Everybody claps their hands between his sentences.

A woman is taking over. She sings a song with everybody. Then the priest takes the micro. He talks in English and greets us. The three white girls in the church. He welcomes us to his community and explains that he is going to talk in his local language from here on. We understand nothing anymore.

I look at the poster next to us.

“no prayer — no power

Less prayer — less power

Much prayer — much power”

Yes, belief is everything. Here. Of course, we’re inside a church. But my last church visit lies far in the past.

A woman walks to the front. She is wearing a skin-tight, floor-length blue dress, wears high heels and has a beautiful hairstyle. She takes the microphone into her hand. She shines from within. Without even thinking of it, I begin to smile. The woman only says a few words and then begins to sing. The music starts. Apart from the common instruments, I do see women with bells and one man with concert claves.

Everyone is getting up. A few people are walking between the lines dancing. The rest is dancing on the spot. I do feel how my body is starting to move with the rhythm of the music. I like the song. A lot of the churchgoers are throwing their arms up in the air and start singing. It is very loud in the church right now.

The song comes to an end and we sit down again.

Different women are going to the front and talk to the community. Mavis explains to us that they share their experiences with God. One woman is talking to us and we have to get up. Everybody is clapping their hands.

We are supposed to go to the front and present ourselves. The Swiss girls push me in front of them. I take the microphone and say “My name is Anne. I come from Germany and I stay with Mavis and Richard in Mampong. I’m working at the Babies' home.”

Everybody is clapping their hands. Again. That was easy. The others also present themselves before Mavis takes the microphone and thanks us from the community. For the work we do. We can now go back to our seats while everyone is still applauding and smiling.

The woman in the blue dress takes back the lead and begins to sing again. A few women head to the front and dance in the small space in front of the desk. The rest is dancing on the spot.

We are encouraged to dance as well. Tamara is looking at me saying “I can’t dance”. I just tell her she should move her body around the way she does it back home when visiting a club. The rhythm here doesn’t differ at all from the music we hear in the clubs back home.

Or what do the Ghanaians say? Everyone has music in their blood. And that is exactly how they dance around here. Relaxed and easy. We are dancing with a few women in a circle. The priest takes out his iPad and takes a picture of us. Then he joins the dancing party. A lot of people are filming or taking pictures of us. We’re back at being in the center of the action.

I laugh and continue dancing. Now, I do see the two women singing with the microphone. One of them is wearing a blue dress that reveals her knees. We’re standing in a circle now with the women with the bells. They smile and dance with us. For almost half an hour we continue the dancing session before heading back to our seats. The woman next to me thanked me while complimenting my dress “Thank you, you looked nice”.

Everyone is friendly. And thankful.

The priest takes back the microphone and begins to talk. He talks about the “Earth is trembling”. And I can follow the sermon as little as I do in Germany. But this time the reason for it is that 90 percent of the speech is in Twi, one of many Ghanaian languages. In between I just understood once that he was asking what will happen with those who don’t believe. But he didn’t look at me while saying it so I guess I’m safe.

During the sermon, the priest keeps on walking up and down. He talks freely. And loud. He talks clearly. He uses his arms and gives his words more power. Repeatedly, guests of the audience are applauding. Sometimes the entire community bursts out laughing. Unfortunately, I can’t laugh with them.

Now, the priest presents a role-playing game with two people. It looks hilarious. Everyone is laughing. Even I am.

The sermon takes half an hour but I didn’t get bored even though I barely understood anything. The priest is a good speaker. He inspired the entire community. Even me. Despite the language barrier.

The only sentence I understood was “The Earth is trembling”. And he mentioned that one a few times. He talked about war and about fear. And about the fact, one should believe in God. I don’t think that his sermon was very different in content from those in Germany. But the way he presented it was worlds apart. He had such enthusiasm and motivation he shared with the audience in every single sentence. Up until now I only knew sermons being presented in a boring and very monotone voice.

He somehow reminded me of a spokesperson for a demonstration. Someone who is trying to convince you of something. And that is exactly what he is achieving right here. He convinces his audience to believe in God.

“God bless you.“

The church service is over. Two and a half hours later. That sounds incredibly long. But it was much shorter than a one-hour-long service in Germany. Time is relative. I didn’t yawn a single time during the service. Not once. I don’t think I’ve ever managed that before. Not in a church.

And just saying. There is no blocked road in front of the church. No lines of cars parked on the sideway. Most churchgoers came on foot. Some with the taxi. Like us. Eight people in one car. And no, these cars aren’t bigger than the ones in Germany. The people are simply more flexible and more creative.

Anyhow. These were two very interesting and beautiful hours. I will come again. Not next Sunday but I’ll visit the church again.

But don’t worry. I’m still the same Anne. The one that doesn’t believe in God. But everyone is invited to the church. Even if you don’t believe.

This was an excerpt from the book I am working on. The time I spent in Ghana in 2014/2015 has been documented in daily journal entries. I published the book in German in 2020.

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