By the time you read this column, I would have arrived back to my home in Dillon, South Carolina, U.S.A. I arrived in Accra, Ghana on July 26, 2022 at 2:25 p.m. (their time) that is exactly four hours ahead of our time. Though I have been fortunate enough to visit several countries in Africa, as well as quite a few others around the globe in Europe, Asia, Central America (including the West Indies), this was my first time in this western African nation. I was visiting Ghana to fulfill one of my responsibilities as the Prelate and Senior Bishop of the Fellowship of Interdependent Churches International. One of my policies and practices as the senior leader of this fellowship of independent churches is to meet all senior leaders of churches before I recommend them and their church to be a part of our evangelical and charismatic group. This is to assure that they are on the same page with us concerning the essential beliefs and practices of the Christian faith. For I am convinced that two cannot walk together except they be in agreement (Amos 3:3).
My traveling companion and I were met at the airport by one of the pastors who we had come to meet and get to know. Like most African people who I have met in my extended travels, he was very friendly and accommodating. He was genuine and courteous in the way he treated us throughout our stay.
Having overcome the culture shock that I had experienced when I first visited countries in Africa many years earlier (like Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Uganda, and others), I was not captivated by some of the sites and activities that were happening in this third world country that clearly revealed to me that I was “not in Kansas anymore”. People, very poor and desperate, were busy trying to make a living selling everything from parched corn on the cob, chips, watches, belts, and many other edibles and goods. What truly fascinated me about these street merchants (who sold along the side of the highway as well as between the lanes of very busy traffic) were the ones (mostly women) who carried their products and goods in containers upon their heads. One woman in particular who caught my eye not only had a container balanced upon her head as she walked, but she also had a baby wrapped by a garment to her back. When I travel to any foreign country, one of the first things that I always look for is a piece of Americana. Eateries like Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, and Burger King are globally located. Then there are the hotel chains like Radisson, Marriott, Holiday Inn, and others that remind me of home. However, the most iconic piece of America are the soft drinks like Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
We arrived at the hotel where we spent the night before embarking upon the long and tiresome journey of over five hours for the city, I was scheduled to speak for three consecutive nights. I nestled in and slept with great expectation of what awaited me for the next few days that I would be in Ghana on assignment from the Lord.
After eating a good English breakfast of eggs, bacon, beans, and tea, we started our trip toward the city that was the third largest in Ghana (as far as population is concerned). It was a journey of twisting, snake-like curves, as well as many hills and valleys.
Sitting in the front seat on the passenger side, I was on pins and needles as our host would go around a vehicle on a curve or up a hill and often barely making it in time before having a head on collision with an oncoming vehicle. In America, this trip would have taken us only two hours; however, it took us approximately five hours to reach our destination. Thank God, for our interstates and US roads, as well as our infrastructures that are the best in the world and affords us easy and safe traveling by vehicles anywhere in the continental United States. I was truly blessed and challenged by the first few days of being in this part of Ghana where many of the African slaves originated from during the heyday of the slave trade in the Americas. So, in a true sense, I had gone back to my roots like Alex Haley had written about in his epic autobiography Roots.
Join me next week as I will continue my commentary about my trip to Ghana.
There is some very interesting information and drama that will hopefully both inform and entertain you in next week’s conclusion.