The Value of Community
In last month’s ministry update, I shared about the group of university students who came together to offer their labor to support the fundraising efforts towards purchasing musical instruments for the church. This led to one of our supporters asking to share more about my observations of the collective culture in Ghana. Truthfully, after being in Ghana for years, I’ve started to take for granted some of the beautiful ways that the Ghanaian culture brings people together. The longer I’ve been here, it’s easy to fixate on the things that seem like inconveniences to me. I was truly humbled and encouraged when reflecting on the many ways that the Ghanaian culture reflect God’s glory and I would love to share some with you here!
Firstly, I love that Lucy will grow up with so many aunties, uncles, grandmas and grandpas around. Everyone we meet is regarded with a familial name! I am ever so grateful to our community for looking out for Lucy as she roams around during church services and around our compound. Without some of my neighbors, I would never have time to do a quick chore without Lucy tugging at my side.
Another endearing social norm in Ghana is to invite everyone around to partake in your meal with an, “You’re invited!” This is seen even on public busses as a common courtesy as an acknowledgement of the others around. I can only imagine the weird stares one would get in Canada if they invited every stranger on the public bus to their snacks!
The most meaningful moments are when relationships are made through the simple act of slowing down to even start a connection with others. The most recent example that came to mind was when I offered to drive a university student home who was filling their cooking gas cylinder. I learned that this person was from the same tribe as Enoch and knew him through some connections. A couple months later, we invited a few students to a meal after their day of work near our house and this same person was among them! Even when Enoch and I make longer road trips to visit communities, we sometimes pick up people who are waiting for a means to get to their destinations. I am not exaggerating when I say that 4 out of 5 times, Enoch finds some degree to which he knows the individual! By the end of the trip, Enoch would have made a number of phone calls to this person and that…asking if they knew our new friend from fill-in-the-blank community. The coincidence is so comical and endearing to me, especially as a Westerner who is not used to this degree of relating to others who are seemingly strangers.
As a missionary from Canada, it’s easy to get caught up in feeling like there are certain objectives I need to meet in order to feel like my time in Ghana is deemed purposeful or successful. But through this reflection, I am challenged to remember that the way we live our day to day lives can and should be used to glorify God. Especially in my new season of life as a mother, I’m encouraged to just keep living the at times monotonous pace of life without a specific agenda in mind, open hearted to those around me and being available to whoever God puts across my path each day.
God bless you,
Janice, Enoch & Lucy Jabab
