We'll see how much of that we notice in Elmina Bay Resort on the coast where we're headed to now - possibly not much!. But what an encouragement to us in how we approach Easter ourselves.
We have been amazed at how much evidence of Christian faith there is on the streets. Posters everywhere for Christian meetings, or encouraging people to fast during Lent, headlines in the paper today referring to Easter and articles inside about the price Jesus paid for us on the cross.
Most small businesses have faith related names like God First Cosmetics (or even, as we read in the guide book, Consuming Fire Fast Food!). Cars and trucks frequently have stick-on letters in their back windows saying "If God say yes, who can say no?" or similar.
Likewise, in both schools we visited in Accra, praising God was a big part of their day, in song and in prayer. At Samrit Academy, when someone enters the classroom and greets the children, asking how they are, they all stand up and say together "We are fine, blessed and highly favoured! How are you?". Strange to our ears, and said by rote, but nevertheless a great perspective to have on life. It is apparent that some of the teachers really love God and follow Him. However, for us it was upsetting to see some of the male teachers using a light cane on the children as a crowd control technique. This is standard practice in every Ghanaian school, apparently.
We told some of the older pupils that in England few people recognise Jesus as Lord, indeed you can be thought stupid for having faith, and they found that difficult to comprehend. We too find it difficult to comprehend what it would be like to live in a country where faith in God's power and recognition of our need of a saviour is as natural as breathing.
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