Ghanaians are really really really religious. 70% of the country is Christian, the other 29% are Muslim, and 1% some variety of Buddhism. These numbers are really rough, and the internet is too slow for me to look anything up right now, but one of our student leaders threw this statistic at me so I’ll take it for truth for now.
Whenever I meet someone, they not only ask me about where I am from and what I am studying, but it seems like common practice to also ask for my religion. Students stand outside my window every weekend, spreading the word of God and condemning non-believers on the megaphone, perhaps hoping to brainwash me in my sleep? Strangers knock on my door, asking if they can have bible study in my room. Friends who don’t go to church or practice any of the Christian philosophies claim they are Christian. Whenever I answer that I am a non-believer or that I am uninterested, no one seems to understand. “You mean you are a Buddhist?” Sometimes, I find it easier just to answer “Yes, my family is Buddhist,” although this response elicits a number of invites to visit their churches with them, hoping to somehow convert me.
I decided to attend a Sunday service to see what God in Ghana was all about. There was a service nearby the dorm, so I just stopped in to watch. i have never attended a service in my life, so this was a very interesting experience. I believe this was a non-denominational service, but to be honest, I am not very fluent or knowledgeable about religion, so I was pretty lost as to what was going on and what was happening. There was a lot of singing, a lot passion, and a lot of love at that service. I felt a bit left out though, having not yet “accepted jesus into my life.” I think I need to talk to more people to understand their perspectives.
Another entry on this topic to come.
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