Religious Notes

I consider it a success that some mornings I am able to sleep through the 5:00am call to prayer from the megaphone just outside the guesthouse. It was easy to tune out the roosters at 3am in the campo, but this singing megaphone has been slightly more difficult.

It’s estimated that 56% of the Northern region’s population is Muslim. Driving between Tamale and Savelugu (where the World Vision office is located), I have noticed that most villages have a small mosque. The boy who runs the guesthouse here will surreptitiously exit the main house and pray the requisite five times a day. This is my first experience living in Muslim culture and from what I can tell the men seem to be very devote.

I have enjoyed attending mass with Hamdiyah on Sunday’s at the Kamina Barracks just north of where I am staying. Hamdiyah converted to Catholicism from Islam before marrying her husband. I didn’t realize this until I arrived, and it was a nice surprise. If I had to describe the mass here in one word, I would choose the word joyful. Mass is two hours long- probably because the gospel and homily (final reading and reflection by the priest) are recited in both English and Twi- the major language in the southern part of the country and most widely spoken throughout the country. There is also a significant amount of singing that extends the mass slightly. The choir is quite impressive with just 4 women and three men they harmonize and fill the church with their voices. It is celebratory. And let’s not forget that when it comes time to give tithes (pass the basket to collect donations) the entire congregation files in front of the altar to place their money in the collection basket up front. Two hours is probably a bit on the conservative side- I would say it’s closer to 2.5 hours.