The Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture (ACI), Akropong, Ghana

During my first day at the Akrofi-Christaller Institute of Theology, Mission and Culture (ACI) in Akropong, Ghana, I sat at a lunch table with Rev. Felix Cornelius Agyei, a PhD student. I asked Pastor Felix about his research topic, a question which launched us into a riveting conversation about the relationship of language and culture with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastor Felix described his research topic as “the study of ‘the works of the law’ and ‘justification’ from the book of Galatians, from the Akan* mother tongue perspective.” Pastor Felix describes how the mother-tongue hermeneutical* approach helps people understand the scriptures from their own context. He says, “It allows the people to hear God speak in their own language.” He acknowledges how many Ghanaian and African peoples see the Bible as the white man’s book and as a European document. Yet, he says that the Bible is a "universal document." He reminds us that the scriptures, much of what we know as the Bible, found their way to Africa before they travelled to Europe, providing the example of the Ethiopian eunuch (see Book of Acts, chapter eight). Pastor Felix shared with me an example of the mother tongue hermeneutical approach, saying

When explaining the concept of sin to people, every theologian wants to use idea of “harmartia,” which means “missing the mark,” a Graeco-Roman concept which the [Graeco-Roman] world of that time would understand…But as an Akan, when I explain “missing the mark,” there is no understanding. But, [culturally speaking], when I want people to desist from a certain thing, I need to describe it as smelly, as foul, as something you don’t want to touch. In Akan we say “e-bone.* When some of these [local] concepts are employed and amalgamated with the hamartia concept...when missing the mark of Christ [is connected with] the thing you are involved with [which] is ‘smelling’…[you question yourself about] how can you go close to God with that smell? These are some of the things that will ring well in the African, and this is what is motivating me to study [in mother tongue language and our local  thought categories] …

Rev. Felix Cornelius Agyei

Pastor Felix and his research interest represent the ethos and vision of ACI. Founded by the late African Theologian Kwame Bediako almost thirty years ago, ACI seeks to be a “pacesetting postgraduate university, training Christian workers and leaders for effective mission in the African context.” ACI achieves this vision by developing robust academic programs which provide tools for “serious and creative research into African Christianity,” serving the wider community in Ghana, Africa and beyond, focusing on training for Christian mission according to the African context. Amara Baptizo, a student from Sierra Leone, testifies to the effectiveness of ACI’s vision and mission when he tells me, “Here at ACI, I feel like my ‘African-ness’ is appreciated.”

Professor Gillian Mary Bediako pictured in her home with
a painting of her late husband Kwame Bediako
 

I learned of ACI many years ago when I first read the book Jesus in Africa: The Christian Gospel in African History and Experience, by Kwame Bediako. This book has changed me, shaping how I engage and think about ministry in Africa. To visit ACI is a dream I have nurtured over many years.  

Photo Credit: from Amazon 

This year, from the end of May until the end of June, I was privileged to spend four full weeks at ACI, spending quality time with staff, faculty, and students over lunch, breakfast, and during and after our daily devotions. I was also invited into the homes of a few faculty members, and I am grateful to have had focused discussions with two faculty members regarding my own research interest; their input and feedback challenged me in some very important ways! Having been invited to ACI as a Research Associate, I am grateful to also have had access to their world class library where I logged many hours writing two sections of my doctoral thesis. The staff could not have been more accommodating and delightful. 

Newly built and dedicated library with conference hall,
periodicals room, archives, and museum 

World class library which centers titles concerning
Christianity in the Global South 

Library carrel where I did most of my writing

Justice, who works in the Archives Section of the library, 
is passionate and committed to preserving historical documents 
of the church and mission in Ghana

During my four weeks, I felt like I was welcomed as part of the ACI family, attending and helping with special events and being invited to preach during their Wednesday morning extended worship the final week I was there. 

After devotions on my final day with ACI Registrar
Rev. Dr. Michael Nortey and ACI Chaplain Dr. Ernest Afrifa Anane

I am grateful to Rev. Cheryl Barnes and the Africa Office of Presbyterian World Mission for their support to pursue this unique opportunity to travel to a new place, make new friends, and be inspired by what is possible as we listen together for what God is doing in our unique contexts. From personal experience, I can say that "ACI is a great place," and in the words of our friend Ingrid, "Given its awesome foundations, ACI can be an even greater place, amen." To God be the glory!

During my time at ACI, I was able to attend and assist with three major 
events:  the annual Kwame Bediako Memorial lecture, the Inaugural Professional Lecture of Professor Laryea, and ACI's annual Interfaith Symposium

Professor Philip Laryea, newly installed Rector of ACI, being 
congratulated by a Ghanaian king after his Inaugural Lecture
Photo Credit: ACI 

*Akan refers to a family of languages and peoples found in southeastern Ghana.

*The term “hermeneutical” or “hermeneutic” refers to the idea of the means and methods by which we make interpretation and deduce meaning.

*this is an English transliteration of the Twi word “bɔne” and the Twi expression “hua bɔne,” signifying a bad smell. Twi is a language shared by the Akan peoples of Ghana.

Video of Visit to Nasir

Bob made a much-anticipated visit to Nasir in May together with some colleagues and visited some of the surrounding villages. We put together a short collage of videos and photos from the trip to show some of the highlights. 

Here is a summary of the timeline:

Thursday, May 16: Arrive in Nasir after 3-day flight delay. Unity celebration with churches working together to build a new church building in Nassir.

Friday, May 17: Begin long walk to Keirwan in the evening, camp in a village along the way

Saturday, May 18: Start walking at 4am to reach Keirwan at 6am. Bob was traveling with Rev. Paul Ruot, who served this rural congregation nearly 40 year ago, so it was a joyful reception!

Sunday, May 19: Sunday worship in Keirwan, including celebration and inauguration of the new church building. Start walking back to Nassir in the evening, camping along the way.

Monday, May 20: Complete the walk to Nasir in the morning, visit of historical places in Nasir

Tuesday, May 21: Visit to Kedbek, nearby village, to meet with people who knew Rev. Moses Kuac, the first Nuer pastor. In the evening, take a boat to Mandeng.

Wednesday, May 22: Visit to Presbytery meeting in Mandeng.

Thursday, May 23: Flight to Juba is delayed because of rain.

Friday, May 24: Visit people in Mandeng while waiting for flight on Saturday.

Saturday, May 25: Helicopter arrives and return to Juba. 

Bob described some of the highlights of this visit in our most recent newsletter. It was a meaningful time of connecting with people and learning more about how God is at work there and learning about the history of the church in that region. He was struggling with giardia most of the trip, but somehow managed the long walks by God's grace and was grateful for the generous hospitality and support of people there to help him through.

Small-scale entrepreneurs

A young man sells brooms, mops, and padlocks on the street.

Those things are heavy when you are carrying a quantity like this!

In Juba, one of the big struggles is lack of jobs with salaries and benefits. A majority of people earn some money to survive in the ‘informal economy’. People of all ages walk the streets with wares to sell – nearly every department of Walmart represented in what is sold by these peripatetic peddlers. Suitcases, perfume, all types of clothing, shoes, electronics, books, and cleaning supplies – they can all be found passing by on the street.

This young woman buys things in bulk and resells them
in her kiosk shop in a neighborhood market.

Then there are those who buy in bulk and repackage it, so that people can buy just the salt or charcoal or sugar that they need for today, because that is the money that they have. Others have a skill that they use to create a small business, like sewing clothes, making food, or cutting or braiding hair. If they do not have the funds to rent an official shop, they set up on the side of the road with a table and a few chairs, and each night put everything away into storage.

A tea shop by the roadside in Juba. Our friend Mary stores

all the chairs, charcoal cooker, and tea supplies at a relative's

house each night and sets them up in the morning.

Unfortunately, this ‘informal economy’ includes kids, and often it is the children walking the streets selling snacks or shining shoes. Some of them start after school, but for most if they are selling something it means that they are not able to go to school or do not have parents to care for them.  

A tray of roasted peanuts and other snacks,

which a young girl walks the streets to sell. 

Taking pictures on the street in Juba is not welcomed unless you have a relationship with a specific person, so we do not have very many pictures, but we hope that these few can give you a glimpse into the broad range of the 'informal economy'. We are so impressed at the hard work and perseverance by these entrepreneurs, and recognize the vulnerability that they live with.

Making money and recycling combined! These are used soda

and water bottles that have been collected on the street and are

ready to be sold to those who will use them to sell other things

like home-made juice or liquid soap.

Testimonies of transformation

Whew! May was a very busy month, conducting two Healing Hearts Transforming Nations (HHTN) workshops in Juba along with a training of facilitators. But in the midst of the long days and exhaustion, I was so grateful for the gift of working with a talented and passionate group of people among our facilitators and trainers. And above all, I was grateful for the privilege of seeing people experience healing, revelation, and forgiveness. Only the Holy Spirit can do that work, and it is humbling that we get to be part of "setting the stage" for people to experience a fresh encounter with God.

An international organization included HHTN as one of the components of a multi-faceted peacebuilding approach in three counties of South Sudan and they asked us to train some of their staff to facilitate the HHTN workshop. Their staff are already well-trained and experienced, so we wondered how well they would ‘engage themselves’ in the workshop. It was encouraging to hear them reflect afterwards “We are helping people in the communities to find healing, but we did not realize that we also need healing ourselves.” Another one also said “On the first day I was skeptical of this workshop, wondering if it would make any difference. But then I realized the truth that this is what we need.”

An illustration of salt dissolving in water as we

discuss what it means to be the "salt of the earth"

One group prepares their lessons to teach.

As part of the training of facilitators, we organize ‘practicum workshops’, where the new facilitators can put into practice what they have learned and be able to teach and facilitate with their coaches giving feedback afterwards. Two local SSPEC churches who had been requesting the HHTN workshop hosted these practicum workshops. In each location, the number of people who came grew each day as people heard about the meaningful teaching and how God was working. Many of the people who attended have come from Sudan in the last year due to the war there, and this was a good opportunity for them to be able to process some of that trauma and find healing.

A ministry time in one of the practicum workshops -

praying and showing love to people as they face

wounds or a lack of love from their families.

Giving over pain to Jesus during

one of the practicum workshops

I was humbled and amazed by the diversity of testimonies we heard from participants in those workshops. We praise God for bringing healing and reconciliation in a variety of ways, and hope that you will join us in praising God for the ways that He showed love to people and brought transformation this week. Here are a few of the ways that God worked:

• A man shared that he had not spoken to his brother for more than 30 years because of conflict between them. The man said “my brother did not have much problem with me. It was I who was filled with anger and hatred towards him and refused to meet him. But now God has healed me from my pain and I want to reconcile with my brother.”
• A man who had not been able to sleep said he finally slept and felt peace after the cross workshop
• A mother went home and told her children that she loved them. They asked “What happened to you? You have not talked to us like this before. Somethings has changed in you.” She also told her husband that she loved him. He asked “Where is this change coming from? If it is coming from the church, we should all be going to church.”
• An older woman called her pastor and said “I have been going to the church all these years, but now I realize that I was not really a Christian. But through the teachings this week Jesus has really entered my life and I feel like a new person.”
• A man confessed that he was one of the militia who killed people in Unity State in 2013. They were trained and taught to kill every person they found except for those who were inside the church. He killed people inside of a mosque and in some government buildings. He felt terrible about it now, and was asking for forgiveness.

"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their tresspasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us."

2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Pastor Idris & the Wedding of His Daughter

When Pastor Idris Nyalos Kida invited Kristi and I to the wedding of his daughter, along with a special invitation to a family luncheon the week before the wedding, I was thrilled! Pastor Idris is the center of my third case study of my PhD research, so any chance to spend time with him is a wonderful opportunity.

We expected the family luncheon to be a simple affair at the home of Pastor Idris and his wife Mary. When we arrived at the petrol station near his home, Idris gathered us up into his vehicle and drove us to the event. When we approached the area of his home and I saw the tents outside, I knew that the event was much bigger than what we had anticipated, but it also felt very South Sudanese. As we stepped down from Idris’ Landcruiser, we were met by Pastor Zechariah who directed us to a protocol person who directed us to another protocol person who seated us near the front. As elder family members and dignitaries arrived, the women ululated and the joy was palpable; we ourselves were greeted with this same joyful response. A young man and a young woman emceed the outdoor event, which was punctuated by traditional dancing led by the family of the groom-to-be, who are of the Acholi tribe. I joined in the dancing, and it was clear that connecting with one’s cultural roots during these occasions brings great pride and joy for the gathered families and community.

The formal occasion did not last long; we were all directed to various local homes where we would eat the special meal. Kristi and I joined a pastor couple and another pastor, all of whom serve the largest Pentecostal church in Juba and who would officiate the wedding the following week. We had a grand time connecting and enjoying the festivities together. Looking after our every need, Pastor Idris took us out from an inner room to an outdoor area where the air was cool and we could feel more comfortable.

At these types of events, one always feels extra special when the host spends time with you. Pastor Idris came and sat with the five of us; we enjoyed hearing stories from the other guests of the many and varied men and women whom Pastor Idris had led to Christ and discipled over the course of three decades and more. One story highlighted a man who had come to faith through the ministry of Pastor Idris, but who had turned away from God and had turned back to alcohol after his wife died. While driving his motorcycle from Torit to Juba, this man heard an audible voice repeatedly saying to him, “If it was not for Idris, you would not be here,” meaning, if not for Idris’ influence in your life, you would not be alive. The man, his name Martin Elijah, was shaken to the core. He immediately turned his life back to God. Today, he plants and leads churches among the Lotuko people of Eastern Equatoria State in South Sudan.

Sitting outside with Pastor Idris and other guests

Many other fascinating stories were told that evening as we sat outside of the home of Idris and enjoyed the joy of the occasion. I did not realize it during the event, but the groom-to-be and bride-to-be were not present. The following week we would see them in all of their matrimonial glory. On that day at Juba Christian Center (JCC), while others were going forward to offer well-wishes to the bride and groom, I seized the opportunity to go forward, bend down, place my left arm over my right arm (a gesture of respect), and offer my hand in congratulations to Pastor Idris Nyalos Kida on this great occasion, the wedding of his daughter, Hannah Idris Nyalos.

Bride and Groom 

Bride and Groom and their families ~ 
Pastor Idris in front row, left, tall, wearing beige suit