Day 74

The building in the picture is a mosque made from mud. I’ve not had a chance to go there (I missed it last time I passed it!) but hope to go one day (God willing). It made me think about religion in Ghana.

God and religion are very much more present in everyday society and goings on than at home. Meeting start and end with a prayer – often Christian but also sometimes Muslim.

The Upper East where I live is predominantly Christian but also has many Muslims (60%/40% is often quoted, I’m not sure how accurately.) There are mosques and churches, almost side by side, and you can sometimes hear calls to prayer. Friday lunchtime is not a good time for riding your motorbike in the town centre!!

I think there is, to a certain extent, more tolerance between religions here than at home. I’m not saying the situation is flawless – I have Ghanaian Christian friends that don’t like Muslims and sure the reverse is true – but at least on the surface, there is tolerance. I’ve certainly never heard anyone say anything implying that all Muslims are extremists. There is a certain degree of intermarrying – if a Muslim lady marries a Christian man, she becomes Christian. The reverse is also true. And I’ve also heard people say that God is God, whether he’s God or Allah, which I also find refreshing.

At a recent meeting, there was a prayer at the start. There were many cries of “Amen” from the table next to us. The loudest by far was a lady who last year completed her journey to Mecca.

We thank God.