Ghana Gazette

A day of break and leisure following a wonderful visit by the Director of all the International M.T.C.s - Brother Gene Hill - he arrived on a Friday and spent six great days with us. Since we ran out of missionaries on a Tuesday, and he didn't have to leave until Wednesday, we took the "day off" and drove down to Elimina where the Slave Castle is located. I believe this is the first picture I've had taken without a tie on since I came - we are just outside the castle overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and looking a bit somber after our visit to the castle. This will be Brother Hill's last visit to MTC's as he is officially retiring the end of July - we have certainly enjoyed our association with him - he was the one who phoned each week for the three months before we went to Provo for training and helped us understand Preach My Gospel - we wish him the very best as he descends the "hill" of faithful service in the church.

Three hours later and we find ourselves at the Lartebiokorshie Ward building for what is known as the official wedding ceremony - this means that the couple have registered their marriage with the government and it is now recognized by the government - happily Ghana is one of the few countries in Africa where the Bishops of the Church are recognized by the government and can marry young couples officially. In many other countries (such as the Congo which we know well) - it costs a fair sum of money to make a wedding official as the local authorities feel it is necessary for them also to have a little party and refreshment etc.... if they are to perform a ceremony. In the picture above Sister Ansah (now Mintah) - first name Theresa is being accompanied to the chapel by her handsome and proud father and followed by her bridesmaid and sister - Rebeccah Mensah.
This is Sister Mintah in her wedding dress - the young lady beside her, Gloria Wellington was primarily in charge of the seating and ushering and generally being sure that all was going as it should. While her dress is not officially a "bridesmaid type" - it was an excellent example of Ghanaian patterns and weaving. Never got an opportunity to get any real good pictures of the couple - here is one informal one with Benjamin behind and Theresa on the floor. Just as they stepped out for pictures it started to rain and a real down pour followed that lasted for over an hour and half - we were supposed to be back at the MTC but couldn't get out to the car - when we eventually did we were pushing water up to the top of our hub cabs on a couple of the traffic circles - so for that reason (rain) we didn't get in on the formal photos. Benjamin has been a teacher (French and English) here at the MTC for about four years. He taught Theresa when she went through on her way to her mission. She has just begun as a teacher here recently. Had time permitted, they could have gone to the temple and been sealed which would have made three weddings for them in one day. Here in Africa because temple sealings are not recognized as weddings (a wedding must be public, where anyone can attend) - the church gives a couple two weeks to get to the temple to be sealed, otherwise, just as it is at home, they must wait one year. Benjamin and Theresa invited all the current class of missionaries to attend their sealing the following Wednesday, and there was a room full to see them sealed. What a great experience for us all!!!

Saturday June 2 was quite an interesting and informative day for us - we rose at 5:30 AM to attend the "Traditional Marriage" of two of our MTC teachers. In Africa the tradtional marriage consists of the Bride's family formally accepting and receiving the dowry that the groom's family have brought to the ceremony. We were worried we had missed the affair because we went to the Church where the teachers had told us to go - however we misunderstood and so we waited for over an hour when one of the ward members happened to be going by and set (sent) us straight. We arrived and they were just under way. In the picture above, you see the two families on opposite sides of the "dowry". Each family has a "representative" to negotiate, accept, but more importantly - entertain. The lady in the orange was for the bride, the one in white for the groom and although most of what was said was in Twi - we could tell that they were telling quite a story - the lady in white would pick an item from the dowry and present it to the lady in orange - who would comment on it - put on a show of not thinking it was good enough, or adequate, but finally accepting it. In the dowry were a lot of envelopes - money for buying some items - also four pop cases of drinks, a suitcase, and other items we didn't really get a good look at - one basket contained scriptures and was nicely wrapped - but this went on for over an hour without any evidence of a bride or groom being anywhere around.
Eventually the "professional barterer" fetched the bride (above) and explained to her and the family that all was as the family had prescribed (it is the family that establishes the dowry, the groom's family who modifies it (negotiates) - and apparently they are the ones who decide it is okay and the two can be married. However, the brides representative declared that she needed transport money to go and get the bride (who was in the house a few feet away...then she needed AMERICAN DOLLARS for her flight to retrieve the bride. All eyes turned to President Nielson, who was the only remotely American person there... fortunately...he had some American money in his wallet The young lady on the right is one of our teachers - Sister Ansah and she is the sweet bride... you can see from the traditional dress she was very much into the traditional ceremony.
What a great time they all seemed to be having - it was accompanied by the traditional cheering and laughing - what a very happy people they are at events like this.
Finally Brother Mintah was escorted in - relieved and ready to carry out his part of the ceremony. Since the dowry was accepted, the two were now traditionally considered married and to verify that they exchanged rings. Another surprise to us was before they exchange the rings, they have the rings blessed and lo and behold, President Nielson was asked to bless the rings before they were exchanged. Here Brother Benjamin Mintah is putting the ring on the finger of Sister Ansah - who now traditionally becomes Mrs. Mintah. This is a tradition that if I understand correctly every couple goes through as part of the marriage process and is recognized by all as a traditional marriage. Missionaries are advised as they teach young couples and they claim they are "traditionally" married, the missionaries will ask the young lady's family if that is true because the bride's family will never admit to a marriage until the dowry is paid in full. We were extremely grateful for the opportunity to view and attend this very family oriented activity and understand a little more about the wedding customs here in Africa. As this was completed, the group moved to the local church building for step two in the marriage process. (See next blog).