Assimilation

 

“Enter through their door, and be sure to leave through yours.”

 -St. Ignatius Loyola (on trying to make yourself understood to another)

Part of the training for my mission work in Ghana is to attend a month-long program at the Tamale Institute of Cross-Cultural Studies (TICCS). I will be attending in Tamale, one of the larger cities in Ghana (2023 population: @730,000 and the fastest growing city in West Africa) and the closest one to Damongo (@ 2 hours away) for the entire month of May. While I have been in Damongo for almost 3 months now, I am able to specifically recognize my own cultural shortcomings. I need to learn more to be successful in my mission. That’s self-awareness. One of the main issues that many of us have, and I am no exception, is the perception that we either have no need to acquire more knowledge or that we so mistrust and fear new ideas that we close ourselves off to even considering them. Cross-culturally this is more important than perhaps anywhere else in life. Truth is, once we stop growing and learning, we stop living, create thicker and higher barriers, and thus, begin dying.

I am constantly learning here in Damongo, and thankful for it. Besides the goal of immersing myself into this society in a more general way, my professional purpose for being here is as both property and hospitality manager. I have approximately 35-years-experience between the two. While that gives me a very basic overview of how systems work in a general way, the particulars are what can make or break us success-wise. I am very fortunate to have my battery powered tools here (they are quite a luxury in this place). However, the material is not only often quite different from what I’m used to, but there is also a constant scarcity issue. Imagine exchanging a supplier like Home Depot or Lowes with a purveyor no larger than the size of the basic American living room! Obviously, that means that projects are smaller, move slower and require MacGuyver-like improvisation on my part. Accepting the situation as ‘different’ is far more beneficial than to judge it inferior. That type of judgement will only benefit my ego and won’t get the work done.

Similarly, the cuisine is very alien to my experiences. I have been cooking for myself since age 12 and owned restaurants for over 20 years, but there are huge differences here that will take time to process. First of all, there are virtually no natural dairy products- milk, cheese or butter. There are just eggs. This is due in no small part to the hot climate and inability to refrigerate for most people. Because dairy products have never really existed here, there is not only a lack of familiarity and desire for them, but many of their digestive systems probably couldn’t handle them anyway. Because of the climate and the general poverty, the people here have also grown to accept less variety. They truly eat to live. Desserts and sugar are virtually absent from the diet as well. The daily fare is almost exclusively starch and protein based. Rice and a doughy substance known as banku are served with either chicken or bony fish. Spice level is the common variable in most dishes. Most of the people here like their food served spicy hot as peppers are readily available. A self-aware person realizes right away that he is not going to completely revamp diets that have evolved over thousands of years.

I can cook a large variety of foods that would satisfy most of the palettes I’m familiar with. However, I am still in the process of getting to know the culinary habits of my hosts here in Ghana. My knowledge of particular cuisines such as Italian, Cajun, Eastern European or American is of little use here. What is of use right now is helping to implement systems of efficiency for what is existing. For instance, this week I hope to install some much-needed shelving to free up counter space in the kitchen. Last week, I built wooden cash register drawers. I sit with the kitchen manager and plan quality control and food ordering procedures. Innovations with respect to tradition is my goal. When I return from the TICCS class, I will have a richer knowledge of menu ingredients and their cultural significance. Local tradition taking precedence over my ideas, and being careful to take none of the rejections personally. Building trust not only knocks down the barriers between my fellow workers and me, but will require no small measure of humility on my part.

So often, life is about self-awareness. It’s one of the qualities that we should always concentrate on developing. What I find most ironic is that ‘self-awareness’ is more about the other person or people than about ourselves. Being self-aware is to be self-corrective to the benefit of those around you; to become unselfish; to understand that you and your needs are not the most important piece of life’s puzzle; to realize that observation and processing all that surrounds you precedes judgement, commentary and reaction. Pride is the enemy of self-awareness, and I am not alone in battling it each day. Often, we live within our own echo chamber, reassuring ourselves that we are the sole arbitrators of everything that crosses our path. Unfortunately, this misconception becomes more strongly rooted as we grow older and more set in our ways. 

I’ve been like a ‘bull in a China shop’ for much of my life on a few different levels. Like most of us, I don’t wake up with bad intentions but at times lack a certain mindfulness. This is where self-awareness and a positive spirituality become such valuable tools. But like any tools they require practice to be utilized. They are keys in not only engaging cultures across the world, but also the family in the house across the street or the stranger in the park. The world has about 8 billion people in it, all of us with our own unique personalities, skills and expectations. No one of us, nor any culture, is more important than another despite what we would like to believe or what we have been erroneously taught. Living life with humility, finding more comfort in learning than in teaching, and in listening rather than speaking, leads me to discover the joy that exists within myself. I know I will achieve my greatest satisfactions when I accept that my own acknowledged unimportance is the most precious gift that I bring to the world. 

Starting Work

I received my assignment from the Catholic Diocese of Damongo 2 weeks ago and am gratified to report that it appears I will be kept quite busy during my tenure here. The Diocese has one stream of revenue and I have been given an important dual role to not only help in maintaining the current financial status but also to help to increase it. I have been named ‘overseer’ of the Unity Centre, which is the name of the jointly-run hospitality venues on the Secretariat property- the restaurant, bar and guesthouse (the current one and a brand new one opening soon). In addition to facilitate the actual operations of these 3 entities, I will also be in charge of maintenance.

I operated my own 3 restaurant/tavern over 20 plus years in the Cleveland, Ohio area until about 2014 when I began a contracting business. The biggest change facing me in Damongo will be having ‘bosses’, as I have been self employed for most of my life. My spirituality is very grounded in humility, so working with others will not be an issue and I am quickly getting used to the ‘checks and balances’ aspect of this assignment. From the day I touched down in Accra, I was impressed with the graciousness of the Ghanaian people, so working side by side with them in their hospitality industry is a natural fit.

My management style has always been to be very hands on, which so far here has meant washing dishes, and clearing tables in the restaurant in addition to watching how the food is prepared and how the money is handled. At this point, my staff are the experts. It is my job to watch, learn, and pitch in where I can. Damongo has a cuisine, like most places, that is unique to their culture. It is very starch based, which means most meals consist of chicken or fish and a rice dish or a local dough ball called banku, which is also served with a very tasty ground nut soup. My job is not to convert the people to McDonalds or Pizza Hut, but, after learning more, perhaps assimilating a few ideas into existing menu items to increase their appeal.

Similarly, my job as maintenance supervisor is to first assess issues as presented to me by current staff and not merely direct them to carry those tasks out, but instead, to do tasks with them and engender a spirit of shared purpose. I don’t mind being the guy who gets dirty. Materials are a challenge to me now, as we don’t have a Home Depot, nor a lot of money to work with. Where there’s a will there’s a way, I find. A sense of shared purpose cures a lot of other deficiencies. When you exhibit that, community follows and goals are accomplished.

The job of any good manager is to plant the seed of ‘ownership’ in those he works with. With ownership comes growth. I won’t be here forever. My goal is to leave a seamless transition in my wake, people who can not only perform my duties, but to do them even better and perhaps teach the next generation to perform theirs. I am a big believer not only in humility but also gratitude. I walk around with a lot of both of those gifts each day here. While I feel that my actual work is important on one level, my true purpose here is to participate in the cycle of God’s love and I can’t do that without inviting those around me to also participate, not through my words, but through my actions. 

One Month In

After my first month in Damongo, I feel pretty well settled in. I’m a big proponent of factoring what you are over where you are physically in life, as WHAT we are is an undeniable constant and places change. The transition from life in Cleveland, Ohio to Los Angeles at the LMH Mission House was very smooth and I’m finding that living in Damongo, Ghana is equally seamless. Sure, it’s very warm here (most days above 100F), there are language differences (though a majority of the people have some English), and we lack some of the US conveniences that most of us take for granted, I did not come here for a vacation, nor, truth be told, do I really miss any of those conveniences. I came here with a set of goals and useful skills to assimilate myself into this culture, share ideas and work, and, in the end, hopefully experience mutual learning and growth that results from a shared higher purpose.

One thing that is very different in Damongo is the pace of life. Things move very slow here. It very well may be because of the heat. After formation in LA, the long holiday break, the packing process and 22-hour trip over 2 days, I was raring to go. The diocese here looks at things a little differently. To their credit, they felt it is primary to meet me, let me learn a little about the people and culture, and match me to the correct position based upon my skills and their needs. At age 57, my work and life skills are as varied as the twists and turns of life. I went to school to be a teacher, ended up owning and managing bars and restaurants over 25 years, and most recently became a self-taught contractor and property manager.

While Damongo is a fairly rural area by American standards, it has a steadily growing population and 4 years ago was named the capital of the Savannah Region of Ghana. While the Catholic Church is one of the original stakeholders here, like any other institution they need to be sustainable on a number of levels, including finance and building maintenance, in order to remain viable and spread their message. The diocese recently completed building a modern guesthouse which is complimented by an existing restaurant/tavern which, I’m told, is in need of a ‘bar rescue’ to provide the diocese with much needed income. They are also in need of someone to maintain building infrastructure and/or provide oversight to various building projects. I jokingly told Bishop Peter Paul that they should have asked for two of me!

Whatever the decision does not matter so much to me. I am confident that I will be prepared sufficiently for whatever comes my way. I find that if you approach life with humility, openness and the ability to set clear goals, the rest of it tends to take care of itself. So, for right now, I am awaiting that direction with excitement tempered by realistic expectations. I feel quite convinced that God has placed me where I am supposed to be and have full faith that He will also have me do what it is I am supposed to do. 

AMDG

(Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam- For the Greater Glory of God)    

The First Thing You Notice

 

The first thing you notice when you exit the airport in Accra, besides the heat, is the graciousness of the Ghanaian people. I was told this by most everyone I met before I came and certainly the people have exceeded even lofty expectations. Everywhere is smiles and greetings. Especially for the visitor.

Things move at a slower pace here than what we are used to in the US and that is a good thing. Partly due to our rushing around, valuing all people is something that sometimes slips away in our culture, often we place a premium on wealth and celebrity, while allowing others to become all but invisible. This culture embraces mindfulness, taking the time to care for neighbors and strangers alike, being welcoming towards each other, the most basic foundation of participating in God's cycle of love, which is the energy of the universe.

The welcoming continued as I met fellow Lay Mission-Helper, Josie Cruz, who I am sharing a house with. Josie has helped me to make the transition from the valuable training I received at the LMH Mission House in LA, to hitting the ground in Damongo as seamless as possible. For that I am also grateful. As I wait for my assignments to be presented to me (I will be overseeing building projects and doing various contracting tasks), my first job is to immerse myself in the local culture. Josie has introduced me to the priests and staff that I will be working with, brought me to the market where we will buy our essentials, and accompanied me to the vibrant church where we will practice our faith alongside these gracious people who have welcomed us into their lives. 

The highlight of my first week in Damongo was accompanying the Papal Nuncio to Ghana during his visit. The first day was filled with official appearances to churches and schools for blessings on behalf of Pope Francis. The second day was more leisurely as we visited Mole National Park on safari where we saw elephants, antelope, boar and baboons in their natural habitat. The Nuncio is a fitting representative for Holy Father, charming everyone he meets with genuine smiles and engaging good will. 

If someone would have asked me 20 years ago where I would be today, I couldn't possibly have guessed.  But if you were to ask me now if there is anywhere I'd rather be, I would answer a firm, "No", because I have come to realize that God places us where we are supposed to be each moment of our lives.

Count Down To Ghana

As I count down the remaining few days before I embark on my mission assignment in Ghana, I appreciate how life is balanced by its contrasts.

I know that I must be ready to utilize my experiences but also be prepared for the unknown. Accept time-worn truths but free myself from rigid or biased judgements. Find equal value in the ethereal thoughts of great intellectuals and the small, yet meaningful actions of those dispossessed by an often unkind world. While I must be mindful of my own physical and spiritual well-being, I cannot question giving my self wholly to others through God's infinite love; to humbly realize that I am not counted as special in relation to my worldly neighbors but am singularly, as we all are, cherished by our Creator.

To me, life is not about absolutes, but, rather a divinely crafted plan somehow existing in conjunction with a universe filled with wonderment and uncertainty. My time at the Lay Mission-Helpers for formation has been invaluable for my next step in life as a missioner in Ghana. I am eternally grateful to the caring staff, fellow candidates (of Mission Doctors Association) and generous donors for providing me this opportunity for growth and granting me the humble honor of participating in God's cycle of love on the other side of the world. I can only hope that both the planned and unexpected events of the next three years will further prepare me for whatever God has intended for me going forward. Life is indeed a marathon. A collection of moments. Based upon my experience, I can only be certain of one thing in life- it's uncertain. And I'm good with that.

The Flame

"Go and set the world on fire."

      -St. Ignatius Loyola

Coming to the end of formation at Lay Mission Helpers, I'm finding that this quote from one of my favorite Saints has changed in meaning for me somewhat. I can imagine Ignatius, the former romantic, chivalrous knight, dramatically charging into battle; taking on the world, battering down all obstacles and torching all evil. While the vision would make a great movie, I'm learning that the role of today's missionary is much more subtle. 

 The "flame" I am bringing to mission will be borne of humility. I am not expecting to charge headlong into "battle" per se, but rather entering as a guest of the people of Ghana. To look, listen and learn with respect; To discern areas of concern WITH those that call the country their home, not to dictate these things to them; To give them ownership of whatever goals they generously allow me to accomplish WITH them; To be a witness for Christ in all my words and actions; Finally, to open my heart to their hardships and joys on a daily basis and through them kindle God's fire within myself. Indeed, with all due respect to Saint Ignatius, a new credo now resonates: "For we are God's helpers."

1Corinthians 3:9

(Lay Mission-Helpers motto)