Then Friday was the funeral….. Bro. Paul from Hikpo was an older gentleman that had been in and out of the hospital for several weeks already before he died in December. He had a shining testimony of what Jesus had done for him and Bro. Samuel said that he witnessed to others in the hospital! He was a member at Light and Hope Christian Church here in Sogakope. The village of Hikpo was swarming with people…. An Aunt in the same family of Paul’s had also died and had planned the funeral on Jan. 28th. So we decided to let the family do Bro. Paul’s funeral the same day…. So the service was a mixture of Pentecostal and Light & Hope! A big contrast! First off we went to Bro. Paul’s family compound and ate Bankou with several different stews, a fish stew, a gineau fowl stew, and a beef stew! The children and I ate with Bro. Samuel’s family in a small room [Chad had run back to the house because we forgot our camera!]. The food was spread out on a narrow bench with all of us sitting on chairs or low stools around it… Elayna was on a chair but couldn’t quite reach the bankou so in her attempt to get closer her foot knocked off a bowl of stew splattering it all over Carolyn and Ruth’s nice dresses!!! And make a big mess on the concrete floor! Sis. Eunice quickly cleaned up the girls and another lady came in and cleaned up the floor… after saving the meat that had fallen [meat is very precious and rare!]. I don’t know if the bankou was exceptionally good or if I am starting to like it!!!! My Husband says I’m starting to like it because it didn’t taste any different to him! It helps to be really hungry too! J After eating we all walked back to the Aunt’s compound where the funeral service was set up. The Pentecostal church had gone all out and had little papers with the deceased Madam Afi printed on it and pinned to everyone at the funeral [about 300-400 people]… plus they had a pamphlet with the order of the service and the different tributes that were going to be read during the service. They had a full band with two sets of loud speakers that made the place literally shake with volume! I was half amazed that the children actually slept for part of the service because we were sitting right in front of one set of speakers and the band! The service went looooong trying to combine two funerals into one! During part of it we went to view the bodies with Bro. Simon… then later with Bro. Samuel and Sis. Eunice, who wanted to get a picture with Bro. Paul. Now in America we view bodies lying down in a coffin…. But here they have them sitting up in chairs… all dressed from head to toe [even wearing gloves on their hands!]…. And covered with flowers and frills! The family members are in there too crying, yelling, and waving their hands in their faces…. It was like they were trying to revive them and were angry that they choose to die [as if they had a choice L]! There was a lot of music/singing and dancing throughout the whole service…. Almost as if funerals are a celebration just like a wedding! Chad says they call it the “celebration of life”! Bro. Samuel lead 3 songs and the band, swaying, and clapping ceased…. Only one guitarist played softly… and the singing was in Ewe… very beautiful and a huge testimony that we were different! Actually, Bro. Samuel, Sis. Eunice, Sis. Grace, Bro. Simon, Bro. Chad, and myself [all that were there representing Light & Hope] did not dance and sway and carry on… we did half-heartedly clap a little but it was a stark contrast to those around us! Finally it was time to put the bodies in the coffins and bring them outside to where everyone was at…. Then all the tributes were read… and more singing and dancing! It was funny to see the same people who were just in there wailing…. Out dancing and singing and having a grand ole time! In the end they had all the family from both Bro. Paul and Madam Afi come forward and they had special prayer for them. Then it was load up in lorries, taxis, and motos and head to another village where Bro. Paul was to be buried! More singing and dancing there… there was drums but no loud speaker back in this more remote village. After about a half an hour of that… it was finally time to head to the burial plot! A short walk on a narrow trail brought us so the concrete vault in which they placed the coffin and after a short speech from the Deeper Life Pastor and a song from Bro. Samuel & Sis. Eunice, and lastly a prayer… All was over! But not yet =) A few more necessary things to do… I’m not sure what they were… but we sat an waited… and elderly gentleman came and shook our hands… then a discussion on how much to give the Deeper Life Pastor… then finally homeward bound!!!! We had left the house at quarter till 10am and were getting home at 5pm! We hadn’t eaten since 11am…. And the children hadn’t had proper naps…. And with tired parents to top it off…. Chad went bought us some rice and chicken for supper!
Bro. Simon with Chace at the funeral.
