Today The Drums Beat!

Electricity was quite unstable today and the church’s generator was experiencing challenges. The organist was  unable to provide the usual keyboard lead. It turns out that was a good thing for all of us. Choristers quickly reached for the good old African drums and other very interesting instruments and got into their element. In what seemed to be a natural response, the choirmaster started off with a local song and the whole church erupted into continuous joyous praise which Father had difficulty interrupting.  

As if to herald what was to come later, I saw two huge drums in a church this morning on my way to church. My mind quickly went back to the days when I attended church with my grandmother. Drumbeats could be heard long before we got to the church; tum...tum..tum and I never could wait to get there. Christ’s Little Band and the Singing band always had about 45 minutes of praise worship accompanied with drums and other local instruments as people streamed in and got settled. There were hardly any organs or electronic keyboards those days. The old shuffled their feet and swayed their bodies backwards, to the front and sideways. The youthful and stronger bodied clapped, wriggled their waists, waved their hands and moved their bodies through all manner of contortions.

I couldn’t wait for collection time which was also another opportunity for the singing band to treat us to many more songs to which the church would respond gladly with dancing. I learnt loads of songs in the local dialect during these praise worship sessions and sang out as loud as I possibly could. It was the best part of church.

Today the songs, drums, dancing, all played out in church. The students were doing their church version of Azonto and everyone was taking their time to get back to their seats. I am told it's called Christozonto. The women waved their cover cloths. Even the usually stiff gentlemen clapped and sung. There was jumping, sliding, hopping, twisting and turning.

We sang;

“me si me dan wo botan so, na me ne yesu be tena” – “ I will build my house on a mountain top and I will live there with God...” 

And “da yehowa ne nemaa no be twa epo no, ewurusi beba Isreal, O Isreal eni be gye”, that is “the day God will cross the sea with his children, Israel will rejoice and be glad”

Also, “gye yen akyedi ma enso weni, gye o gye, ma enso weni”; translated, “receive our gifts and may it be pleasing to you”. 

And “abonsam shoot wa shoot no bi, o kick wa kick no bi, abonsam sro yesu din”, which is "when the devil kicks you kick hom back, when he shoots at you, do same!"

To be fair, the church has in recent years done a lot to bring the service closer to the people.  Many of our prayers have been turned into song and hymns have been substited  with local gospel songs. Even some traditionally Latin prayers and songs have found their local Twi, Ga and Ewe substitutes. Instead of a dreary “Amen” at the end of a prayer, we sing “amen, amen it shall be so” or amen, amen blessings and glory, wisdom thanksgiving and honour, power and might be unto our God forever and ever amen”

When we get into things in our native colours, it’s more meaningful, colourful and enjoyable. What can I say? I thoroughly enjoyed myself at church today.