Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Dangbe Tongu Presbytery Office, Odumase Krobo, Ghana - February 2012

The Dangbe Tongu Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana is situated at the old Basel Mission Station in Odumase Krobo, a town about two hours northeast of Accra.  At one point in time, in the middle part of the 20th century, the station hosted the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School, before it relocated to Legon, Accra.  Presec is thought to be one of the best secondary schools in Ghana.

One the grounds of the presbytery is an old baobab tree.  The tree even gives Presec its local nickname, Odadee.  Over the years, many of the students have carved their names in the tree, giving it a distinct look.  

In recent years, the presbytery has done a wonderful job maintaining and renovating the station.  The presbytery offices are there, and some of the rooms have been turned into a guest house.  For a few years now, the Dange Tongu Presbytery has had a partnership with the Milwaukee Presbytery, of the Presbyterian Church USA.  

Some American Presbyterians from Milwaukee visited Dangbe Tongu in July, 2011, and we're hoping that some Ghanaian Presbyterians from Dangbe Tongu will visit Milwaukee in September of this year.  Pray that they are able to secure their visas!

The old mission station, with the original chapel in the background.  

Some of the original buildings (these ones still in need of renovation).  
The orginal Swiss and German missionaries to Krobo land built, lived in, and worked from this station.  



The giant baobab tree, which dwafs my car parked underneath it.  A mango tree, on the right, has even grafted  itself into the baobab.


The students' names, carved into the trunk.  



Monday, February 20, 2012

Eglise Evangelique Presbyterienne du Togo, Annual Synod, Tsevie, Togo, February, 2011

The EEPT - Eglise Evangelique Presbyterienne du Togo, held its annual synod in February, in the town of Tsevie, about 30 miles north of Togo's capital Lome.  The procession into worship began at the church's primary school, on one side of the main north-south Togolese highway, and crossed over into the chapel on the other side.  Traffic was stopped for about 20 minutes, in order for this to happen.  For the recession, it was the same thing in reverse.

During the worship service, the EEPT ordained 15 new ministers.  It is during the ordination service that they are first allowed to wear the pastoral robe.