Hallelujah and Amen!

The headmistress of EP (Evangelical Presbyterian) Ho Primary School, Angelica, invited us to her hometown church service where she is treasurer.   We sat up in the stand for the church service.  Beforehand we noticed all these people in what looked like graduation outfits and asked if there was some sort of graduation going on that day, but lo and behold this is what the choir wears!  Here they are coming in at the onset of church singing followed by a percussion section of native drums and shakers that is accompanying them.

Church started 1/2 hour late and last 4 1/2!!!  It was mostly in Ewe (the native language) but at least there was lots of singing and dancing!!!  Also what helped keep me entertained is that the junior pastor's 1 year old daughter was up on the stand with us and kept toddling around- letting.  She got just as bored as we did but had permission to walk around the stand and sit in peoples (including ours etc)- was almost wishing I could have done the same!  At one point, she obsessed over my tattoo and kept trying to wipe it off- so funny.  Thank goodness she was there to entertain us!

The offering part of the ceremony went on for some time- they seemed to be collecting for different things.  They would put the bowl(s) up front and people would parade up to them row by row to music provided by a brass and percussive band at the back of the church.  After the money collections (I did parade  myself up down there for a couple different offerings actually!), they took plantains and yams that people brought as offerings and auctioned them off for money for the church- this was entertaining as well.  Yes, this woman is holding a LARGE yam.  Yams are really big in here and they even have a big holiday called the Yam Festival- sort of equivalent to our Thanksgiving,

Finally church was over after ALOT of closing songs!!!  Everyone then formed a procession out of the church and back into the village accompanied by this band.  Hallalujah!!!