By : Sr. Maria Mercedes Yañez, RVM

I am Sr. Maria Mercedes Yañez, an RVM sister working here in Ghana since 1984. I am from Salcedo Eastern Samar, Philippines. I am thirty six years old now. I am the hospital administrator here in St. Theresa’s Hospital, Nkoranza – a district of Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. There are one hundred fifty thousand people in the whole district. We have many AIDS patients here, most of them are from Ivory Coast, a French/African border state which is an eight hour drive from where I work. Hospital work is fulfilling. I feel myself to be a wounded healer! Life here is extremely fulfilling. I live daily filled to the brim with gratefulness for what God has given me.

Dancing at Funerals

Funerals here in Ghana are occasions for general family and public gatherings. One is obliged to attend once you belong or live in a certain village for over a year. I like going to all these funerals. One’s death is commemorated by dancing, drumming, singing and all the traditional display of different “gods” that different people believe in. How I wish people would celebrate my funerals in this way.