By Fr Joseph Panabang SVD

Mistaken Identity

Mr. William Opare, in-charge of Entertainment Club of Kintampo Rural Health Training School, came to invite me for a talk. “Where is Fr. Joe?” he asked. “Oh, do you have any message for him? I can give it to him.” Innocently, he gave me the message after which we continued talking about Fr. Joe. He assured me he would follow-up the invitation the following day. When he came back, he asked again, “Is Fr. Joe in?” “Yes.” “Where is he?” “Infront of you. Lucky you did not say anything bad about him the last time.” I said laughing.

Snakes Alive

I have rarely seen a snake in our compound garden. But one morning while watering the flowers. I was almost attacked by a black cobra crossing the gutter. Luckily the door to the corridor was open. I grabbed my bolo (similar of the Andres Bonifacio used in the Cry of Balintawak!) and I cut the snake in two but I was really trembling. At around ten o’clock . I was passing through the laundry room when I saw a ‘cobra’. I jumped and shouted “Cobra! Cobra!” The mission helper came running only to laugh at me. it was the coiled cord of the electric iron which looked like color of a black cobra. One traumatic experience needs to be exorcised or it may cause others!

Repent

Not knowing his personal background, I asked my devoted co-worker at the garden the meaning of Sakyire which is the name of the dog. He said, “It means REPENT.” Later I was told he was just released from prison. He had caught stealing a motor bike but now he had repented. But why blame the dog?

Call no one Father

Greeted “Good afternoon, Father!” by the children in our mission compound, one of our Filipino visitor advanced in age and quite bald complained to me. “Those children are greeting me as ‘Father. Everywhere I go they call me Father and I don’t like it because I am not a priest. But I wouldn’t mind if they called BISHOPS “he said flashing a smile from ear to ear.

Feel at Home

The parish priest Fr. Victor Leones, SVD from Abra, Philippines, and I were thinking of making a signboard for our church cemetery. After a few months, I suggested, “Why Roman Catholic Cemetery, Feel at Home!’

Inculturation

Out of idle curiosity, one village teacher wanted to know why I choose Ghana as my mission. I replied, “When I was asked to choose, I looked first at my skin, thought African, and told myself that I must to the place where I will be easily inculturated in color.