Father Joeker
By Fr Joseph Panabang SVD
Cry of Balintawak
When I came from home-leave, I brought along a native bolo that miraculously passed all the airport check-ups. Asked what it is I replied, “It’s the Cry of Balintawak” (for it resembles the one Andres Bonifacio was raising.)
No Cheating
Market day at Kintampo, our mission Center, is every Wednesday. During the evening service, our parish Priest addressed the parishioners who are mostly traders, “As you count your money. I hope you don’t also forget to count how many people you cheated ... A sermon greeted with mixed feelings.
Yeboah, Yeboah
Emmanuel Yeboah and David Ayoo from my village tried to persuade me to come for the funeral of a church member. Emmanuel presented their point telling me that his people are fed up because it is always “Yeboah, Yeboah ... talking” as he put it. Then he continued, “If only a priest from the parish could come, they will listen and believe him as the rich man told Lazarus that if only someone from the dead would rise and come back to earth and preach, they would believer him. Having the same story in mind, I replied “yes” and Abraham told Lazarus that if they do not believe in the prophet, even if someone rises from the dead, they will not believe him.” The two went back for the funeral services.
Adams Apple
Where I was waiting for my tire at a vulcanizing shop, Kwaku, the playful child of the vulcanizer began playing with me. Then he became fascinated with my Adam’s apple and he started jumping to reach it asking in a squeaking voice that attracted the children, “what is that?” “A voice box”, I replied and tried some kind of vocalization to demonstrate it. how he laughed, how he love it, you won’t believer it. “If Edgar Allan Poe, he would call it “The Children’s Hour”, I muttered to myself as I left Kwaku still squealing with delight.
That Devil, Malaria
Fr. Merten Wells , SVD, a strong energetic and athletic man who defied malaria since he entered Ghana, finally succumbed to it just when he was abut to start the Mass. He believed the malaria would go away so he continued Mass. He was wrong. He was forced to go into the sacristy and lie down. During the Eucharistic prayer, he woke up again to continue the Mass. Still dizzy, in his usual positive thinking, he said to himself. We shall overcome.” The people heard it and in full voice began to sing: “We shall overcome....”
Hallo, Hallo?
Sr. Aloysita, SSPS, when I stopped at their convent asked me, “Do you have a telephone in Kintampo?” “No!” only telephone booth,” I said, alluding to old faded red telephone booth at our Kintampo post office still in the same position where the British left it many years ago, only there are no telephone wires.