By Fr Joseph Panabang SVD
Made in USA
Recommended by the Holy Spirit Sisters, I went to a hair dresser’s shop owned by a certain Mrs. Mary Agyan-Gyau in Fiapre, a suburb of Sunyani. Mary spent a long time in the USA and learned her trade there.” So you are a USA-made hair dresser?” I tease which she happily acknowledges. “And your name is Mary? I supposed your husband is Joseph?” “Yes, he is Joseph-Gyau and we met in the States,” she said to my surprise. After cutting my hair, she said proudly, “Now father, do you want to look at your back?” “How can I, my eyes are I front?” I replied. Chuckling, she gave me a big mirror. After looking myself from behind, I blurted, “Ah, I never knew I look more handsome from my back.” Mary continued laughing together with her apprentices walking around like nurses in their white uniforms and head caps.
HANDS ON
At Sunyani, capital of Brong-ahaho Region, I was among the priests celebrating the Eucharistic Congress. During the consecration or epiclesis (the moment when the priests raise their hands over the chalice), as soon as we spread our hands, I saw two small girls at our back also raising their hands. Giving them a stern look I wagged my head; they stopped at once fear stricken. I hope they also saw my smile.
TRIAL AND ERROR
A husky man coming to buy one of the second hand reading glasses asked me, “How do you sell them, father?” “Trial and error,” I replied. “So there are errors there?’ he answered back. I explained, “Just try all of them and get the one that suits your eyes best since we do not have the means to measure the grades of your eyes.” That is what “trial and error” means.
AS WE GROW OLD
Our Holy Spirit Sisters from Damong Hospital in Northern Ghana stopped in Kintampo with the same problem of their old dilapidated car; the problem was the clutch. “The clutch is always giving trouble. I cannot understand,” complained one of the sisters. Standing in front, I pulled up one of my trouser legs and pointing to my knee said, “This is our clutch; when we are old, it get weak.” The Sisters enjoyed that.
ST. MICHAEL, HELP US
Our Chour Master in Kitampo seemed not to be in good terms with me. Being the choir master for so long even before I came to Kitampo, It is understandable that he might feel put out. Sensing the relationship getting more strained, one of the Choir master’s relatives who was to me commented, “Be careful, Lucifer was the Choir master in heaven and lead the choir to revolt against God. Now they are all in hell unable to sing because too much heat from the fire.” I laughed at the inflated comparison. I’m no St. Michael.
NISSAN FOR THE OFFERTORY
Because my Nissan double-cabin car got a breakdown, I brought our big car to Chiranda, one of my smallest villages along a highway. The people were surprised and were saying, “Eh….why bring a such big car?” Because I know during the Mass, you will have plenty of offerings.” True enough, with this prodding, they made numerous offerings. After all the Church cannot live by homilies alone.