"Women go home, we have a meeting!" (Dealing with patriarchy)
In my early days in Gbaukuchi village as a part time missionary, I noticed the way a member of the congregation would suddenly stand up and inform me that there should be a meeting after the church service. However, one thing that bothered me was the exclusion of women in those meetings. The men would promptly dismiss the women after benediction while only the men would wait for the meetings. I disliked this totally and I thought of how to change it. Trivial as it may sound but it required wisdom. Gbaukuchi people are very patriarchal people. Women are respected but are mostly relegated in decision making. When I knew this issue should be handled with care was a time the women were singing and they had no one to play instruments to their songs while they all danced forward to give their thanksgiving offering. I told one of the men to help them play the drums to their songs and he looked at me scornfully. I calmly repeated my message and he told me point blank that he would not drum to ...
