In Nigeria, a group of Christian Scientists drives more than three hours every month on sometimes flooded, bumpy dirt roads to translate Science and Health into the lgbo language.
IN WEST AFRICA, religion seems to dominate every aspect of daily life. The buses on the roads are dotted with inspirational messages. Everything from the phrase "Be Still" from the Bible, to the words "91st Psalm" are painted on the crowded public buses, or tro-tros. Billboards announce upcoming Sunday services at various houses of worship, and people drive in their cars with hymns and gospel music blaring from the speakers. For the first time, I was stuck in a traffic jam on a Sunday morning as so many people drove to church.
In less than 24 hours of landing in Accra, Ghana, I found myself in a familiar place: a Christian Science church. I was far away from home, but the church service didn't feel foreign to me. As the First and Second Readers read through the sermon, I heard those familiar passages from the Bible and Science and Health—of course, the same ones that were being read in Christian Science churches all over the world that Sunday. More than just words, though, they offer a global common ground in worship.
The Christian Scientists I met in Ghana and Nigeria clearly are dedicated to the Cause of Christian Science. In Nigeria, a group of Christian Scientists drives more than three hours every month on sometimes flooded, bumpy dirt roads to translate Science and Health into the Igbo language. Some told me about healings of injuries from accidents, and one person told of a healing of a heart attack that brought him into Christian Science. Many of them learned about Christian Science from friends, coworkers, or at a Christian Science lecture. As they related their experiences, I could feel their immense gratitude for Mary Baker Eddy's discovery.
I was told that one of the Christian Science churches we visited in Ghana used to hold their services in a hospital and invited hospital patients to attend their services. The unique location drew newcomers to Christian Science, including a group of singers who occasionally sing Mary Baker Eddy's hymns at Sunday services. The church has since moved to a new location that has rooms for listening to hymns and quiet study, and members are also planning a guest bedroom for visitors who need a place to stay.
One thing I loved about my trip was that I was able to share Christian Science with many people. In America, I've often been reluctant to talk about my faith with others, and the topic of religion doesn't often come up in my daily conversations. But in Africa the opportunities were everywhere. I had brought along a stack of about 40 Christian Science magazines, but I didn't think I'd end up giving them all away.
In one instance, when I was in the airport in Lagos, Nigeria, my colleague, Larissa Snorek-Yates, went through the custom's checkpoint without any questions. I, on the other hand, was asked a myriad of questions. Many of these questions pertained to my job. I've heard that in Nigeria it's difficult to obtain a visa if you're a religious worker. My colleague and I had been able to obtain a visa in a very short amount of time, despite working for a church. On the customs form I had to write down that I was an editor for a magazine. The customs officers wanted to know what kind of magazine, so I pulled out a copy of the Journal from my backpack. The issue happened to have the words, The Christ, printed in large letters on the cover (September 2008). The men immediately pointed to the title of an article also printed on the cover—"The Christ In You"—and asked if they could keep it because they wanted to read it. I had been nervous about going through the checkpoint because I'd read that officers are known to ask for bribes and sometimes detain people in airports. But when I handed over the Journal, I was delighted to offer it, and I went though customs without a hitch.
As I look back on this experience, it reminds me that Church and its healing message is truly universal. It doesn't matter what our background is, or religion, or birthplace, each of us is receptive to good. The Christ, or "the true idea of God," is present wherever we may be Science and Health, p. 316).
COOKING WITH SOME NEW friends in Accra was one of the memories from my recent trip that will stay with me. Cutting herbs from the garden, squeezing fresh orange juice, and chopping vegetables together, we discussed what church meant to them. I was struck by their commitment to keep the church moving forward, despite the various challenges Christian Science faces in Ghana, such as the public's misconception that it's a cult religion.
I visited Ghana as part of The Mother Church's Integrated International Planning Team in order to encourage and strengthen local capacity of Christian Science churches in Africa by meeting with members and identifying what makes church strong in their communities. The goal is to better understand how the Church can best support the growth and progress of African churches by meeting with members on the ground, in their communities.
On a visit to a church in Accra, Amy Nagel and I arrived to see a circle of chairs set outside in the warm air of the church's courtyard for our discussion. Members told how a healing of a family member or friend brought them to church. They talked of ways their church is reaching out to their community, including an upcoming Thanksgiving service they were holding for "Farmer's Day," a national holiday in Ghana.
One reason for the growth of Christian Science in Africa might be the fearlessness on the part of members in sharing their faith. Two young Christian Scientists I met talked about how they share Christian Science Sentinels with fellow classmates and are working on starting a CSO (Christian Science organization) at their university, despite university requirements hindering their official recognition.
While many countries still face challenges to their basic daily living—power outages are still common, government corruption tries to encroach on individual progress, Internet access is difficult for most people, and members in African countries may walk a few hours one way to get to church—evidence of the Christ, the spiritual animus that brings healing to human activity, no matter how remote or humble the community, gladdens my heart and buoys my hope for Africa.
One church member in Ghana prints out copies of myBible-Lesson and articles on spirituality.com and hand delivers them to members who don't have means to get to a computer. Another man I met felt a calling to move to Ghana's second-largest city to share Christian Science there, since no churches or groups had yet been firmly established. And a woman in the capital has set up a space for Christian Science nursing in her home to welcome those who need a place to come and pray or rest.
Whatever obstacles these churches and members face, I prayed that the spirit of the Holy Ghost would be felt moving all of us—regardless of nationality, economy, or culture—to expose and remove the mental barriers that try to obscure the expectancy of a bright future for humanity. The earnest spirit of the Christ, which in Jesus' day drew people to walk miles to hear him speak, is present now in Africa and all countries of the world, and is enlivening our churches with the irresistible impulse of divine Love that overcomes any resistance to Truth.
CHURCH ALIVE offers reports from around the world on what Christian Scientists are doing to share their love for Christian Science with their communities. The views expressed in these reports are entirely those of the contributing authors.
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