Ghanian Wisdom

My mother-in-law died today. She has not been well for a few weeks and we knew that this would happen. We live in West Africa, in Lagos, Nigeria as expats. Our stewardess is from Ghana and we love her. She has been very sad to know that my mother-in-law is dying and she has been sharing with me what it was like when her mother died.

Ginnie, our stewardess, was working in Accra selling goods to make money. She fell sick while in the city and they took her back to her village to die. While she was dying, she had someone write things down to give to her two daughters about how to live. Ginnie's junior sister is Gertrude and they received this wisdom from their mother on her death bed about how to live as women.

*In life, as a Christian, if you want doors to be open for you, you should not put things in your heart that are bad. Bad things will steal your heart like resentment, bad thoughts about people, gossip. Keep your heart pure.

*Don't mingle with people who do not have any ideas of doing better in life.

*Don't spend money on useless things, but save money for future reference.

*In marriage, remember as a woman to think about the best meal for your husband when he comes home from work so that there is peace. You think together and work together with your children.

*Teach your children that charity begins at home and character begins at home as well.

*When you are living 6 or 8 people in one flat and the children are together, teach them about cooperation and read to them about living in peace. Teach them NOT to fight and to work together so that you can live all together in peace.

*Don't depend on someone to do your work for you. You must work hard and you will succeed in what you do.

I think this is worthy of sharing across cultures.

Tiwa tiwa,

Sally