The concept of Gracious Space, which has been adopted by the Witness Tree Institute of Ghana has been a game-changer for me. It's made me really think about who I am as a Ghanaian. For a long time, I've felt a bit lost, even though I live right here in Ghana.
A few days into the WTIG program, certain questions were posed, none of which I had ever encountered or templated before .
Questions like, 'What kind of ancestor will I be?' and 'What legacy am I leaving behind?' have ruminated in my mind each day.
Learning about the philosophy of Gracious Space was an entirely foreign concept to me but it has showed there are aspects of a group I didn't know existed; a stranger is someone I now want to get to know because of the curiosity and questions our group discussions have generated in me.
I realize I'm a “modern Ghanaian” Ghanaian who, sadly, hasn't with focus and intention, really connected with her ancestors or the important values they shared as my parents and grandparents did. My cultural past, traditions, and even history, have been foggy and sometimes a bit of a mystery.
But this transformative journey with The Witness Tree Institute of Ghana is finally leading me back to my roots.
Professor Obeng Pashington, a lecturer and author, recently said in his workshop, a talk on Ghanaian Religion and Spirituality, 'We need people to be a signpost in our lives at a point in time.'
That's so true, right? We all have those moments when we need a push, a kind word, or just some encouragement to do better, and I found such a person.
In this programme, I met Olivia, Melissa, and Katherine who are also fellow teachers from Ghana and the USA. All of them speak with authority and confidence. Olivia's confidence, especially coming from such a young person, was amazing to me. It actually made me want to be more like her. I got closer to her, hoping to gain some of that self-assurance myself. She often tells me, 'Be Positive Always.'
I have noticed some change in me. I am in the midst of positive, supportive and cheerful people, and I am slowly but surely learning to believe in myself.
Phoebe Nartey is a Creative Arts and a History Teacher at the Kpohe D/A Basic School, Ghana