Analysis: I Am Because We Are

I Am Because We Are

Culture is dynamic and as a result, traditional Asante have undergone great metamorphosis. The strong sense of communal spirit is gradually dying. In the recent past, the extended family system has become more nuclear: father, mother, and children (biological or adopted). This is explainable as a consequence of formal education, Christian influence through missionary activities, and colonization. The rich "I am Because We Are" philosophy is giving way to Western individualistic living. This is an issue that calls for urgent attention by African (Ghanaian) sociologists and anthropologists. The modern trend has negative effects on communal and social Pastoral Care and support. In the view of Hord in his book I am Because …show more content…
For example, one's ability and willingness to pay school fees for so many needy students in the community, one's contribution towards communal projects like the recreational center, school, road, clinic, payment of medical bills for needy family or community members, and above all, the ability to send some members of the community overseas (for example, Europe or North America), and of course not forgetting one's ability to contribute sizeable amount of money to defray the funeral expenses in the family or community. With my life experience in the United States, the communal issues been addressed in this paragraph are almost non - existent in many Western countries. All kinds of agencies and measures are put in place to take care of most of the needs the Asante and the Africans face. For example, in most Western nations like the US, Medicaid or Medicare and all kinds of health insurance take care of medical bills, and readily available scholarships, financial aids, or loans pay for education at all …show more content…
As a starting point, this book seeks to highlight the problem and create communal awareness among community and religious leaders. From here, I plan to train leaders (volunteers) in basic skills in chaplaincy for visitation to some selected clinics and hospitals in Kumasi (Phase I). Under Phase II of my vision, I hope to establish an Ecumenical Pastoral Counseling Center in Kumasi for which reason I have started looking for partners in the US and elsewhere in the world for support. The Phase III (long- term dream) is to establish a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Center in Kumasi. For now, I have three partners; a Ghanaian CPE supervisor in Texas, a Ghanaian chaplain in Ohio, and a Catholic priest (trained chaplain) with CPE background now working in a mission hospital in