By Collins Lomo, Accra, Ghana
Editor’s Note: Urantia Foundation sent 50 English-language Urantia Books to Ghana in support of the efforts of readers there to seed the book and its teachings throughout Africa.
The 2018 Ghana International Urantia Conference, held April 20–22 at the African Regent Hotel in Accra, was an inspiring and successful event. It was organized by Pato Banton, Antoinette Rootsdawtah, the Urantia Association International, and the readership in Ghana and across Africa.
A main goal for this conference was to introduce The Urantia Book to citizens in Ghana and in Africa at large. Unlike conferences in Europe and America, which tend to attract existing readers, ours are aimed at getting new ones. We designed our publicity activities prior to the conference to target friends and families of existing readers and the general public. As a result, for a typical Urantia Book conference in Ghana, you’ll find that about half of the attendees are just getting to know the book.
During this recent conference, we realized that a good number of people who attended the meet and greet on day one or the main event on day two were actually curious individuals who had heard of the conference on Eventbrite, the online tool we used for registration.
We can never underestimate the seeds sown in this regard. Although young and curious minds may have just heard of the book for the first time, they may later decide to learn more and eventually read it. Sometimes I measure my success with the book by just getting its name in the minds and on the lips of my friends and family. Many of my schoolmates and colleagues at work sometimes call me “Urantia Man” or “Mr. Urantia Book.” Some don’t even pronounce it well! But for me, it’s still a good sign.
I must admit that I was a bit skeptical when Pato and Antoinette proposed the theme for the Ghana conference, “Mother Spirit—Mama Africa.” They even suggested that we give the entire program over to the women readers. But after thinking it through, Kwadjo, the Ghana readership, and I went along with it. Turns out it was the perfect theme, and the wonderful women readers in Africa presented their ideas on The Urantia Book. It was high time we witnessed what the women think and a gift to experience their energy and inspiration! Presentations included:
⚫ “Self-Discovery in the Love Relationship” by Adi Namaran (Cameroon)
⚫ “The Feminine Rising” by Delae Sowu (Ghana)
⚫ “The Mother Spirit in Our Culture” by Bibie Brew (Ghana)
⚫ “Meditation Experience” with Samrawit Muluneh (Ethiopia)
⚫ “The Urantia Book—My Experience” by Charity Charles (Nigeria)
⚫ “Disseminating the Fifth Epochal Revelation, the Role of the African Woman” by Sunshine Anazodo and Odochi Nzeako (Nigeria)
As I write this, I hear all the wonderful things they said resounding in my ears.
The conference also provided a platform for active readers and leaders of African groups to meet, get more acquainted, and discuss how readership is growing in our various countries. Participants hailed from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Benin, Cameroon, Senegal, and Ethiopia. I was impressed with how the Senegal readers, in a country with a Muslim majority, have found a method of sharing the teachings of the book by allowing truthseekers to find their own understanding about God and spirituality. This approach reminds us what the Master admonishes us to do: “In your living and loving ministry serve spiritual food in attractive form and suited to the capacity of receptivity of each of your inquirers.” 133:4.2 (1474.2)
The 50 books sent to us by Urantia Foundation were very much needed. On day one, we gifted 20 books, mostly to new readers. For some it was the first time hearing of such a book, and they immediately wanted to learn about it.
On day two—the main event— books were displayed on the registration table and were only given to those who requested one. Since full copies of The Urantia Book are hard to come by in Africa, we kept 10 copies to gift to interested people in the future.
For a post conference activity and community service, Pato planned a visit to Teshie Children’s Home, an orphanage in Accra. We toured the orphanage, learned of their needs and challenges, and made some donations of food and sanitary items that we had collected on day two of the conference. After telling them about our recent conference and The Urantia Book, we learned that the orphanage had a small library. I then remembered that we had a box of books reserved for such situations, so we promised to return and gift one. Who knows, in the future we may get one or two readers from among those wonderful children we met there.
Over the four years that I have known Pato and Antoinette, they have motivated and collaborated with us to organize Urantia Book conferences regardless of how few our numbers were. With time, we have grown from three committed young male readers to a family of diverse nationality, culture, age, and gender. I believe the consistency of these conferences in Ghana serves as a motivation for other African countries to share this wonderful revelation with their fellows in a similar fashion. Accordingly, at the end of the Accra conference, we threw our support behind the Nigerian group to host the next African Urantia conference in 2019.
On behalf of the readers of Ghana, we give much appreciation to Urantia Association International and to Urantia Foundation for the books and support for this conference.
And to Pato and Antoinette: Your commitment, service, and inspiration over the years have contributed greatly to the growth of the Ghana group and to the rest of Africa. Knowing you both is a gift.
May we all keep shining the light of the supernal teachings in The Urantia Book!
