(I wrote this post a few weeks ago…but have struggled with the right time to share it. Tonight as I sat in a bible study of young Ghanaians and we reflected on slavery and a God who is loving, merciful, powerful AND just – it seemed appropriate.)

Today I am thankful to see a part of Ghana I have never seen before. It is a part that most Ghanians have visited and probably the area most tourists come to see.

The kids and I got the opportunity to tag along on a work trip for Matt and welcome a small group of pastors from the U.S. We came 3 hours west of Accra to a place known as Elmina. Trivia fact – it was originally named “La Mina” (the mine) by Portuguese explorers who found it and established a gold trade with the local population. This castle is the largest and oldest structure in sub-Saharan Africa. It was built to house gold and later became one of the locations where captives were held for weeks or months before boarding ships as part of the trans-Atlantic trade slave.

I have read and heard much talked about these slave castles and it was good to visit one.

Good to see and hear and remember.

It is a part of Ghana’s history and a part of U.S. history.

It was sobering to see a church smack dab in the middle of the castle.

Yep, that’s the church – right in the middle of dungeons for 1,000 people. Huh?? It makes me think while churchgoers were worshipping, could they hear the screams and moans of the prisoners below?

I don’t know.

It is hard to fathom.

The cries of these people.

They must have been heard.

I know God heard them.

He hears them.

In the most desperate and dark of places

God sees and hears.

I am deeply glad for this truth

and deeply saddened for the suffering in this world.

Come Lord Jesus come.