Salvation Dolls

In Northern Ghana when something bad happens, it is sometimes blamed on a spell by a witch or wizard. Through various ways and means a person can be named as the cause of misfortune and thus be accused of being a witch. Women who have been accused of being a witch are then subject to ridicule, abuse and expulsion from the village. Their lives are often in danger.

The chief of Gamabaga, the district capital of our district here, has power over witches and their spells. He therefore is able offer a place of refuge for the ladies who have been accused of being witches. A section of Gambaga has been set aside where the ladies can live. This is one of six, so called "witches camps", in Northern Ghana. They remain subject to the chief and have to work in his farm and pay him.

Erin Faile has been going every week to visit with the ladies there. She has been providing music therapy, counseling and fellowship for them. They have been meeting in groups and sharing their stories with one another. Erin has been working with Madam Lariba who has worked with the ladies in the village for a number of years.

First Baptist Church of Dawsonville sent 50 salvation dolls with me. I gave most of them to Erin and Lariba to share with the ladies at the camp. Here are some pictures Erin took of the day when they gave out the dolls and shared the salvation story with the ladies.

Though some of the ladies don't look very happy in the pictures, Erin assured me they were really excited and happy to get the dolls and did a good job of learning the story and the meaning of the different colored beads.