My day started early with a taxi ride to the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) for the 2016 Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE) conference. (Tracy needed the car for errands.) I was not feeling well, having come down with the same sickess that kept Tracy in bed while we were at Brenu beach over the weekend.
Following my meeting with the GhIE leadership a few weeks ago, I was asked to prepare a paper on ethics, faith, and engineering. Knowing that I can speak with authority about only my own faith tradition and expecting that there would be adherents of many faiths at the conference, I found the paper difficult to write. It was a steep challenge to avoid offending readers and listeners while remaining true to my convictions. My effort was entitled “Engineering and faith commitments: A reformed Christian’s perspective.” I took advantage of the parallel sessions, signalling my perspective in the paper’s title, assuming that anyone likely to be offended would choose the other track. Nevertheless, I took the podium in the Gerhard Schroeder Hall with much trepadation. Kofi Annan was looking over my right shoulder; President Mahama over my left. (Not really, only huge portraits.) To make matters worse, seconds before my talk my friend Alex leaned over to say I could expect some questions from Muslims that I would handle well. Gulp.
I stayed within my allotted 20 minutes, took a seat at the “high table,” and braced for questions and discussion. After two moderately-nice comments, a front-row attendee stood and took the microphone. He said (and I paraphrase), “When I saw your title, I wondered whether this was an appropriate topic for this conference. I am a Muslim, and I was concerned that I would be offended. But when I heard you speak and I listened to your words, I wanted to give you a hug! Your paper is exactly the kind of reflection we need on the engineering profession.” What a kind and generous man! Applause followed from the fifty-or-so GhIE members in the room, and I hardly knew what to say. I gave an unmemorable response and concluded by saying that I would be pleased to share a hug after the session. Which we did! Over lunch, I learned that Ibrahim is on the leadership of the Nigerian counterpart to GhIE, and we exchanged pleasantries and business cards. I hope to stay in touch. In a world full of animosity among people of different faiths, our exchange was a moment of grace.
After the conference, I came back to our flat to attend the weekly student dinner. Unfortunately, the power was out since 7 AM. That didn’t deter the students from making excellent burgers! After dinner, Catherine played hand-clapping games with our guests, despite the dumsor.
—Matt
