Planting the seeds of love.
The love story of Dedan Gills and Belvie Rooks
“How do you introduce something that always was and will never end? The story of Belvie and Dedan, their journey and their transformation, is as old as eternity and as new as now. As individuals, Belvie and Dedan were already leaning into the giving, the kindness, the love, but together they became an even greater force for good.”
– Rev. Dr. Barbara Holmes
The Journey.
We were married in Accra, Ghana, September 17, 2007. We had chosen Ghana for a number of reasons. One of the most important reasons was that Brother Ishmael Tetteh, one of Africa’s leading wisdom holders and spiritual teachers, had offered to marry us if we came to Ghana.
Another reason was that in 1957 Ghana was the very first African country to gain independence from British colonial rule. In addition to celebrating our union, we would also be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Ghana’s independence.
Climate events, including both drought and flooding, were already having catastrophic effects on crops, food transport and livelihood in Africa.
On the day of our wedding, in the midst of the joy and celebration, there was also a devastating Hurricane Katrina-like flood that occurred in the Northern regions of Ghana. The images reminded us both of the displacement and suffering that we had witnessed in New Orleans.
What came to mind also was Bishop Desmond Tutu’s observation about the impact of catastrophic climate change on the African continent. Bishop Tutu stated that Maplecroft, a global risks security group, listed 28 countries as most vulnerable to climate change; 22 of them are in Africa.
