I don’t usually write about my feast experiences, but this was an unusual feast, and Lucretia kept a journal. These are my recollections with her help.
Just as the Day of Atonement was beginning, we arrived in Accra, Ghana in West Africa with Alan and Kae Tattersall who not only pastor churches in the UK, but also pastor English speaking West Africa. We are to keep Atonement together in Accra and then they are to fly to Nigeria for the first half of Tabernacles while we keep the Feast in Ghana. On Sunday, during the feast, we will switch. We will be the only ones to give sermons and so will speak every day other than the Sunday we switch when we will have the Feast video. There will also be videos in the afternoons on the Holydays. Alan has specifically arranged for flight days and times so that we can arrive in Lagos, Nigeria during the daylight hours to minimize the danger of traveling to the feast site. One cannot travel the Nigerian roads safely after dark. However, the one airline company that is operating between Accra and Lagos has switched every flight. We are both to arrive after dark. Alan, who has been to Nigeria many times, clearly expresses his concern.
Services in Accra are held at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Augustus Amartiefio. They are a warm and friendly couple and have a very nice home with a large bright room to meet in. What a lovely place to keep Atonement. A new keyboard has been brought from the UK by Alan Tattersall, and the piano player, Mr. Godwish Amon is anxious to experiment with it. Mr. & Mrs. Amon have an adorable little boy about half a year old. He laughs and smiles for everyone.
Alan has made arrangements for a meeting with two representatives of the Remnant Church of God. We are to meet them on Monday after Atonement in the early afternoon at the Shangri-La Hotel on the verandah. The verandah at the Shangri-La is like a setting out of a movie. A bamboo ceiling with ceiling fans. Tables made out of the trunks of huge trees. Lizards of all sizes running everywhere, the largest can grow to over one foot in length and has a bright orange head. The view is of palm trees and tropical foliage of every description. Lovely. It is a very hot African day, but there is a pleasant breeze blowing. One could expect to see Humphrey Bogart walk in at any moment.
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We are met by two slim men who introduce themselves as Pastor Clement Amoako-Attah and Pastor Azariah Maxwell Coffie. They pastor the churches at Accra and Kumasi, respectively. They explain that they keep the Sabbath, laws of clean and unclean, water baptism and laying on of hands etc., and they say they would like to learn more about the Holy Days. Accra has about 70 members and Kumasi about 150. In the Remnant Church of God there are 12 churches and 13 pastors. All of the pastors are full-time. The two men we are speaking to are members of their governing council. When we ask them how many members they have in all of the congregations they have trouble deciding but eventually guess about 500. They tell us that they have been in contact with several Sabbath keeping groups, but have decided that we are the group with whom they want to form an association.
We ask them if they have questions about the Holy Days. They do: Col. 2. We spend about an hour slowly going through the chapter, answering their questions. They are satisfied with our answers and say that they must meet with all of the pastors, but they are quite confident that they will keep the feast with us next year. They say that they look for us to teach them and want us to accept them as a part of the United Church of God. We
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explain that at the moment they have a better infrastructure in Ghana than we do and we feel that it is best for the time being for them to maintain their present structure and registration with the government. We can help them with educational materials for their members such as the Good News and booklets. Also, Alan suggests that either he or Peter Nathan, or both, will come back in January to meet with all of the pastors. They immediately agree. They also strongly encourage us to not become discouraged in doing the work.
Although they say that it is too late for them to invite the whole of the Remnant Church to the Feast this year, they tell us that they will come for Thursday and Friday, but that they must return to their own churches for the Sabbath, and next week there is a ministerial conference planned, so they can’t attend then. They ask if we can speak in their churches on the Sabbath following the Feast. Alan agrees for us to speak in Accra, but says we can’t arrange to speak in Kumasi. Kumasi is a four hour drive to the north on a very rough road, and there is no guarantee that I will be back from Nigeria, since my flight is scheduled for Friday, and the local airline isn’t reliable. European and US airlines aren’t permitted to carry passengers between Nigeria and Ghana. Pastor Coffie, of Kumasi, is extremely downcast and tries several times to get Alan to change his mind, to no avail. Alan says that he will plan to come to Kumasi in January, but Pastor Coffie remains downcast.
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They again emphasize that they want for us to accept them. We both reassure them that we do accept them. I cheerfully tell them that I accept them as brothers in Christ until they prove to me that I am wrong to do so. They both laugh heartily. We walk them out of the front of the hotel to the hot, dusty, busy road. We all hug goodby.
It’s Tuesday, the 14th, Alan and Kae prepare to leave for Nigeria. Alan says that he is quite concerned about arriving in Lagos after dark. He’s arranged to stay at a hotel in Lagos, but it’s about a five mile drive from the airport on a dangerous road. He has arranged for a policeman to ride with him for a fee. However, Kae tells the story of someone they know who had a policeman with him. Road bandits put out nails and such in the roads as traps. This person had a flat tire, and just as they were getting the spare on the car, the bandits began coming through the bushes to check on the trap. The policeman ran off into the bush. The person got in the car and drove off of the jack and got away, but not before he was stabbed in the hand. Another major danger is from the police at checkpoints along the road, but they will let us pass if we have a policeman with us. My plane ticket came with a warning from the U. S. State Department concerning going to Nigeria. There was a warning sign in the airport in the U.S. saying that the State Department has determined that the airport in Nigeria has inadequate security.
It’s hard to tell that Alan is nervous because he isn’t the kind of person who can sit still anyway. If there’s nothing to do, he’ll invent something to do--busy, busy, busy. Privately, Alan says to me, “You know, Kae is really a trooper. She’s a homebody and doesn’t really care to travel, but here she is doing her part to serve.” They get a taxi to the airport and Lucretia and I go to pray for them. Due to the state of phone services between Nigeria and Ghana we probably won’t know how things turn out for them until after we return from Nigeria after the feast. It’s highly unlikely we’ll be able to see each other on the Sunday we switch.
On the first day of Tabernacles both Pastor Amoako-Attah and Pastor Coffie arrive and they have two more of their pastors with them. They are very attentive. My message on the meaning of the Feast, The Kingdom of God, seems to be quite exciting to them. As a matter of fact, they later specifically request that we cover that very subject when we speak to their Accra church.
I’m a little concerned because I know that some of the members will be enjoying beer with the noon meal, and I don’t know what their belief is concerning alcohol. After services I ask them what is their belief concerning wine and other alcoholic drinks. They say that they are there to be taught by me. I persist and they admit that they have not believed that it is permissible to drink alcohol. We sit down, and while the meal is preparing, I explain the various verses in the Bible concerning alcohol. They seem satisfied. They are full of questions, and I begin to understand what David Hulme meant when he said that he felt like he was being “downloaded”.
On the second day of the feast, they arrive again, and also another church pastor shows up with one of the members of his congregation. He says that he is the pastor of a Church of God, Seventh Day, from the eastern region of Ghana. It was a seven hour journey for them. My sermon is Why Are You Born? Again, they are very attentive. After services, more downloading. Is it OK to have drums and dancing at services?, etc., etc.
Everyone is invited to a party at the beach. The pastors from Remnant have to travel to their homes, but the two members of COG,SD can come. While we are waiting for transportation, a man walks in and says, “I am looking for the United Church of God. He is a school teacher from Hohoie and says that he is also a Sunday School teacher. He is articulate, obviously well educated, and very friendly. We invite him to join us at the beach. At the beach I do nothing but sit in the shade and answer questions that constantly flow from the COG,SD members and the school teacher, who coincidentally is also named Coffie, but his first name is Stanley.
After services on the Sabbath we are going to Aburi, a National Park in the hills where it is cool. As is usual, the transportation is late. We are meeting in the hall at an orphanage, and while we are waiting, the director of the orphanage comes up and excitedly asks if we want to come and see a one day old baby. He tells us that we must promise not to cry. He takes us into the part of the orphanage where the tiny babies are kept. There are so many, and there are only a few ladies to take care of them. The director is a very energetic man and it doesn’t take long to tell that he is very dedicated. He tells us that most of the babies are from mothers that abandon them. They are precious and lovely. Most are lying quietly in cribs, staring at nothing. He tells us that he has very dedicated workers there, most have been there for years and they are paid very little, but he just doesn’t have enough workers. He says that there is something that he needs more than money—he needs people to come and give the babies attention and love. Our members have been talking to the babies and one of our members, Mrs. Rebecca Amarteifio has already been busily picking up and loving the babies, sometimes two at a time. No matter what condition the babies are in, spit-up, runny nose, she picks them up, cleans them and hugs them. She positively tells the director, “We will be back!” There are several strong leaders in the Accra church, but none outshine Mrs. Amarteifio. “Many daughters have done well, but you excell them all.” We also determine to give the orphanage an offering.
The bus to take us to the park arrives. I’m surprised to see that it’s just a full sized van, about the size that we would put 12 passengers in if we were in the U.S., but Africa style, we pack 23 of us in it and Mr. Godwish Amon takes the rest to find other transportation. What a trip to the park. Rushing down a narrow, crowded road, I am constantly worried that we are going to run over someone or something, but Lucretia and I seem to be the only ones that are concerned.
The Park is high, cool, rainy and lovely. We eat lunch in a pleasant restaurant, and once again the same three gentlemen who had spent the day at the beach downloading me spend a long lunch doing the same. The questioning becomes stream of consciousness—each answer leads to another question: Is it wrong to use birth control?; Who were the sons of God that went into the daughters of men?¼ It’s wonderful to see their excitement. Mr. Stanley Coffie, the schoolteacher is concerned. He’s supposed to be back at school this coming week, but he desperately wants to meet Mr. Tattersall. He says that he will come early to services on Monday morning to meet him, but that he won’t be able to stay for the services. I find out later that he did stay for services.
The van doesn’t arrive to take us back to Accra. After nearly two hours we secure a different van and off we go on the same frightening road in the dark. We pass a horrible accident and also learn that a little girl was run over and killed on the same road in a separate accident on that same day.
It’s Sunday. Lucretia and I are preparing to leave for the airport to go to Nigeria and run the gauntlet. We wonder how Alan and Kae have done. We have faith that they are alive. We wish that our flight hadn’t been changed to the evening. Alan has made arrangements for us to spend the night at the hotel in Lagos, and we are supposed to have a car with a church member and a policeman waiting for us. Alan has instructed us to not leave the airport and to catch the next plane back to Accra if everything is not exactly as it should be.
I’m impressed with the plane. Much better than when we flew from Lagos to Accra seven years ago. On that flight there were seats that were bent over.
We arrive at Lagos and go into the terminal. Joy of Joys, we bump into Alan and Kae who will be taking the same plane back to Accra. Are we glad to see them. Alan is covered with sweat. I mean it is hot! Kae is glowing profusely. Yes, all has gone well. Two members will be waiting for us when we get out of the airport. Non-travelers aren’t allowed in the airport. We’re much relieved. Kae tells us that where we are staying at the feast site has electricity for only a few hours each day, and has water for only a few hours in the morning. Fill the tub in the morning and use it for bathing and flushing the toilet. But she says the feast is really going well.
We have to leave to get our bags. We are stopped several times and are harshly asked if we are there on business. I reply that we are there on church business, but not there on a money making business. To be honest, we are being asked for our own good. Many businessmen have been lured to Nigeria in what is called “four one nine schemes”. I don’t know where it got the name, but the idea is to get a business man there on false pretexts, take him out in the bush, get his money and leave him, sometimes still alive. It makes Nigeria look bad. In the past some police have looked for such schemes to get a little piece to the action, but it has now caused such bad press that Nigeria is trying to do something about it.
It was unnecessary to hurry to claim our luggage, we end up waiting for a long while. In the heat it seems like over an hour.
Outside, we meet the members, Mr. Abugoh and Mr. Idrisu. There is a taxi driver, but no policeman. Since I had just seen Alan, and the taxi would only hold 5 people, there was no room for a policeman and I assumed that all was well. I assumed incorrectly. The police had apparently told our members that they would easily be allowed through the police barricades and no escort would be needed. Also incorrect. Less than a mile from the airport we were stopped by two policemen with automatic rifles. One talks to the members: “What are you doing? Who is that man with you? Is he here on business?” Mr. Abugoh explains that he was told that we could pass the police without problem. The policeman yells at him, “Will you let me do my job?” He asks to see our passports. The members argue, knowing that when a passport is given up it is often not seen again without much trouble and money paid, if ever. We give them the passports. The members are ordered out of the car. I start to get out with them but am told to stay in the taxi, actually, quite politely. Lucretia tells me to pray. I say, “Honey, I have been praying.” Mr. Abugoh and Mr. Idrisu keep saying that I am not a businessman, but a pastor who has come to speak to a church meeting. After awhile I am asked why I am here. “I am a church pastor, and these men are my brother’s in Christ. I am here to speak to a church meeting.” The tone of the discussion outside the car changes. Each of the policemen comes to the car, leans in the open door and apologizes. I tell them that there is no need to apologize to me, that they were just doing their job to protect me, and I thank them very much. Our passports are returned. We are on our way again. Mr. Abugoh and Mr. Idrisu say they are shocked. “The policemen apologized! Policemen never apologize!” Not only that, but in their discussion, the Good News was brought up, and one of the policemen requested to receive it. They have his address, and I will give it to Alan later.
We arrive safely at the hotel. We all get a drink. I’m buying.
I like different and unusual foods. I love the African foods, and I usually never get sick, having grown up as an army brat and living all over the place, including the Philippines, Europe, etc. But something has gotten to me. I’m up all night. Pain in the stomach, I drink a lot of water to try to flush it. Dysentery in the morning. More water. I have a sermon this coming afternoon at Okada, a four hour drive, how will I make it? We are to be ready to leave the hotel at 7AM. Are we having fun yet?
Mr. Michael Abugoh arrives with a driver in an older Mercedes, relatively clean and it has seat belts. Seat belts! We don’t have to travel feeling naked. No air conditioning, that would be too much to expect, besides, we don’t want to get spoiled. We drive first to Mr. Idrisu’s home. They have a very nice and very clean home. We are told that this is where the Lagos church meets on the Sabbath. Two girls are to make the trip with us, Toci and Tolu Akin-Ogundeji. They are very sweet young ladies in their teens.
We take off. About an hour and a half down the road I ask if there are any toilets on the way. Probably not I am told. I had noticed that men commonly just stood to the side of the road and peed. The water I drank the night before is beginning to make pressure, and the bush is very thick and formidable looking. I am told that unless one absolutely has to venture into the bush for something serious, it is best to just stand by the side of the road. The snake situation is serious. I wait. Rain clouds appear ahead of us. I ask them to stop and walk around behind the car and near the bush. When in Africa¼ But no serious need to venture into the bush arrives.
The highway we are on is actually very good. It’s a four lane divided highway with a concrete barrier in the middle. There is an opening in the barrier about every mile so that cars can get from one side to the other. In those places where the road isn’t very good, and one side is impassable, cars just go over on the other side, going against the oncoming traffic. Scary to Lucretia and me, but they’re used to it and are prepared for it.
About an hour before we arrive at Okada, where we are to keep the Feast, we begin passing small groups of pitiful looking people sitting against the concrete barrier in the center of the highway. They are in groups of 3 to 6 people. They are mostly naked, and they have put palm fronds leaned against the concrete barrier to protect them from the sun. They are reaching out to every vehicle that passes. Some of them are missing hands and/or parts of their feet. Who are these beggars? They are lepers, I am told. Does anyone stop to help them? Not many stop. Back when the road was worse and traffic was slower, people did stop, but now the cars don’t want to slow down. Could these people sell something? Yes, but no one would buy from them even though they have been cured and released from the leper colony. The government is supposed to support them, but it doesn’t. There were pitiful little children with some of them.
Mercifully the dysentery holds off until the minute we arrive where we are staying. Thank you, thank you. Everyday I have a little dysentery, hitting me just before we leave for services and just after we return. I am able to give every sermon with no problem.
The Nigerian members sing powerfully. We had noticed that seven years previously. Even though we only had about 80 people in attendance, they sounded like about 400 Europeans or Americans. Often in America I am the only one Lucretia can hear singing since she is standing beside me and I have a loud voice. In Nigeria I can’t hear myself sing.
The members are wonderful, just as they were in Ghana. They show great love to us, and I have to keep repeating to them that we came to serve, not to be served. However, in one area, we have to let them serve us, and that is in the area of food. There are no real restaurants in Okada, and the food must be cooked by the members. Three ladies help us with meals. They are supposed to rotate, but they all seem to enjoy showing up everyday. We insist on preparing our own breakfast, but they have unusual foods and spices that we are unsure of. They prepare lunch and supper for most meals, and what great meals! Cooking is done on a little burner that sits on top of a propane tank. We really have a good time with them, and we become good friends.
We also have some visitors drop in at this feast site, however these aren’t people who had ever heard of and been taught by Mr. Armstrong as had been the case at Accra. One lady has been working at a nearby hospital and somehow heard of us. She had previously been part of a group that kept the Sabbath and Holydays, but she has moved and she and her husband have been unable to meet with Sabbath-keepers. She is thrilled to find us. Her husband is unable to join us due to his duties at the hospital, but he sent us a letter. We will be sending them the Good News.
Another lady has started attending also. She is going to be moving to the country of Benin and asked for the location of services there. We give her address to Alan Tattersall, and he is going to give her the information she needs.
Another interesting contact is our piano (or rather, keyboard) player. Since we have no one in the Nigerian church that can play the piano, we hired a man to bring his keyboard and come play for services. He sits through services everyday and hears the sermons. He even sits through the last two services even though the generator for the area has quit working and he can’t play the keyboard. He asks to receive the Good News, and he talks
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to me very excitedly about the truth he has been hearing. I tell him that there is a serious problem if he becomes a member. He and the members standing around look puzzled until I say, “If you’re a member next year, you’ll have to play for us for free.”
It is hot. Even the Nigerians keep saying that it is unusually hot, and they are fanning. Lucretia is fanning herself with a piece of cardboard in her right hand. Seated on her left a gentleman is taking notes. Lucretia grows tired of fanning and stops. The gentleman on her left, who was getting the benefit of her fanning, stops taking notes and picks up his piece of cardboard and starts fanning. Lucretia decides to start fanning again, and the gentleman starts taking notes again.
How hot is it? We don’t know, but Lucretia thinks it is over 100. I can tell you that on the last two days of services, with no electricity and the three little fans not blowing and with 70+ bodies in the hall, it is really hot!
Speaking of electricity, it was really nice when it was on. The first two days we were there, it was on during services and for a few hours at night. After dark we kept candles and matches at the ready at all times. There was a water heater, but the water was only on for a few hours in the morning. I think the water and electricity were both on for the same time for one hour one morning. We fill the bath tub with clean water in the morning. In the evening, Lucretia gets in for a cool bath. When she finishes I take my bath. It is very refreshing to get in, lie there, and let the heat drain out of the body core. Then into bed before one warmed up too much. We couldn’t let the breeze blow through due to the mosquitoes and other bugs. Thank you, Alan and Kae. They have worked out the system for dealing with the water and bugs. Kae wrote a message to us telling when to fill the tub and giving other details. When they arrived, the house was filled with cockroaches, but they found some pesticide, sprayed, and swept up the bodies. We still get one or two on their backs, still wiggling, every day. In her letter, Kae says that it is wonderful to be here at this feast site with these wonderful people and that there is no place she would rather be. Alan is correct, Kae is a real trooper.
It is time for us to go back to Lagos. Our plane has rescheduled for the morning, so we must leave in time to get back to the hotel before dark so that we can be at the airport early in the morning. We will miss the afternoon service on the last day. Leaving is very difficult. There are lots of hugs.
When I had been at the hotel the first time, I had exchanged $40 into the local currency, Naira. Eighty Naira equals a dollar. The largest bill is the 50 Naira, worth about 67 cents. The second largest bill is the 20 Naira, worth 25 cents. People who have money have to carry huge amounts of paper money. We still had a big stack of 20 Naira bills. I want to give it to the lepers, and Mr. Abugoh and the driver agree to stop. Now, one isn’t supposed to tell about one’s giving, but in this case I’m giving so little, I didn’t really have any credit coming anyway. We stop at each group and I get out to give each of them a 20 Naira. It’s only worth 25 cents, but they are beside themselves with thanks. “God bless you, God bless you” they keep saying. Where there are two very small children sleeping on the pavement, I leave more. Before I get to the last two groups, I run out of Naira.
Abject grinding poverty and hunger, orphans, lepers. Thy Kingdom Come! Please!
The next eventful happening is the Sabbath service with the Remnant Church of God on Oct. 25th. Their services in Accra normally last for four hours, from 8 AM until noon, but having mercy upon us, they have scheduled services to begin at 9AM. The men and women sit separately, which seems quite unusual to me until I am told that it is traditional in Ghana for the men and women to sit separately in church services.
After congregational singing, I am to speak first on the subject of the Kingdom of God, but we don’t clearly convey that, and they call on Alan first.
Most of the people understand English, but there are enough who don’t understand it well, so their pastor, Mr. Amoako-Attah, stands beside Alan to translate.
Alan gives a sermon on the history of the early church and how error crept in leading to a so-called Christianity that has nothing in common with the true church of the Bible. He goes on to show how the same thing can occur and has occurred in our time. He explains why the United Church of God exists today and the importance of preserving and preaching the true Gospel. We must persevere. We must be diligent—without spot and blameless. Continue to grow in grace and knowledge.
We have music and singing again.
I speak on the Kingdom of God. I show that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Jesus was a messenger. He sent his disciples as messengers of the Good News of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is not just a feeling in the hearts of good men. I pointedly go through Zech. 14, showing the keeping of the Feast of Tabernacles in the World Tomorrow. I also talk about growing in grace and knowledge. I
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warn them that we either go forward or we go backward. We either accept and grow in the knowledge that God gives us, or we will go backward. I warn them that Satan will be anxious to snatch up the seed that falls by the wayside. He will try to turn them back away from the truth that God has revealed and is revealing to them. I tell them that from what I have seen in their pastors, that I feel confident that they will grow.
After another hymn, there is still a little time before noon, so they call on us to say more. Alan speaks for a few more minutes. He is quite strong.
After services, the pastors and elders want to meet with us. They don’t want us to leave and seem to be trying to hang onto us. We encourage them that Alan will come back, that they will not be left alone. Alan reminds them that one of our leaders, Mr. Peter Nathan, sometimes comes to Africa and that he will hopefully have the chance to come to speak to a meeting of the ministers. We will get them as many Good News Magazines and booklets as we can afford. We finally break away. They’re reluctant to see us go and we’re reluctant to leave, but we’re hot and tired and we need to go rest.
Why would anyone want to leave the UK or US and go to the feast in Africa? Because God’s people are there. What a wonderful feast! Thank you, Father.