NOVEMBER
17, 2001: ADVENTURES IN AFRICA
The Diary
of Dr. Stanford Murrell
Sovereign
Grace Baptist Church November
17, 2001
From the
uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs,
even glory
to the righteous.
~*~
Isaiah 24:16
From Thursday
November 1st to Thursday November 15th 2001 it was my great
privilege to minister to many Christians in Accra, Ghana. “From
the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory
to the righteous.” When I arrived at the airport in Accra, Bro.
Noah was waiting inside the terminal to greet me. A custom’s
official from his congregation took my bags, passport and Visa
to lead me through the VIP line. In this way I avoided the usual
questions and searches of the custom inspection. Two days of
travel involving about 13 hours of airtime with transfers in
Detroit, Michigan, and Amsterdam had come to a successful conclusion.
From the airport we went to Bro Noah’s home in Osu which was
close by. Here I stayed until my return to the states.
On Friday morning November 2 I went
to the small high school which is part of Bro Noah’s ministry.
There are 43 students enrolled in grades 9-12. The school is
well organized with gifted teachers. Despite very primitive
conditions and precious few school supplies a quality education
is being made available for $160.00 per child per year. In the
days to come I would learn a lot about the educational system
in Ghana.
The
government has no mandatory educational policy even in a
city of over 3 million people. Children are free to attend
school or not. Many choose not to go to school. You will
see young people peddling water, apples and oranges and
other items on the streets from dawn to dust. For these
street children childhood is a daily struggle for existence.
Private
Church schools are welcomed because they take the burden
off the government to provide education.
A
teacher with a graduate degree is paid $100.00 per month,
which is considered to be a good salary in the country.
Many people work 8 hours a day for less than a dollar an
hour.
On Saturday
morning November 3rd we went to a men’s fellowship gathering
at 7:30 AM where I spoke briefly on the importance of dealing
with personal sins by claiming the promise of 1 John 1:9. After
breakfast we traveled to a leprosorlium to make a donation of
clothing and some food items. I was able to bring a short message
on the hope of a heavenly home. Because of the various dialects
in Africa Bro Noah interpreted while I was talking and then
his wife translated in another dialect as well. That was the
first time I had ever used an interpreter during the delivery
of a message.
What was
impressive about the visit was the sweetness of the people in
the hospital chapel. As we were leaving the people started to
sing. I do not know what the words were but the melody was delightful.
Like Isaiah the prophet “we heard songs, even glory to the righteous.”
On Sunday
morning I was ask to teach Sunday School. I spoke on the importance
of the resurrection. Sunday School was followed by the morning
worship service in which I preached a sermon entitled “There
Was a Miracle in the Morning.” While eating Sunday dinner at
the Africa version of a Red Lobster restaurant I thought of
the services here. Being five hours ahead in the time zone it
was fun to reflect on who was just doing something - after I
already had a half-day’s work completed.
In the afternoon
I recorded the first of three radio programs, “Where Was God
when America was Attacked.” This particular message was aired
the next Tuesday morning at 5:30 AM over a radio station at
the University of Ghana, which reaches across the city and beyond.
In all I did 3 broadcasts and plan to send more taped messages
to be aired in the months ahead.
For the
evening service I preached the dramatic narrative sermon, “Let
Me Tell You Why I Came.” The people had never heard a sermon
presented in such a manner and were very attentive.
On Monday,
November 5th I returned to the school for the first of four
hours with the student over a four-day period. I told the story
of Martin Luther and then moved on to discuss some of the apostles.
Initially the young people were polite but quiet. However, on
the third day they finally began to ask questions - and from
that point on I did not think they were going to stop asking
questions even when it went into their break time.
During my
final day at the school I took the time to give an illustration
that I trust will never be forgotten. I wanted to illustrate
salvation by grace through faith alone in a biblical way, and
so I did.
During this
week of teaching at the school a lot of time was spent with
the pastor trying to resolve a dispute with neighbors over the
boundaries of the property. Before things were settled
I
learned how seriously people take land ownership in Africa;
how
ineffective the infrastructure is in the country;
and
how people become part of a corrupt bureaucracy.
On Wednesday
evening of this first week I spoke at the prayer meeting on
the importance of studying the Bible.
On Thursday
evening November 8th the Church History Seminars began. For
one hour on Thursday and another hour on Friday followed by
four hours on Saturday I told the Story of the Church from the
Reformation to the Present. There was good attendance for each
of the sessions. Other Reformed Baptist Churches were able to
take part in the services. Time was set aside for questions.
It was during
the question time on Saturday that I learned about some of the
social customs that were a problem to conservative Christians.
In particular I was asked about the use of dance and drums in
the church. Not understanding the real intent of the question
I responded with a biblical answer based from Psalm 150. Unfortunately,
the real intent of the question was not about the allowance
of a liturgical dance or drums as a musical instrument but the
permitting of something called “drumming” which is a cultural
practice associated with tribal dancing - and has no place in
the Christian culture. Bro. Noah survived having a heart attack
on the spot at my response, was able to clarify the question
for me and so we moved on.
On the second
Sunday I was in Ghana, I was taken across the city to speak
at the Berean Baptist Church. It is a good work with about 100
people in attendance. I spoke during the Sunday School hour
on A Philosophy of Forgiveness from the book of Philemon and
then on The Seven Miracles of Calvary.
I traveled
an hour back to the house to eat a late Sunday lunch. At 4:30
PM I began return journey across town to speak at another church
in the evening, Truth Missionary Baptist. It was a lovely service
with a good attendance of about 50 people.
On the second
Monday, November 12th a ground breaking ceremony was held for
the building of an elementary school on the property. A Member
of Parliament was present and a representative of another MP
along with four different news coverage. After the news personal
were picked up and brought to the school they were able to write
the story. Taking advantage of the moment this is what I said
in part hoping the press would report what was said and the
MP’s would not forget. The text for the ground breaking event
was Proverb 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go:
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
God is very
interested in children. They are His spiritual creation. The
Bible says that children are a heritage of the Lord. When God
created Adam and Eve He instituted the family and declared that
man should be fruitful and multiply on the earth. Therefore,
much consideration should be given to children.
Of particular
concern to God is that children be trained in a specific manner.
The commandment is given to train up children in the way they
should go. But what is the way that children should go? We are
living in a day when many are unsure. Let me suggest the answer
may be reflected in part in word the Ghana.
I have been
told that Ghana literally means - God Has A Nation Ahead. I
believe that is true. I also believe the nation ahead is to
be found in the children. Therefore, let Ghana guide the children
in the way they should go and let that way be one of
Godliness
Honor
Accountability
Nationalism
and
Academic
Excellence.
First, children
should be trained in godliness and that begins with knowing
there is a God. It is the way they should go. Second, children
should be trained to live a life of honor. Honor consists of
doing the right thing at the right time and in the right way.
In summary form honor is found by keeping the Moral Law of God.
Do
not worship many gods
Do
not make any graven images
Respect
the name of God
Keep
a day of worship
Respect
mother and father
Do
not kill
Do
not commit acts of immorality
Do
not steal
Do
not lie
Do
not covet what others have
Teach the children
to live a life of honor. The state should support those institutions
that are trying to instill these virtues in the children. It
is the way they should go.
Then third
children are to be trained to be accountable. They are to be
accountable for the way they spend their time. The Bible says
to redeem the time. Time is valuable and every person’s time
is as valuable as the next persons. Therefore, teach children
to be on time for school and on time for any and every appointment
they make. In this way they will show respect and receive respect
in return from those who have agreed to meet with them at an
appointed hour. It is the way they should go.
As children
are to be godly, honorable, and accountable, so they should
be taught to have a high level of nationalism. The establishment
of nations is a Divine idea. Some people are worried there will
be one day a one world government or that a Superpower shall
dictate what will be done in the nations of the earth. Let me
assure you from the Word of God that will never happen.
Historically,
major empires have tried to dominate others but they have never
succeeded. The Babylonian Empire has passed into the dustbin
of history as has the Persia Empire, the Greek Empire and the
Roman Empire. The pattern continues. Since 1989 there are more
democratic nations than before. God wants people to exist within
fixed boundaries and be proud of their nations. Several people
have told me during my visit to Accra what they want to do Ghana.
Patriotism lives. Nationalism is strong. It is the way to go.
Foundational
to godliness, honor, accountability, and nationalism is academic
excellence. The ground that is about to be broken shall be turned
up in order to build a facility to train young people with academic
excellence. The people of this community should come and help
build the school. They should give freely of their labor and
invest themselves in the physical construction of this school.
The state should
help as well. It is the way to go. You will never be sorry because
already, under difficult conditions this school has proven itself.
I know the pastor and founder of this school. He is a man of
God. He is a man of honor. He is a man who is accountable to
others. He is patriotic and he believes in academic excellence.
I have met
the teachers here. They are concerned about academic excellence
as well. Therefore, let the work begin and let it not cease
until the school is built and hundreds of young people come
for training. Then, the children shall go forth with academic
excellence and tell the world that the prophecy of 1957 has
been fulfilled. “God did have a nation ahead and we are that
nation.” Amen.
The last message
I gave in Accra came on Wednesday evening November 14th. I spoke
at the Bible Baptist Church on the Principles of Prayer. After
the service the ladies of the church presented me with two gifts.
A beautiful shirt for me and a lovely African dress for Marta.
On Thursday
we went shopping and then waited for departure to the USA. Once
more I was allowed to wait in the VIP section of the airport.
I did not have to stand in line for a customs inspection. There
was tight security in the lounge and much anticipation because
the vice president of Ghana was excepted to arrive from a trip
abroad. In addition to the various speaking opportunities there
were a large number of private conversations and counseling
that took places. Also, the opportunity came to visit two ancient
castle fortresses that were used as the final processing points
for the slave trade.
We entered
into the dungeons in the castles where female slaves and male
slaves were packed to be beaten and starved. In a weakened condition
they were more docile. When the day of deportation came the
slaves walked one by one through a door. There was a sign over
the door: The Place of No Return.
In 1998 another
sign was erected on one of the castle doors, Place of Return.
Two bodies of slaves had been exhumed in the United States and
returned to Ghana. The bodies were carried through the same
doors they had come out centuries before. The objective was
to break the curse of the sign. It was a symbolic gesture of
monumental significance to the people of Africa.
By the grace
of God Ghana is a religious nation. Christianity is strong in
the country despite the fact that historically worship services
were held in chapels build just above the dungeon area where
slaves were chained. It is an incredible thought to consider
and sight to see. While church services were being held in chapels
men and women were being held in bondage beneath the feet of
their oppressors. The prophet Jeremiah is right. The heart is
deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know
it (Jer. 17:9).
While looking
at the slave castle fortresses built by the Portuguese and Dutch,
while considering the horrors of the slave trade and the lost
hope of an estimated 65 million Africans I thought of another
door, the door of salvation. Jesus said in John 10:9, “I am
the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and
shall go in and out, and find pasture.” Many Africans have entered
into heaven by faith in Christ. I know. “From the uttermost
part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous.”
Updated 02/04/2006
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