Newsletter From the Ghanaian Mission Field
Rev. R. Moore, PRCA Foreign Missionary
Private Mail Bag #15Tel #: 21 51 0353 or 024 37 50 20
MadinaAccra, Ghana
West Africa December 9, 1999
Dear Hull Congregation and sister congregations,
Holiday Greetings From Ghana.
My wife, John and Judy Bouma, and myself pray that the Lord will give you the peace that comes to God's children in the knowledge that He sent His Only Begotten Son in our flesh to suffer and to die on the cross that we might live. This blessed message of this season is the heart of the Gospel, which we are bringing to the nation of Ghana and to the nations in Ghana. We are filled with gratitude to God for the blessings that He has sent to us in this labor. Each day anew we are reminded of His constant care in love for Jesus' sake.
As we come to the close of a year here in Ghana soon, we especially are reminded of the way that the Lord has led us in the labors here in this country. When we came to Ghana, we did not know where we would even begin the labor here, but the Lord led us to the area about Madina Accra. He provided us a house in the area of north Legon, and we settled and began the labor of bringing the Gospel to this nation. As you know, after moving into our house, we began preaching on the first Sunday to three people including ourselves. That grew to five by the next week; and, since that time, the number, that God has sent to hear the Word of Salvation through Christ alone, has continued to grow. We lately have had fifty or above at our worship service in the Sunday morning worship, and about thirty in the Sunday evening worship. Each Sunday we then have been preaching to a combined total of different attendees of about seventy people.
Further, we are having more people attending of a greater spread in age. We also have several families that have been worshipping as families. We are very thankful for this for it is necessary to have such in order to establish a congregation. There are some that have worshipped with us almost the whole of the time that we have been here, and there are many that have worshipped steadily with us over the past two months.
We continue to preach the Heidelberg Catechism in the morning services and find that the people are gladly receiving this preaching of the Word as guided by the Catechism to consider every area of the doctrine of the Scripture. We have a worship service that is almost identical to the worship service our churches have in the States. We find that the people enjoy singing the Psalter numbers, and are especially fond of the words of the Psalter. The gathering here can be said to have learned to sing well over 40 of the Psalter numbers.
The people have become much more prompt in getting to our worship services, and this we have encouraged. In Ghana time is not nearly so important than back in the States.
Our weeks are filled with activity. There is much time spent yet making contacts with others, and following them up with visits. There is preparation for and partaking in the Bible Study on Tuesday and the Radio Program on Thursday. Also we continue to have the Young People on Friday evenings and catechism on Saturday with the children of our area. The numbers have been somewhat smaller with the catechism classes on Saturday, but we have a core of very faithful attendees at this Saturday class. Since school has begun anew and because some of the children do not get home from school until nearly six in the evening, we switched this class from Friday to Saturday. The Bible Study continues to be a source for growth in the doctrines of the Scripture, and it is well attended. We really enjoy this study with God's children here, and we also enjoy the study with the young people. Lately, there have been more pastoral visits and sick visits to make. The larger we have become and the longer we have been here the more we are busy with these types of labor as well. We are thankful that the people also seek out this kind of care. They also do so by coming to our home. We have several visitors each day it seems who desire some fellowship or counsel.
In this connection we are very grateful that our people have made it possible that John and Judy could come and serve on the field helping us. We keep them very busy with many practical aspects of the labors. In the first place, John has taken over the chore of driving the people back and forth from the worship services and the Bible Study. This has been a real help. Besides that, he often drives to town to get the mail and takes care of many of the chores that the missionary had to do before his arrival. He has further helped to look into property and getting cost figures for a worship place or building. Above all this, John and Judy spend much time talking to and instructing the people in the Christian life beyond that which the missionary can do with the many visitors. Often we may have two or three that want to spend some time with the missionary and the others take time to visit with Jan, John, and Judy. Further, John and Judy have been busy making contacts with people in the neighborhood, talking to the people, and always having a pamphlet to hand out. Jan has done this faithfully as well, and this is a big help to the labor here. Judy, of course, spends considerable time practicing the keyboard for the worship services. In addition, Jan and Judy spend quite a bit of time with various members of our fellowship teaching them the Psalters. This becomes evident especially on the Sundays when the Psalter is sung with joy. John also has been using his talents to build some pieces of furniture and cupboards for us. For instance, he has made a table for the keyboard. Judy helps to keep us well fed and in clean clothes, etc. We will not have trouble keeping them busy until they leave; and, we, of course, will miss them when that day comes. In the meantime, we hold precious the fellowship we may have with them as well.
There is a certain measure of benevolent care that also must be provided. This is especially true because of the poverty level of many that attend our worship. As poor as many are, they always bring their mites in offering to God. There is not a complaint about the place that God has given them. Although if it were His pleasure to increase their portion, they would surely also rejoice in this. When we look at some of the extreme poverty, it reminds us in an earthly way of what a wonder of grace it was that God sent His Only Begotten Son to enter our spiritual poverty in order that we are made rich eternally. This Truth we can also apply to the poverty which the people must experience here in this country.
This does not mean that all with whom we labor are poor to this extreme. There are those that have greater means. They also are willing to help provide for the care of others. This is also a blessing.
Because of the numbers God has given us, we are carefully, in cooperation with the FMC and the Hull Council, seeking property and a place to worship outside of the home. We are grateful also for the blessed relationship and the encouragement given to us by both the FMC and the Council of Hull. Besides that, the many expressions of encouragement and offers of tangible help to us by Churches, Schools and individuals strengthen us. May our churches also partake of the blessings of bringing the Gospel of salvation by grace alone to this country.
In a land where miracles by man and the emphasis of many within the church world upon earthly blessings, we find it is a blessing to bring the Gospel of salvation which speaks of heavenly and spiritual blessings of grace. This brings the true comfort of this season before the people.
There is much more that could be written, but we will wait for another time. I will close this newsletter with a poem which my wife has just completed. This poem will be read to our gathering after our worship service on Christmas Day. After our worship service, we will have a special program mostly of singing. We again send our Season Greetings, from the missionary, his wife, and the assistants.
Here follows a Christmas poem for your blessing: Christ Come To
Save He came in the likeness
Of man, born in sin
He took on our flesh
Though no sin was within
He was born of a virgin
In Bethlehem town
The Hope of the Ages
From Heaven come down
He was born in a manger
The humblest of births
God, come in our flesh
Come down to the earth
The aged man Simeon
Who waited His coming
Took him up in his arms
God's blessings imploring
He saw his salvation
As he looked on the Child
The Light of salvation
For Jew and Gentile
The Prophetess Anna
A widow of old
Saw the saving of Israel
Which had long been foretold
The Wisemen journeyed
From far distant lands
To Worship the "King"
Bearing gifts in their hands
Wicked king Herod
At Satan's urging
Sought to kill the "King Jesus"
The young ones purging
But God controls all
And sent Joseph a warning
"Flee to Egypt,' spake the angel
They did not wait for morning!
And the child grew
With wisdom from FATHER
Waxed strong in the SPIRIT
God's grace was upon Him.
At His wisdom they marveled
When He was a youth
He confounded the wise
Spoke nothing but truth
In the temple they found Him
And all were amazed
For He answered the lawyers
They in awe on Him gazed
He was subject to Joseph
And Mary His mother
And as a child without sin
Was like unto no other
Who can know His suffering
Our God, come in the flesh
With sinful man His dwelling
Him perfectly Holy, nothing less
When He declared to His own
My kingdom is not of this earth
His followers were not many
They realized not His worth
As many miracles performed
By Christ upon this earth
And yet He was scorned
The world knew not His Worth!
How great were His sufferings
Satan was ever beguiling
"The kingdoms of the earth shall be Thine"
How foolish he was in trying
For Christ is God. All things are His
He needs no other one
Thus the voice from heaven spake
"This is my Beloved Son"
And so it was He came to die
Upon the accursed tree
That He might suffer in agony
To set His people free
And free from sin's tyranny
His chosen ones rejoice
As they sing His glorious praises
With heart and soul and voice
And soon the Lord will come again
Upon the clouds of heaven
From the right hand of the Father
From whence His power is given
To gather His own unto Himself
In heavenly splendor living
In joyful Hallelujahs!
To Him all praises giving.
Jan Moore
In His Service,
Rev. Richard Moore
revmo@ighmail.com