FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH ^ U.S

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION ' PERI-IT ^^21RORTHINGTON, INDIANA SEC, 3i|-66-PL&R

i+7i|71

Sr'AAGE NEWSLETTERfy

u - 0

Mission ServicesBox 966Jollet, m«60304

January 8, 1968

R'e know that you are all anxious to near about tne work in Ghana.Quite a bit has happened in the last 8 weeks since our arrival ncre.Ghana is pretty much like a Sauna bath without walls, we are livingon the outskirts of Accra on a hill so we do got a nice breeze tnatcools things do;>rn somewhat. The country is nilly and tne roads areterrible. There are a few asphalt roads between the major cities ofAccra, Tema, Takoradi, and Kumasi but tnese are also very bumpy andnarrow. It is very green heroi Further North there are dense forests,we have pine-apples and bananas everywnere and a lot of coconuts.Almost all the other food fit to eat is imported from, various countries. Nost of the meat comes from ijonmark, Re do not have any freshmilk here, only re-constituted and powdered. Potatoes are so expensive that everybody eats rice instead. I believe that this is true ofmost of Africa... .that rice is the mainstay of the diet. Vie can buyPepsi and Coca-Cola, orange and other soft drinks here but no Kool aid.Prices are very high so we- are watching our finances closely and finding ways to economize. I think we are doin-^ very good, we are allhealthy and the Lord is taking,_ca£e .olL_us_r.ijal well. — -•

The mosouitoes here are sneaky little fellows and tney are"midgets" compared to the mignty .Nprtnern Minnesota rtosquito but tneyare deadly. Tne malaria carrying mosquitoes don't buzz and I can'teven feel them bite but nover-the-less I apparently had a mild case ofmalaria about the 3hd week here. I was in bed for 3 days. Somethinglike the flu witn alternate fever and cnills. we nad all teen takingthe prescribed dosage of anti-malarial pills but apparently somepeople need more dosage tnan others.

So far I have seen 8 snakes. All big and all presumably verypoisonous. I once asked a trotner in Soutn Africa now you tell tnepoisonous ones from tne non-poisonous, ne answered "I don't trust anysnake I" And I have adopted that pnilosophy. Vge nave nad 2 snakes atSimkins house when we were staying witn tnem. I unknowingly steppedover one and realized what happened after I nad taken two more steps.The other snake I met at th(j front door wnen we were coming home fromChurcn Sunday noon. There are also many frogs nere wnich tro. Hostet-ter and I catch at night to use for fisning bait. Vue nave been fishingtv/ice and last time did pretty good. R'e catch a fish and then argueas to what kind of fish it is because neither of us has ever seen tnesekind of fish before. There are several rivers and streams here thatproduce some good fishing.

Our work with tne Guiana Christian Colloge is exhausting, challenging and alswys interostin.g. we have about 30 students this term. V.ea/.most need an interpreter to interpret tneir lijngllsn for us I Talkabout accent I VjowI You have never heard anytning until you have nearda Ghanaian speaking Englisnl One of tne courses wo are offering isEnglish with tne emphasis on correct pronunciation. Re nave classesA days a wec-k, Tuesday tnrough Friday and I am teacning 3 subjects thisterm. Ronald Rife is tne Principal of tne College, Kent Taylor, Richard Hostetter and I comiplete the present staff. Re nave a Ghanaianbusiness manager wnose name ujan AUdo and he does a terrific jot forus on all gov't red-tape concerning passports, visas, imports, exportsetc. Ron Rife, Kent Taylor and I were all class-mates at KinncisotaBible College. Rlcnard nostetter is an Onio boy. v.e all get alongreal fine and nave hign nopos for Gxiana Christian College. Tne Kife'shave 3 cnij.dren, Tayl-.r's nave 3s ^hd nostetters' nave 3 2.nd our Cneryiand Kevin make 11 a] te-g vVnoi-. . Thcv.rre all between tne ages of 2 and

PAGE 2

11 and all but tho two littlest ones go to the same scnool.., Acfiimotaschool which is just one mile from our nouse on the hill, Tnere areonly 3 girls. Pamela Rife wno is 8, tneryl 6, and neather nostotterwho is only 2.

Vje are planning on a L|. year program for Ghana Christian College.VjG have both first and second year students as tnis is our 2nd year.The boys are very serious in their studies, host of them are in theirlate teens or early .twenties. V«e nave older men also in our eveningclasses which we hold 3 nignts a week. V^eek-ends everybody goes every-v/here preaching the word. V.e nave more requests than we know wnat todo withl The students that are not yet ready to preach accompany uson the preaching trips to the churcnes. Yesterday 5 boys went with meto Eojiase. One of the 2nd year students interpreted for me into theTwi language, We started the service at 10;30 A,F. and finished atil.:30 P.F, That was even too long for me. I preached for about i^.0rrinutes but this was a special day for the churches in tnis area andthere were several sermons and testimonies and about 1,000 songs itseemed or at least a 1,000 verses of maybe 20 Twi songs.

On the way back we saw a very interesting sight. There were about20 Ghanaians hauling this tremendous boat out of the bush onto theroad. VJe stopped the car to watch. I asked one of tne students wnatit was. he said it was a "Surf Boat". I asked nim wnere they got it.He said they made it out of a "Wawa" tree. Sure enough there it wasthe biggest dug out canoe I nad over seen, i|0 , feet long and all madeout of one giant "Wawa" tree. The be^^m of the boat was a good 5 feetacross. They were taking this "surf-boat" to Accra to be used in theocean by the village fishermen. I xiave some slides of tnose tnat arevery interesting. Write to Fred Crowford for tnem. but what reallyamazed m.e was that these 20 men were trying to got tnis tremendousboat in a truck (Fammy-wagon) tnat had a bad of only 15 feet I VvellI watcned them and they got about one-tnird of the boat in and tneother two-thirds sticking way back out o.f tne truck with no visiblemeans of support except the men holding it up themselves. I said totha student, "they can't use tnat truck, it's far too smalll" Tnestudent said "Yes tney can" and apparently they did but I don't seehow it could have been possible. We didn't stay around to see" now tneymanaged it as it was getting late, and I was convinced it was im.poss-ible anyway I , , .

hERRY

FIRST IFFRE3SI0NS1

It is always very difficult to describe a new place and pooplein a way that will convey the feelings and thoughts that we haveexperienced. Ghana is as unique and interesting a country that youcould find anywhere. The colorful clothing of botn the men andwomen, tne men in their Kente clotnes worn Roman style, the, women or"Farrmiies" in their long, wrap around skirts, the children with littleor nothing on, the marke^ place with baskets and baskets of fruits,vegetables, fish, mounds of peanut butter and crabs. All are part ofbnis society and culture. To capture a true feeling of living herev'Ou would need not only a movie camera to record what we see, but alsoa tapo recorder to get the sounds and noises, and something to. capturebhe smell as well. The sidewalks and streets are crowded with smalltables stacked with broad, matcnes, tins of milk and Gnanian food, andi'lios. F.y first thought was tiiat it is like a carnival 3^5 days a yr.

Living in the tropics is not impossible but it is more work. Icoubt that I have ever spent so many xiours in a kitcnen, or boiled somuch v/ater, as I nave in tne time we nave been hero . One of the firstthings I intend to do wnen we arrive home on furlougn, is to buy everykind of packaged or frozen convenience food tnat I can find, ke naveespecially appreciated tne churcnes and individuals that nave recentlysent food items to us. Cneryl and Kevin tnink tne Kool-aid is ©specially. great and take turns fixing it. Pop-corn is trieir next favorite,berry likes the jello, and I really appreciate tne instant potatoes 'and soup mixes.

Vje are looking forward to speaking to many of our friends andrelatives soon on Han radio. Kent Taylor is in the process of lettinghis license from tne Ghanian government and then we will be all set.If you can be contacted in this way, please send us the call lettersand we will try to arrange a time to speak to you.

•In Christ, DOMNA

PAC^S 3

FINANCIAL INPORNATION FRON FRED CRAVjPORD

LIVING LINK

lal, from 1966... ^ 3'2.261967 Income 8[|.39 »32Total cash available in 196? bli.9i .3b

1967 EXPENSES

Eal. paid on Opel auto 1^23.12Transfer to Furlough Fund 600.00Smaage salary and rent allowance.. 6213.00Smaage expenses for travel, auto and misc.. 750.00Postage and Kisc. by Fwd. Agt l82 .46Total expense, 8168

Bal. Carried forward to 1968 323.00

As of Lee. 3I5 1967j there is ^^>3793.98 in tne airplane fund, with4j)307.66 owed to -i-'.L.Smaage for airplane expenses, leaving a netof i|t«3^88.32. There is also ^1000 set aside in a fund forfurlough travel.

new Latsun automobile has been purchased for ^li^OO and paidfor with money borrowed from the airplane fund.

SMAAGE ALDRESS_

P.O. Box 191Ii. ^Accra, Ghana, h, Africa

FRED

JM^AGT^AOuHEaa

Fred CrawfordP.O. Box 2i|Columbia, No.

65201

. .j.

SMAAGE NKwSLETTER

r»oi*j.-ftnce SmaageGhana Christian CollegeP.O. Box 19II1.Accra, Ghana, West Africa

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Cnrists

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

PERMIT /f21SEC. 3A-66-PL&RMINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION

mssion ServicesBox 968JoIiet» 111.603D4

APRIL NEWSLETTER

Time goes very fast on the mission field when you are busy. Thelast several weeks have been just that for us. We nave had manyopportunities to preach and several hundred have been won to Christin the weeks just past. Our ministry is multiplied by the preachingof our students at Ghana Christian College. Three of our first yearstudents had 200 additions in a meeting during the week before Easter.They are learning very fast and we have much hope for the future ofGhana as a result of their eagerness in proclaiming the Gospel. Theopportunities to preach the Gospel, are almost unlimited here.

Last week Donna, the children, and 1 traveled to the Togo landborder where we have been invited to preach in an Evangelical Presbyterian church. It was an interesting trip and our first to people ofthe"Ewe tribe"."" The people"" were"~ir'OSt~TTi"efeT;/^~ahd""kihd 'bo^us^Hefvingus a fine dinner after church of rice, with ground nut soup over it.The soup was very hot. It is made out of ground nuts (peanuts) andseasoned with hot red peppers^ The women had also put smoked fish,okra, and egg plant in it. During the day we saw three or four members of a fetish cult. One was a fetish priestess and she was alldressed up and painted witn white paint. Tney are a very superstltouspeople and believe in idol worship. In this same area we savj threeidols, one looked like a large scarecrow, others were made of stone.There is a great need for the preaching and teaching of the gospelhere. We have many such opportunities to preach in churches of alldenominations. Many are anxious for teaching and as we are simplyteaching non-denominational New Testament doctrine, they are anxiousfor us to come.

There are other churches where this teaching is not welcome. Oneof our Ghanlan evangelists went North about two months ago, establisheda very fine church. In just two months time this brother has had over500 additions. He started with nothing except the word of God and alove for tne people. He was apparently too successful in the eyes ofthe Head-master of the Roman Catholic secondary school, who sent threeyoung men to murder our evangelist. They almost succeeded and left anasty stab wound in the evangelist's chest. They also "snot" him witha gun but it failed to fire. Ebenezer ( our evangelist) managed toget to the police station and the three boys were arrested. They arenc'.: waiting trial on charges of attempted murder. Ebenezer told us allthis yesterday as he had come to Ghana Christian College and wanted usto 'transfer" him to another church. We do not place ministers, ofcourse. VJhat he meant was that maybe we could suggest another placefor him to preach. He had decided, however, that if it was the Lord'swill, he would go back to his church and continue preacning. He showed us his bandages and explained how God had protected him"and how Hehad blessed his work. He was not afraid to die and was positivelyradiant and cheerful as he spoke to us. Then he put us to the acidtest and asked us when we were coming to preach to his church; Planswill be made to do so soon. Please pray for this yoiuig man as tiecontinues to serve his Lord.

B^FORTANT NOTICE; All packages sent to the Sraaages should be addressedto Ghana Christian College, P.O. Box 19114-. Any packages addressed toDerry and Donna are subject to 100^^ duty tax. It would be best if younotify Derry of any packages you might send to them.

A NEED FOR THE GOSPEL?

"It Is said that long, long before the oldest fishermen of todaywere born, a whale was stranded somewhere on the coast of Ghana. Thewhale tried to swim back to the sea, but the villagers killed it withiron bars and axes. This so angered the God of tne Sea that he pmish-the people; for many years no fisl: were caught and diseases spreadalong the fishing villages. Prom that day on, the Fetish Priests perform a great ceremony to please the God of the Sea, making all thecustomary libations and sacrificing a goat and a bull."

This short article appears In a book called "Ghana, Past andPresent." In the early part of April a large whale again drifted onto a beach near Tema. It apparently had been hit by a large ship. Thepeople offered libations to it, sacrificed chickens on it, and werecutting pieces from the whale to be used for medicines and to ward offevil spirits. Earlier sacrifices had been offered by the Fetish PriestsIt is interesting that many of these people participating in thesepradtices will claim to be Christians, too.

CHILDREN'S CORNER

Kevin recently found a 5 inchblack scorpion in our front yard.Donna gave a sigh of relief toknow it was already dead I It hasnow become exhibit "A" in theSmaage house. Kevin is learning toplay basketball and high jump.The big boys wouldn't let the twoyounger ones {Kevin and Steve Taylor)use theirs, so they have erectedone of their own. The even "bigger"boys (Derry, Kent, Ron, and Dick)won't let them play basketballoften. Guess they will have to getone of their own. Cheryl is beginning her second piano book. She isusually one or two pages ahead ofher teacher. She is active in

Erownies and has made a jump rope,broom, and is now learning to tieknots. Cheryl will probably go toInternational school next year andis doing extra work at home.

VBS LESSONS

Lessons have been prepared bythe missionaries here for useby VBS this summer. The lessonsare designed for your missionarytime and are for a 15 minuteperiod. . They are about a youngboy, Kofi, who lives in a Ghanianfishing village. Pictures, posters of all the missionaries, anddrawings are included with thestory. We are anticipating alarge number of churcnes usingthe material and would encourageyou to write Fred Crawford fora packet. All offerings receivedfrom the use of the lessons willgo into the fund for the building of the college school-

Sincerely, in Christ,

Derry and Donna

FINANCIAL REPORT JAN., FEB., KiARCH 1966

LIVING LINK

INCOME Bal. from Dec. 31, 196? ^ 323.00Gifts Jan.Feb.Mar. 1968 I8l0,68Total Cash available 2133.bd

EXPENSE—

AIRPLANE FUND

Trans, to Furlough Fund.. l50.00Paid on Datsun Auto.. 100,00Smaage Salary 1600.00Postage and Misc. by' Fwd. Agt i].2.95Smaage Travel and other Expense... 162.91Total Expense 2055 .06

Bal. as of Mar. 31 78«02

FURLOUGH FUND Total Amt. set aside as of Mar. 31-..- 1150.00

Bal. on Hand from Dec. ^1, 1967... 3795-98INCOME 31*35Total Cash available...; 3027.33

EXPENSES 872.23Cash available Mar. 31? 1968 2955.10

DATSUN AUTO FUNDBalance Owed 1300.00

Fi^od Crawford, Fwd. Agt.

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHHRCHNON-PROFIT OHaANIZATION

VJOHTHINSTON, INDIANA i+7^71

SMAAGE NEWSLETTER

Dear Friends,

U.S. i-OSTAOE PAID

PFRNIT #21SFC. 3ij--66-FL^R

Misnion ServicesBox 968Joliet» 111*602f)4

15 \9fiS

September 1968

In our last letter to you we told you of some of our plans and desiresfor the work of Ghana Christian College. We had hoped to spend much ofour summer scnool holiday visiting and teaching am.ong the churciies hereand were looking forward to a visit with our missionaries in Nigeria.Instead we have spent the past two months going from one .governmentoffice to another in an attempt to straighten out son.e difficulties withour visas and quotas.

Since the beginning of the work of Ghan.a Christian College, the facultyhas been granted visas under the auspices of the Universal ChristianChurch of Ghana. Recently the Universal Christian Church has becomedisatisfied with the amount of •financial help tnat tne faculty of GhanaChristian College has been willing and able to give tnem. It was because of this that early in July the leaders of the Universal Christian

-Chrurch—p-etillonerd—Lne becretii'y of ihtei>ior to xiave~us withdrawn fromtheir quota. This would in effect mean that we would no longer nave aleg.al right to be in Ghana and ,would therefore nave to return to tneStates.

At this vjriting the outcome of the action taken by the Universal Christian Church is still uncertain. During the past two montus vje navesought out every possible means for us to remain in Ghana. It is evident to those families serving in Ghana Christina College and tnose ofthe faculty now on furlough tnat if we submit to tne demands of tneUniversal Christian Church that it will be the beginning of many moredemands • We are therefore attempting to seek our ovm quota from tneGhanaian government and put the college on a firm legal footing. Tothose of us personally involved in this problem it is further evidentthat only God can intervene on our behalf. V'e earnestly seek yourprayers for the missionary families here in Ghanai the Ronald Rifes,Kent Taylors, Dorothy Eunson and ourselves. Our ir issionaries on furlough, the Cyril Simkins ;.;nd Dick Hostetters, Sxiould be remembered tooas they present the opportunities and problems of our mission enterprisein Ghana.

Although we do not knov; the .government's decision in this mc.tter, weare going aiiead with our plans for college this fall. Tnis will be ourthird year of instruction, vie are somewhat snort of staff with both';;yril and hick in the States but Edgar Nicnols of Kumasi nas agreed toteach two classes for us. de will be traveling between Kumasi andAccra eacn week. School is scneduled to resume on tne 24th of Septembei'witn first, second, and tixird year students in attendance.

Your continued interest in tne work of Ghana Cnristian College is appreciated and honna and I especially want to txiank you for your faithfulsupport of our financial needs. Nay the Lord tloss e.. ch of you as weserve him togetiier.

In Christ,

Derry, Donna, Cheryl oc Kevin

FIIvAHCIAL REPORT AS OP >iV>RST 31, 1968

LlVIl^n Li:'K AtO. 1966

Balance i^ug. 1 Deficit ^ i4.6i^..27502.63Income

Balance Available

EXPENSESj

Tsfr to jjatsun Auto FundTsfr to Furlough Fund...Smaage Salary.

Total Expenses

38.36

50.0050.00

500.00

600.00

BALANCE CARRIED FORWARD (i^EFICIT) 561.6i^

Airplane Pund--Balance available 2989*35Dataun Auto—Balance Owed 1050,00Furlough Fund --Balance available 1^00.00

I would call your attention to the deficit in the Living Link accountTwo churches have discontinued support whicn nas caused tne deficit.It would be a great help if any individual who rev.ds this newslettercould send a gift. Also, if any con^.rega-tion could assist in suppoi't-ing the work in Ohana, it would be appreciated.

Derrence and Donna SmaageMissionaries to OhanaWest African Christian Fission

Box 5722Accra, Ohana

Fred I.. Crawford, Fwd.AgtPO Eox 24Columbia, Missouri

65201