Jay Beckloff

Western Nigerian Christian College

Posted 11/1/05

Dear Family and Friends,

It is good to be back again, as always.  It is hard to keep up on things in two homes so far away.  Ileta returned at the end of August and I arrived on the evening of the 18th Oct.

Then, on Sat. Kent called us at 2:00am saying that they were on the way to the hospital.  We went and the baby was born at 6:40 by C-section.  Little Alexandria's heart beat was so high that the doctor felt a chance of losing her, so the decision to take her.  All are fine now.  They came home to the farm on  Monday.  

Some highlights from these past three months include:

I am very proud of three students who are teaching the book of Revelation in their churches.  Two of them, Ajetunmobi and Monomiye, are co-teaching it to the whole congregation on Sunday nights - something that their own preacher won't/can't do.  Another graduate, Ogunjimi,  of last May is teaching the book to the teachers in the church.  One objective that I added this past semester was that of strongly encouraging students to teach it to a small group and then to larger groups.  But, these students dived in completely.  I think that this is a very good evangelistic route to reaching people if they learn that we have someone who is reasonable in their approach and show a clear understanding, others will want to learn.  I like this approach.

We now have a third son from the same family, in school with us.  This is a first, but several have had two there.  This speaks well of West Nigeria Christian College, Abeokut, Ogun State, Nigeria.

One student in his third year, is pulling out of his drug addiction.  Olumuyiwa, may have turned the corner.  He has been one of my counselees.  His family and all of us had thought he was cured, but he has been cheating some.  He had blamed others for an excuse to continue.  But, I think that he is finally accepting the responsibility for what he does.  I loaned him John Clayton's booklet on his story in atheitsm and drugs.  He spoke of his dispondance and seriously of taking his own life.  He may now realize the seriousness and hazzards of that life-style.

Ibukunoluwa, sister to Ogunjimi above, transulated the WBS lesson into Yoruba over the summer and they are now being put on a computer getting them ready for printing into the local language.  This is badly needed and hopefully, other churches can acquire them locally.

We are preparing to plant a church in a nearby village.  Mile Six is two miles toward Abeokuta and is within treking distance.  We began a building there before I left.  Ileta and I purchased the plot last spring and have supplied funds to get the building started.  The foundation, floor and walls up to top of window level are now completed.  The lintels are being prepared this week and next.  We will soon be ready for the decking in preparation for the second level.  We will need about $25,000 more to complete the building.  It will  accommodate  worship and Bible study on the lower level.  The second floor will provide two classrooms and living quarters for a preacher.  The building will house our Saturday program of Bible and English classes for children and adults as well as Sunday use.  It might also be used by the village as might be needed.

The last of our funds are on their way now.  If any of you can assist in any way, please let us know so that we can get this building completed. 

Our Nigerian Board met in August and I turned in my resignation as Registrar effective December 31, 2005.  I will remain on the Board for the present time.  The school is in its strongest position with two additional degree instuctors, one which is married and has two small children, Zion and Canaan.  Both children have sickle-cell anemia and are limited in what they can do.  Mary Moka teaches the English courses and supervises the 16 femal students on campus.

They all share a two family house, designed for this arrangement.  Michael will replace me if he proves to be trustworthy and effective.  The other instructor was one of our pioneer graduates and got his degree from our sister shcool, NCBC where we have worked earlier.  We have no plans to return soon, but at a later date.

One other highlight was the seminar on The Eldership Process held in early August.  I had invited Ileta's brother Walter, her two sisters and Don Deffenbaugh from Neosho to assist us in this leadership program.

The folks there were all pleased to see Ileta's family as the ladies taught the women who came.  It appears that this is one of our most successful seminars.  Walter is going to Abuja in November for his second trip.  I had wanted to participate in this lectureship, but I would have had to stay another month. 

Still another highlight.  We began our 3rd year program with seven students.  We wanted it less than ten for this first year.  I enjoyed teaching the course on Christian Evidences.  We are teaching courses like the Introduction to Greek, Theology of the Old and New Testament, Christian Ethics, etc.  We are meeting in our new classrooms and the auditorium will soon be walled.  We are thinking that the auditorium/classroom building will be completed in the early spring.

Thanks so very much for your prayers and other assistance during these past six years in getting this "baby" strong enought to stand and walk on its own.  May our Lord bless each one of you in all that you do.

Our love to you,

Posted: 9/17/05

To: Ileta, Family and Friends,
From: James Beckloff

Greetings to all of you from Abeokuta and the bush, It has been good to get your mail. Thursday, two from Heta and one from Julie. Samson Ewa who is in the Republic of Benin. He was wanting help for the church

to be able to purchase property. Like so many others, they do need help. I don't know where he got all those e-mail addresses.

Things are going about as usual with my class, 6 times per week and are scheduled to finish on the 2Sth of this month. Students go on a week's break after the last mid-term exam on Friday the 30th. They will be out a week. I should have plenty of time to get the exams completed and all the cleaning up that will need to be done. I have disposed of some things already.

It looks like we will be moving after the new building is completed. Biodun does not feel comfortable where he is at night. He wants to put his office on the upper floor, north end. That sure gives a good view of the area since it is a comer room he can see north and west. He told of one school head being robbed and murdered somewhere in Ogun State. But, I never felt unsafe here. Many times I am here alone in my office like now and no one would know if robbers came in quietly.

This office is to be moved up over the stage which is at the same level as his, third floor/ That will also be a good south view. I likely will not ever really function there now that I have resigned as Registrar

and would only come back as a visitor. But, I still remain on the Board and will likely come back for short visits. BO did say that I would be back in January, but I discouraged that idea.

Abiola came by yesterday as NCBC is now on holiday. Allen Bayo and Domomic also visited - some others. All want me to greet you for them, including the iron bender. He is a young fellow and so personable. The

building is coming along the walls and most of the lentils are in place for the last level. We won't have money for the roofing so that will have to be put off for a while.

I go to Ijeda on Sunday, then Onipanu on the 25th, Araromi on the 2nd, Lawenson on the 9th and Amukoko on the 16th.Onipanu wants a lesson on Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. I may forget to go that day. Araromi the lesson is on The Cost of Discipleship, Lawanson is Sunday on the eldership and Amukoko is my own choosing. Araromi is Sunday evening so will have to spend the night there. One requirement I have for my students is to prepare and deliver a sermon on Christian Evidences. I am taking those who don't have a regular place to preach and will let them use my slot for the sermon while I take the teaching. Most churches will gladly do that. Sunday Utobo will go with me this Sunday. You may recall that he was a part time student and graduated this past May.

Elizabeth and Samuel have come by and there was always a bold-up for not selling. Wed. I made it emphatic that she start selling or the beans, etc. would spoil. Friday she came by and said they began and sold a few things on Thursday. Kemta church was to have a prayer

session that nigh to "commission" the business. She is to bring me beans and salt I told her to put 75% of all sales into the "bank" for the next purchase or she would go broke. She said that she would.

I made salmon patties last week ~ not bad. I hardly had the ingredients called for on the can and substituted some, like that powered orange drink left here for lemon or whatever it called for. I make pancakes Sat.

My Departure - Lagos 17 Oct, 11:35P on # BA 74 London to Chicago, IS Oct. 9:35AM on # BA 295 Chicago to NWA, 2:21P on AA 325 and arriving at 4:0SP 1707 Mayflower Rd. at 4:59 on last flight. That begins one month from today. I am getting a little anxious.

My love to all of you, James.

AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION   Acts 19:10-20. Bentonville

10/24/ 2004   James Beckloff

Introduction:

1. Thanks for the support and encouragement – will be more specific later as we review
2. some of the highlights during the five years that we have been there (in Nigeria). 2. I want to look at some of our “extra-curricular” activities, as it were.
3. I want to look at some Traditional Religious influences upon the African culture.
4. Show need for continued support of efforts there.
5. Show old worn Bible

I. What Has Been Accomplished To This Point

A. Have 23 acres carved out of the rolling hills and bush. in the west of Nigeria.

1. It is 8 miles outside of Abeokuta, Ogun State, the capital city.
2. Several small villages are located along this main road to Ibadan.
3. The infrastructure stops three miles short of our campus.
4. We have drilled our own water well and have two generators for power.
5. We completed our sixth building this past year and are ready for our largest one of more classrooms, an auditorium, library and office space.
6. The school opened 1999 and will celebrate its 5 th anniversary on the 1 st of Dec.

B. West Nigeria Christian College and School of Biblical Studies is a two year program concluding with a diploma in Biblical Studies.

1. It offers 72 credit hours in Bible, Religion, English and one education course along with a computer literacy course.
2. Sixty-nine students have graduated and we expect 35 to graduate in May for a total of over 100 students at the end of six years of existence.
3. These students go on to higher education, open their own businesses and some are already on the field preaching.
4. You have assisted us in setting up a program to help our graduates who enter the ministry by supplying 50% of their support for four years with a 25% reduction in aid each year.
5. We have two students on the program now for about N4,000 ($31.00 per month) per person for our part for one year.
6. We are adding about 10% for a wedding fund.
7. A local congregation must sponsor these students and supply supervision, housing and other needed support. The money is given to the sponsor.
8. Congregations don’t want a single man and single men can’t get married until they have an income. Our program here solves those problems.
9. Some will agree to hire our graduates under our conditions and assist them in getting married in a couple of years or so.
10. At the end of our support in four years, congregations can have an experienced and married preacher and completely supporting him.
11. I am excited about this program and they and I thank you for it.
12. Ileta and I thank you for assisting us in our transportation expenses.

C. My role in the school.

• One of the two administrators, Biodun Owolabi is our Director and administrator
• Biodun lives in Lagos and leaves campus on Friday afternoons and returns about noon on Mondays.
• I am the Registrar and second administrator in charge.
• Also, my role is to direct student records, curriculum, resource materials, instructors, and other areas as needed, i.e. discipline, etc.
• Provide an up-to-date computer generated official transcript for each student at the end of each mid-term and semester.
• This is unprecedented in Nigeria colleges and universities – some wait years.
• Assist in building construction during those times.
• The two of us do the planning and background work for the school.
• One accomplishments – raise the standard above their accustomed level

II. Extracurricular Activities Outside of the School

• Spend Sundays with churches in Lagos area where there is more than a 100.
• Several are beginning to organize with elders and deacons.
• I am the only missionary in the area and the only person with elder experience.
• Visited six such congregations these last three months.
• Also, small and new congregations want my encouragement, so I go.
• Have participated in open-air campaigns and these churches like for me to come back.
• A few times they want advice and counsel on some specific problem.
• Sometimes they need our financial help for property or building.
• Take songbooks, (announce 4 different numbers), Bibles (show old one), etc.

• Villages want me for naming ceremonies, etc.

III. Culture and Traditions of the Nigerians

• Definitions of terms in African Traditions – of a religious nature.

1. Divination – attempt to foretell the unknown by occult

• System of fraud (Ezek. 13:6-7).
• Lucrative employment like fortune telling (Acts 16:16).
• Other: voodoo, astrology, mediums, false prophets (Jer. 14:14), soothsayers, sorcerers, sportiest, etc.

2. Occultism – pertaining to supernatural, especially evil, influences

• Casting spells and consulting with the dead (Duet. 18:ll)
• Calling up the dead (Deut. 18:
• Magic – magicians in Egypt (Gen. 41:8)
• Witchcraft, sorcery, divination, etc. (Deut. 18:10).

• These background beliefs and practices must be dealt with in our work.
• Teach African Traditional Religion and compare it with Christian teachings
• The faithful local Christians also do what they can to teach the truth.
• We confront these teaching in all courses.
• We look at some principles in the course I just completed, Christian Home.

C. Culture And Traditions Surrounding Marriage Below

• Information comes mostly from students in my classes on the Christian Home.
• One of their tasks was to write a paper describing their courtship and marriage.
• These practices were analyzed according to the teachings of the Scriptures.

MARRIAGE CEREMONY AS MY CULTURE DEMAND IN YORUBA LAND

Example – We live in the southwestern part of Nigeria. We are about thirty million people. Yoruba people are very ceremonious indeed; they celebrate every event from birth to grave. They are lively and homogenous.

Marriage is one of the important ceremonies in Yoruba land. The people are traditionally polygamous in nature except few of the educated elite who practices monogamy. Marriage ceremony itself can be divided into three stages. They are in the pre-intro duction stage, the pre-introduction and the ceremony stages. Those who ignore traditional marriage cannot neglect certain traditional steps before their marriage can be complete.

The first step is when a young man sees a lady of his choice. Then he informs his own father who will in turn,contact respectable members of the lady’s family to break the news. This is behind the stage action, as the two of them cannot face each other to utter a word. After the contact, if the latter’s family agrees, then the two will now see and talk to each other for the first time. At this stage the family of the boy will bring a gourd of palm wine with three heads of coolant to the Lady’s family. Their acceptance of the gift is an indication that the girl has agreed to marry the boy.

After some months, then comes the formal introduction. The introduction to the would-be spouse in itself is a great ceremony when the family of the man comes with large number of people to that of the lady. They will bring with them a lot of things, which are traditionally symbolic. These include yam, tubers, salt, fruit, palm oil, alligator pepper, kolanut, etc. The most symbolic of the gifts are kolanut which pushes evils away, alligator pepper which has hundreds of seeds that symbolize fertility for the wife, etc.

His family members are introduced first while those of the lady follow. The family of the bride prepares a special delicacy of pounded yam with “bush meet” to feed their guests. Here the lady is formally asked thrice whether she will marry the man. If she says “yes” the whole family of the groom, irrespective of the age, will prostrate flat on the ground thrice. This is an indication that they begged the parents before she was given to them.

The actual marriage ceremony lasts seven days. A large number from the bride’s family bring personal effects for the ceremony. The wife is to enjoy, seven day of grace, during which she cannot do anything except by custom. They bathe her and feed her as well.

The bride dances while the groom too dances. It is a daily affair and on the third day of marriage ceremony the groom sleeps with the bride for the first time. If the bride is a virgin, some cotton wool is used to soak the blood of virginity, and sent to the family of the bride. Virginity is a precondition of honoring father and mother-in-law in the olden days. Another feast is made by her parents to entertain the large crowd that follows her. This is supposed to be her last journey to the father’s house. This time she carries all her personal effects and other valuables back to her husband’s place at night while going back. It’s an age-long tradition, which has no rational explanation. – Rueben Christopher Ada (Yoruba Tribe).

Another example – When a young man thinks of having a wife, he first announced it to the father or mother. The parent would go to the city or place the family worthy of providing a “helper comparable.” The day would be fixed for what is called “introduction.” On that day, drinks and food of the lesser amount would be prepared with a bag of salt will bring presented to the mother of the lady. A long list of demands would be given to the groom. In our culture, it is generally believed that if a woman or a lady is getting married, one of the sisters should follow her to her husband’s home in order to help her before she gets any issue.

After that day the lady will be in full watch for some months while preparation for traditional marriage is on. The lady would be put in a fattening room prepared for her as part of the marriage preparation. On a fixed day for the marriage things requested would be brought with the preparation of all kinds of food known to be eaten by the community. If a rich man, different groups of cultural dancers would be invited to entertain for one night in preparation for the main marriage The compound will have been well prepared for the day. The bride and groom would put on traditional attire and after the marriage, the groom would go while the bride’s parent and sisters would take her to the husband’s home that same night.

Some are the younger sisters and this causes a lot of problem in the family if the husband is an unbeliever it may lead to corruption in the family. A responsible parent must be able to provide the economic needs of the family. I will not have a drunkard that has no handle or control his family effectively because of the damage drinking has done and also embezzle the money. In many homes today people don’t think of the evil that this may bring to such child, especially if the mother of the lady comes to stay with them.

In the area of economic, some parents in Nigeria find it difficult to provide the needs of the home, maybe because there was lack of funds to carry the home effectively. In some area like the Igbo (tribe) where they spend their money on things that don’t glory or worthless things. This has been a serious problem in our society today. Most parents, especially children of God, are supposed to fellowship with their family, show them affection and to secure them no harm and parents are also assured of good future.

(Nwaefulu Blessing Gift, Ibbo Tribe, September, 2004.)

In conclusion, traditional ceremony if well handled is far more interesting than the modern wedding, which is alien to us as Africans. In Yoruba land, a woman does this once in her lifetime, whereas the man can do it as many times as he can afford, as polygamy is the order of the day in traditional Yoruba society.

(The flavor of the language as the students used it, has been left somewhat as they expressed it. Below is one actual list of the requirements presented to a young man planning his wedding for 4 December 2004. This list and description is provided so that we might better understand another culture. Some things about their marriage arrangements are very desirable and some things we can be happy without.)

• One Bride’s Price List as submitted to the prospective groom.

B. The bride price or engagement list (list of “demands” by the bride’s parents).

1. The following list was given0 to Segun Ayela for his December 2004 wedding

• 30 tubers of yam        N4,500     Sugar       N300
• Fruits (bananas, pineapples, etc.) 1,000   Basket       100
• 3 bottles of wine       900    20 Bitter Kola   (nuts)   150  
• 4 crates of Malt Drinks     4,800   Leather Box     5,200
• 5 Lady’s Wrapper N1,400 each   7,000   Bag of salt     300
• Holy Bible       500   20 litters of red oil   300
• 2 Bottles of honey     200   20 Kola (nuts)    300
• Dowry          3,000   5 family Biscuit   600
• 6 Ladies underwear      ???     2 lady’s bags     3,000
• 2 Lady’s shoes       4,500   Wrist watch and jewel.2,000

k.    Total bride price/engagement expenses:   Approximate total N38, 000

2. Wedding and reception list

   a. Wedding rings       N3,000     Wedding suit     N6,000

   b. Wedding gown        8,000   Wedding cake     2,000

c. Bag of rice       5,000   5 Crates of soft drinks   4,400

   d. Meat          4,500   Groundnut oil     2,000

   e. Bride shoe   `       1,500   Groom shoe     2,000

   f. Bride’s Bag       1,000

      Total wedding and reception expenses: Approximate total:   N39,000

   Grand total      N77,400 Exchange rate: N133:$1.00 = $5,829

(A large amount for poor couple just getting started). Some are even more expensive. They beg from family and friends for their assistance.)

Ileta and I have enjoyed our work with the friendly and respectful Nigerians. It is our purpose to continue to assist them whenever possible. Presently, we are seeking folks to assist us in raising funds for Bibles, books for our third year program, funds to assist congregations in purchasing property and construct buildings. They are poor people and the government is so corrupt that the locals do not benefit from the country’s resources.

The school is getting strong enough that we can feel comfortable about leaving it. That should occur within the next year.

African trad 24 Oct 04