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BAUGHMAK BACK IK IIGERIA!
Don Baughman left Columlms, Ohio^Thursday, April 13 enroute to his field
in Kigeria, West Africa, He visited mission stations An Rhodesia and the Congo enroute
and arrived May 1^. Mrs, Bau^an and their four daughters to join him
iarly in June,
Lester and Mrs, Donna LeMay, who took care of the worki during the Baughman
furlough, are now in the States and may he reachedy^^^ Ernest DeArmy, 63^ Skyway Dr.,
Independence, Ky, 41051
outline: [Don Baughman Departing for lligeria
with his mother and friends.
The Christian Mission, VoL 11, No. 5, May 1967 Page 11
NIGERIAN MASQUERADE
Announcer: Mr. and Mrs. Brown, members
of the home church, are on a world tour and
are going to spend a day with the Don Baugh-
man's, missionaries for West Africa Christian
Mission in Nigeria. The Baughman's are
meeting the Brown's at Ikeja Airport, Lagos.
(Mr. and Mrs. Baughman are dressed in cool
light summer clothes. The Browns wear con
ventional suits and are carrying airflight bags.)
Mr. Baughman: Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Born.
Welcome to Nigeria! Ekabo! As we say here.
Let me take your suit coat you don't need to
wear one in this heat. The porters will carry
your bags.
Porters: Here, Sahl (Each one takes one item
to carry.)
Mrs. Brown: Oh, thank you. My, it is good
to see you. But it is hot!
Mrs. Baughman: Well, in Nigeria you always
get a warm welcome. I'm sorry your telegram
was delayed. We could only bring one of our
preachers to help us welcome you. This is
David Bello, our Yoruba preacher at Sango
Otta, the nearest church to us.
David Bello: Ekabo! Welcome! (David is
wearing what looks like pajamas and a bright
skull cap the ordinary dress of Nigerians.)
Mr. Brown; (Removes his coat. David takes
it to carry,) Well, it does feel better to get
that off. Where do we go now? (To Mr. Baugh
man)
Mr. Baughman; Well, we'll drive out to the
compound first so you can freshen up. We'll
go through Agege on the way. My wife calls
it "A-gag-ee" because of the smells. When
you have open sewers and a goat market in
the middle of a town, it isn't easy to keep it
smelling sweet. It's only about 14 miles from
here to our compound. (They appioach the
car, which can be represented by six chairs.)
Mr. Baughman gives a "dash" to the biggest
of the porters.) "I dash you, Oga. You take,
give-em udder boys."
SCENE TWO: Baughman's compound. The
people alight from the car.
Mrs. Baughman: WeU, here we are at our
compound (pointing). Over there (pointing left
stage) is our guest house; we live here (poin
ting right stage); and the house in between will
be for the Walter Smith's when they arrive.
Mr. Baughman: And down there (pointing far
right) is the dormitory for our school of
evangelism. The rest of our thirteen acres
is lawn and bush.
Mrs. Brown: What do you mean, bush? All
I see are those tall trees.
Mr. Baughman: Sorry, I forgot. Bush is the
African name for jungle or backwoods area.
A bushman is an African hillbilly, (to David)
David, take a pawpaw home with you when
you go. Ours are bearing heavily now.
David: E-shay-oh. Thank you. Odabo.
(leaves)
Mr. Brown: What kind of animals do you have
in your bush?
Mr. Baughman: Nothing very big. Civet cat,
rats, snakes, ant-eaters, squirrels and such.
There are mcnkejrs when you get far enough
away from the populated areas. And there is
cutting-grass it's like a porcupine without
quills. It is good eating.
Mrs. Baughman: Speaking of eating, let's go
in and have some fruit salad and a glass of
squash.
Announcer: While the Browns eat their salad
and drink their squash, we remind you that
they are in a country of 55 million people, in
Equatorial Africa once called the "white
man's grave." Only through the new anti-
malarial medicines can white people survive
there today.
Mrs. Brown: That was delicious. What was
in that salad?
Mrs. Baughman: Just fruit off our compouns;
mangoes, pawpaw, pineapple, grapefruit,
avacados, bananas, and coconut. The squash
was made of passion fruit.
Mr. Brown: Well, I've only eaten half of those
fruits before!
Mr. Baughman: Now, would you like to drive
out to one of our village churches?
Mr. Brown: Please. Let me check my
camera for film.
(continued on next page)
Page 12 The Christian Missionp VoL 11, No. 5, May 1967
(continued from previous page)
SCENE THREE: The village of Egon-tedo.
The Browns keep taking pictures at appro
priate place during this scene,
Mr. Brown: (Getting out of the car) Where
is your church building?
Mr. Baughman: There on the right that
mud building with a tin roof. The native doc -
tor lives next door. (Mr, Brown takes pic
ture, )
Mrs. Brown: Oh, do they have doctors out
here?
Mrs, Baughman: (laughing) Well, a native
doctor is a little different than an M. D. He
treats all kinds of diseases with various roots,
bark, and herbs from the jungle. His chief
ingredients for medicine are illicit gin and
blood from various animals.
Mr. Baughman: Since most illnesses are
believed to be caused by witches, he does a
going business in selling charms for protection
made out of bones, animal skins, teeth and
hair. If this doesn't work, he interprets
dreams to find out who is the witch causing
the illness. We really rejoice when Christians
turn in their "ju-ju" charms when they are
baptized and begin trusting in Jesus fully.
Mrs. Brown; What is that house with all the
animals painted on the side ?
Mr. Baughman: It is the house of the town
idol. At special times of the year sacrifices
are made to the idol to insure good crops, lots
of healthy children, etc. Come, let's walk
around the village. We are likely to see some
folk cracking palm kemals, boiling pahn oil,
grating cassava, or weaving baskets or mats.
SCENE FOUR: The missionaries and their
visitors are on their way home discussing
things in the car.
Mr. Brown: That was really interesting. Are
all of the churches in villages like that?
Mr. Baughman: No, in Lagos we have some
"city" churches, but in Otta where we get our
mail we don't yet have a congregation,
Mrs, Brown: Why is that?
Mr. Baughman: Otta is a strongly Muslim
town. To serve it's 12,000 people are five
denominational churches and over 40 mosques.
We often preach in the market and are even
encouraged by the king, but so far we've not
been able to break through the shell of Islam
to show people that following Jesus is the
true will of God.
Mr, Brownr. Did you say that Otta has a king?
Mrs. Baughman: Yes, he is called the "Olata
of Otta" and is a member of the Anglican
church along with two of his wives,
Mrs. Brown: Did I hear you right: Did you
say "two of his wives?"
Mrs. Baughman: Yes, for a chief polygamy
is almost a necessity. In Nigeria it is a
mark of presitge to have many wives. The
pagans can have as many as they want, Mus
lims are allowed four. Some denominations
permit polygamy and most churches have
(knowlingly or unknowlingly) some polygamous
members. It is one of the most difficult pro
blems we face in presenting a truly Christian
way of life to the people,
Mr. Baughman: In the Eastern region we not
only have polygamy but some other difficult
problems to overcome. There is no Muslim
influence there but paganism is virulent, The^-i*^
young girls in backward villages make a pub
lic dance dressed only in beads and paint as
a part of their ceremonies of coming of age.
Divorce is easier and more common than in
Hollywood. Ritual murders and cannibalism
are still practiced to a small degree.
Mrs. Baughman: There are some good points
though, Don. Tell the Browns about the new
churches in the East,
Mr. Baughman: True, in the midst of all this
spiritual need there are faithful Christians
seeking to produce fruits such as Christ com
manded, Four evangelists trained the
mission are now in the Eastern Region train
ing other young men to preach the Gospel.
Through these men eight new churches were
started last year. Now preparation is being
made to open a vocational school, whereby
fledgling preachers will be trained to sup
port themselves while they preach the Gospel.
The Lester LeMay's are in the States until
May 1968 recruiting support and personnel
for these opportunities.
Mrs. Baughman: Don, don't miss your turn.
This is Otta. (Mr. Baughman makes a quick
screeching turn to the right.)
Mr. Brown: So this is the Muslim town. Is
, (continued on next page)
The Christian Mission, Vol. 11, No. 5, May 1967 Page 13
(continued from previous page)
that a Mosque?
Mr. Baughman; Yes. That brightly colored
building is the place where Muslims go to
pray five times every day. Oh, oh, I think
we're in for something. Look at that crowd
of people down the road.
Mrs. Brown: GOOGH! What is that big thing?
Something from Halloween? And listen to
those drums! (The car is stopped by the
crowd.)
Mr. Baughman; That is a masquerader. I'll
have to give him some money to get through,
but if you take your pictures now it will be
worth it. (Crowds surround the car. Chil
dren are shouting "E fun mi lowo." e-foo-me-
low-woe The masquerader in seven foot
costume of colored cloths, mirrors, beads,
rattles and feathers, is swooping and diving
at the children who surround him screaming
in delighted terror. Meanwhile the drums
and the people are making a deafening sound
around them as they inch their way along.)
Mr. Baughman: (after they get through the
press). You folk are seeing a small picture
of Nigeria. The people here are in bondage
to many sins and troubles which attract them
like that glittering masquarader. They seem
to enjoy it, but they are bound by many fears.
We are here to try to help them to know Christ,
for He is the only one who can deliver them
from the deceptions of Satan. Faith in Jesus
Christ can make all men see the truth that
sets them free.
West African Christian Mission
P.G. Box 46
Gtta, Western Nigeria
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Baughman, on the field.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Smith, coming in the
summer of 1967.
Mr. and Mrs. Lester LeMay, on furlough
during 1967, returning in June 1968.
Speaking dates may be arranged by wri
ting Ernest DeArmy, forwarding agent,
634 Skyway Dr., Independence, Kentuckjr
41051.
Baughmans Forwarding Agent;
Mrs. Carol Scarbrough
243 Mizell
Duncanville, Texas 75116