Scripture Songs Used While Working

From SPARK

Brief Summary

Scripture songs can be received positively by nonbelievers.

Introduction

Because most people in the village cannot afford cement to make a concrete floor in their compounds, they invite neighbors to come and help them in “beating the compound" with mallets. Gravel is pounded until it is compacted and then waterproofed with "nyam", a local herb water which preserves the floor for a year or two. During this procedure, a lead singer is usually hired to motivate the workers who sing while they work. When Abibata Adam, the wife of a church leader from Pumo, was invited to participate in a pounding in Tugban, she decided to lead the singing using Scripture songs she had helped compose. The workers, mostly practioners of folk Islam, enjoyed learning the songs and eagerly listened to an explanation of the meaning of the words.

Key Factors

1. Singing is an important part of the culture. Villagers sing while they work and learn songs quickly.
2. Economic necessity requires villagers to help each other pound floors; the activity is thus a normal and frequent event.
3. Abibata Adams was invited to participate in the work and earned credibility and admiration from the villagers who followed her leading and listened to her explanation of the Scripture songs.
4. Though practioners of folk Islam, the villagers were open to the gospel.

What Was Done

Abibata Adams chose John 3:16 as the first Scripture song to teach the workers. No one had heard the song before, but they learned the chorus in ten minutes. Within twenty minutes, everyone was singing and pounding. Other Christian songs followed and the singing continued throughout the day. When it was time to eat, they settled down and began asking where she had learned the wonderful songs and what they actually meant. Abibata Adams then presented the simple gospel message by explaining the meaning of the songs the workers had already memorized and enjoyed singing.

Results

The gospel was presented through Scripture songs and the villagers' desire to understand their meaning.

Helpful Information from the Author

These villagers are the Dagomba people who speak Dagbani. Most Dagombas practice folk Islam. The Christian community is growing, rather slowly.

The compound is an open space within the grass-covered house. A house may consist of four to six round huts joined together with an open space in the middle. All the floors in the rooms and the open space have to be hardened to keep the floors firm.

Usually a singer or drummer is paid for leading the music. However, during compound pounding the lead singer is considered part of the working group where payment is a meal. But on this particular occasion, everyone was so touched by Abibata Adams' songs that they started giving her coins. When counted afterwards, they totalled ten thousand cedis. For villagers this is quite a lot of money. Abibata Adam’s story reminded me of the Apostle Paul’s final instructions to the Church of Colosse in Colossians 4:2-6, particularly verse 5, “Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders; make the most of every opportunity." This is just what she did.

By: Dan & Leticia Dzokotoe

Date entered:

Date range of story: March 2002

Location: Ghana