Ronnie George Merritt

1. 1/21/1938 Dowagiac, Michigan USA

 

Spouse/Family

Wife: Kathleen A. (nee Kiffner), b. 2/7/1942 Cumberland, Maryland USA

Children: Jonathan Mark (1966), Andrew Jay (1969)

 

Dates of Service Field Call Assignment

1964-79 Nigeria Educational Missionary

 

Biographical Summary

Ronnie (Ron) and Kathleen (Kathy) Merritt were both trained as Lutheran educators at Concordia Teachers College in River Forest, Illinois.  Both graduated in 1964 and were immediately called as educational missionaries to the Yala-speaking area of Ogoja, in Cross River State, Nigeria.  The assignment was to develop a reading and writing curriculum in the Yala language.  In preparation, both Ron and Kathy did graduate work at the Hartford Seminary Foundation School of Missions in Hartford, Connecticut, in the areas of linguistics, anthropology, literacy, and Islam.  After spending a year in Hartford, they traveled to the United Kingdom in summer 1965 for additional training with Wycliffe Bible Translators.

 

In September 1965, the Merritts arrived in Nigeria.  Both began language learning and cultural studies in the Yala Language Area under the tutelage of Rev. Harold Meissner and Mr. Peter Odey.  During this period of time, they moved temporarily into the village of Okpoma, to better facilitate their understanding of the culture and aid their speaking ability in Yala.  Their son Jonathan was born in Immanuel Lutheran Hospital in Eket, Nigeria, in 1966.  After some thought and research, the Yala missionary team (Rev. Harold Meissner, Rev. Alan Buckman, and the Merritts) decided that the Merritt family should move to the village of Itega Ekpudu some 4 miles from Okpoma.  While they were undergoing this period of orientation, however, there was an outbreak of smallpox across West Africa.  The Merritts, along with other missionaries supervised by Dr. William Foege of the medical center at Yahe, undertook a campaign of immunizations to eradicate the spread of the disease.  Missionaries would go from village to village, immunizing as many people as possible with the aid of immunization guns that allowed them to work quickly.  This effort would later serve as a model for the eradication of smallpox worldwide once Dr. Foege began work at the Center for Disease Control back in the U.S.

 

Their orientation, language learning, and this medical project kept the Merritts busy from their arrival in Nigeria until June 1967.  Sadly, at that time the Biafran War had broken out and created such dangerous conditions that nearly all missionaries were evacuated from the area.  The Merritts returned to the U.S., where Ron taught grades 4-6 in Pana, Illinois in the 1967-68 school year.  Kathy continued to care for their son as well as participating in Ladies’ Aid and church activities.  Ron and Kathy then undertook additional training in literacy at the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of Oklahoma, in the summer of 1968.  Conditions had improved sufficiently that they were able to return to Nigeria in October 1968, where they settled in at Itega Ekpudu.  They continued their language learning and cultural studies, and Ron began training Yala co-workers, Mr. Anthony Okache and Mr. Joseph Ajima, to develop a reading and writing system for the Yala tribe.  Over the next few years, they developed a first draft of the basic Yala reading primer series, with some pilot testing in selected Yala schools.  The Merritts’ son Andrew was born in Evangel Hospital in Jos in 1969.  Besides taking care of their children and home, Kathy did “front-porch” nursing for the people of the village: disinfecting and bandaging wounds, giving medicine for eye infections, and whatever could be done with basic medicine and first aid.

 

The Merritts had a furlough from June 1971-January 1972, during which they continued graduate studies at Concordia, River Forest.  Upon return to Nigeria, Ron began the work of pilot-testing the Yala Primer series throughout selected Yala schools; training government teachers in how to read and write the vernacular; and conducting a literacy class for adults in the village of Itega Ekpudu.  The literacy work in Itega culminated in a community-wide recognition for those who successfully completed the classes, which included inviting government leaders to witness the event.  During this time, Ron also met weekly with Yala evangelists (church leaders who were not, or not yet, ordained) to go over their Sunday morning sermons. This continued until the Merritts returned to the U.S. in June 1978.  While Ron worked with the literacy program, Kathy undertook a different kind of teaching, holding classes at their home in which local women could learn to sew.  They practiced using three hand-cranked sewing machines and fabric from old cement bags.

 

In addition to working in schools and training teachers, Ron helped host a week-long workshop at Iboko – Ogoja for church and community leaders.  Some four different language areas were represented, and men from each area were and trained in how to teach the vernacular primers from their respective language areas.  A Theological Education by Extension workshop was also held at Iboko during this period in which leaders from churches were given evangelistic training to be used in church planting.  Ron taught one of the subjects in the curricula, along with missionaries from other language areas.  With the continued development of literacy programs all over the area, the office of the Yala Literature Centre was established in the Okpoma area.  The former home of Missionary Harold Meissner was chosen because of its central location.  Here the Yala missionary team could have the translation, evangelism, and literacy departments under one roof. Daily devotions were held at the center.

 

Missionaris Rev. Eugene Bunkowske and Rev. Alan Buckman left Nigeria to take on new assignments in 1974 and 1975, respectively.  They had trained very qualified indigenous leaders for translation and evangelism, Mr. Ferdinand Orji and Mr. Dominic Ogwihi, but their departure left the Merritts as the only remaining members of the Yala team.  Both literacy and evangelism work was being taken on more and more by the Nigerian church and Nigerian workers.

 

The Merritts had another furlough in 1975-76.  Ron finished his coursework and received a Master of Arts Degree in Educational Administration from Concordia, River Forest, IL in May, 1976.  Upon return in May 1976, the Merritts moved from the village of Itega Ekpudu to Iboko for their last two years on the mission field.  During this time, Mr. Anthony Okache and Mr. Joseph Ajima assisted Ron in developing a “Teach Yourself Yala” manual.  This was written for Yala men and women who were already literate in English. The manual was some 200 pages long with over thirty lessons.  Also during this period, several hundred copies of the complete Yala Primer Series were printed, along with additional post-primer materials.  It was hoped that these materials could be taught in the government schools throughout Yala.  Unfortunately this did not happen due to finances and other government priorities.

 

Before the Merritts’ final departure from Yala in June 1978, the entire responsibility for the Yala work was given to Evangelist, soon-to-be Reverend Matthias Odey.  Rev. Odey graduated from the Lutheran Seminary, Obot Idim, Nigeria in August 1978 and assumed the position of Superintendent over the Yala-speaking workers, including the Yala Literature Centre and its staff in Okpoma. It was Ron’s opinion that the need for an expatriate missionary in the Yala area was no longer necessary since very competent staff had been trained to carry on the work.

 

Missionaries Ronnie G. and Kathleen A. Merritt and sons repatriated to the U.S. in June 1978 and lived for a time in St. Louis, Missouri, at the LCMS mission apartments.  Ron was asked by the LCMS Board of World Missions to do the final proof-reading of the Yala New Testament, and he undertook this work from June 1978 until July 1979.  He completed the proof-reading and made arrangements for the printing of the Yala New Testament before the Merritts officially completed their LCMS missionary service at the end of July, 1979.  During this year, Ron and Kathy also traveled most weekends to speak about mission work in Nigeria at area churches.

 

Ron writes, “I have never felt that I’m less of a missionary having returned from the foreign mission field.  Missionary status to me is a lifelong joy and privilege.  I served 19 years as a missionary stateside as a principal/teacher in three different Lutheran School settings.”  From 1979-82 he was called as a seventh-grade teacher at Holy Cross Lutheran School in St. Louis.  He also served on an evangelism team and with Vacation Bible School outreach.  Kathy became zone secretary for Lutheran Women’s Missionary League and led Bible classes for women in the basement of Holy Cross Lutheran Church.  In 1982 Ron was called to be principal and teacher at Holy Cross Lutheran School in Memphis, Tennessee.  Kathy continued with LWML activities at their congregation and kept the family running smoothly as their sons moved into high school.

 

After two years in Memphis, Ron founded Springfield Lutheran School in Springfield, Missouri, where he served as principal and teacher for fourteen years, from 1984-98.  He then served as Campus Missionary for the Missouri District for three years until retirement in June, 2001.  Having begun work as a sign-maker in St. Louis, Kathy took up that vocation again in Springfield and continued until 2001.  She has been involved in various activities since their arrival, including LWML from 1984 until the present, and serves as a Stephen Minister and in the bell choir at Redeemer Lutheran Church.  Post-retirement, Ron still serves on the Missouri District Board for Missions.  He continues teaching on a volunteer basis.  At St. Paul Institute for Education in Concordia, Missouri, he does a module for college students on how to prepare a Bible study on campus through peer ministry training (PMT).  Ron also teaches a class on Anger Management to men at a local ministry called Victory Mission.  He presently facilitates the prospective new member class at the Merritts’ home congregation in Springfield, and one of the lessons focuses upon missions, home and abroad.

 

Nota Bene

Ron: “The Yala Primer Series, Post-Primer materials, including the ‘Teach Yourself Yala’ materials were published.  My meeting with the evangelists weekly was received very well and I think helped contribute to a deeper understanding of the meaning of each week’s lesson’s meaning was. My relationship with Evangelist Odey, I believe, encouraged him to continue his education at the Lutheran Seminary at Obot Idim.

 

“Upon returning to Nigeria in October 1968, I was on a missionary team, consisting of Rev. Harold Ottomoeller and Rev. Kenneth Greinke, surveying needs in the Calabar area after it had been liberated from the rebel forces of the then self-proclaimed Nation of Biafra.  The civil war ended in 1970.  I would like to think that this service helped the Lutheran Church of Nigeria to expand its vision for outreach to other language areas.”

 

While in Springfield, Ron was elected Chairperson of the Missouri District Professional Educator’s Conference.

 

Phase 2 Information

Biggest missiological issue faced?

Ron notes, “Personal and professional issues arising between missionaries were very present upon arrival on the mission field in 1965. It seems that specific assignments and responsibilities were unclear, and this fostered frustrations, people choosing sides, and yes, even gossip. This was quite a surprise to us to find that interpersonal issues existed between missionaries; perhaps we were a bit naïve having just graduated from college and being younger than the ‘veterans.’ We had a pretty rosy image of dedicated missionaries who rose above self-centered issues and ‘turf’ battles.  Part of the conflict also was between families who sent their children away to school either to Timothy Lutheran School at Obot Idim or to Hillcrest School in Jos and those who chose to home school their children.  We didn’t have any children at that time fortunately.”

 

Most significant contribution during missionary service?

In addition to his work with the Yala primer and training of evangelist, Ron writes, “I would add that it was a privilege to do the final proof-reading of the Yala New Testament; that the Yala people now had the New Testament in their own language…and I had played a part in its publishing, including raising funds. This is something for which I thank my God and Lord, Jesus.”

 

Connection to today’s mission?

Ron was able to make a second missionary journey to Nigeria in March 2008 after having left the foreign mission field 30 years ago.  He says, “I wanted to return to the field and see firsthand what had happened since leaving Yala and other tribal areas.  It was awesome to see how much God has opened doors for the spread of the Gospel.  Christian Churches are spread throughout the Ogoja area; Bible translation of the Yala Old Testament is continuing under Mr. Ferdinand Orji, who is assisted by Rev. Charles Tessaro, Lutheran Bible Translators Consultant.  Mr. Edward Rupprecht and his wife Wilma are also with Lutheran Bible Translators, serving as Scripture Use Consultants.  They are encouraging local leaders to use the Scriptures in the vernacular in church services throughout the Ogoja area of Cross River State.  During my journey, Mr. Rupprecht and Rev. Tesarro asked me to assist in the revision of the Yala Primer Series by offering suggestions on how changes in the reading and writing curriculum might aid fluency and comprehension and developing a rough draft of a ‘Transfer Primer’ that could be used by Yala men and women already literate in English to learn how to read and write their mother tongue.”

 

In the U.S., Ron serves as a speaker regarding the importance of literacy and Bible translation, which remain as important now as during the time he served as a missionary.

 

Lessons Learned

• “Our God is an Awesome God!  He gifts us for His service wherever He so places us; and to Him alone be the glory!  Be willing to take risks in sharing the Gospel in various settings so that you will be blessed to be a blessing to others. That’s my experience that I would pass on to present and future foreign missionaries.”

 

Best Practices

• By the time the missionaries left Nigeria, local leaders had been well-trained for literacy as well as for evangelism work.  This strengthened the Lutheran Church of Nigeria and made for a smoother transition as missionaries left the field.  Ron writes, “This is what mission service is about: we equip local Christians for service that will enable them to assume full responsibility for the ongoing spread of the Gospel.  This is what the Apostle Paul did, and he served as our mentor.”

 

Phase 3 Information

Inspiration for entering foreign missions?

Ron and Kathy attended a presentation by Dale Busse, missionary to Papua New Guinea, at Concordia River Forest.  That was the beginning of their interest in foreign missions.  Dr. Martin Koeneke, President of Concordia, called them into his office at call time and asked them if they would be willing to accept a position overseas.  They said “Yes!” and the rest is history.

 

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