The Missionaries
Ken and Deborah Klein are missionaries in Ukpom, Nigeria. Ken is a
graduate of Harding Graduate School of Religion, and Debbie holds a PhD in education from
the State University of New York (Long Island) campus. For the last 12 years, they have
dedicated their lives to teaching the Nigerian people the truth of the Jesus Christ. Their
wisdom, knowledge, and education have made them powerfully effective in communicating this
message. In addition, they have become highly respected for the wide variety of practical
problems they have helped to solve in the area. Many of these problems are the direct
result of traditional
religious practices, or the widespread ignorance of basic health and sanitary
practices. Their mailing address is P.O. Box 2479-Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria,
although for the last three years, it is known that only 20% - 25% of the mail gets
through. A more effective means of contact is to send letters to The African Christian
Schools Foundation, Box 41120, Nashville, TN 37204-1120, which arranges for occasional
delivery at the hands of reliable travellers to the region.
The Strategy
The Kleins are full-time faculty members at the Nigerian Christian Bible College (NCBC) in Southeastern Nigeria. In the spring of 1996, Ken taught four courses: History of World Religions, The History of Christianity in West Africa, The Writings, and the Book of Acts. Deborah is also a full-time teacher in the school. She teaches English Composition, African Literature, and runs a Creative Writing workshop. In addition to their full-time teaching duties, Ken does a lot of preaching throughout southeastern Nigeria, occasionally traveling to other parts of the country to preach. They have opportunities daily to deal with basic health and tribal problems throughout the area.
The Kleins work with other missionary-teachers at NCBC. Some missionaries attend to basic engineering tasks, like maintaining an electrical generator, or oversee the digging of wells. Dean and Thelma Hoggatt went and started an orphanage in the village. Here is a brief description of their work as recorded by Ken Klein:
"The Hoggatts have come primarily to build an orphanage in the village. The orphanage is really needed. Less than a month ago an infant was abandoned by an unwed mom, left on the doorstep of one Christian family. The child died from starvation when no means could be found to feed her. No one to breast feed the child, and formula was just too costly. I think we could have saved the child's life if we'd been here…but the family had no one to turn to. The baby is buried less than a stone's' throw from the new orphanage site. I pray it will be the last child to die from such causes."
This school receives financial support from the African Christian Schools Foundation, Box 41120, Nashville, TN 37204-1120. In addition, the school operates with funding from the Nigerian Ministry of Education.
The Klein's and others working with them are bringing to rural
Nigeria "the light of the world."
Financial Arrangements
In addition to the small income the Kleins receive from the school, additional support is provided and overseen by the Arlington Church of Christ in Jacksonville, Florida. Their address is ATTN: Herman Hendricks, Arlington Church of Christ, 6215 Arlington Road North, Jacksonville, FL 32211. Their phone number is (904) 743-4833. The Freehold church of Christ sends a money quarterly.
