Apparently with Satan having been busy in tormenting me, though a failure thereat always, the posture taken in writing this article about a God-fearing man whose good stewardship has led many of us to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ till now however had to be recalled from the name he was affectionately known by in Kpakonu, Fassama of the Belle District, now in Gbarpolu County.
“Pastor Yarkpai,” as he became affectionately known to many within the district that was hardly assessable by roads during the 1960s and ‘70s, cannot now be viewed as a stranger in the things of Christ Jesus.
Having won many lost souls to Jesus Christ, quite daring as he may be described in telling the truth without fear, “Rev.Dr. Yarkpai Binda,” as he has come to be known over the years, is quite synonymous to the forest-region Fassama Pentecostal Mission School where parents and guardians glued themselves day and night in hearing the good messages of God.
Learning for the first time the verse of Acts 2:38, the most favorable of the United Pentecostal Church (UPC), after transferring from the Lutheran that became the background religion of most parents, it is still remembered that the scriptural verse says: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Heavily plunged into the belief of the Holy Father that subsequently landed me to the Washington Baptist Church on Ricks Institute from which I equally underwent biblical studies under Rev. Ben Mosley, it has since made me to hate “LIES,” since it resorts to stealing, false gossips and other inimical acts.
Led my the Holy Spirit to have equally been baptized at the Washington Chapel Baptist Church on Ricks Institute in 1971, contributing to my religious studies at the Baptist Training Center (BTC), now the Baptist Theological Seminary (BTS) whilst a full member of the Tent Makers --- thanks to God that a former classmate, Rev. Toby Gbeh, Vice President for Administration is still thereat --- remaining in the vineyard of the Creator is never a “show business” but very real. Against these backdrops and continuously committed to been quite reverent to my God, though the unacknowledged believe that such is noticeable by the number of Sundays that one attends Church to display earthly possessions without realizing that they are indeed flattering themselves, it is at all not surprising that Rev. Dr. Yarkpai Binda was on Sunday inducted as Superintendent of UPC-Liberia, something that nearly brought tears to my eyes of the many temptations that he had to overcome in over three decades, very principled as he remains.
Instantly bringing to memory such names as the Gbagbas, Millers, Wallaces, Kessellys, Massabois, McCathys, Bannies, Kennedys, Worlobahs, Yarsiahs, Jensens, the Grays and many more, the UPC superintendence by the Rev. Dr. Yarkpai Binda ought to be viewed as helping restore that “old time religion” when one could really preach, listen and feel the power of the Holy Spirit, commanding anything good to happened and it surely happened.
The late Reverend and Mrs. Copples been missionaries and mentors at the Fassama Pentecostal Mission School, although with both having died in a motor accident in the Republic of Kenya, extolling of Bishop Elder Albert Stewart who has immensely contributed to the growth of the Church over the years is at all not mistaken, given the number of years devoted to the process by him, with the past civil crisis in Liberian proving even more challenging out of his daring of the situation to leave the work of the UPC undone. I equally say “Hats Off” to Bishop Stewart for his path-finding roles that have since elevated the Church from a very small seating capacity to a larger one. Hallelujah!
The induction of Rev. Dr. Binda who unmistakably strict-jacketed his elevation to the inspiration of God, graced by the presence of Liberia’s President, Her Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, forewarns all Liberians to now turn new a new leaf by shying from hypocrisy, deceit, conspiratorial designs intended to stall the progress of individuals and institutions, simply by been buried in untruths.
Preach the truth, live the truth and continuously defeat the devil and his earthly angels at all and any cost, Rev. Dr. Binda. These are the little things that matter when obsessed by holistic activities, moreso with roots obtaining from the poverty-stricken, yet faithful. Ahnan day-deh ay!
