RESEARCH REPORTS 101 . THE UNIVERSAL PRAYER GROUP "Mpaebo Kuw" (Adoagyiri, Nsawam) THE CALL OF THE PROPHET by K.A. Opoku* Currently under study is the "Mpaebo Fekuw", or Universal Prayer Group, founded by the blind Odiyifo (prophet) Dompreh In 1950. This is the second in our series of studies of Spiritual Churches. The first study, now completed, was on the Church of the Messiah in Madina. The "Mpaebo Kuw", a name revealed to the prophet in his first vision, is not regarded by its members as a church. as the name suggests, a prayer group, in which prayers are offered for the many adherents in their various afflictions. The group !s*inter- denominaflonal, and even Muslims are not excluded from membership. It Is primarily, Prospective members who have no church affiliation are advised to join existing churches and to attend the group's worship services on Fridays. The Mpaebo Kuw therefore serves as a "spiritual filling station" for members of other churches and other faiths who may seek membership or seek solutions for their specific problems. The group now has five active branches: Nsawam, Aburl, Teshie, Tesano and Accra New Town. branches at Mampong-Akuapern, Asubol, Coaltar and Dokrokyewa, all in the Eastern Region. In addition to the above there are moribund Here follows an account of the call of the prophet recorded during an interview: " I, Odiyifo Ebenezer Gyekye Dompreh, the founder of the Universal Prayer Group, Adoagyiri, was born of staunch Presbyterian parents on Friday, 28th December, 1928 at Adoagyiri, Nsawam. My father, Mr. Thomas Asare Dompreh, a farmer, Is ah Aklm and a native of Adoagyiri, while my mother, the late Madam Susana Efua Adobea, a trader and a farmer, hailed from Akropong - Akwapim. \r. K.A. Opoku is a Research Fellow in Religion and Ethics. RESEARCH REPORTi "i 02. "Though o W?••-». .;! >;.• >• LowatT F ••»;.;> syfetic." Mlx^d Schcc? In December 1947. 1 thin worked f.->- two v . f i ", at the wholesale dooart- menf V f!in United A^r,' o.,-»p.aiiv o} AkJ.rt Oca from 1948 to I'-f-di, \ felt a x ld shudder run through my j " I c-,.H3os: to have visions scrn«tJme i < Adjust, 1948. The first ViSionr which was preceded t>v .- wek~lo«xi of dreams/ all of which came true, occurred on c f'n.jrsday night. I wake up to find my room illuminated although I hcri M* out the light before going to bed. Thh greatly puzzled me, fos \ ii.oughv somt* thieves had broken Info my room while ! was asleep. On looking round to se-j if my few personal effects had been stolen, ! beheld a strange spectacle ir. the eastern corner of my room. These ?he intensity cf th'j Uluminatior< was much greater, and on the wall there v us c crescer ., encircled by a hak*. Immedioteiy below !!;•» tu'i-f.-te-w ,vo.-« o rwitoxv r>f S'.wei1 sfois. o'H fv/i^k Below the cjatcv.y v^as *•• ,<;•>«'j of fhe strange vr>i;-='f f «l*?^:c!sd to fcr^e the door open ond to my heels. However, i f?lt spellbound one dumbfounded and fell prostrate ir- the middle of 'no rc^m In my bid re escape. Lying iu this positiortj c«nd ur.conicsouj f-rr >o--.c time, I h' ard a faint voice calling my name, "Ebenezerl!! O>^ "ois'V.f; my hna.' Ir, response to the c a l l, I heard the voice asks "W'-y «•;• y>u wet:if Ic ••jscopo? Do you want to shirk the sesponslbil?5'1/ I wt(n*- *,o enirtii* i-.to your hands? Did you not realise that your post drcinr.s aii ccrat; s>ue, and why did you not broach the 5*?cset to the inmates c-i yoc>r house see :!'t ?« ff.),-P ;h.> ensfr-'n ;ornr-r of the room. However the iik.miriotio'.i emonotif.^ in H-.e blurr^cs ;.ccne, 1 O J U HH O ui"m:.>sf: c< s>*3tr.e winged creatures robed in v/hite. Th"»;t feorures ond bee,inn ' a i ' i cj wjth those given in prayer bocki f*>r origels, and so • riqh*'y c^!!t.'luded >hat fhey were holy angels of G o d, Then i'iif* ro be found in the H iec' to open my eyes to peaking, b'.sl *ny '.••/<.*> could "".of withstand the intensity of "Holy# Holy, : :iid, sHl! lying prostrate and shivering. \ v-:: RESEARCH REPORTS 103. Presbyterian Twi hymnal. The words of the first were: "Yehowa ne me hwefo, no hwee renhia me1, is my shepherd I shall nor want). The next hymn was: (The Lord ';iwe_yle a §y§j ene fe, o eye_, se,anuanom bom tra facfko". (Senold, how good and pleasant it Is when brothers dwei! in unity). After singing all the verses of the above hymns I heard the angefs also singing the following hymn: "Mommo mmoden na mo nye_baako!" ( Persevere to maintain i was next commanded to kneel upright and to raise both hands up the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace). After all verses of the above hymn had been sung by the angels they enjoined me to admit both Muslims and Christians of all denominations into my prayer group and to work wfrh them harmoniously. After this (command) ! was asked to ger up on my feet and when I did so ! realized that the light in the room had decreased in intensity, and the room was fhen filled wifh a thick cfoud of mist, In the air. On doing that 1 feit someone touch my hands, and suddenly ! received a stinging sensation at the tips of my middle fingers^ as if S were being injected. Thereupon my hands became numb and lost all sensation. After a few moments the voice said to me: hands are blessed. Any patient you touch with your.hands will be healed of his illness. A.touch of your hands will induce fertility In sterile and impotent persons and will also effect easy birth for women in travail". S was also directed to bless water which would then become efficacious for healing ail kinds of diseases. The angels also taught me how to bless olive oil and Florida water for healing purposes. '"Henceforth your "Yesu di yen kan na kyereyen kwan", "This being over, the voices (the angels) ordered me to sing the hymn; (Jesus sfil! lead on). And as I began to slng# the intensify of the Illumination in the room Increased greatly and 1 perceived seven burning candles before me. I therefore Instinctively Increased the tempo of the music and as the singing becamfe more agitated i had an intense urge to go out and sing In praise of God, Although if was still pitch dark I boldly went to the outskirts of the town, Aklm Oda, singing In praise of God. When RESEARCH REPORTS 104. I returned home I was greatly relieved to find that the strange light had disappeared from my room, but as dawn approached the voices reappeared, asking me to go to Akim Awisa the next morning (Friday), where a pro- phetess would instruct me as to what to do. I felt I was lascivious and had an insatiable "On the next morning I neither went to work nor to Awisa, for, i I arrived at had then decided not to accept the vocation of a prophet. this decision because I felt I was too wordly and pleasure-seeking to accept such a divine call. desire for alcohol and tobacco. As I stood at the back of my house pondering over the events of the night, I overheard a young man asking for me. When the young man drew near me, I introduced myself to him and took him to my house to listen to his mission. The young man revealed that he had been detailed in his dream to come to take me to Awisa to see a prophetess. Although I enquired about his name and place of residence the young man refused to disclose his identity. Uncertain as to what to do, I reluctantly agreed to accompany the young man to Awisa to see the prophetess. When we arrived at Awisa I asked for the location of the prophetess1 residence but my guide simply told me to follow him. When we approached the entrance to the house, the guide pointed to the house and asked me to enter, adding that he himself would soon follow. As I entered the courtyard, I heard the singing of very moving hymns in the room of the prophetess. white flowing gown with her head also turbaned in white. There and then I became petrified and could neither take a step nor open my mouth. As I stood fast there I heard the woman give glory to God saying: "! thank thee God for having given me your messenger1. " Then she rushed and sprink led some Florida water on me and covered me with a piece of calico. At this point I broke into singing and felt, as I did so, that my eyes were getting out of focus. With tears welling down my cheeks I sang several hymns from the Presbyterian Twi Hymn book. After I had finished singing, the prophetess pushed some tender leaves of the snow white plant intoTmy hand, and suddenly \ lost all consciousness. Finally ! came to myself and was told that I had offered prayers for many peopSe I raised my head and saw a woman dressed in a RESEARCH REPORTS 105. while I was in a trance. The women 1 informed me thai God had chosen me as a missionary to do His w irk and thai j should embrace the new vocation whole-heartedly. After i had related the past dreams and the previous night's vision fo the prophetess, she asked if ! could identify the guide who had brought me fo Awisa, and ! answered in the affirmative* then the prophetess brought me food but ! could not eat it, for I had lost all appetite. The prophetess (hen prayed for me, gave me some money for my return trip to Oda, and led me to the outskirts of the town to waif for a lorry. After the fast, the prophetess advised me to accept my new " About five days later, i received a message from the prophetess, Madam Sophia Abram, asking me to proceed immediately to Awisa and I went there the next day in, response to the c a l l. The prophetess fold me that it had been revealed to her in a vision that ! should observe a forty- day fast, and I willingly compiled. For the first seven days I observed an absolutely dry fast (that is I totally abstained from food and even ordinary water). During this fast I had many visions about the work I was to do. vocation without reservations. The voices also kept urging me to take up the challenge but I still entertained some fears and planned fo run away to Adoagyirif my home town. with Prophetess Abram, and refused to honour any of her invitations to attend worship services at Awisa. Whenever ! heard that the prophetess had come fo Oda i would hide in a friend's house all day long. Not only did I refuse fo honour the woman's invitation but S also refused to offer prayers for those who flocked fo my house for intercession. 1 would often ask a suppliant fo wait for me in my room and then I would run away fo town. I couid detect those possessed by evil spiriis after my fast and could also exorcise evil spirits from those possessed. Worried about reports that I was not living up to her expectations, the prophetess summoned me one day to ! then began playing hide and seek * The Prophet refused to disclose these visions on the grounds that they were secrets^ and had to remain so. RESEARCH REPORTS 106. Awisa. There she warned me that if I played with the work, the Devil would one day have power to tempt me. After this maternal piece of advice, she forbade me to drink alcohol. " When I returned to Akim Oda, I naively thought that the strange voices could be silenced and driven away by the scent of alcohol; and desirous of remaining worldly, I took to heavy drinking. I organized week-end trips with friends to Kade, Akwatia, and Asamankese, for the sole purpose of drinking. But the more I drank the more frequently did I hear the strange voices. The visions also became more vivid the day I drank heavily. The prophetess herself paid me a visit to warn me to break my drinking habit but her efforts were to no avail. I maintained that I could not become a teetotaller overnight and that if God himself wanted me to stop drinking He would have adopted a mysterious means to rid me of the habit. 11 On one of my routine week-end drinking trips to Akwatia, I was brought back home nearly unconscious. I regained consciousness to find myself lying in a pool of water, which had been intentionally poured over me. Then raising my head and looking at the eastern corner of the room where the visions mostly appeared, I solemnly prayed thus: 'O God, forgive me the disobedience, henceforth heJp me to abstain from drink, let it smell badly to me1.1 Ever since that incident, I have tasted no drink, be it alcohol or mineral. since that day. I have also never smoked 11 The next day I paid a surprise visit to Prophetess Abram at Awisa to tell her what had had happened the previous night and also of my resolution to stop drinking and smoking. This amazed and delighted the prophetess and she gave thanks to God for having listened to her earnest prayers. 11 Some time after this visit to the prophetess I began to have a change of mind,.* I felt I was not the rightful person for that kind of |ob. I felt the job entailed great difficulties, personal sacrifices and RESEARCH REPORTS 107. ft was during this time that 1 received my second punishment. fastings, One night in 1950, as I lay awake in bed I felt that a mote had fallen on my brow and as I stretched my hand to remove i t, the particle slipped Into my eye. There end fhs.i 1 became blind and have remained so ever since. For -\r.-j first two months I could see nothing, but after that time *lw,i; wes some improvement with my sight, I can now see a new moon and can also distinguish belween night and day, A reflection on this Incident always brings to my mind the Scriptures about Saul's vision and his subsequent conversion. It also reminds me of God's omnipotence. 11 It was after 1 had become blind that I decided that I should abandon all hopes of reverting to my old habits and to start my new work in earnest. During all this time, from when I first had my vision up to the day ! became %'ind in 1950, I remained an employee of the Akim Oda branch of the United Africa Company. founded my Universal Prayer Group. I married Grace Dompreh, daughter of Prophetess Florence Mary Oporebea, in 1956, and we are now blessed with four children." I came to Adoagyiri in that same yeo,ff 1950, and