Missionary slain in Liberia had ties with Chowan
In late November, tragic news
came out of Liberia of the murder
of a Southern Baptist missionary,
Mrs. Libby Tarlton Senter, and her
daughter, Rachel, 10.
The missionary had been raised
in Shelby where her 87-year-old
father. Bill Tarlton, served as
pastor of Zion Baptist Church for
16 years. She first dedicated her
life to missions there.
Ties with Chowan
The CHOWANIAN has learned
that the deceased mother of Mrs.
Libby Tarlton Senter, Mrs. W.V.
Tarlton, is a 1927 graduate of
Chowan College. Her maiden name
was Letha Carter and her
hometown was Harris, near
Shelby.
According to a Baptist Press
report, “The missionary and her
daughter were found murdered
early November 26 at the Senter
home in Yekepa, Liberia. Police
arrested suspect Benjamin M.
Morris, a graduate of the Liberian
Baptist Theological Seminary, the
following day as he apparently was
trying to escape the country.”
George and Libby Senter moved
with their two children, which in
cludes a son, Philip, to Yekepa six
years ago as newly appointed mis
sionaries. They long ago decided in
case either died on the mission
field they wanted to be buried in
Special week
for financial
aid informafion
Governor Jim Martin and finan
cial aid administrators at North
Carolina colleges have combined
forces to create awareness of the
sutdent financial aid programs
that are available to students.
Clifton S. Collins, director of
financial planning, noted: “In pro
claiming ‘Student Financial Aid
Awareness Week’, Gov. Martin
recognized that, due to ever in
creasing educational and living ex
penses, more and more students
are finding it necessary to seek stu
dent financial assistance to further
their educations beyond the high
school level.”
Continued Collins, “The underly
ing theme in student aid, since its
inception, has been that of
assisting qualified students with
inadequate financial resources to
attend the postsecondary educa
tional institution of their choice.
Because student financial aid pro
grams and dollar amounts are
ever-changing it is essential that
prospective students and parents
become aware of the funds for
which they may be eligible.”
The North Carolina Association
of Student Financial Aid Ad
ministrators has made a commit
ment to provide the North Carolina
students more comprehensive in
formation on student financial aid
resources available for the 1987-88
academic year.
“Now, more than ever, it is im
perative for students to understand
student financial aid programs and
institutional philosophies,” Collins
declared.
Liberia as a Christian witness to
the people.
According to the Baptist Press,
“Forgiveness was one topic the
Liberians discussed widely among
themselves. They were stunned as
word got around that George
Senter had placed his hand on Mor
ris’ shoulder, looked the accused
murderer in his eyes and told him
he forgave Morris for killing his
wife and daughter.”
Loved Liberian People
“That’s a story that just amazed
everybody in the area,’ said
Bradley Brown, the administrator
of the 67 Southern Baptist mission
workers assigned to Liberia.
“Liberians told how Libby
Senter loved the people of Nimba
County. ‘They appreciated her ef
fort at learning the Mano
language, and the fact that she
would go out regularly on Mondays
and stay overnight with them, ask
ing for no special treatment,’
Brown said. ‘She wanted to live as
one of the villagers and wanted to
leam new things as they did them. ’
“One village pastor told the
crowd with great emotion how his
people had given her a name in the
Mano Language which meant ‘se
cond,’ indicating she was only the
second woman from outside their
tribe who had tried to learn their
language.
“Other contributors thanked
God for sending Mrs. Senter and
prayed that he would speak
through the tragedy of her death to
draw people closer to himself.
“One contributor to the wake
spoke of the daughter, Rachel,
noting in her tribute Rachel’s iden
tification with the country. A
teacher at the African Bible
academy Rachel attended in
Yekepa told about Rachel’s
answer to an assigned question,
‘How do you know you are a Chris
tian?’
“The teacher quoted Rachel as
saying she knew she was a Chris
tian because as she believed in
Jesus Christ as her Savior, her
‘heart felt satisfied’ - a phrase
typical of Liberian speech.”
Cheryl Pope is a Chowan College student from Con
way, N. C. In addition to her studies and campus ac
tivities, Cheryl also works parttime in the Counseling and
Cheryl is one of 470 Chowan students who work up to
20 hours a week to help pay for their college education.
Without this financial aid, many of these students would
Chowan is pleased to provide and help pay for the
work of students who take this kind of initiative. Each
year, Chowan pays thousands of dollars from its
operating budget to students needing financial aid.
those students who want to pay for their college ex
penses. Your gift is an investment in future leaders
throughout this state and nation and in our churches.
Please Fill Out This Form
To Help Sponsor Deserving Future Leaders
1. What kind of leader would you like to sponsor?
Young man Young woman Either
2. What kind of financial aid would you like to provide?
work-study program aid to ministerial students
aid to sons and daughters of Baptist ministers unrestricted
3. Would you rather make an outright pft than contribute $10 a month? Yes $
4. We want to send you a Certificate of Appreciation as a token of our appreciation for your commitment
Do you want the certificate? Yes No
Please send me more information.
I want to contribute $10 a month to help provide financial aid through the work-study program.
Instead of contributing $10 a month, I am enclosing a contribution of $
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Mail To: SCHOLARSH ARE-CHOWAN COLLEGE
P.O.Drawer 37
Murfreesboro, N.C. 27855
Attn: Dr. Bruce E. Whitaker, President
CHOWAN . . . working with you to Build a Future!
The Chowanian, February, 1987—PAGE SEVEN