Seems that some weeks are better than others. You've been there I'm certain. This past week has been emotionally challenging. Seems to be a lot about death. Thinking about it, seeing it, seeing the effects of it, not liking it.
Sunday we drove to Kigali, Rwanda in order to take Kelly to the airport. We thank God she is back safely in Michigan. As we drove into and around Rwanda, I was continually reminded of the horrible genocide that occurred there in 1994. 800,000 to 1,000,000 people murdered in about 8 months. As I saw youth walking the streets of Kigali, I thought about how they have grown up under the shadow of a horrific time in Rwanda. I saw old people and wondered how all the deaths that they saw affected them. I thought about the fact that most likely there were people still mourning while those who committed untold atrocities walked the streets. We drove past a memorial for some of those brutally murdered. All that, along with saying goodbyes to Kelly was draining.
Tuesday, Sally and I returned to Kigoma safely. Praise God! It is always a blessing to have traveled in E. Africa for 22 hours on the roads without an 'event.' As I passed the road that goes to our hospital I thought about the 45 year old mom/grandmother that I had admitted to the ward right before we left for Rwanda. She came complaining of headache and arm weakness with a blood pressure of 300/180 mmHg. I am not kidding. On Wednesday I saw her on the ward. She was recovering from a stroke, but doing well. The plan was for discharge. I went to OPD to see patients. After a while I got summoned to the ward to help. I was informed that just after seeing her grandchild from across the ward and waving to her, she suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing. CPR was attempted but from the signs it was clear she had most likely suffered a sudden bleed into her brain. The family went from planning her return home to planning her burial. We were all shocked and saddened. I had seen and and been touched by death once again.
Thursday morning upon reaching the hospital for our morning worship time, I learned that one of our Baptist pastors, Pastor Timothy Mbiha, had died. He was about 50 years old. I had yet to meet him. At his funeral, I heard some of his life story. He heard the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ in 1980 and decided then and there to receive by faith, the free gift of salvation. He began serving as an evangelist while getting bible training. I'm sorry that I do not know his complete history, but I can say that I heard testimony after testimony about his life of serving Christ, preaching the truth of the gospel, of befriending many people and sharing Christ with them. Many shared about his life of serving his people as pastor of Mwasenga Baptist Church. He has left behind 8 children and his wife. We continue to pray for them.
I estimate that over 400 people attended the funeral and burial. People representing several denominations of churches as well as several Muslims attended. The gospel was clearly proclaimed at his funeral. At the end of the funeral service, after all had passed by to pay their last respects, something happened that I didn't expect. Apparently, as is the custom, the men stood in two columns stretching from the door of the church to the grave. His coffin was passed out through the door of the church and then was handled/passed by each of about 100 of us men until it reached the grave side. Once again I had seen and 'handled' death. His body/coffin was then carefully placed on the ground and again the gospel was preached. It was a humbling experience.
But what was clearly different from Rwanda and the death of that dear mother/grandmother, was that in the death of Pastor Timothy was the hope of the resurrection. The promise of Jesus Christ that by faith we receive forgiveness of the penalty of our sins, that we are born again, a new creation, empowered to live a Christ-like life through the indwelling Holy Spirit. And then, when 'God calls us' as was preached, we leave this temporary life on earth and continue to live eternally in the presence of Jesus Christ. That is the hope we have. That is the truth of the Holy Scriptures. We have a sure hope, and that is the person of Jesus Christ.
I have to say that this week of 'death' has not been what I expected or hoped for or prayed about. But I know that God has allowed us to pass through the events of this week for a reason that He knows. In this week of thinking about, seeing death, seeing the effect of death on families, I am thankful that I have a living Lord and Savior that conquered sin and death through his sinless life, sacrificial substitutionary death on the cross, and amazing resurrection!
Let me close with the words of the chorus from the song "Because He lives."
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know he holds the future, And life is worth the living, just because He lives!
Continuing to serve, daily by His grace…
No comments:
Post a Comment