While we live life as fully as we can in South Africa, reaching out in God’s love to whoever is in our path each day, life, and death as well, carry on up in Central Africa. In this past few weeks we have lost 2 friends, “I”, and Eva. It is especially during times like these that we miss being there. We are thankful that our friends and colleagues keep us up on the news, and we ache with them for the loss of these two dear ones.
“I” was a warm and caring man of Muslixm faith, a storekeeper by trade and an assistant mayor of the small town he lived in, as well as being a husband and father of small children. His face would beam with a wide smile as he greeted you and asked how he could help you. 
Eva (sorry I couldn’t come up with a photo) worked at the mission hospital, a Christian, wife, mom, and grandmom who was always ready with a grin and a cheerful quip. Both of these friends, neither young nor old, were in good health just a few weeks prior to their deaths. Both have left behind shocked families and loved ones, grieving their sudden departures.
May God give peace and comfort as tears continue to fall in memory of these two. The grief will be expressed very differently given the two cultures – there will be quiet tears and there will be noisy wailing, but the ache in the hearts will be the same. With Eva, we have the comfort of knowing she is with the Lord, but with “I” there is no such hope. Our prayer is that God’s saving grace would come alive in the hearts of those who mourn.
