A hodge podge of shoes outside a man’s house is an everyday scene, but the great number of this day’s collection of footwear and even one man’s crutch, shows that something out of the ordinary was going on. The owners of these shoes, visitors to Alaji D, came to pay their respects because the alaji’s 25-year-old daughter, H, finally succumbed to heart disease. The men were in Alaji D’s room, talking and praying, a continuous flow as some would leave and others would come. The women gathered out back, on mats, under a palm-frond-roofed cooking lean-to. The women all took their shoes off as well, and stepped on to the mats spread out there, where they greeted and consoled A, the mom of the young woman who just died. It took Jan & me a bit of time to understand that not only had H passed away, but our best buddy HH’s 4-year-old granddaughter had also died, just the night before.
These two are cousins; the little one is the one who is no longer with us.
She hadn’t been ill, just came up with a severe headache and high fever that night, and they rushed her to the local clinic. They had just started treatment for malaria and then she passed away. Oh, the sorrow. Oh, to have children and grandchildren go before you just hurts. Jan & I sat with the women and listened to their stories about the ones who had died. Every now and then one would just break out in Arabic memorized prayer, and we would all hold our hands open, facing up – for me I like to pray that God would fill those hands with blessings and his love. We have come to understand that just sitting, just being with these friends is of utmost importance, that an hour of just sitting is worth so much more than any gift or deed we might come up with. As we got ready to leave, Jan spoke about how we had just seen death, but that God has provided a Savior so that we might have life forever through Him. She told the ladies that even though H was gone, she left behind 3 precious souvenirs; her 3 children, and we can always remember her with the help of these 3 gifts God has given. With an aching heart I ask for prayer for these friends, who have no assurance whatsoever that their loved ones are with God in heaven right now.
