Bɛ na sepea joko doto

Something amazing happened last weekend, something that we have been praying for. Something that flew in the face of Satan's plans for the Baka. Something filled with sorrow and with hope.

I participated in a brand new kind of celebration. It was a "bɛ na sepea joko doto." Roughly translated, that means "celebration to rejoice in a life well lived." It was the first Baka celebration of its kind, and it was to celebrate the life of my friend Dali.

Let me tell you why this celebration was the first of its kind. Normally, when a Baka person dies, public mourning begins immediately. The first thing you would notice is the wailing. The family congregates in the family home around the body of the deceased and welcomes visitors. Every time a new visitor arrives, the wailing begins again. This goes on day and night. Often the grieving includes laying blame on someone for causing the person's death, or even accusations of killing them outright by sorcery or poisoning. Sometimes the grief gets violent. Drumming, dancing, singing and drunkenness take place all night long. Family members from distant villages are sent for, and often the initial mourning period is extended until they arrive, causing this period to last two or three nights. The body is usually buried in the morning or evening about 24 hours after death.

After this initial time of mourning, there is a second death celebration called the 6th day. It is celebrated sometime during the weeks or months that follow the death. This celebration is characterized by spirit worship, drunkenness, carousing, marital unfaithfulness, fights and general evil.

My teammates and I wanted something different for Dali's funeral. Dali was a woman of God, and this kind of celebration would not honor her or the God she served so faithfully. We presented the idea of a different kind of celebration to her husband and he was visibly relieved at the possibility. He immediately took us to Dali's family to formally present the idea to them, and they accepted! We set the date and made the preparations. And then, we prayed. My specific prayer was that God would strengthen the faith of believers in our little village and that He would add dramatically to our numbers.

On the day of the celebration we arrived to find a palm leaf shelter erected in front of the home of Dali's mother. The food, to be shared after the service, was already prepared, and people were beginning to arrive. The service started off with prayer and singing. People were joyful. There was a spirit of fellowship. Nestor had asked me to testify about how Dali had placed her life in God's hands, so I had prepared a little message about the cross of Christ and how Dali had faithfully carried her cross, trusting God through good times and bad. I challenged those who were present to live a life of faith in God as Dali had lived, and I was overjoyed to hear Dali's mother, father, and brother commit publicly to trusting God. Barry also shared a message about “how beautiful are the feet,” which was encouraging and challenging to all. Others shared testimonies and commitments to live for God. There was more singing, more prayer, more celebration of a life of faith. Food was served, and people stuck around for a bit more fellowship. God was glorified. Our prayers were answered. Dali's life and trust in God were truly celebrated. The faith of the believers in Mayos was strengthened, Dali's family decided to follow Christ as well, and our hope is that the number of believers in our little village continues to grow.

This celebration was the first of its kind, but I hope it will be the first of many. As God's hope spreads among the Baka, traditions will change for the better and God will be further glorified among the Baka.