A friend and brother in Christ died last night, and I can’t fathom why God allowed this to happen

He wasn’t always a friend, and he wasn’t always a brother. Just a few years ago, he was an angry, violent, impulsive man. He assaulted people on a fairly regular basis. He beat his wife with sad frequency, nearly killing her once. He kept young Baka boys in a kind of willing slavery, exchanging cool clothes and shoes, drugs, and alcohol for their worship and free labor. And then, when they genuinely needed help with something, he would abandon them. He testified later about himself that he was “a very bad man.”

But then something changed. Our neighbors spent time with him, slowly witnessing to him about our Savior, and one day he wanted to attend our Bible study time. I didn’t believe it when I heard. I said, “no, not him!” But he came, and he humbly listened, learned, participated in the study of God’s Word. And he changed. Dramatically.

He began to serve and cherish his wife. He truly took care of and guided the boys that he had under his roof. He humbly did menial tasks for others. He gave up his seat in church for a woman who was socially much lower than he was. He broke up fights and restored peace. He led by example. He humbly instructed others in the Word of God. He joyfully worshiped God. Lately, I've found myself depending on him for help in certain situations, as he had shown himself faithful. He became a man of God.

Once, his father, who is not a believer, thanked me for the change in his son’s life. I quickly directed the praise to God, knowing that I really had nothing to do with the transformation that took place in that young man’s heart and life. But doesn’t that speak volumes?

He was Bakoum, married to a Baka wife. Normally this is a sad state of affairs for the Baka wife, as she is socially much lower than the Bakoum. And this was the case for several years. She was mistreated by her in-laws, shunned by his family, and treated as a servant with benefits by her husband. Until Christ changed their lives. After Christ, her status improved, at least in the eyes of her husband.

And he recently worked hard to purchase a motorcycle. He used it to help others, transporting a very sick kid to us for treatment once a week, giving people rides, etc...

He purchased a helmet as well. But last night he wasn’t wearing it.

I don’t know how the accident happened. He was giving a friend and his wife a ride to see a sick relative. They arrived at their destination, but they didn't make it home. There were 5 souls on the motorcycle. We were told that everyone was killed, but when we arrived at the hospital, everyone was still living, but only one small boy was conscious.

I checked on my friend first. His breathing pattern indicated a severe head injury. I braced myself for the inevitable. The couple he was transporting also had severe head injuries. They were sewing up a scalp wound on the wife. The little boy was in the pediatrics ward by himself. He was in pain and didn’t want to interact with me, but I could see that he would be ok, so I returned to the others who were more critical. I watched the baby take her last breaths. And then I noticed that my friend and brother was no longer breathing. Death is so raw in this place. I couldn’t cry. I still haven’t. Maybe that will come.

We spent the rest of the night attending to the couple, transporting them a larger hospital, going from emergency room to the cashier to recovery to pharmacy to the cashier again, and so it continued. They didn’t regain consciousness, but they didn’t get any worse either. Emergency care here is so inefficient, so devoid of concern and love, so brutal, and usually so financially inaccessible to average people. That’s how we were able to serve the victims of this tragic accident.

We came home with the little boy, and left him in the care of his family, as they sat up all night mourning the loss of his baby sister. He had been so brave, but the tears came when he arrived home. What a horrible reality he woke up to this morning.

But I don’t understand. Why would God allow this to happen? Why did my friend and brother have to die? When he had quickly, humbly become a leader in our little Baka church. When he was one of the only Bakoum believers. When his wife had enjoyed true love and care from her husband. Their child will likely be claimed by the husband’s family, and his wife, who lost everything she had in this world last night, will lose her only child as well.

I don’t understand why You have allowed this to happen, Lord. But I will trust You. I will testify of Your goodness. I will continue to tell others about the amazing transformation that You brought about in this dear brother’s life. I will thank You that I have the assurance he is with You now. I will do my best to love all those who were touched by this tragedy. And I will wait, expectantly, watching to see what good You will weave out of the strands of pain that surround us. There are two more souls laying in hospital beds, Lord, clinging to life. They are far from You, but You are near, listening and waiting for them to call upon You. Please save them. Please cause them to glorify You. I plead with You, not just for their physical healing, but for their very souls.

Though I don’t understand, You are Good, Lord. My faith is in You alone.

Dali and Komba

Dali, her mom, grandma, and some cousins

A few months ago, we treated a newborn with life-threatening meningitis. She came very near to death several times in the course of her treatment, but God preserved her life and ministered to her family in the midst of the crisis. I had the honor of naming her, and I chose the name of a dear friend who died a few years ago, a pillar of faith, Dali.

Baby Dali’s dad died a few months before she was born. Her mother and grandmother are doing the best they can for her and for the other children in the household. Due to her bout with meningitis, Dali is showing some signs of disability. We don’t yet know how severe her disability will be, but I am saddened that this infant, in an already precarious situation, will have to contend with more setbacks as she grows. My prayer for Dali is that her mother and grandmother take the challenge to care for their special needs child and that they derive strength for this momentous task from the God who gave her life.

Dali has a three-year-old cousin named Komba. He was born with some genetic abnormalities that have affected his development. His general health has been good, except for some struggles with nutrition. Most of the Baka children in our village struggle with malnutrition, which puts them at risk for growth and development issues and for severe complications to the simplest of illnesses. Several weeks ago, while walking around greeting different families in the village, I noticed that Komba’s situation had become much worse. His nutritional status has escalated into full-blown kwashiorkor, a severe protein malnutrition that is life-threatening. His legs, feet, arms and hands are grossly swollen, while his muscle wastes away and his skin flakes off all over his head, neck, back and chest. I am afraid that his parents have given up on him, providing only dry plantains that he can eat independently, instead of protein-rich foods that his body needs so desperately. I’d love to scoop little Komba up and take him home to nurse him back to health, but it is best that he stays with his family and that we give them the tools needed to see him through this crisis. Komba’s parents struggle with alcoholism and the fatalism that is so prevalent here. They need hope. They need love and support. And most of all they need the transformation that comes through salvation in Christ.

Little Komba (in red) is smaller than his little sister (in pink)

Please pray for this family with two special-needs kids. Children with special needs do not usually do very well in this culture. They are often neglected. Pray for their grandmother, that she would lead her family well and ensure that her grandchildren are well cared for. I’ve seen time and time again that people without hope are unable to improve their situation in life. I’ve also seen the change that hope in Christ can bring. Please pray that this family would put their hope in Jesus.

Truth Encountered in the Midst of a Traumatic Birth

(warning: medical content. If you are squeamish, you will want to skip paragraph 4, though you will be missing out on a miracle) 

Yesterday, Reda and I attended a very difficult birth. The laboring teen was a first-time mom, and she was exhausted and scared. Her name was Aye (Ah-Yay). She was fighting an infection and fever, and her labor wasn’t progressing as it should. There was little we could do for her but support her efforts and encourage her. But for every encouraging word or helpful instruction, there were tenfold lies and discouragements being spoken to her by the other women in attendance. When she wanted to rest between contractions, she was told that she wasn’t trying hard enough. When she wanted to go outside and walk around a bit, she was told to lay down and push. When she began vomiting, she was told that she had brought it upon herself. When Reda and I returned from a short break to eat a sandwich, we found the birthing room full of women, the laboring mother forced into a birthing position and crying out in desperation. Her mother had struck her, and she was being forced to push when it was not yet time. We cleared out the room and tried to restore some peace to the situation. In spite of all the turmoil, Aye was a model patient, listening to her body and doing what she needed to do during labor, but instead of receiving support from the other mothers around her, she was insulted and scolded. But she had a strong will and did what she wanted to do, and she put her trust in us as we supported her through an intensely difficult labor and birth.

At one point I told Aye to close her ears to the women who were bothering her and to listen only to those of us who were trying to help. She looked at me with trust in her eyes and nodded her head slightly. And she did trust us, even in the midst of lies all around her.

Washing my clothes after yesterday's work

This morning, when I had some time to reflect about yesterday’s events, I realized the metaphor that God had created in that moment. The Baka live in the midst of so many lies. There are superstitions, spiritual lies, lies about health, sanitation, medication, and plain ol’ bad advice. Those of us who work with the Baka have these things staring us in the face daily. The reality of the devil’s deceit has dire consequences on the life and welfare of the Baka. It affects the way they raise their children, how they gain their livelihood, how they eat, how they worship, their health, and it even causes sickness and death. Satan’s lies keep people from hearing the truth of the Gospel of Christ. What will it take for them to close their ears to the lies that they are bombarded with constantly and trust only the truth that God is trying to speak into their hearts? Please pray with us that God’s truth would be heard and trusted in the midst of abounding lies.

Aye delivered a baby girl at about 5pm yesterday, after about 30 hours of labor. The baby was weak, covered in meconium (a sign that she had been in distress in the womb), and required aggressive suctioning. While we were working on baby, mom began bleeding. The placenta wasn’t detaching, and the subsequent hemorrhage was threatening her life. While I continued to attend to baby, Reda worked on mom. When baby was stable, I handed her off to her great-grandmother, so that I could administer Pitocin to Aye. The battle for her life continued until I asked Pe to come pray that the placenta would be delivered and bleeding stopped. She prayed, everyone said ‘amen,’ and the placenta was delivered, and the bleeding did stop. Just like that. We breathed a sigh of relief and gratitude to God, for He had just saved two lives.

After God had given me some time to reflect and pray about the lies that the Baka deal with daily, I came upon Psalm 58. It illustrates so perfectly the deceit that Satan weaves around those who aren’t trusting in God. But God is victorious! The righteous will receive the victory and the reward. God is still the righteous judge. Let’s put our trust in Him alone!!

Count the Cost

Some of you may have heard the news of an American missionary killed in Cameroon this week. If not, you can read about this tragedy here. Cameroon has been in the midst of a violent crisis between anglophone separatists and the government; a crisis that is creeping closer and closer to civil war. Charles Wesco was just one of many casualties of that crisis.

The Wescos were new to Cameroon, having arrived here only two weeks ago, and we did not know them, but Charles death hits hard. Anyone who serves God in foreign missions first counts the cost of a life abandoned to Christ. John Stam, who was martyred in China wrote "The faithfulness of God is the only certain thing in the world today. We need not fear the result of trusting Him." How true those words are!! We can have faith in Him, because He is faithful. Jesus does not guarantee our physical safety, no matter where we are, but we do know that He loves us, that He has a plan, and that He is sovereign. In the words of Job, "the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:21b) Let those words sink in. We are in the hands of a good and mighty God. Let us trust Him. Let us bless Him.

Just 24 hours after Charles was shot, a close friend of mine and fellow missionary heard of the death of two dear friends in Canada, struck down by a drunk driver. Their death was no less tragic, and it happened in a relatively safe land. Yet, in spite of relative safety, they still lost their lives. Some may ask why we have chosen to live in Africa, a relatively unsafe land, to risk our lives in Christian service. The answer is quite simple. My life on this broken world is short. Why shouldn't I abandon all for the cause of Christ? Physical safety is irrelevant when we consider the eternity that awaits us. Let us count the cost. For Jesus words on this subject read Luke 14:25-33.

Charles Wesco leaves behind a wife and 8 children. Please be in prayer for the Wesco family as they grieve their loss and navigate the very difficult process of dealing with consular matters and traveling back to the US.

As you are praying for the Wescos, please pray fervently for the nation of Cameroon. The crisis taking place in the anglophone regions of this country has already taken a great toll. Hundreds have been killed, thousands displaced, ministries have come to a halt, businesses and livelihoods have been affected, children have been forced to abandon their schooling, and people are living in fear. World Team does not currently have any missionaries in the affected regions, and we, ourselves are two days travel from the violence, but we do have some missionary colleagues who are still serving in the area. Among them are some friends who run a children's home which is on the same stretch of road where Charles Wesco was killed this week. They are currently searching for a rental in town where the children and staff of the children's home can stay safely.  Please pray for all who are affected by this crisis.