Modo

Old Modo didn't make it (see last post). He was too weak to be discharged, and in the end, too weak to even eat.

Since we were the ones responsible for taking him to the clinic it makes sense that they would call us to take his body home. Who knew that our car could also double as a hearse? A very short hearse...Modo was a tall man. I can't express the frustration in not being able to speak to his grieving widow. We sat with her as she cried and tried to just be there.

We hired men to dig his grave. They were finished by afternoon, and when I went to check on them it was apparent that the rest of the "funeral money" was used to "ease the pain", if you know what I mean. In other words, there were a lot of drunk grievers sitting around. 

Modo's funeral was a bit better. They asked Kenneth to speak, and he did a fantastic job, as usual. His ability to share a relevant story on the spot with no prior notice is nothing short of amazing. He shared the story of Job...how God allowed suffering in his life because he knew that Job would be faithful to Him. And for those of you who don't know the end of the story, God restores all that Job had and more because of Job's faithfulness to Him. Good story...fairly good funeral, other than the fact that Modo is gone.

I wish I could say he's now with Jesus, but I'm pretty sure that's not the case.

I wish I could say that we spent lots of time with him while he was at the clinic...listening to the proclaimer (Bible on MP3), sharing the gospel with him...but that's just not the case either. We didn't do enough. Our time is obviously limited, but he should have been a priority. 

But God is still at work despite our shortcomings. 

After the funeral the family had a three day fireside vigil. Friends and family sat with them day and night while they grieved. Our gardener, Zacheriah, joined them and brought our proclaimer to share. 

For three days and nights Modo's famly and friends listened to the gospel. 

A gospel they may not have heard if Modo had not died.

Our God is a God of redemption. He brings beauty from ashes...every time. And slowly...slowly we believe he will bring hope to the hopeless...these hopeless, who struggle and hunger and beg and are profoundly ungrateful. His gospel is a story of hope and limitless love that reaches even to the outskirts of humanity to touch our brokenness and make us whole.

Please pray with us for our people...the Karimojong...that God would move among them powerfully
to draw them to Himself.