Saturday, August 15, 2009

Death comes to visit

Yesterday, Tim received a text from one of the faculty at the Bible college and our peaceful evening was shattered by tragedy.
A young man from the neighborhood was found on the Bible School property; he had hung himself in one of the trees and was discovered by a woman as she passed by.
The Bible college church, Bwiru Hill Christian Center, had just started the all night prayer meeting which takes place every Friday evening.
And, just a stones throw away from the church where a group of Christians were gathered for prayer, this troubled young man decided to end his life at the end of a rope.
Tim arrived shortly after the police and the young man was taken away; he was known by the police because he had been in trouble with the law on several occasions.
A woman recognized him and identified him; a huge crowd of people had gathered. No one seemed to mourn the loss of this young man; they were merely curious to see what had interrupted their mundane daily routines.
The thought that continues to trouble me? Death claimed this troubled soul just outside the church while people were gathered to pray. I wonder how many times a day this exact scenario is repeated in the shadows of our churches around the world and what, if anything, we can do about it.
As a missionary I realize the tendency to see the lost as people who live very far away in another country; but, they are also our neighbors. Lord, open our eyes and help us to see.

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