I went to Panda to say good bye to some friends and after walking through the rain and mud got home and started packing up my house. Then I received a text message “Da Ladie est morte.” My heart sank into a million pieces. Death is hard here because there is little warning and no closure. We will never know why she died and certainly were not expecting it. I gave her $40 so the doctors could run every test they have available to try to find out what is wrong with her. The results were due today. She was my friend. I did everything I could to help but it wasn’t enough.
The worst part is everyone will believe she died from being witched and the devil will get glory. She was married to a man from Kasai and in their culture if their wife ever tries to marry another man regardless of the circumstances a curse is placed upon her and she dies. Da Ladie’s husband left her 5 years ago and in that time never even bothered to call her. She met another man and planned to marry him. Her husband finally came back for a visit and when she told him she had found someone else he repeated the tradition to her and said “you will die.” It’s hard for an American to grasp the power of curses and witchcraft but I promise you it is very much a reality. Of course God is greater but for many people their faith lies more in tradition than in the Word of God. The whole family was coming around and putting their faith in Jesus and now it’s like they saw Him fail them. I pray they have the wisdom to stand with Jesus even in this confusing and painful time.
The best part is she was living a life of sin without Jesus on her mind until I met her. The last time I saw her she openly confessed and repented of her sins and proclaimed Jesus to be her Lord and Savior. I know she is in heaven right now with Jesus crying Holy Holy Holy with the angels free from the pain and turmoil that plagued her here. And I know that through our encounters they came to know the love of God in a new way.
She leaves behind seven year old twin girls. They will live with their grandmother who already takes care of her son’s children who died a few years ago. I don’t know if they will be able to go to school and I know their grandmother has trouble finding enough food to feed her family already. I so badly want to have an orphanage here so I can take those 2 little girls and promise them love, food, shelter, and a future. I want to build God’s kingdom and show His love by giving people some hope and I know an orphanage will do that.
As I am trying to mourn her death and celebrate her life I know this was not the first friend I have lost and sadly will not be the last. I wish I had a better grip on how God thinks and why some times things don’t turn out how I hope they would. Good bye Da Ladie and I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise to you that you would pull through.
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