Hindes, we were enjoying each other’s company when Mike received a
horrible phone call. An 18-year old girl in AIM’s First Year
Missionary program was in critical condition somewhere deep in South
Africa. She had been in a car accident. Fortunately, the two other
girls that were with her had already been released from the hospital
with bumps and bruises. Mike ended his call, and we prayed at the
table awaiting more information. Moments later he was called back. In
those short few minutes, she passed away.
with grief. Her situation was all too close for comfort, and what about
her parents? What about her teammates? The thought of their grief
broke our hearts. As we sat at the table discussing our feelings and
questions Mike rabbit trailed to a story that happened us last year
with the January 08 World Race team while they were also in South
Africa.
Various racers were held at gunpoint in different areas of the hostel
as several men demanded all of their belongings. In one of the areas,
a female racer was forced to stand up as a man held a gun to her head
as he yelled at her. “If you don’t have a cell phone, I will kill
you.”
the effect of “I don’t have one, so go ahead and kill me.” With tears
in his eyes, Mike said that when they flew in to counsel them this
particular girl told them that she had a revelation at this critical
moment. Her thought, I’m already dead.
ago. What does she mean, “I’m already dead.” But now I understand
more than ever. To live a life like Christ, I have to be dead to
myself. Practically, that means this…
go through an extensive and intense physical that is disturbing to most
and horrifying to others. But beyond that physical is a 3-year old
child who sits in a metal crib all day, with only one diaper for the
day and no one to hold him.
of leprosy, you throw your arms around them and look them straight in
the eye. It means sitting on the floor and putting some elbow grease
into an African woman’s pedicure-despite the fact that you can see
worms squirming under her skin.
There are two kinds of death for a Christian; the one that we live
every day where we are forced to kiss the scars on our Father’s hands
in order to gain the courage to love. And the other is when we
immediately pass from this life to an eternal one where we experience
never-ending peace with God and the fullest amount of joy that is not
allowed to be tainted with the troubles of life.
I will never understand death. For our own preferences, some die too
young, while others suffer too long. This year in particular I have
grieved the loss of many who have passed-some close enough to cut me
deep. I don’t get it. But this I do understand–Death for a
Christian, whether they are living or dead, is a wonderful thing.
