Yage's son

"Who's calling me at this time of night?" I wonder as I try to rouse
myself out of a deep sleep. I don't recognize the number, but pick it up
anyway. I don't understand the mumbling on the other end of the line, so
I hang up. My cell phone rings again. Same number. I ignore it, thinking
it is just a wrong number.

Then later we get a call from one of our team. It's after 10pm. "Yage's
son just died." I begin to awaken better and think back over the past
few weeks. His cute little boy became sick. He went to the hospital, but
he didn't get better. So Yage tried the local clinic. That didn't work.
So he went back to the Adventist hospital. The medication didn't help.
After spending nearly $70 (a large sum), the boy got sicker and sicker.
Now, he is dead. I can hear the drum beating in the distance.

Melody and I hop on the motor bike and drive out to Yage's home.
Probably a couple hundred people have already gathered. There is an LED
light hung from the tree branch. The continual drum beat has attracted
the children and adults who instinctively crowded around the drums and
dance and shake. We are led to Yage. He is sitting on the ground,
wailing out loud, devastated. I sit next to him and Melody goes to find
the mom and sit with the women.

Yage says that he has done everything he knew to save his baby. Now his
baby is gone. He does not understand, but seems to have faith that God
is in control and that God sees what is happening.

A few men gather to dig the hole in the compound. About four hours after
his death, the boy is in the grave. It is after midnight now and people
begin heading home.

Why? Just this year alone, Pierre buried his girl. Aaron buried his boy.
Ossa buried his boy. And now Yage buried his boy. Please pray especially
for the new believers here. Satan loves to attack those who have made a
commitment to follow God completely. Someday soon, sin and suffering
will end. May we remain faithful until then.