The Burial of Opio Martin - and Update

I just learned that one of the many medicines Opio was given was the cause of his death.  He was given like two months worth of this medicine for brucilosis and it caused the body to stop making blood.  This medicine is outlawed in America yet any uneducated pharmacists and even hospitals are giving this medicine - and killing people!  Just today another friend is sick and was taking this medicine.  The clinic didn't test anything, said it is Typhoid and gave this medicine.  (Maybe it is fine in small doses, but still!)  On top of that all, another teenage boy from the neighboring village died this week from the same anemia and the same medicine.  I HATE THIS!  Not to mention why were all the doctors from the bottom up not checking all he had taken to see what the problem was or what not to give him.  No one checked.  This is why there is no trust worthy medical care here.  If it wasn't that they the medicine they gave Opio for TB, which he did not have, could have killed him.  I feel so much anger.  Our friend did not have to die!!!  What injustice.  I find myself so sad and crying because his death wasn't God's plan it was a result of injustices and wrongs.  I don't really know what to do with all my sadness and anger.  Ok I know to go to God, but what do we do with this information and living here where it will continue to happen because the medical work just wants money (at the expense of people's lives) and people here just take things blindly.  I want to scream. 

So with all the anger I feel from the injustices, I have no choice but to forgive or be bitter.  I sat Friday with the Lord and cried thinking about forgiving all the medical staff and drug shop people who played a role in the death of our friend.  It is so hard.  They did wrong.  They caused an unneeded death.  They should be held accountable, pay for it.  I chose, didn't feel like it, to forgive each of these people I don't even know.  I could forgive because I trust God and He says I must, He will judge and have vengeance (I don't need to), and He will give me peace.  I forgave and now my anger is gone.  It is in God's hands.  I am free.

With our friends the day Opio died.

Opio's burial was very hard for all of us.  We said many times how different this burial was from any other one we have been to here.  There were lots of genuine tears, testimonies of Opio's life and serving the Lord, and an invitation to know follow Jesus.  The Sunday after Christmas we heard from people there too that Opio's burial was totally different than all other Ateso burials.  People were touched.

Opio was part of the Freedom in Christ choir all last year.  We found it very meaningful that the choir put Opio's FIC shirt on his coffin and buried him with the shirt.  So thankful FIC meant so much to Opio and he lived by it's truth.

The FIC choir sang.
The youth also sang "Bye, Bye Opio Bye, Bye".  Wow was that a hard one.

Josh preached at the burial and did a wonderful job sharing Opio's testimony and challenging others to also come to Christ and live for Him.

People here put "flowers" on the coffin.  (Ribbon bouquets)  The FIC teams gave flowers too. 

The final goodbye by the grave.

It is so hard to loose someone you love.  We keep seeing Opio's smiling face in our minds and thinking about all the good memories together.  Opio quietly and faithfully served the Lord.  Lydia is having a hard time.  This is the first death of a friend.

A few days after the burial we went to greet his father and see the grave.  Luka and Emalai did not go to the burial so it was good for them to see and grieve.

We were exhausted after last week.  There were almost three days of mourning and we were at the  burial was from 10am til 5pm.  It is a mix of being thankful it is done and not wanting it to be done because then it is real and really done.

I was so thankful for our church service Sunday.  Our church is our family and I am thankful Sunday everyone shared testimonies, talked and cried about Opio's death.  It is real and we are free to be real. Someone testified that people saw our church come together and show a great love at the burial.  It sounded like this community was effected by Opio's testimony and the love of his church.  I praise God for that!  Despite our sadness and tears, our church praised God Sunday in worship and it was such a blessing.  Josh preached another moving sermon on "Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted" timely message.  We have comfort because we have hope knowing Opio is with the Lord and will raise again.  We are also blessed when we mourn for our sins which leads to repentance.  Then God will comfort us.  People received God's Word and responded, many with mourning.  I know God is at work in our church and in us.

Thank you for praying for us.