(Extract of letter from Ingwenya, Rhodesia)
Our own Communion here is just passed and Mr Ndebele introduced a Fellowship Meeting for the first time. We could not follow it all as it was mainly in Sindebele but there was a most pleasant atmosphere and the men spoke briefly and to the point. The services were all well attended and on the Lord’s Day there must have been several hundred present.
One face however was missing. Our old friend, Abia Sobantu, was taken to have communion above with the Saviour Himself, about a week or so before that. We missed him so much as no matter how ill he was he always tried to come for the Communion Service. There was something about his attitude and even his presence that impressed us all even though physically he was so deformed that from a medical point of view it was surprising he had lived so long and had had such a normal life. He was a most intelligent and interesting person and would read with interest any religious books or magazines we brought him.
His chief delight seemed to be in singing the Psalms and on one occasion shortly before he died when we visited him, though he was in great pain, he requested Psalm 22 and started it himself, his beautiful voice still sweet though now so weak, as the others who were there were not sure of which tune fitted the Sindebele words.
Recently he told that he’d been converted through two sermons preached by the late Rev. John Tallach. One from Psalm 51 on ‘Gainst Thee, Thee only have I sinned’ made him realise his need of a Saviour and the other from Philippians Ch. 4 verse 7 on the peace of God dwelling in the believer’s heart brought him the assurance that he was indeed a child of the King. A sermon on Hebrews 13, v. 14 “Here we have no continuing city” also helped him very much. During his last weeks he was in hospital where he was well looked after though he had to be kept under sedation to counteract the pain in his chest where the cancer was most prevalent. However, right to the end he was able to recognise friends and seemed glad to see them. On one occasion he was complaining of his uselessness and a friend present said to him “But you are not useless. You are a child of Jesus. You know that don’t you?” “Oh yes,” he replied in English, “I do. I’ve had it in my heart for a long time and I’ll have it to the end.” Even when he could no longer speak himself and seemed barely conscious he would still respond when the Saviour’s name was mentioned and when asked if he would like those present to pray, he would nod his head slightly.
His funeral was one of the largest seen in this area. Mr Mzamo and Mr Ndebele both spoke, the former on “There remaineth therefore a rest for the people of God” and the latter on “Our days are as an handbreadth.” Those present were conscious of an air of triumph and joyousness which could not be hidden even though the loss was so great. One could hardly grieve when it was realised that Abia, now free from all his troubles and deformities, is singing, in Glory, the praises, as he so loved to do here, of the One who loved him and gave Himself for him. As one person commented afterwards, “What a lovely day it was yesterday!” Rather a strange remark about a funeral but on this occasion an appropriate comment on what those who were there felt.
His widow, not very strong herself, is left with a large family. One son and two daughters are away from home now and their other son, Monde, teaches for us. He especially has been a real comfort to them and we hope that this great sorrow will be blessed to him and his three young schoolgirl sisters who are still at home. A little son, John, died a year or two ago of a rheumatic heart. He was only 8 years old and this was a terrible trial to Abia, but I’ve heard Mr Ndebele say that he rarely witnessed such resignation to the Lord’s will as he saw in Abia over this. Mrs Sobantu, herself, is an example to those around. Most of the heathen women give way to uncontrollable grief and hide away for many weeks before they appear at all, but she has started quietly to come out to church again and there is a dignity about her which bespeaks a strength given by the One who is the widow’s stay. We would ask your prayers for this family who have lost a father who, according to the testimony of one of the sons, was continually encouraging them to seek Christ.