“Elder Boaz’s son, Simon, just died in a vehicle rollover accident,” the church deaconess informed us as soon as we arrived in town. “Everyone is meeting this evening at the house to grieve together. The funeral is tomorrow.”

As dusk gathered, we walked into Elder Boaz’s family compound to show our respects. We expected to sit, cry and be a comforting presence among the many people who had gathered to grieve.

Elder Boaz embraced Orion with desperation, crying and holding Orion as if he had finally found someone with whom he could safely release his grief.

Orion hugged Elder Boaz back, crying with him over the loss of his nearly grown son.

Through his tears, Elder Boaz said, “Orion, please help me. The funeral service is tomorrow. We will have several hundred people here, many of whom have never heard the gospel. Can you give the main sermon tomorrow? In my grief, I simply do not think I have the strength to do it.”

Orion was not expecting this request. We know Elder Boaz and his oldest son, Joas, who is also a local church elder. However, Simon was away at school, and we did not know him.

Orion responded immediately. “Yes, my brother, I will speak at tomorrow’s funeral.”

Elder Boaz continued, “During the main service tomorrow, I want you to share in such a way that those who have never heard the gospel—those who have only ever experienced animistic funerals and appeasing Satan’s demons—will get a glimpse of the loving God we serve. Include the hope of the resurrection and the promise of the peace we can have in Christ.

“In the afternoon, we will have the burial. During this service, we need to make two things very clear to those who are attending. First, as you pray to God, make it clear that the spirit of my son is dead and cannot haunt any of the guests or others. Second, as we lovingly lay his body to rest, please emphasize that in so doing, neither his body nor his spirit will ever be able to visit anyone anymore. His spirit and his body are both at rest.”

Orion prayerfully wrote the sermon that Elder Boaz had outlined. We prayed that God would bless this opportunity to share with so many people who would typically avoid attending God-centered spiritual gatherings.

Orion spoke kindly and gently, in the local trade language, opening scriptures of hope and comfort to the gathered crowd. I sat, listening and praying that God’s word would touch hearts.

Afterward, we mingled with the people.

In the weeks that followed, many of the non-Christian funeral guests commented to Elder Boaz that the things Orion said had brought peace to their hearts. Please pray that the seed of spiritual truth planted at this funeral will continue to grow in many hearts. In the kingdom, we will learn the true ending of this story.

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