Too many of our friends have died lately. Last December, Bani, an older friend, died from a heart attack after attending a prayer conference in Port Moresby.

Then, while we were away in Port Moresby in May, Ailama, a woman we took to the hospital last year because of asthma, had another severe asthma attack (see our article in the June AF). Someone offered to take her to the hospital, but she politely refused, assuring them that she would be alright. But this time she didn’t make it.
Last December, Daligi, a 59-year-old Kotale village elder we had gotten to know, traveled to Port Moresby for a routine surgical procedure. After five months of waiting in the city, he was finally admitted to the hospital to await his scheduled surgery. As days went by and his surgery kept being postponed, we kept bringing him food (the hospital doesn’t feed its patients) and praying with him. As time passed, we saw the spark of life leave him as frustration and hopelessness took over. The reasons the hospital staff kept giving for the delays seemed mere excuses.
We had to return to Kotale to meet the ship carrying our supplies. As I watched Daligi become more depressed, I hoped that on this last visit I would find that he’d had his surgery. But no, it had been cancelled again! As we said goodbye, my heart ached for him.

Friday evening, we received word that Daligi had passed away on Thursday, just half an hour after we took off from the airport. We were shocked. He had gone to the hospital a strong and healthy man. Visiting with Daligi’s family back in the village, we learned that they had urged him to take someone with him to help with his care, but he had said that it wouldn’t be necessary because his cousins in Port Moresby would help. Unfortunately, they offered little help. I believe he died of a broken heart.

Though saddened by the loss of these three friends, we hope to see them in the Kingdom. We pray that God will comfort their families and use these deaths as an avenue to reach the Gogodala people for Him.

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