Whose Business Is It?

As told to Meiring Pretorius by Ilunga Kazembe, Northern Zambia:

It was a Sunday. I was going home from visiting some students who were enrolled to study the Discover Bible lessons. I passed someone standing by the doorway of his house. He greeted me and asked if I knew that at his neighbour‘s house was a very sick person brought from the Copperbelt Province hospital. The hospital sent him back because there was nothing more they could do. “So what?” was my response. He asked me to come and pray for the dying man. “Can’t you pray for him? You are his neighbour,” I answered.

“I don’t know where to start from,” he replied. “You are a Christian and it is not my business.”

I asked if he was a Christian. “Yes, I am, since yesterday!”

I branched off and went to see the sick person. The man was dying indeed. His body was only loose skin hanging on his bones. When I greeted him he could not even answer back. The room smelled very bad. Death was in the air. Flies were everywhere. I could not bear it for long. I went out and started talking to the relatives who were seated outside. I asked them questions about the patient and what the problem was. “Why do you keep this man in such a situation at home?” I inquired. They told me that the hospital had done everything possible, but there had been no improvement. I spoke to them about using natural remedies and some activated charcoal. We prepared it and gave it to him. It was getting late already and I decided to go home. Early the next morning I went to check on the man. His condition had not improved and his bed was stained with charcoal.

Two weeks later relatives relaxed their caring efforts. The neglect was clearly visible. This was an opportunity for me to make friends with him. We prepared some wholesome food and he enjoyed a good meal. After a few days he started feeling stronger. He was able to stand up again and walk to the toilet by himself. One day he asked me if I could teach him how to pray. In response, I asked if he was a Christian. “Yes, I am, since yesterday!” he shared to my surprise. He accepted Christ as his Saviour the previous day. Now he wanted to learn how to pray. “I have something to tell Jesus,” he said.

We talked of Jesus and I enrolled him in the Bible lessons from Light Bearers. Within three days he completed six lessons and was able to pray. When I took the seventh lesson to him, he seemed happier than ever. I wondered why. He told me that he had prayed for me the previous night. He wanted me personally to bring lesson seven for him and not someone else. He needed to talk. We talked of life in God’s new world.

It is our business to share the love of God with others.

The next morning his family members found him dead, in a kneeling position in front of his bed. Word was sent to me that my friend had passed away. The family, who was Catholic, asked me to conduct the funeral. After the burial, one man approached me and asked if he could visit me with six friends to have a Bible study. They had some questions from the sermon I preached during the funeral. Seven people came for the first study. The next meeting was held at that man’s house and the group increased from 7 to 14. During our third meeting, our group grew even bigger—21 students. Fourteen decided to study the Bible lessons. One became sick and could not continue coming to study. My wife and children took over the Bible study and six more enrolled. Praise our Father. A dying man gave his heart to Jesus and many other lives were changed also. It is our business to share the love of God with others.

“Let every Seventh-day Adventist ask himself, ‘What can I do to proclaim the third angel’s message?’ Christ came to this world to give this message to his servant to give to the churches. It is to be proclaimed to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. How are we to give it?

“The distribution of our literature is one means by which the message is to be proclaimed. Let every believer scatter broadcast tracts and leaflets and books containing the message for this time. Colporteurs are needed who will go forth to circulate our publications everywhere” (Southern Watchman, Jan. 5, 1904, par. 1-2).

“There is great need of men who can use the press to the best advantage, that the truth may be given wings to speed it to every nation, and tongue, and people” (Gospel Workers, 1915, pg. 25).