Baba Cain is one of my lifelong heroes. He was a deacon at our Chininyetu church, and served as the preacher whenever he was needed.
He also worked on the Sanyati mission station.Baba Cain was a very close friend with Uncle Archie Dunaway, who was murdered by terrorists in 1978. After Uncle Archie was killed and the mission was evacuated, it was Baba Cain who came to the station and ensured that the work continue in the absence of our missionaries.
Baba Cain was one of the warmest, gentlest, kindest people you could ever meet. I was just a little girl, but he would always make a point to come over to greet me. He made all of us kids feel important, and he seemed genuinely excited to see each person he encountered through the day. Missionaries and nationals alike loved and respected Baba Cain.
The only thing he seemed to love more than people was his Lord. He was passionate about the gospel and excited about sharing the story of his God. He had a deep faith and a strong, humble spirit.
So it was a sad day when we learned that Baba Cain had been murdered. A band of terrorists captured him and ordered him to deny Christ. When he refused, they cut off his arms at the elbows, and his legs at the knees. Then they threw him in the river, taunting him with statements like, "let's see if Christians can swim" and "can your God save you now?"
We lost a great man that day. But I am sure that when he arrived in heaven, with his beaming smile and joyful spirit, Jesus was standing there to greet him. I have no doubt that he heard the words "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
Baba Cain, you have not been forgotten. Your influence and your legacy live on to this day.
6 comments:
Thank you for sharing about Baba Cain. For me, the Baba Cains of this world are what being a missionary is all about.
When asked what was the best thing we can do as North American missionaries on the "foreign mission field," someone once said: "find a national believer who is on fire for God, and pour gasoline on his/her fire."
I believe this is true. I look forward to meeting Baba Cain in heaven.
Amazing.
David,
I am sure there are many people like that in your life, too. How cool will it be to get to heaven and hear the stories of what God has done through lives that intersected with yours??? Those people who moved on and you never knew the powerful ways that God used them for kindgdom purposes?
Mom told me the story of another remarkable young man today. His name was Kudakwashe, and he was one of Dad's seminary students in Gweru. He also did odd jobs around our house in order to make money for his family.
One weekend he went home to his village, and when he did not return for classes that next Monday, Dad got concerned.
They discovered that Kuda had been taken by terrorists and killed. But the remarkable story of his actual death did not come out until years later, and was relayed by the terrorists who murdered him.
Apparently, they had tied his hands behind his back, forced him to his knees, and told him to deny Christ. Kuda refused. They ordered him again to deny Christ, or they would kill him. Kuda again refused.
Then they raised the pick axe to strike him, and Kuda cried, "Wait!!!"
Thinking that he was going to deny Christ, they held back the axe.
But then Kuda asked if he could pray for them. He prayed for each of the terrorists before they delivered the final blow directly to his heart.
The stories of faith of Baba Cain and Kuda make me wonder how I would respond under similar circumstances. There is indeed much persecution still going on in the world today for the cause of Christ. May these stories remind us to always pray for our suffering brethren scattered around the globe.
Thank you for remembering this great man and for sharing this great testimony of faithful service. I am reminded again that those who gain the most notoriety for faith are not to be taken for the most faithful. I am humbled and challenged in a freshly powerful way.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
These stories have a way of taking a muddy jar of water and suddenly making it crystal clear. And yes, the tears were sudden to.
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