A Weaver’s Tale

Maabo was our neighbor who came from a family of weavers. We enjoyed watching him work when we visited to welcome his new babies. He sat barefoot on a slate stool working at a hand made, wooden loom. Yarn stretched thirty feet across the yard, anchored at the end by a large rock. His hands became a blur as they passed a small shuttle back and forth creating beautiful fabric.

We got word a few weeks ago that Maabo fell ill. He became paralyzed and couldn’t walk. We weren’t sure if he couldn’t use his legs at all or if he was so weak he just couldn’t support his own weight. As people often do when they get sick, Maabo moved back to his home village. The medication he was told to take wasn’t helping, and we decided to drive out to his village for a visit. Before we were able to go, Maabo died.

Maabo was always friendly and our guards trusted him to watch the house if they had to run out. We felt badly that we didn’t get to share the Gospel with Maabo once more before he stepped into eternity.

This week, we drove out to Maabo’s village to give condolences and share the Gospel with Maabo’s family. When we opened the gate he smiled. There, in the courtyard was a family of weavers busy at their looms. Mother, father, wife, brothers all came to greet us and listen as the Good News was shared. We don’t know what more God will have us do for this family, or how our relationship will grow, but we do know that they have heard Truth and that His Word will not return void.