When light comes

Part 40

Few minutes passed before the silence was broken .

"Do you know who I am, Saluu?" Amari questioned, not expecting an answer back, "do you recognize this face?"

The old man's features bunched up painfully as he squinted at the moon shaped face before him.

Amari saw that there was no recognition in those cold eyes.

"You don't remember sacrificing a little girl in the low valley groves, on a tree stump, ..below the mountains many years ago?"

Still nothing from Saluu's demeanor betrayed anything.

    "A twin?"

And there it was. The old man's eyes crinkled with re-collection.

Amari knew he remembered. She breathed sharply as if a dagger had pierced her heart.

"That girl was my twin sister, Adai", Amari said angrily, her temper rising to the surface, "because of you my happy family was torn apart".

Lydia's hand cupped Amari's, as a single tear escaped from a glazed eye.

"What you did.." continued Amari, " ..was evil and wicked, ..but I forgive you"

And with that said, Amari stood up and quietly walked out from the room.

Neither Papa J nor Lydia followed her. They knew she needed some privacy.

Pastor Jacob sat down in Amari's chair and looked straight at the old man, " We wish to share the gospel of Christ with you , and I believe this might be your last chance to accept the savior before you are taken from this sinful earth ".

   And so the two opened the Bible placed on the bedside table of every room by the hospital staff and read from it_preaching the good news of Christ to the old man.

   At first, Saluu seemed reluctant and uneasy, but as they progressed, he began to relax, almost smiling as he gazed up at the florescent light above him.

He could not help but remember.
         
      Yesu .

   How they had played on the hills with the goats, sheep and ducks that Saluu and his siblings herded.

   That the savior of the world would come to him.

Life was so simple and refreshing then, ...and yet he had chosen this evil part.

Lydia was the first to notice the tears as they streamed down the high priest's face.

She nudged Papa J who had his eyes fixed on the Bible, sharing a verse from the book of Revelations.
The old man grunted loudly, trying to force words out from his lips, but nothing came forth.

Lydia knew what he was trying to do . She stood up and touched Saluu's throat and whispered a prayer.

After this, the high priest coughed several times before spitting out some phlegm into a plastic cup held out by Lydia.

"Ahhh yaa ..Yesu herrvvv metle .."

The words came out all jumbled and muddled up from the old man's lips as spit trickled down his jaw.

The high priest cried loudly in frustration. He knew time was short now and he needed to speak.

"Shhh! ..calm down," Lydia said, not wanting the nurse to come back.

She took a tissue from her bag to wipe the spittle off, speaking calming words to the dying figure on the bed.

"Yesuuu!" Cried the old man, in a choking but clearer voice "I..l believe"

   His two visitors glanced at each other in disbelief. ,

Was it really happening ?, was the high priest about to give his life to Christ.

Pastor Jacob leaned over, starring into his wrinkled disfigured face. He asked the high priest if he wanted to receive Christ as his Lord and Savior.

  The old man nodded without hesitation. He was finally done.

  Done with all the evil and filth he had allowed into his life.
 
  What had it brought him ?. Nothing but despair.

Even as life slipped away like a forlorn shadow, he wished there was a family member, anyone, to wish him fair well to the next world, ..but there was no one.

He had never given his heart to anyone except Ethjab.

No wife or children ever graced his huts. None would come for his smelly corpse.

All his siblings and their families had died or moved away long ago.

But there was hope. only Yesu could forgive him now

"Yes Pastor" The high priest whispered, "I want Christ in my life. I pray that he will forgive me despite all my transgressions, ..and I know they are many. But if he will have mercy on someone like me, ha!" Cried Saluu loudly, "I would be happy and finally at peace. I am so sorry for the things I have done".

Pastor Jacob smiled with pure joy in his heart as his hand reached out to join with Lydia's.

Gladly, they led the high priest in the sinner's prayer to salvation as he repeated and openly confessed Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

As Saluu began to slip away, a wide toothy smile deformed his already disfigured face even further as his small beady eyes glanced to the corner of the room.

The being in the bright light seemed to reach out both hands towards him.
   
    A smiling face appeared from within the light and called out his name

   ..Solantu, I love you ..I forgive you ...it is time, ..come home, your family have all been  waiting to welcome you

Amari came into the room at that moment as they all heard the high priest cry out for joy , shouting, Yesu, Yesu!.

  Finally before giving up the ghost he turned to Amari and said sadly , "I am sorry, my child, please forgive me?,  and suddenly he became still. His eyes void of life as they stared off into space.

   He was gone.

Tears welled up in Amari's eyes for a man who had shattered her world and caused her so much pain.

                                                        ***************

   Two days later, Saluu's body was cremated and his ashes buried beside Mount Magu.  

    The prayer team were the only people to attend his burial.

   To Many, he was more myth than man, and his passing went unnoticed by the town folks.

  The prayer band was just glad he gave his life to the savior at the very end. Even Amari had made a beautiful green leaf wreath woven with fragipani flowers and placed it on the high priest's tomb.

  Inscribed on the grave stone were the words 'Solantu , Forgiven and Redeemed'.

      ********************To be continued ********************