Babrio had a dream six years ago. As a witchdoctor he was familiar with dreams. He served as a medium for his people and offered animal blood sacrifices to appease the spirits they feared and worshipped.
But this dream was different. He saw a tall man coming with a book in his hand, and knew that he should listen to the words this man would speak from the book.
Mere days after this dream, Babrio saw a strange, tall man riding a motorbike into the village. This man was a missionary on his first trip to the neighboring village where he would settle with his family and begin ministry.
Babrio thought long and hard about his dream. Later, he heard the man was teaching the people from a book that contained the words of the Living God. He remembered his dream again and excitedly went to listen, faithfully attending the teaching from that day on. He urged his entire family to come and listen. All but one son came to hear the teaching of God's Word and eventually placed their trust in Christ.
Babrio began telling others about Jesus. He taught the Word in his village and helped to establish a small but solid group of believers there. As he grew older and his body weakened, Babrio had many struggles with his health but remained strong in his faith.
Recently, Babrio began saying how thankful he would be when Jesus took him Home. "None of us knew that the Lord was getting ready to take Babrio home very soon," the missionary wrote.
Last week, Babrio's daughter and family received death threats from a warring group so he went to help her and her husband move their family to his house to be safe. While there, the armed men came to attack and Babrio was shot.
Recounting the details they heard about that day, the missionaries wrote: "Babrio's awful groans, his daughter running out through the flying bullets, not caring for her own life, screaming out, 'Papa, Papa!' finding him on the trail just below her house, feeling the blood running from his wounds, screaming and screaming for help."
The men of the village rallied to help, but Babrio died in his daughter's arms while she wept and wept.
Last Saturday, the missionaries woke up to the news. "Just the previous Sunday we had walked down the trail to the church beside him and his wife Lilita, felt his warm handshake, seen his eyes crinkle up with a smile, laughed with him. I didn't know it would be the last time I saw him alive. I would have hung onto his hand longer and hugged him goodbye. Four years ago, Babrio didn't know anything about our Lord. But today, he is with Him. We are still very much feeling the loss of our brother but we have such a wonderful hope!"
Pray for Babrio's wife Lilita and her children and grandchildren as they grieve.
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