Burunche’s Blog

He first came to the attention of the missionaries when he rode in on a cow being led by his brother, Bilitiib, one of the early Konkomba Christians. His legs were so riddled with yaws that he couldn’t walk well. The missionaries gave him penicillin, healing the yaws, and then trained him as a cook using their wood stove. From that point onward, he became a member of the AG Clinic staff, eventually completing his career by working as a watchman at the mission bungalow where he had once cooked.

By the time we met Amos Biyimba, 33 years ago, he had become the watchman at the mission bungalow in Saboba where we were living. Amos was a highly intelligent man with a sharp sense of humor. Years earlier, when one overweight missionary nurse was working at the clinic, Amos’ nickname for her was “Usakpen,” which means “she is large.” With no electricity, we spent many evenings sitting with Amos, chatting,

Amos taught his wife to bake bread, and she did so for many years. During the Northern Ethnic Conflict of 1994 when flour was scarce in Saboba, we once brought a large bag of flour to Amos’ place. With our help, Amos’ wife put the bag of flour on her head and carried it into the compound.

Once Amos was physically able, he began farming in addition to his work at the clinic. Even when Amos was elderly, he would tie a cutlass to the back of his bicycle and slowly ride out to work the land. After Amos retired from farming, he still rode his bicycle around Saboba until the last year or so.

When did Amos become a Christian? We never asked and now it’s too late to ask. But by the time we knew Amos, he was a vibrant Christian. If Amos wasn’t in church, it was because he was sick; otherwise, he would always be there. Amos and his wife had several children as well as extended family who were treated like biological children. Nobody was ever turned away from that household. Eventually, Amos lost two of his sons at different times, and his response echoed that of Job, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Although Amos and his wife had a fairly nice traditional compound by local standards, in the last few years, his children built him a lovely house where his older brother’s compound had once stood. We visited Amos regularly, bringing him Lipton tea bags and other small treats. We last visited Amos about a week ago, and it was obvious that our friend was turning his face away from earth and looking toward heaven.

Yesterday morning, Jesus decided that it was time for Amos to join him. We don’t know details, but we are sure that Jesus reached out his hand and that Amos took Jesus’ hand. We like to think that Jesus and Amos danced kinachung all the way into heaven. Now Amos has been reunited with friends and loved ones, with the missionaries who were his friends, and with all the company of heaven.

We cannot grieve, for our friend has been released from a failing body into a glorious new one. 1 Corinthains 15:51-58 tells us: 51 But I am telling you this strange and wonderful secret: we shall not all die, but we shall all be given new bodies! 52 It will all happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For there will be a trumpet blast from the sky, and all the Christians who have died will suddenly become alive, with new bodies that will never, never die; and then we who are still alive shall suddenly have new bodies too. 53 For our earthly bodies, the ones we have now that can die, must be transformed into heavenly bodies that cannot perish but will live forever.

54 When this happens, then at last this Scripture will come true—“Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55-56 O death, where then your victory? Where then your sting? For sin—the sting that causes death—will all be gone; and the law, which reveals our sins, will no longer be our judge. 57 How we thank God for all of this! It is he who makes us victorious through Jesus Christ our Lord!

58 So, my dear brothers, since future victory is sure, be strong and steady, always abounding in the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever wasted as it would be if there were no resurrection.

1 When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound,
and time shall be no more,
and the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather
over on the other shore,
and the roll is called up yonder,
I’ll be there.

Refrain:
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

2 On that bright and cloudless morning
when the dead in Christ shall rise,
and the glory of His resurrection share;
When His chosen ones shall gather
to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder,
I’ll be there. [Refrain]

3 Let us labor for the Master
from the dawn till setting sun;
let us talk of all His wondrous love and care.
Then when all of life is over,
and our work on earth is done,
and the roll is called up yonder,
I’ll be there. [Refrain]

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, we thank You and praise You for the life of our brother Amos Biyimba, for his bright and consistent witness, and for his homecoming. Lord, help us to follow his example of steadfast faith, even in the face of adversity. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Tags: ag-hospital, bible, christianity, faith, god, jesus, saboba, steadfast-reliance-on-jesus

This entry was posted on April 20, 2026 at 6:58 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.