Ebola scare at the Holy Orthodox Mission in Freetown, Sierra Leone, when mission worker passes away
By Dan Wooding, Founder of ASSIST and ASSIST News Service
FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE
(ANS) – There has been a major scare at the Holy Orthodox Mission in
Freetown, Sierra Leone, when Moses Babin, who worked as a driver with
Fr. Themi Adams, the former Australian rock star-turned-missionary who
now runs the Mission, passed away.
Because Ebola has already
claimed the lives of 2977 people in the West African nation, the staff
at the mission wondered at first if Moses may have become yet another
victim of the terrible virus.
But now, a contact has told the
ASSIST News Service, "It is now understood that he died, not of Ebola,
but of pneumonia. However, nearly every sickness here is a death
sentence because of the fear of Ebola."
Moses, who was also the
personal driver for other staff members, including Mary Adams and Eleni
McDermott, had been on leave for a month and had not interacted with Fr.
Themi for that time, and so his untimely death came as a shock to the
staff who, along with Fr. Themi, are courageously battling the Ebola
virus.
A spokesperson for the Holy
Orthodox Mission said, "He was, and his family still is, one of the poor
that God has given us charge over; for whatever we did for (him) one of
the least of these brothers and sisters of Jesus, we did for Jesus."
(Matt 25:40)
Eleni McDermott, an Australian
who is also Head of Department and Senior Lecturer at the Orthodox
Christian College of West Africa, said that Moses was "far from
perfect," but he "loved his family and felt the responsibility to
provide for them."
She continued: "He dreamed of
moving his wife and 3 children out of their little one bedroom rental,
into their own 2 bedroom with a parlor home. [He was] a man that showed
such humility and appreciation when you gave him eggs to take home to
his wife or a text book for one of his children.
"[He was also] a man that
stubbornly refused to give permission to his wife to continue trading in
the market for fear she would get Ebola. A man that never stopped
telling me what a good son he had or admiring his daughter's love for
learning, 'she is so clever Ms. Eleni.... and you know she was baptized
and has your name too'.
"A man that openly cried when
accusations related to his character were spitted at him in a
confrontation. A man that was an excellent time keeper, always punctual
and with a polite morning greeting for me and whoever else was in my
office. A man who would bounce into work on Friday's, knowing I had
breakfast in the college kitchen waiting for him. It was nothing
special, just some bread and spread but he always got boyishly excited
about it.
"And finally, a man I caught
sitting at the back of the church head bowed in reverence, after a
particular conversation we had. Yes there was so much more to this man."
She added, "I'm not sure of all
the details leading to his death. Moses recently became sick and Fr.
Themi gave him money for treatment. He was hospitalized a few days ago
but like so many that arrive there – he never came out.
"In the meantime, health
authorities wasted no time in burying him. Ebola or not- a hole was dug
and he was put in the ground. No time to arrange a burial service,
perhaps not even time for a grave site prayer. No 'goodbye Moses'.
"Whilst I take comfort in the
fact that Rev. Fr. Themi will give him a memorial service as soon as
possible, I feel we have been deprived (like so many Ebola victims and
loved ones) the opportunity to honor him and pay our respects with a
funeral.
"This afternoon, I am thinking
about how Fr. Themi did not give up on Moses. He continued to give him a
salary even when I left and he was no longer needed as a driver. Time
and time again Fr. Themi forgave him for his transgressions despite
popular opinion that he should be told leave the mission. Perhaps in his
wisdom Fr. Themi was giving Moses chances to redeem himself.
"From my experience, every time
Moses did the wrong thing, I watched him struggle with denial. But then
a kind word or a deed of good to another in the days that followed,
showed me that he, (like all of us) was a work in progress. After all,
do we not all fall and get back up again, in the struggle to become
better human beings? I believe in my heart those times of forgiveness
gave Moses the opportunity to become a better man and gave time, for
God's grace and mercy to intervene.
"I remember Moses' catch phrase
whenever I asked him to drive me somewhere, deliver something or simply
stay close by in case needed .... 'I am here for you Ms. Eleni anything
you need.'"
She concluded, "Moses, I will
not forget your friendship and your loyalty. I will not forget your
promise to be there when needed and I hope I can do the same for your
children, who I know will struggle now to get an education.
"I believe in the hope of life
everlasting for you Moses, in a place where there is no pain or sorrow
or grieving. May your memory be eternal and you rest in peace and in the
knowledge that you were loved and will be missed so much by so many."
Note: Themi, now a Greek
Orthodox Priest, was a member of Australian rock group, The Flies, and
once shared the stage with the Rolling Stones and the Beatles, but after
a dramatic conversion, became a missionary to West Africa, and is now
facing the greatest challenge of his life - Ebola -- which is sweeping
his adopted country and causing panic, death and destruction. Despite
the great danger to himself, he refuses to leave his post and is
continuing his battle against the virus.
January 11, 2015
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