Kitabu : The Drum Still Cries
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Dembeli learned something about the importance of the role of a mediator in the culture as he watched the people. From birth, through marriage, in disagreements and in death a mediator must be present to satisfy the demands of the society. But the importance of the mediator did not become real to him until he asked the men on the Gospel Team where he could get a “meteorite” like some of those found in nearby towns. One of the men informed him that one had fallen on the town chief's farm and that maybe Dembeli could negotiate with him for the stone.
Since Dembeli and the Gospel Team were traveling to a nearby town for services he decided that he could wait until they returned before asking the chief about the “meteorite”. Dembeli and the Gospel Team piled into the truck and as they drove out of town they met the town chief walking home from his farm.
After the proper greeting Dembeli asked the chief if the “meteorite” which had fallen on his farm was still there. When the chief replied that it was Dembeli asked if it was possible for him to have it. When the chief responded that it would be fine for Dembeli to have the stone if he would first give him a gift. Dembeli quickly offered the chief about a day's wages thinking that would be an appropriate gift. The chief chuckled and said that that really was not enough of a gift for a stone that had fallen from the the heavens.
Dembeli asked why he should give the chief more then a day's wages and asked if a stone that had fallen from heaven could really belong to the chief. Well, that is what he meant to ask.
The question was no sooner out of his mouth than the Gospel Team members burst out in laughter. The chief was also laughing. Dembeli had never seen the men laugh so hard and he tried to ask the reason for their glee. When one of the men stopped long enough to gasp for breath he recovered enough to explain to Dembeli that Dembeli had just cursed the chief in a big time way. It took a few minutes, but between gasps for breath, so laughter could continue, the men were finally able to explain to Dembeli that he had just made a classical linguistic error and the interpretation is unprintable.
Dembeli was finally able to discover that if he wanted to make things right he would need a mediator who would represent him to the chief. Dembeli found the mediator who advised him to take about a week's wages as a gift to the chief and they headed over to the chief's compound. The whole Gospel Team, still laughing, joined him, and when Dembeli asked why they were going along, they responded that Dembeli had “just cursed our chief. Now they are going to talk the case and we would not miss this for anything?”
After appropriate greetings were offered Yakubu spoke to the town elders on Dembeli's behalf asking for understanding and forgiveness as well as their support as he begged the chief on behalf of Dembeli. Dembeli noticed that even the chief was barely able to keep his own laughter in control. Yakubu then turned to the chief and and adequately fulfilled his role as mediator.
As usual, the guilty party had to kneel in front of the offended one. The chief put his hand on Dembeli's shoulder and declared, “On behalf of your mediator, you are forgiven.” That is huge!!!
Now nobody in Kuranko land is ever allowed to bring up the fact that one day Dembeli cursed the chief. What an incredible redemptive analogy of the role that Christ has as our mediator, the One who forgives our sins, and sets us free so that our sins are never remembered against us.
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About the Book
Kitabu: The Drum Still Cries is not only the story of a young missionary living in a remote area with an indigenous group of people, but also a story of the struggle and the victory, as the missionary learns to share the Gospel in culturally appropriate ways, so that the men of the African tribe can pass on the truths of the Gospel, and transform their own lives.
This unique story is told by an imaginary troubadour, who observes the youthful missionary, who seeks to find redemptive analogies and culturally appropriate ways to present the Gospel to a civilization far removed from his own educational background. The African men must take up the challenge of reaching their own people for Christ. Kitabu: The Drum Still Cries will make you laugh and cry, as you walk through the foothills of the mountains, with the men who face challenges of planting a truly original church among their own people, for themselves, and for God.
About the Author
EARL REIFEL has served Jesus Christ as a missionary in Sierra Leone since 1975. The fruit of his ministry is evident in the spiritual and numerical growth of one church which has developed into an indigenous district of churches reaching more than fifty towns. Earl and his wife, Clare continue their ministry in Africa.