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God has a people in every nation, kindred and tongue on this earth. May his spirit rejoice in the presence of God his Saviour. Please pray for his wife and family and the churches he pastored.
The Death of Elder Obey April 1, 2009
THE FOLLOWING IS FROM ELDER SAM BRYANT, April 1, 2009
Beloved in Christ,
I am so sad to report that I just received word from Eld. Martin and Sis. Mary in Kenya that Bro. Obey passed away around 10 am this morning. This news will bring sadness to many people, especially his family and his church in Tanzania. The sadness I feel is unspeakable. However, I am finding great comfort in the fact that Brother Obey embraced the same truth that our beloved Apostle Paul did, "to live is Christ and to die is gain." He died knowing that salvation is a gift from a loving God and that multitudes of his African ancestors will be in Heaven by God's grace.
His burden was to establish the Primitive Baptist church in Tanzania. He was blessed to to do that. Before he returned to Africa, he told me he hoped some day to preach the gospel in Kenya. God richly blessed him to do so. He made many trips to Kenya to help with the gospel work there. He was able to help Elder Vernon Johnson and Elder Mike Ivy ordain 5 ministers in Kenya and constitute 5 churches there in Feb. He got sick while in Kenya and was never able to return to his beloved Tanzania.
Sister Mary told me she wanted to take his body back to his home town for burial. There he will rest until Jesus comes. Please keep his wife and children in your prayers. Also pray for the church in Tanzania. I hope to visit them as soon as possible.
Also keep Vestavia church in your prayers. We will mourn his passing deeply.
Your brother in Christ,
Pastor Sam Bryant
THE FOLLOWING IS FROM ELDER DAVID MONTGOMERY, April 5, 2009
Dear Friends,
For those of you who would like to financially help the family of Elder Obey Ndalima Mwakalonge, please send your donations to:
Billy Swindlle
1034 Gail Drive
Adamsville, AL 35005
Make checks payable to Vestavia Primitive Baptist church
Memo: Obey's Family
Elder Bryant told me the funeral will be this Monday, It has taken a lot of paperwork to get his body back to Tanzania but it all is now falling into place for that service to transpire.
The Vestavia Church plans to hold a Memorial Service for Elder Obey on Saturday, April 18, 2009. The services are scheduled for 10:00 AM til noon. Elder Bryant also said that he hoped all the men who had traveled to Africa and helped with the work there would be able to attend the services.
Brother Obey was larger than life and his memory will be cherished for years to come. He is now part of the history of the Primitive Baptist church. As one said of another who passed away untimely, "Now, he belongs to the ages." This is certainly the way I feel about our departed brother. To my knowledge, there has never been a case like his where one from another country who had come to the US to study at seminary, see the truth, and become a Primitive Baptist. He was intrigued by the name "Primitive" which led him to walk through the door and discover what it was about. Over time, he grew to love the doctrine and began to preach it with great depth and also with simplicity. His ordination will stand as a day to remember. Through the years, that day will be brought up as a landmark day in our church history. How I wish that I had been there!
Brother Obey was never a well man physically. At the end, he was suffering from Malaria, Typhoid Fever and meningitis. Upon reflection, it really was a miracle that he lasted this long. Brother Obey had to push himself to do just the most common things but he still made 20 trips to Kenya, often riding in a bus for 36 hours to get there. On top of that, he put all his strength in providing for his family and faithfully served his home church in Tanzania. Like the Apostle Paul, Brother Obey was willing to spend and be spent for the Kingdom of God. Before he left America for Tanzania, he told Brother Sam that his dream was to preach the gospel in Kenya. God allowed this dream to come true, for even then, the Lord was opening doors for that very thing to happen.
Men like Obey make us look within ourselves and cause us to be thankful for the many things we take for granted. A plate of food, a warm house, available medicine and health care, good clothes, automobiles and not only just indoor plumbing, but safe drinking water. Moreover, it should cause us to bow down in gratitude to the good Lord that we are privileged to hear the true gospel preached every Sunday. Brother Obey did not know the truth when he came to our country, but through the grace of God he heard the truth and believed it. My thanks goes out to Elder Samuel Bryant and the good people of Vestavia church for their patient nurture of our late beloved brother. Truly it was a labor of love but I am so glad they did it. Through Brother Obey, the gospel was preached in Africa and we pray that through the grace of our Lord, the gospel will continue to be preached.
My friends, let us remember him with joy and thanksgiving. Let us cherish the fact that he came among us. Though his ministry was all too brief, he accomplished much in the time he had. As I read about his labors, I was impressed at how far-reaching they were. His labors were spread through cities, States, countries and continents. He touched our lives in so many positive ways that cannot be numbered. For only 15 minutes, I met and conversed with him on his second visit to Vestavia church and I can recall those 15 minutes with warmth and clarity; I am thankful to say that I got to meet him. I look forward to a day that will last longer than 15 minutes where he and I can visit, fellowship and rejoice in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It will be a good day when that occurs and well stated is the refrain that we sing, "What a day that will be!" Even as the Apostle John said, "Even so, come Lord Jesus!" for we know this: Brother Obey cannot come to us, but some day, we shall go to him.
"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."
Let us pray for his dear wife and children. Let us pray for the church in Tanzania where he cheerfully served. Let us pray for his sorrowing friends. Let us pray for Brother Sam as he tries to recover from his own grief at losing a son in the ministry and as he tries to be strong for the churches that are likewise grieving. We can do our part in bearing them up through our thoughts, gifts and prayers. May the Lord bless them all.
In mixtures of joy and sorrow,
Elder David Montgomery |
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