This story was adapted from one written by Evelyne Metzler, who served many years with her sister Rachel in Chad, Africa, where both had grown up as MKs. Rachel is now home with the Lord.
Augustin’s brother, Francois, had suddenly died the night before. Both boys had been students of Rachel Metzler’s at the Balimba Primary School in the Republic of Chad. When Rachel, her sister Evelyne, and the Chadian teachers arrived to sit with the grieving family, they sensed a bitter tension in the air that went well beyond grief.
As Rachel and the head African teacher, Michel, spoke with Augustin’s father, they learned the depth of the family’s grief. Augustin’s father and mother had moved to Balimba several years earlier but still had no friends and no work. Several months ago, a third son had become sick with rabies. Without money for treatment, the parents were forced to watch their son die a horrible death. Then Augustin became sick. Despite care from a dispensary and home remedies, he grew worse and worse and was near death himself. Carrying such a load of grief, the father was deeply embittered and had lost all faith in nurses, doctors, and hospitals. He did not even want to talk to Rachel anymore.
Augustin had discontinued his schooling four months earlier, and no one had known what happened to him. Rachel implored the father to let her try to help Augustin, who was by that time little more than a skeleton with some flesh covering his bones. The father refused many times but consented only because Augustin’s mother wanted Rachel to try.
At first, Augustin could be nourished only through IVs, and he was treated for parasites. After many uncertain days, Augustin very slowly began to improve. Each day the father visited. One day, he opened up to Rachel: “Miss, when you brought my boy to your home, you didn’t save one life, you saved two. After what had happened to my family and many other disappointments, I had given up,” he said. “I was waiting for Augustin to die; then I was going to slit my throat and die, too. But you took him and my wife. You gave them a room and have been feeding them without asking for anything in return. I thought nobody cared, but now I see that you do. I am a Christian, Miss, but I have strayed a long way from the fold. I want to ask God’s forgiveness now and come back to Him.”
Right there, the man bowed his head in confession to God. His wife, also happily returned to the Lord. Then the father said, “My son Francois was ready when the Lord took him home, but Augustin is not ready to go. We must lead him to the Lord right now; then if he dies it will be all right.”
He knelt by the mat of little Augustin and quietly led him to the Lord. After the child had accepted the Lord Jesus as his Savior, a peace came over his countenance. The missionaries were thrilled to see God’s answer to their prayers!
Very, very slowly, Augustin started getting better. By this time, many people were praying for him at Balimba and in America. God heard their prayers and worked a miracle. Three months later, Augustin and his mother returned to their home. His cheeks were full and his strength and vitality had returned. As he neared his home, he jumped up and down with joy and excitement. The most wonderful thing is that Augustin returned to his village a new creature in Christ. His whole family is changed now. There is no more bitterness and sorrow, but real joy and happiness. God does answer prayer! “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3).
This story, originally titled "Augustin," was taken from the book Amazed by His Glory (p. 200), published by Baptist Mid-Missions. For ordering information, contact Tim Fry at tfry@bmm.org or click on the book title.