The Triplets’ Story Part II — The Burial
The Triplets’ Story Part II — The Burial
Post Prologue: Whilst reading through my journal entries, I realized that, to do a proper job with this story, I really need to make it a three-part series. I had initially only planned for two. This segment will introduce you to some of the customs and traditions surrounding burials in Sierra Leone. I always like to include as much cultural information as I can to bring you along with me and meet the people among whom we minister.
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Date of original journal entry: Sunday March 5, 2016
He will gather, He will gather the gems for His kingdom;
All the pure ones, all the bright ones, His loved and His own.
Like the stars of the morning, His bright crown adorning;
They shall shine in His beauty, bright gems for His crown.
(When He Cometh, verse 2 and chorus)
Ah, my soul, I don’t even know how to write this. Pastor Alfred, Michael, Moses, and Stephen have just left for a most difficult task. Two of the triplets died today and will be buried later this afternoon. The men of the church have gone to give a proper Christian burial to these little ones, and in general try to be a comfort to the family. They will first go to the “the burial house,” then accompany the father to the grave side. According to custom, women will not be present at the burial (though they may visit the grave later), so I have stayed home.
Our dear Teressa has now buried three of her six children.
At the burial house, Asahnatu (L) and Asahn are washed and prepared for their burial.
What I’m going to write I do with caution, and with the understanding that in the West we have different experiences in spiritual matters. In West Africa, the veil separating the spiritual from the physical isn’t as distinct, with the two often intermingling. The spiritual oppression we encounter in Sierra Leone is truly a darkness which can be felt.
Today, six weeks after the birth of the triplets, Teressa and the babies were in church when she hastily left, a look of terror on her face. Just one hour later the two oldest babies were dead. Our village medical officer could not determine how these two otherwise healthy babies had died so suddenly; there was no discernible cause. What did Teressa know? What caused her sudden terror?
A grieving auntie assisting with burial preparations. Though they see the death of little ones so often, it is no less painful each time it happens.
Over subsequent weeks, our quiet questioning only brought impenetrable silence. This tells us that, at some level, witchcraft, or “juju,” was involved. It’s not uncommon for one family to work revenge on another family, and attacking the children sends a very clear message. Is this what happened? I can’t say and we will likely never know. But as stated in the series about the salvation of Chief Flee (read part two here), deaths worked by “witching,” though unfamiliar to Westerners, are becoming all too commonplace for us. With the economy continuing to spiral out of control, this type of activity is much more prevalent as each tries by any means to get a leg up on the other. The father of the triplets is a successful local artisan gold miner (not affiliated with the British mining company). These miners are constantly jockeying for position, trying to get the best mining locations. In so doing, they regularly resort to working witchcraft against each other.
Another local belief is that when two babies or children from the same family die so close together, it’s thought that one just died and the other went with them because they didn’t want to be left here without their sibling. All I know is that it’s horribly sad, very dark, and most likely the result of evil working.
As I sit on the veranda praying, I can hear the men singing, the burial grounds being just off our west boundary. A joyful change from the horrible wailing heard during a Muslim burial. “When We All Get to Heaven,” “The Sweet By and By,” “Nearer My God to Thee,” and several more. I am awash in tears. Tears of grief for the family, yes, but also tears of joy knowing that these precious little gems are now gathered safe in the arms of Jesus.
Pastor Alfred Menjor handing one of the babies to the man preparing the grave. Bodies are wrapped in white silk for satin for burial.
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Post Script: Part III will be hitting your inbox soon. If you have not already done so, you may read Part I here. I know these are hard topics but they are the reality of life in a foreign culture. Thank you for reading the letters I write to you, my friends. Please continue scrolling to see a few more photos detailing some of the burial customs.
When a grave is dug, a small ledge is left near the top of the grave. Sticks are then placed across this ledge.
After the sticks are in place, fresh limbs from the nearby bush are cut and placed on top of the sticks, creating a “ceiling” of sorts to keep the dirt from falling directly on the body
Pastor Alfred and the triplets’ father.
