Today's post is by guest writer Joanne Beckley.
An African funeral is a challenge to attend. This morning we left the house at 4.30am and arrived at 6am in the Venda village. The large funeral tent was set up at the home of the deceased, but I immediately went into the bedroom to see the widow. The windows were all covered and I could barely see eight old women seated on the floor in the murky light. I looked around to find the widow. Suddenly a figure stepped off the bed mattress (now lying on the floor) and grabbed my hand for a tight hug. It was spooky how she suddenly appeared dressed from head to toe in black and a black hat covering her head and face. She wouldn’t let go, so we led the procession out of the house, over to the very large tent (marquee), and to her reserved seat.
The proceedings then got underway, with seemingly the entire village in attendance. Two hours later after some eight or ten speeches, including my husband’s short sermon, we all filed out and gained our cars or walked to the cemetery, about a kilometer away. When everyone had arrived, they opened the gate and the Hearse drove through while we all followed on foot to the grave site.
By now the sun was hot, but a good breeze kept it just bearable. After standing for the second sermon and many more songs, we watched as the coffin was lowered, wet cement mixed and poured into the cut grave and around the coffin, dirt poured in, cement added, and the granite headstone and base were placed on top. A large blanket was draped over the headstone. (The cement and blanket were to keep evil ancestors away from the new ancestor who would now aid the family, that is, any who are believers.) THEN everyone walked/drove back to the tent to eat a magnificent meal and offer condolences to the grieving family. This is always quite an expensive effort, but everyone belongs to a burial society and so can feed the village at that time. It is always a challenge to attend and offer sympathy and care during such a long drawn-out affair–and at the same time listen to a language not my own. But all the Christians, from near and far, were so glad to pay tribute to a fine soldier of the cross. From all the speeches we learned of his great love for his village and how he never lost an opportunity to teach the gospel to any who would listen. It was good to listen to the expressions of love his people had for him.
We also met members of his second wife’s family for the first time. When he learned of the gospel, he left his second wife and children but continued to support both families. Despite his efforts, the two families became estranged (from angered inlaws), and only in recent years was he able to unite both families to work together to solve their needs. It was interesting to hear the Master of Ceremonies warn that there would be no disturbances between the families during this funeral, emphasizing that they follow the example of their father who was a very humble man, loving all equally. He died praying that all of his nine children and grandchildren would thetshelesa! Their Venda word for listen is the word to obey and he so wanted them to lovingly obey God as he did.
Funerals are necessary for several reasons. The primary purpose of a funeral is to help us accept the reality of the death. It is a time to honor the dead and to tie a family and community together. For Christians, a funeral offers serious reflection and a chance to teach our neighbors the joy of serving our Lord, that they too could learn the same joy even during such a sad time. “It is better to attend a funeral than to attend a banquet, for everyone dies eventually, and the living will take this to heart.” Eccl 7:2
Every culture from ancient times until today has recognized a need to share in some way the departure of a loved one from this world to the next. The ways they express this varies according to the beliefs of who it is that will meet them “on the other side”. The Egyptians had an entire story to tell, with an amazing panoply of gods to call upon. The Israelites used sackcloth, ashes, shaved heads, and loud lamentations to demonstrate their grief. Job 21:32 mentions a funeral mound. Isaiah 30:33 describes a funeral pyre. Ancient peoples used (and many today still use) water, fire, and smoke to aid the understanding that the human spirit will not end at death.
God’s people understand and gain comfort that life does not end with the death and burial of faithful loved ones. Moses was reminded at the burning bush that the eternal God is the God of the living, Exodus 3. David continually fasted and prayed for his sick child, but when the child died, he arose and said, “Now he has died, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” 2Samuel 12
Jesus attended at least two funerals and taught concerning life after death, Luke 16. We have scriptures describing how we will join with our faithful loved ones. 1Corinthians 15, 1Thessalonians 4. Sadly, there is another lot for the wicked, Hebrews 10:26-27.
Death is a harsh reality, and facing the death of someone we know and love is never easy. But Jesus Christ came to conquer death, and He did by His resurrection from the dead. We don’t need to fear death if we are obedient to Christ.
Joanne Beckley
An African funeral is a challenge to attend. This morning we left the house at 4.30am and arrived at 6am in the Venda village. The large funeral tent was set up at the home of the deceased, but I immediately went into the bedroom to see the widow. The windows were all covered and I could barely see eight old women seated on the floor in the murky light. I looked around to find the widow. Suddenly a figure stepped off the bed mattress (now lying on the floor) and grabbed my hand for a tight hug. It was spooky how she suddenly appeared dressed from head to toe in black and a black hat covering her head and face. She wouldn’t let go, so we led the procession out of the house, over to the very large tent (marquee), and to her reserved seat.
The proceedings then got underway, with seemingly the entire village in attendance. Two hours later after some eight or ten speeches, including my husband’s short sermon, we all filed out and gained our cars or walked to the cemetery, about a kilometer away. When everyone had arrived, they opened the gate and the Hearse drove through while we all followed on foot to the grave site.
By now the sun was hot, but a good breeze kept it just bearable. After standing for the second sermon and many more songs, we watched as the coffin was lowered, wet cement mixed and poured into the cut grave and around the coffin, dirt poured in, cement added, and the granite headstone and base were placed on top. A large blanket was draped over the headstone. (The cement and blanket were to keep evil ancestors away from the new ancestor who would now aid the family, that is, any who are believers.) THEN everyone walked/drove back to the tent to eat a magnificent meal and offer condolences to the grieving family. This is always quite an expensive effort, but everyone belongs to a burial society and so can feed the village at that time. It is always a challenge to attend and offer sympathy and care during such a long drawn-out affair–and at the same time listen to a language not my own. But all the Christians, from near and far, were so glad to pay tribute to a fine soldier of the cross. From all the speeches we learned of his great love for his village and how he never lost an opportunity to teach the gospel to any who would listen. It was good to listen to the expressions of love his people had for him.
We also met members of his second wife’s family for the first time. When he learned of the gospel, he left his second wife and children but continued to support both families. Despite his efforts, the two families became estranged (from angered inlaws), and only in recent years was he able to unite both families to work together to solve their needs. It was interesting to hear the Master of Ceremonies warn that there would be no disturbances between the families during this funeral, emphasizing that they follow the example of their father who was a very humble man, loving all equally. He died praying that all of his nine children and grandchildren would thetshelesa! Their Venda word for listen is the word to obey and he so wanted them to lovingly obey God as he did.
Funerals are necessary for several reasons. The primary purpose of a funeral is to help us accept the reality of the death. It is a time to honor the dead and to tie a family and community together. For Christians, a funeral offers serious reflection and a chance to teach our neighbors the joy of serving our Lord, that they too could learn the same joy even during such a sad time. “It is better to attend a funeral than to attend a banquet, for everyone dies eventually, and the living will take this to heart.” Eccl 7:2
Every culture from ancient times until today has recognized a need to share in some way the departure of a loved one from this world to the next. The ways they express this varies according to the beliefs of who it is that will meet them “on the other side”. The Egyptians had an entire story to tell, with an amazing panoply of gods to call upon. The Israelites used sackcloth, ashes, shaved heads, and loud lamentations to demonstrate their grief. Job 21:32 mentions a funeral mound. Isaiah 30:33 describes a funeral pyre. Ancient peoples used (and many today still use) water, fire, and smoke to aid the understanding that the human spirit will not end at death.
God’s people understand and gain comfort that life does not end with the death and burial of faithful loved ones. Moses was reminded at the burning bush that the eternal God is the God of the living, Exodus 3. David continually fasted and prayed for his sick child, but when the child died, he arose and said, “Now he has died, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” 2Samuel 12
Jesus attended at least two funerals and taught concerning life after death, Luke 16. We have scriptures describing how we will join with our faithful loved ones. 1Corinthians 15, 1Thessalonians 4. Sadly, there is another lot for the wicked, Hebrews 10:26-27.
Death is a harsh reality, and facing the death of someone we know and love is never easy. But Jesus Christ came to conquer death, and He did by His resurrection from the dead. We don’t need to fear death if we are obedient to Christ.
Joanne Beckley
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