Joining with the church’s expressions of support, Mission Aviation Fellowship flew the body of church leader Djimasde Obed from the capital city, N’Djamena, to Moundou, for burial.
The death of Djimasde Obed was a sad moment for the church in Chad. Not only was he a husband and father, he was also a president of the Assemblée Chrétienne au Tchad (ACT, or Christian Assembly in Chad).
This church is a full member of the Entente des Églises et Missions Évangéliques au Tchad (EEMET), a partnership of churches and missions in the central African nation.
When MAF flew Djimasde Obed’s body from N’Djamena to Moundou for burial, the EEMET Coordinator, Benjamin Inbo Kou viewed the act as a form of respect and dignity.
“To my knowledge, he is the first president whose body has been transported by MAF,” said Benjamin. “This act of value that MAF performed will be forever engraved in the memory of Christians and ordinary people.
“Serving the Lord has values – we do not transport the body of just anyone by aeroplane, but the servant of God,” he added.
In that moment of sadness, there was a clear sign that MAF helps the church not only during happy times but also in times of sorrow.
Esmara, MAF’s Country Director in Chad, was pleased that the team could help.
“We are grateful we can support the church in such tangible ways; during moments of loss and grief,” she said.
President Obed was initially the pastor of a local church and demonstrated strong leadership. His church then presented him for election, and he was voted as president of ACT. Benjamin described him as a “calm, discreet, wise, and spiritual person.”
Serving the Lord has values – we do not transport the body of just anyone by aeroplane, but the servant of God.
“The engagement and faith of President Obed left a mark on us in EEMET through his simplicity, wisdom, advice, love for good work, and compassion for the weak,” said Benjamin.
When President Obed was sick, the church asked people to pray for his healing. They trusted that God would help him. But when God decided to take him home, the church accepted His will.
“The church lost a leader, a pastor, a president,” said Benjamin. “A void was created at the top of the church, and subsequently, in the EEMET, a decision-making voice was silenced.”
Transporting the body by plane in 90 minutes reduced the challenges of a whole day’s journey by road.
“It avoided the risks of travelling on bad roads with the body,” said Benjamin. “The family was not heavily shaken around by vehicle travel and experienced less fatigue.
Benjamin requested that people pray for the church in Chad generally, and for ACT specifically, that God will provide a new president to replace the deceased. He asked for prayer for the family, so that God fills the void left by the pastor and also supports them financially and materially.
We are grateful we can support the church in such tangible ways; during moments of loss and grief.
“In Psalm 34:18, the Bible states: ‘The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit,’” Benjamin reminded us.
Indeed, the church mobilised to support the family of the deceased through biblical comfort: prayer, praise, exhortation, financial contributions, material support, condolences from sister institutions – and MAF has been privileged to play a small part along the way.