The Final Adversary (27 page)

Finally Maioni held up his hand, and when he could be heard, cried out something.

Bestman said, “He say Tenki must drink poison cup.”

Stanley Beecham’s words flashed into her mind: “If they do not die, they are innocent. If they do die, they are guilty—but somehow they
all
die!”

Katie watched Maioni take a large wooden cup from a wrinkled old woman who leered demonically at the four who opposed them. The air was thick with the smell of evil. Katie’s flesh crawled as she looked at the grotesque face of the witch doctor with the cup of poison in his hands. In the natural there was nothing that could stop what was happening.

Then she heard a voice, not with her ears but with her heart. It was Stanley Beecham, praying those special words over her before she left:
When your spirit is being torn apart, remember my promise, you will cast out demons, and if you drink any deadly thing, it will not harm you. And you will see the glory of Almighty God!

Then the voice was gone, and all Katie could see was the leering face of Maioni, who was approaching with the poison cup. If Tenki refused to drink it, he would be speared on the spot—and the others with him, Katie sensed.

At that moment, she knew what she had to do, for something within her was saying,
Do not fear! You take the cup and drink it all, for I will manifest my power to these people.

If Katie had paused to reason it out, she would never have done what she did—which was to step forward and hold her hands out, saying, “Give me the poison cup!”

Silence descended over the crowd. Maioni stared at her stupidly, but he did not resist when she reached out and took the cup. “Maioni,” Katie said clearly, “are your gods strong enough to keep you from death?”

Bestman translated, and Maioni began to look furtively about the crowd. Every eye was riveted on him, but he could say only, “Tenki must drink!”

Katie held the cup high with both hands and cried out, “My God is strong! Your gods are weak!”

And then Katie lowered the cup—and drank the poison!

She felt nothing as she ingested the contents. It was as if someone else were performing the act and she were watching. Fear was gone! In its place was peace—a peace greater and sweeter than anything she had ever known.

There was not a sound, and she knew they were all waiting for her to fall down in convulsions. Beecham had told the missionaries that the poison was quick acting. But she felt no effects, and she began to speak to the crowd. A single doubt came to her, but she quickly prayed,
Lord, if I’m going to die, let me die giving the gospel to those who don’t have it.

“You have been in bondage to evil!” she cried out, and without being told, Bestman put her words into the Pahn language. “But the true God has sent me to tell you of Him. He is the God who made all things. He is the God who can do all things. You are all waiting to see me fall down and die. But God will not forsake me, for He wants you to know that He and only He is the true God!”

As she spoke the crowd stood still as statues, listening to her voice. For over an hour she gave them the gospel. At one point she saw Maioni creep to the edge of the crowd, and she cried out, “Maioni! Until you are ready to drink the poison cup, as I have, your power is broken. In the name of Jesus, I command you, evil spirits, depart!”

Once again, Maioni clapped his hands over his ears, and this time fell to the ground, writhing and screaming in torment. No one moved to touch him, and as Katie continued
to cry out the name of Jesus and to command the demons to come out, he grew more violent.

Suddenly his body jerked, as if a giant had snapped his backbone, and he fell back on the earth, his mouth ringed with white froth.

“He dead!” Bestman said in shock. But when some of the men examined him, they shook their heads. He was alive but in a coma, and they carried him away.

A great weakness washed through Katie and she felt as if her legs would fold. Bestman grabbed her and led her away. Chief Tenki, weak as he was, was alert enough to use the occasion to reclaim his power. He began to speak as loudly as he could, and the villagers nodded excitedly as he assured them they didn’t have to be afraid of Maioni any longer, that the true God was now in their village.

Bestman guided Katie to a cot inside the hut and bent over her. “Mammy, you be all right?”

The experience had drained her, but she managed to stay awake long enough to open her eyes, to smile at the dark face watching her anxiously.

“Yes, Bestman. God has been with me!”

And then she closed her eyes and slept like a child.

****

The next two weeks were the happiest Katie had ever known. All that she had ever dreamed of accomplishing in Africa as a missionary was realized, for the Spirit of the Lord moved in a marvelous way.

The fall of Maioni was complete. Indeed, when he finally came out of the coma he had fallen into, he was not the same man! He seemed confused, and soon the villagers recognized that the evil witch doctor they had feared more than anything on earth was now an old man void of all power!

Katie visited with him many times and found him pathetic and eager to please. He asked her over and over to tell him the story of Jesus, and soon gave his heart to the Lord. This
was the final breakthrough, and every afternoon when Katie preached, men and women turned to God. Chief Tenki rejoiced as a strong church was born; and when Katie finally announced that she was leaving, he almost wept. But she had no choice, for the rainy season had begun. Already the creeks and rivers were rising, and soon travel would be impossible.

“The church is strong,” Katie assured him. “God is raising up wise elders from among the people. That is the way it should be. I will come back, and other missionaries, too; but now
you
should send Pahn missionaries to other tribes who do not know the truth.”

That was a revelation to Tenki, and he nodded his head in agreement. “I will do,” he said.

When Katie and Bestman were ready to return to Maoli, every member of Chief Tenki’s tribe gathered, and there was a powerful final service.

As Katie walked with Bestman along the trail, she said, “Bestman, don’t tell anyone about the poison cup.”

“Why not, Mammy?”

Katie could not answer very well, but she tried. “I am afraid of it. God used it, but it could become a bad thing. People would want to see signs. They need Jesus, not signs.” She had been troubled over her act, wondering if she had been presumptuous. But it was too late, so she determined never to speak of it again, and she never did. When a rumor would reach other people of what had happened, and she was asked about it, she would only say, “God always does miraculous things. He saved many in the village that time, and that is the miracle of all miracles!”

When they got back to Maoli, they were greeted by Chief Mawali, who, though he had heard about the miracle of the poison cup, was too concerned about Irene to ask. “Irene very sick,” he said.

Alarmed, Katie rushed to her friend and found her desperately ill with malaria. When Irene saw Katie, she begged, “Take me to the coast! I’ll die if I stay in this place.”

“I’ll take care of you, Irene,” Katie said. “No! Please, take me to the coast!” She begged so pitifully that Katie promised.

Katie sought out Bestman and said, “Go to Gropaka. Get one of the other missionaries. Tell them we need help right away.”

Bestman departed at once, and Katie took care of Irene the best she could. The rains began to fall harder, and Chief Mawali told her that it was unlikely any of the men would make it back from Gropaka. As the days passed and the downpour continued, she knew that even if Barney or Awful did come, it would be impossible to get Irene to the coast. The fear that death had been waiting and now would take Irene tormented Katie.

It was harder and harder for Katie to keep her spirits up. One morning, after she had prayed almost all night, she was slumped across the table, groggy and sick with fear.

“Katie! Are you awake!”

It was Barney’s voice! Katie leaped up and opened the door. He came in dripping and with an anxious look on his face. But as soon as he saw her, he smiled. “Thank God!” he cried with joy.

She grabbed his shoulders and held on to him, unable to believe he had come. “Barney.” Her lips trembled as she choked out the words. “She’s going to die. We can’t get her to the coast in this weather!”

Barney gave her a quick hug, and stepped over to look down at Irene.

“Maybe
we
can’t, Katie,” he said, smiling, “but
Jesus
can!”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The Walls Come Tumbling Down

Katie rose at dawn and looked out the window. She could barely see the huts close to hers. The rain was still coming down, making the outside look like a world under water. All night she had slept fitfully, rising several times to try to get Irene to drink, then going to God in prayer.

She turned at a slight moan from Irene, who was thrashing feebly. Katie took a cloth, wet it in the tepid water and wiped the patient’s face, then put her arm behind her and raised her enough to give her a sip of water. “I know you don’t feel like it, but you need to drink more,” she urged, but Irene shook her head from side to side. Malaria had taken such a toll on her that her eyes were sunken and her lips drawn tightly together.

At a knock on the door, Katie lowered Irene to the bed, then went to answer. “Come in, Barney,” she said.

“How is she?”

“Worse, I think.”

Barney himself had slept little, and the strain showed in the lines around his mouth. “A messenger came from Rhodilly about two hours ago. Bad news. Both the De-Laughters are down with malaria. Tobe is very ill, and Pearl wants you to come and help.”

Shaking her head, Katie tried to think. The lack of sleep and the strain of the past hours had numbed her mind. “Can we get through to Rhodilly? The river’s up, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is. But I think we’ve got to try it. Or maybe I should
go alone, Katie.” He glanced toward the still form on the cot, then shook his head doubtfully. “It’s going to be close. Be better if you and Irene stayed—”

“No,” a hoarse whisper broke in. Irene had wakened enough to hear the conversation. “I’ll die—if you—leave me here, Barney. Take me with you,” she begged.

Barney weighed the options. He was not afraid for himself, but the burden of two women, one of them critically ill—could they make it? He lifted his head, his dark eyes intent and his mouth set in a stubborn expression. “We’ll leave in an hour. Try to eat something.”

“All right,” Katie said. She would not have forced herself on him, but was happy at the decision. “We’ll need a few strong hammock men to carry Irene.”

“I’ll go see Bestman. He’ll help.”

Katie quickly fixed tea and broth for Irene, who forced some of it down. Working feverishly, she gathered the things they would need, then wrapped blankets around Irene. In this cold, soaking rain—with a desperately ill woman—it would take a miracle, Katie knew.
Oh, God, help!
she prayed. By the time Barney came, they were ready.

Barney walked over to Irene and said, “Time to go. We’ve got a long way ahead of us, but our God will help. Let’s pray.” Katie came close, and the three asked for safety. Then Barney picked Irene up and carried her out to the hammock. The four bearers lifted it up, and he said to Bestman, “You lead the way.”

“Yes, Kwi Balee!”

Katie fell in behind the hammock, with Bestman and Barney ahead. The rain had turned the path into a quagmire, so going was tough, and with each step the mud oozed to their ankles. For two hours they plodded along. By then Katie was soaked—as well as everyone else. The rain ran down her face in rivulets into her sopping clothing; she was tired, and wished they would rest.

As though Barney had read her thoughts, he declared a
halt, and they rested for thirty minutes under the shelter of some trees. Allowing no more time Barney said, “All right, we’d better get moving.” His voice sounded strange, and when Katie looked at him, she saw that his face was pale.

“Are you all right, Barney?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said shortly, but she noticed his hands were shaking.

Katie had to force herself to stand up. They moved forward, but soon the hammock bearers were slipping and sliding as the ground grew more treacherous. The men were taxed to the limit of their strength, and it was necessary to stop every thirty minutes to let them rest.

Shortly before noon Bestman called a halt. The path had disappeared into what looked like a river or swamp. Katie stared at it, her legs trembling with exhaustion, but said nothing. It seemed impossible, and then Bestman pulled a hatchet from his belt and gave orders to his helpers.

“Katie,” Barney said, “you rest with Irene,” then moved to help with the construction of a raft.

Katie knew he was exhausted, and asked again if he was all right, but he didn’t answer, so she turned to Irene and held her, trying to force some heat into her. Her eyes were closed, her breathing faint and irregular, and she mumbled as though confused.
Oh, God,
Katie prayed again,
please help!

In a short while the men had built a raft of green logs tied with vines. It looked precarious, but it would have to work—hopefully.

“Let me have her,” Barney said. He picked Irene up and placed her on the raft. “All right, let’s go. Katie, hang on to me.”

The raft sank almost out of sight in the brown waters as the men shoved it forward. One of the bearers carried the hammock, while Barney and Bestman helped the others maneuver the clumsy craft through the waist-deep water.

Katie clung to Barney’s belt, floundering along in the water that rose almost breast high on her. At one point she nearly
slipped under. Barney grabbed her, put his arm around her, and half dragged her along in the wake of the raft.

When it seemed that Katie could go no farther, Bestman called out, “Come on, Mammy! We be dry now!”

Relieved, Katie saw that the water gave way to land, and soon they were walking along a trail. It was muddy and hard going, but not so strenuous as wading in the swamp. Finally it grew darker and Barney said, “We’ll have to rest until morning, Bestman. Let’s take what cover we can find.”