When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
1 Corinthians 15:54-55
Jamil Ahmad al-Rifai (2003)
Hero Neighbour
Jamil was killed in a bomb blast as he came to the aid of a neighbouring missionary family whose home had been targeted with the explosives. Initially the police stated that Jamil (28), a Jordanian convert to Christianity, had himself planted the bomb at the property in Tripoli, northern Lebanon. But it became apparent that he was killed while helping the Dutch missionary, Gerrit Griffioen (52), and his family.
At 11.30 pm on the night of the incident in May 2003, Griffioen’s German wife, Barbel, realised there was an intruder in their garden. The Dutchman called to Jamil, his next door neighbour, for help. By the time they entered the garden the intruder had fled. Griffioen proceeded to extinguish the fuse and then gave chase, while Jamil carried the couple’s three children out of the house. After this he returned to the garden, where a 2kg bomb detonated as he was trying either to defuse it or simply to move it further away. Griffioen has been repeatedly threatened during his 20 years of Christian work in Lebanon.
He whose head is in heaven need not fear to put his feet into the grave.
Matthew Henry (1662-1714)