.jpg)
Kristi told me last night that Adam Langford, a missionary in Jinja, Uganda, was killed in a lorry accident. He was working with The Source, a coffeeshop ministry in Jinja (the source of the Nile River). They were coming back from Mt. Elgon on a coffee-buying trip; the tire blew and the lorry went off an embankment - also killing Moses, a Christian husband, father, and leader in that ministry.
I’ve been following his ministry in Uganda since we climbed Mt. Adams together a few years ago. I knew Adam as extremely good-natured, strong, and resilient under pressure. We all lugged very heavy packs with skis and tents on a two-day trip with the Hill brothers. Adam got sick on the way up, but rallied to summit and ski down with the group. He never complained or whined; if he felt bad the rest of the time he never showed it. Those were some of the best days I’ve had in the mountains: perfect weather, an ambitious goal, good food and great company. We climbed for two days for what turned out to be about 10 minutes of skiing - the snow was a minefield of sun cups and rocks (it was August). Thinking back over it, I had forgotten how much we laughed and shared those long days and nights.
I respected him and his ministry enormously, and considered him a friend. The title of this post is “Nga Kitalo”, which I have borrowed from one of his posts on his blog. He was speaking to a woman who had just lost her sister to AIDS:
...I softly said “nga kitalo” which is a Lusoga word of lament that is solely used in the midst of death, it literally translates ‘oh no!’. I had nothing else to say. Uganda has problems and its people are suffering to the point of death.
Adam cared about that suffering, and was willing to suffer for the cause of Christ. He gave his life for that cause, something I believe he would willingly do.
If you haven’t read his words there, you should. The eulogies are collecting there. He was a person worth knowing. I understand the pull of Uganda, and I was so excited to hear he was going. I can only imagine the adventure he is on now.
He had much left to do here; I do not understand.
He lived by his November post with this quote from Gandhi:
Suffering cheerfully endured, ceases to be suffering and is transmuted into an ineffable joy.
On 