Zacharias, an elderly African catechist, was laid to rest
after a long life of serving his church and the people of Kenya. Afterwards, I
was walking back with another catechist when she remarked, "We’ll miss him. He
went ki-sabuni (Swahili for “like a bar of soap”). Confused, I asked, "Like a
bar of what?" She repeated," Ki-sabuni. You know, in the house the bar of soap
sits next to the basin, available morning, noon and night to all — children,
adults, the elderly, family and guests alike. It never discriminates or
complains of being used and reused. It is taken for granted as it slowly
disappears, until someone exclaims, ‘Gosh, the soap is gone!’ Zacharias was that
kind of man. I’m sure the God he served so well will grant him eternal rest."