Six months ago on the way home from the Temple in Johannesburg where we were with them at the temple for their sealing, the Malabi family was stopped at the airport in Burundi. Brother Malabi was arrested for unknown reasons. For six months we've worried about him and prayed for his release. His name has been on the rolls in the temple and countless other people have prayed for him. We got home on Monday from Pointe Noire to hear the joyous news that he would be released on Wednesday. We were told to call on Tuesday to make the arrangements We were thrilled that he would finally be freed and returned to his family, but we were very sad as we wouldn't be able to see him because our plane left for South Africa on Wednesday morning. We have worried so much about him and wanted very much to see for ourselves that he was free and well. To our great surprise when the staff called the prison, they said that he could be released on Tuesday and they went immediately to get him. Tuesday night we had the wonderful reunion with our dear friend. His release was a miracle that many throughout the world had prayed for and we wondered if it would ever come. We're so grateful that he is free and will be able to join his family.
The most amazing thing about this is that he spent six months in terribly difficult circumstances and came out with greater faith and goodness than he had when he went into prison. He had no anger and ill-will for those who held him, but only joy and gratitude for his release and his chance to be with his family again. We have thought about Joseph's time in Liberty jail often over these last six months. Frere Malabi's time in the Kinshasa jails was no less difficult and no less refining for him. We admire and love this man.
When released he had only the clothing he was wearing, so we went to our little storehouse of missionary clothes. We found three white shirts that fit him (the last of the shirts donated by a family in Tempe) and some ties (donated by our stake back home). We found a couple of pairs of pants that I could alter to fit him too. We only had one pair of shoes in our little stash, and amazingly, they were just his size.
It was a real tender mercy for us that he was released the one day that we were in town between our trip to Pointe Noire and South Africa. We and many others have prayed daily for Frere Malabi's release and, after six months, it was a grand reunion. Now we just have to find his passport, which has been in the custody of officials for all those months, and send him to reunite with his family.
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