ONE DAY a missionary upon a jungle trail was surprised to see a small black boy stumble through the brush and fall sobbing at his feet. Stopping to lift him, the missionary tried to find out what his trouble was, for the boy was trembling with great fear. When he grew quiet enough to speak he cried, “Don’t let him get me!”
“Who do you mean, my boy?”
“The slave trader!” he sobbed. “He stole me from my home. He wants to sell me — maybe even to a cannibal tribe! Oh, don’t let him get me! He is coming!”
The missionary listened, and finally his ear caught the sounds of heavy running as someone followed the trail of the boy through the jungle. In his heart the missionary wondered just what he could do, but he lifted his heart to God, and then putting his arm about the trembling figure he said, “No! I will not let him get you!”
The jungle brush parted again, and revealed a tall, powerful native with an ugly club in his hand.
“Give me that boy!” he shouted.
The missionary tightened his arm about the boy as he answered: “No! he does not belong to you. You cannot have him!”
In anger the slave trader raised his club, but the missionary stood calmly with no sign of fear. Slowly his arm dropped to his side and turning he disappeared into the jungle.
Together the boy and the missionary made their way to the missionary station. In the days that followed the little boy was so sweet in his love for his new friend that it seemed he just could not do enough for him! Nothing pleased him more than to be able to run an errand or do some little task for the missionary, so the name of “Black Sugar” was given to him.
One day the kind missionary said, “Black Sugar, do you remember when the slave trader was after you?”
“Oh, yes!” cried the little fellow, trembling even at the memory.
“Did you know that someone even more dreadful than the slave trader is after you?”
“Who? Who?” cried the boy in fear.
Then the missionary told him of Satan who, “as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” As he spoke the boy flung himself into his arms, crying, “But you will not let him get me! You will save me from him too!”
As the missionary explained that he could not, he pointed the little fellow to the Saviour who alone could save him. Tears streamed down the boy’s dark face as he learned that this One had had to die to save him, and that He willingly died for him. In simple faith Black Sugar believed the wonderful story and received the Lord Jesus as his Saviour.
ML-08/08/1976