With much sadness and a heavy heart we say so-long to our beloved brother Augustus, age 64.
Brother Augustus Ratneiya was part of a large family of nine children: 6 boys and 3 girls. He was number seven, the twin brother of his sister Ranjana Augusta.
He was born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka and moved to France, where, after 4 years he became converted and joined God’s remnant people. Brother Augustus embraced the beliefs of the International Missionary Society of the Seventh-day Adventist Church Reform Movement. In God’s church he truly rediscovered His Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, with a love, a hope, and a faith that was far from ordinary. This is what would sustain and nourish all his new endeavours. His belief in the Lord as his Saviour came above all else, with no compromise.
The next year, in the spring of 1985, he came to live in Montreal, Canada. He was at that time a healthy, vigorous and energetic young man, full of promise. He set out to acquire many different skills which made him explore various areas in the work force.
One of Br. Augustus’ greatest hopes was to establish the work of the Lord for, not just the French people in Quebec, but throughout the world; and this became one of his primary goals. He worked to renovate the newly acquired church in Montreal and to support the missionary work there.
Br. Augustus, (Augy, as we often called him), was a true friend and a reliable brother in Christ. He had incredible leadership qualities, and had a constant thirst for knowledge. He became proficient in computer skills, ran his own computer lab, taught and mentored students in the tech world for free.
He studied and completed training in Naturopathic medicine. When anyone in the church or his family was having a physical ailment, he would be there with free advice. He could always be counted on for a sound remedy and the lengthy science behind it, which was always delivered with empathy and encouragement.
Brother Augustus played the guitar and he wrote songs. He sang with the choir and directed the children in the church. It was one of his many ways to alleviate suffering around him and spread joy. He was also the local church leader.
However, as time went on, the Lord saw it in His will that the health of Augustus would decline. He developed an autoimmune disease (a debilitating and painful affliction which would rob him of most of his physical strength and confine him to a wheelchair for the rest of his life) known as Rheumatoid Arthritis. It could have killed his beautiful spirit, but no, it did not; He would not allow it.
He had to make so many adjustments as his disease progressed. Eventually it would take him from independent living to assisted living. Although spending most of his days in a wheelchair, Brother Augustus always wore a smile on his face and gave an encouraging word to the discouraged. Despite his affliction and suffering, he always maintained a positive and inspiring attitude. Best of all he loved to laugh, wholeheartedly. All who knew him could not help but admire and love him.
While he lived in the assisted living facility, Augustus relentlessly championed the rights for the handicapped and became an effective advocate in the area. He organized fundraisers, outings, cultural and recreational events in his community. He conducted seminars, gave conferences, wrote down his reflections and uploaded many of them on YouTube. He preached the gospel with passion and conviction, but more importantly, he lived the Gospel.
Sadly, after contracting Covid-19, he spent his final week in the hospital. However, he maintained a truly positive attitude to the end. His love for the Lord and zeal for the work of the Lord never lagged, even to the day of his passing. His last words to his brother Bernie were: “here at the hospital they are doing all they can to help me, but I have difficulty to breathe and I am so very tired.” He was calm and at peace.
I had the opportunity to know my friend and brother “Augy” for over half of my life. We would often reminisce about the days of canvassing in bitter cold Montreal winters or working on the church building there. I will miss our Friday evening calls discussing God’s work and the signs of the times.
Brother Augustus served the local church in Montreal with passion until the Lord saw fit to lay this champion down. God gave me the opportunity speak with Augy two days before his unexpected passing. We spoke about the possibility of his dying and he told me that he was at peace with our friend Jesus and his fellow men. We both promised, if it was God’s will, to next meet on the resurrection morning.
Brother Augustus will be terribly missed by his family and local church members and friends, but he died with a heavenly hope. All who knew him could honestly say that Brother Augustus was a true friend and a brother in Christ. Let us pray for his grieving family, and for the Montreal church. The work of the Lord will go on.
“What a glorious morning will the resurrection morning be! What a wonderful scene will open when Christ shall come to be admired of them that believe! All who were partakers with Christ in His humiliation and sufferings will be partakers with Him in His glory. By the resurrection of Christ from the dead every believing saint who falls asleep in Jesus will come forth from his prison house in triumph. The resurrected saint will proclaim, ‘O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?’ (1 Corinthians 15:55)…” –Selected Messages, bk. 2, p. 271–272
John Formosa