Who is Warahai from Peace Child and what is their importance?

Warahai is an elderly Sawi who takes ill just after Yodai and Mavo become Richardson's first converts. A Sawi sorceress shares a vision of Warahai's death, which signals the natives to begin the burial process. Richardson steps in and finds a faint pulse, however. After much negotiation, Richardson takes over of the care of Warahai, who makes a miraculous recovery after five days. This brings about the conversion of many of his family members, though Warahai dies ten days later, from lack of fresh food.