Here in Pei we have had some seriously crazy stuff happen. But the day a shaman came to Pei was epic. Here’s the deal, the Pei are animists that means they attribute a soul to plants, animals, inanimate objects and even natural phenomena. So this is perfect setting for a guy that claims to deal with GOOD and EVIL in such a world … Oh and he charges a fee for it … naturally.
So this guy shows up to Pei, claiming he can control and manipulate these souls and spirits. It was an incredible few days as I was able to observe. He was a regular sleuth digging at the details of this village, going right to the heart of issues and gossip. Finding out names, sins and even pointedly asking who was suspected of sorcery in the village. It was pretty magical as I saw a national man with no relational ties and no status beyond being a ‘Glas Man’ (glass man cause he can see through thi world like its glass) do in 3 days what has taken me years as an expat missionary but that’s another post for another day. Needless to say I was floored. They divulged and spilled their guts like they were in a confessional. He took them for over 1500 kina. Which is about five hundred USD and years of wages for even our most affluent villager. This guy preyed on our folks and they took it hook, line and sinker. In the national trade language he declared “their sins were forgiven and they could go free.”
What ensued in the days to come was a mixture of comical and sad. People bound by darkness swapping that darkness for something even darker. Sitting in on his sessions of removing evil conduct and sin from men and women was eye opening. Watching him trick these ignorant people with stories of visiting Jesus’ tomb, the Cross He died on, the place where Jesus’ bucket of oil sits and even the Garden of Eden was sad. At least they didn’t even know what most all the was. Nonetheless the guy was hiding behind the truth of God’s Word and ‘God talk’ to propagate his lies.
That is the big idea here. God’s Word is the only thing that can displace the Darkness of the lies that exist here. Their own country-men have figured out great ways to feed off the darkness and fear that a worldview void of Truth brings. And, they do an awesome job at exploitation.
While God’s Word is that powerful it is also necessary to follow up with Discipleship in order to see these folks come to maturity. That’s way my family is here. In the USA I have been a part of congregations 150-8,000 where folks have access to the Truth and Discipleship … whether it is utilized or not … Well.
The Pei for millennia have been isolated and removed from access. Pray for us as a Church Planting team as this year we plan to teach the Pei to Read and Write their own language for the first time in their history. And, in the last quarter present the Truth of God’d Word in their language and begin the process of displacing lies and continue on in Discipleship.
Get to know is through our vlog at www.peitribe.com
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