Why Kulut ran away
Several weeks ago, a young Pal man, Kulut, became very ill. As days went by, he grew sicker.
Kulut is a language co-worker in the Pal tribe, helping missionaries on translation projects. He recently joined the Pal literacy class.
But Kulut has not yet heard the Gospel. First the Pal language must be diligently studied and carefully mastered to ensure that the Good News from God’s Word about Jesus is shared clearly and accurately.
Abruptly, Kulut was mysteriously absent from his village.
He didn’t go to a medical clinic. He didn’t try to find a doctor. Kulut was absolutely convinced, from the folklore and animism ingrained in him all his life, that the spirits of his village were making him sick.
In his mind, there was only one solution. Kulut felt he must get away from those spirits, missionary Chris Hostetter explains.
Not knowing that Kulut had departed, Chris’ wife, Maggie, went to visit him and inquire how he was feeling. It was only then that she learned that he was nowhere to be found.
“Where has Kulut gone?” Maggie asked his mother.
Kulut’s mother responded, dropping her voice until it was barely audible, and murmured the name of a neighboring village.
“But why are you whispering?” Maggie asked her.
“The spirits must not hear where he is,” the older lady told her. “Otherwise, they will go find him and he will never get better.”
“Breaking through barriers in the Pal worldview has been very difficult,” Maggie writes. “Medical care is accessible, but it is not sought out because it has no place in the Pal belief system.”
Chris and Maggie hope and pray fervently that as God’s Word begins to penetrate the hearts and lives of the Pal people in the months ahead, much will change in the little village. They pray that the gospel will permeate to the core of Pal culture and transform hearts and minds so that Pal people and their future generations will be freed to live in the light and hope of Christ.
They know that the truth of God’s Word enters hearts and cultures with power and freedom, releasing people from the bondage of ancient, dark fears. Knowing this encourages the Hostetters to persevere in the often difficult task, battling homesickness, muddy trails, discouragement and isolation.
I asked Chris and Maggie what motivates them to keep going when things are hard.
“We are driven,” Chris shares, “by seeing people living in darkness and by yearning for them to come to know our Savior.”
They are driven to share with Pal people the truth that will set them free. Because they know that redemption through Jesus Christ will remove forever the desperate need to run away -- or whisper in fear.
You can learn how to bring news of redemption through Jesus Christ to an unreached people group. Learn more about NTM's specialized training for cross-cultural church planting.