The pig and the Bible translator

A Siawi village has been plagued by an “out of town pig” for several months.

Recently the pig took up residence below missionary Linda Krieg’s home. With this new development the villagers decided he needed to go – somewhere, somehow. They hoped that it would decide to go to a neighboring village downstream. It was another people group but the pig didn’t understand either language.

“Still don't see how this could disrupt translation? Well, firstly, a pig living next to the airstrip is a major danger to any planes arriving or leaving Siawi,” wrote Linda. “Secondly, said pig has nasty bathroom habits, leaving my house smelling like a barnyard, with accompanying fly population. Thirdly, his vocal satisfaction with his quarters, coming in the middle of the night, greatly disturbed the sleep of the primary translator.”

Linda had a young Siawi man cut sago fronds, hoping that the nasty thorns would discourage the pig and it would find another place to sleep. She expected a good night but the first thing she heard was the pig stepping over the fronds and going to the lower floor to sleep.

“Time to try another method of pig eviction,” wrote Linda. “Considering the consequences, I hired two young teens as ‘pig security patrol.’ Their job was to chase the pig off, so that he didn't find refuge under any of the structures near the airstrip. The idea was that this would make him shift residence, relieving the dangers to the airstrip and curtailment of my sleep. The problem was, I failed to think this through and it didn't take me long to realize that I had made a big mistake.

“The first night of the pig security patrol, at about 11 p.m., I was awakened by a thud, thud, thud of rocks and clods hitting the intruder, then the galloping of pig hooves, and the rattle, rattle of dry sago leaves.  Not once, not even twice, but three times that night, the pig came back, and the teens came back, and the scene played over.

"OK, call off the pig patrol. But that was easier said than done – these young guys were enthusiastic and loved their job. Next night was replay of the night before.”

The pig’s owner agreed to sell Linda the pig for $150 so that she could have it killed. She attempted to call off the pig security patrol but these enthusiastic young men weren’t ready to relinquish their job.

And a spiritual problem emerged. Sorcerers who were hired by the Siawi villagers to call down Satan’s power on their enemies were close relatives of the pig owner. So no one would kill the pig. The same people who thought that Kwaelom’s death was caused by sorcery were now afraid to kill the pig. 

The owner of the pig was a believer and was not going to object to the killing of the pig. Still no one would touch the pig.

After another night of the pig patrol chasing the offending pig, Linda received a letter from the owner who made it clear that the owner was totally agreeable to killing the pig. The Siawi translation team posted the letter for all the village to see.

Saturday the offender was executed and the meat passed around the village in celebration.

“I added $150 to my Bible translation expenses and wondered how the officials in IRS would feel about it,” wrote Linda.

Please pray for Linda and the Siawi translation team to remain diligent in their task in spite of the interruptions.