Who is to blame?
The village was immobilized by fear. An 8-year-old girl died and everyone was looking for someone to blame. They were sure it was witchcraft but didn’t know who put the curse on the girl.
Missionary Elijah Hall had just arrived and asked what happened.
“Oh, it’s a very serious charge,” the missionary in the tribe replied. “If they think there is enough evidence, the person could be put to death. Usually the person they blame is old, or a woman, someone who cannot do much to defend themselves.”
In the midst of this darkness and suspicion the chief of the village stood for truth. He is a Christian and one of the elders in the church. This small, slightly built older man is leading the believers to a new awareness of Christ’s power.
“I am always amazed at how the Lord gives him so much wisdom to deal with these situations. First he will ask if she was taken to the doctor, and what the autopsy said, and then he will tell the others we have no proof of witchcraft” the missionary told Elijah.
“What wonderful things the Lord is doing in the lives of the people here,” wrote Elijah. “There is a church packed full every Sunday, five elders to shepherd the flock, and a room full of materials for the believers who teach their neighbors, once a week, to read and write and share the truth with them from beginning to end of the Scriptures.”
Praise God with us for this brave believer who is standing in the gap against those who are involved in practicing witchcraft and those who are fearful of the results. The people are growing in their knowledge of the Lord, but pray that they will have the courage to witness of God’s saving grace to those who are still in the clutch of Satan.