Magic Mirrors



We had the opportunity to meet with the head witch doctor over all of the other "traditional healers" in Petauke. It is very interesting that when you talk to them they don't refer to themselves as witch doctors but as herbalists (although you can get them to admit that they harm others). They want to portray an image of helping others and not causing harm.

If you come to the witch doctor because you are ill it is automatically assumed that someone caused you to be ill (like a curse). NOTHING is believed to happen without cause. So when a person goes to the witch doctor they are not only seeking a cure for their ailment, but also the cause of the ailment. The correct name for "witch doctor" is actually "witch hunter." The witch doctor is not suppose to be the witch, but to be able to locate the witch that caused the illness. They will use herbs and then look into a mirror. The face of the guilty will appear. Then the witch doctor returns the disease to that person.

It seems so sad. The people here constantly live their lives in fear. Being in the presence of the head witch doctor allowed me to see just how dark it is here and to see the hold of fear Satan has on the people.

The most saddening part was that the witch doctor claimed to be a Christian and said he relied on Jesus Christ to give him wisdom and power.

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