7+3=10 VILLAGES!!!

Grant and Matt had a great trip out to Mahafaly land this past week. They spent 4 days traveling to the 7 villages that Grant has already been working in, and were also able to begin relationship building in 3 new villages.

The three new villages were excited to meet them, and they were well received. They made some great contacts within the villages and were able to learn some new cultural beliefs. In one village the men were busy with an interesting custom. When someone believes that someone else in the village has stolen something, they hold a large, formal meeting. The accuser makes a formal accusation against the one he believes stole the item. If the person denies the theft, then the accuser will kill a goat. Then the accused person licks the bloody blade that killed the goat. If the person is truly guilty then within one week something bad will happen to the person that will reveal his guilt. Grant and Matt entered the village in the middle of this custom, as they were taking the goat to the slaughter! Although Grant and Matt were well received in the villages, in one village a witch doctor made it clear that he was unhappy about their presence. He told Grant not to return, and not to share the Bible there. But the leader of the village countered the witchdoctor and encouraged Grant to return. Pray that God would work in this witch doctors heart!!

In one village Grant has already been developing relationships in, he and Matt were invited to a large meeting of all of the men of the village. About a hundred men sat beneath a large kili tree. They officially introduced Grant and Matt, and introduced them as family to the village. They even offered land in the village to build a church! Grant says that it was such an amazing experience to sit in on this village's official meeting and to listen to all of the things they discussed. It was a decision making time, as the men brought forth various issues. One issue was whether to allow a man and his cattle to drink from their water source. It seems as if they were leaning towards allowing him to use the drinking source, but if he got out of line they would shoot him! It was such a privilege for them to be able to sit along with the men in this village, and to be accepted as one of them!