When the Miraculous Becomes the Common

I feel like just a few years ago, every good work God did among the Mahafaly was a miracle worth celebration, praise, and a blog post! I was so excited at every answer to prayer, every decision made, and every victory. I was like a child, experiencing every story with excitement, praise and amazement.

As God has continued to work in increasingly larger than life ways over the past few years I have often become calloused to the excitement of seeing God do the miraculous. In this way, I feel like I can relate so much more to the failure of the Israelites to stay amazed with the God who parted the Red Sea before their eyes. We always think, "oh...if God only performed miracles the way He did in the Old Testament, surely we would all fall on our faces before Him!" But the truth is, God does the miraculous every day. And unfortunately, those who are blessed to see it often become complacent. I definitely felt the realization of this after Grant's most recent bush trip.

Casey, Jamey, and Steve

Grant's last trip to Mahafaly land was a really important trip for several reasons. One being, that our former missionary colleague, Steve, returned for a short ministry trip among the Mahafaly. He was joined by Casey (a pastor who has worked with us over the years) and Jamey, a brother from Steve's church. I can't tell you how special it was for us to have Steve back and show him how God has been working among the people whom he loves so much.

Another important part of this trip was a funeral for a prominent person in Kilimary, home to one of our first generation Mahafaly churches. Seven brothers accepted Christ as savior seven years ago, and began a journey that would not only transform their lives, their own villages, but thousands of lives throughout Mahafaly land. When these brothers' mother passed away (who was also a believer), they decided to hold a Christian funeral for her - a huge statement of faith among these animistic people, whose burial ceremonies are steeped in ancestral worship. Thousands of people, from all over the surrounding region, came to attend this funeral and bare witness to the faith of these men. Hundreds in attendance had already been transformed by the testimony of these men, but many were unbelievers. The influence of these men and their fearless proclamation of Christ as savior has been one of the most amazing things to behold!

The Mother's Casket

During the burial, the family and friends traveled over two hours away from the village to the family burial site. There, they would lay their mother's body to rest. They would not perform the traditional sacrifice and blood sprinkling at the grave. Before they left for the trek out there, their uncle told them he would be remaining behind. This uncle, who is the traditional priest (performs the ritual of blood sacrifice of animals for atonement) of the town, has continued to reject Christ year after year, despite the many attempts and pleas of his devoted nephews. Upon returning from the burial, the brothers found that their uncle had died. For the many unbelievers who believed the village would be punished for not offering a blood sacrifice to the ancestors during the funeral, this death would be testimony of God's favor and protection. For, had the ancestors been angry, would not the brothers have been stricken down instead?

After this two day funeral, Grant and the guys (the team and our national partners) visited a friend in the nearby village of Besatra. This friend and co-laborer in Christ, asked for a ride to town to visit a child who had become very ill. Malaria related deaths have been spreading throughout the region, and it was feared this boy would also be lost to this grave illness. Grant asked if they could come along and pray for the boy and his family.

The Boy and His Mother

When the men entered the modest, stick hut they spotted the young boy, laid out on a mat over the dirt floor. The boy's mother sat crouched beside his unconscious body. Grant's friend told them that the family were not believers. After a time of greetings, Grant began sharing with the mother about the power of Christ. As he spoke, the boy grew restless. His hands and feet clenched tightly and deep groans came from his frail body. Jonoro continued by sharing the Gospel message, and the longer he spoke the louder and more fitful the boy became. When asked whether the mother believed in Christ over the power of the idols she had always put faith in, she said she did. At once, the boy's body grew quiet and still. Grant placed his hand on the child's forehead. A high fever burned through the his weak body. The men surrounded the boy, praying over him. After that time of prayer, Grant rested his hand against the boy's head once more. The boy was cool to the touch, completely fever free. By the next day he was up and eating.

The Charms

From there, the men traveled to first generation churches throughout the region. In one village, Ampotake, a mixed group of believers and unbelievers met with the team. The discussion centered around one couple in particular, a woman who has been a believer for many years now and her husband, the town witch doctor. Both sat, side by side, talking about the difficulties of being married in the midst of such different beliefs. The team encouraged the wife, but also challenged the husband to put faith in the Lord, whom he has learned about and heard stories of daily for years. When asked if he was ready to make a decision for Christ, the witch doctor said, "Not today. But I will before I die." Grant shared the story of the traditional priest in Kilimary, who, like this man, continued to reject Christ, putting him off for another day. Then Grant asked if anyone else was ready to make a decision to follow Christ. Two women spoke up, immediately pulling off the charms from around their necks.

Grant called me throughout the trip with story after story of God's work among the Mahafaly. While I was interested and excited to hear what God was doing, it wasn't until the team returned that I realized how complacent I had become in being a witness to God's power. Listening to the team share the same stories, but through the fresh eyes of someone who was seeing the ministry anew from an outside perspective, reminded me of how amazing what God is doing really is. May I never be like the Israelites who were never fully satisfied with or grateful for God's awesome works! May I always be in awe and full of praise!