"God is mightier than any spirit or shaman," Ramon said, leaning forward. »Our ancestors taught that God abandoned us after original sin. But that was a lie of the spirits, designed to scare us and rob God's love and peace."

Two beady eyes watched Ramon from the dark shadows at the back of the hut. The old shaman's wide grin revealed his teeth, stained black from years of betel nut chewing.

"Don't be afraid of the ghosts!" Ramon encouraged them. “Trust God. He will protect you from any curse, no matter how powerful.”

"Hahahaha!" the old shaman laughed in the dark. “So you think God can protect you from my spirits? Bah! God has had nothing to do with us since original sin. You won't last five minutes if I send one of my ghosts against you!"

'But grandfather,' said Ramon, 'God came down to us. His son lived among us, but we killed him. Even our ancestors told this story. They just didn't know that that's not why God forsaken us. His Holy Spirit is still here. God protects everyone who trusts in him.«

"Bah!" the gray-haired shaman called again, shuffling out of the hut. "Tell those lies a little longer and I'll show you how much God can protect you from my spirits."

The crowd in the hut fell silent. With horror they realized that the wizened old shaman would summon one of his spirits to kill Ramon. Unmoved, Ramon continued to tell of the god her ancestors had once known. Her curiosity outweighed her fear. So most of the village stayed to see what would happen.

They didn't have to wait long. A huge gray striped cat suddenly jumped into the hut. She strutted and danced across the room, then lunged at Ramon, hitting him full in the chest. Ramon fell backwards and the cat seemed to disappear inside him.

Now I'm going to know how true the Bible really is, Ramon thought as he felt dizzy and sick. Either God will protect me from this spirit or I will die trusting in him.

"Let's see how God protects you!" the shaman scoffed as he climbed back into the hut. "You don't have more than five minutes."

Those present watched the events with wide eyes, torn between curiosity and horror. But Ramon did not die. He sat up and continued to teach. At first quietly, then with increasing courage, he proclaimed God's power, assuring the people that God loves them and will protect them. Nausea and dizziness subsided, and his face shone with heavenly light.

After an hour, the people turned against the stunned shaman. "You betrayed us! We know your spirits are powerful. But you claimed that God withdrew from us after our ancestors' original sin. You said your ghosts are our only hope. You took money out of our pockets for protection and healing. But you failed. God saved Ramon. He is stronger than your ghosts. What have you to say in your defence?”

The frightened shaman fled into the night and was never seen again in this area.

Aus: Adventist Frontiers, January 1, 2020

Adventist Frontiers is a publication of Adventist Frontier Missions (AFM).
AFM's mission is to create indigenous movements that plant Adventist churches in unreached people groups.

JOHN HOLBROOK grew up in the mission field. He helped his family initiate a church planting movement among the Alangan people in the mountains of the Philippine island of Mindoro. Since 2011, John has used his skills and experience to take the gospel to the closed Tawbuid Animists, a tribe living in the Alangan neighborhood.

www.afmonline.org