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Sunrise on the Amazon in Brazil |
March 18, 2008
by Ian Fallis
Who was to blame last time someone you knew died?
That probably sounds like an odd question to you, unless the person who died was the victim of violence or stupidity (which may be redundant).
Is someone to blame every time a person dies?
If you’re a Culina tribal person from Brazil, the answer is yes. In fact, for most tribal people, the answer is yes. If someone dies, it has to be a result of sorcery or witchcraft or a curse or the spirits or … basically, someone is to blame.
When an elderly Culina chief died recently, it was obvious whose fault it was. The chief had a debt with one of the local merchants, so the merchant killed him, the people concluded.
Aside from the very real problems this poses for the merchant, it also poses problems for the missionaries among the Culinas. Andreas and Angelika Totz felt they were making great progress in building relationships, and in learning the Culina culture and language, until this happened.
People from seven different villages gathered at the couple’s home, called in Brazil’s Indian affairs people and called a meeting.
Pray that this situation can be resolved quickly and peacefully so Andreas and Angelika can make progress toward planting a church among the Culinas. |
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