A DELICATE SITUATION
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| Lourens talking with one of the men. |
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July 23, 2010
by Dena McMaster
This week Mengen believers in Papua New Guinea responded with love and mercy toward five men who destroyed several buildings while on a drunken spree.
Under the influence of home-brewed alcohol last week, the men ran through the village and chopped down one believer's home as well as a tractor shed and school building. In the past the unbelievers have taken every opportunity to oppose the church. This time the village elders insisted on calling the police in to punish the men.
"We had to handle the situation with a lot of wisdom in order to be sure that we still have an open door with the unbelievers," wrote missionary Lourens Laureti. "So this has been a very challenging time mentally for me, during which I had to deal with many people on both sides, trying to get them all to be calm and also to disciple them into the truths we have been teaching them."
Some unbelievers from another village wanted to revenge the offense by fighting. They wanted to physically harm the guys who damaged the property and then chase them out of the village. This would force the other clan to retaliate and the whole issue would escalate into warfare.
The village elders along with elders from several villages officially decided that the police must be called. Lourens was concerned that this would hinder their relationship with the men they desire to reach with the Gospel message.
As Lourens finished speaking to the police on the phone, the elders said they had changed their minds and would use their usual village court system. Some believers had told the elders that they need to show mercy to these guys as God showed mercy to them, and as Jesus showed mercy to His persecutors.
Pray with us that the mercy showed by the Mengen believers will speak to the hearts of the men who have been opposing the church.
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