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Daily Scripture
 
"I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I wil praise You among many people."

Psalm 35:18

WHEN SHAMANS GIGGLE

Valentin and his wife, Cuka

May 9, 2007

by David Bell

An elderly Western Tarahumara shaman in Mexico, who once placed a curse upon missionaries Tim Roberts and Ted Wingo, is now a believer. Friday morning Valentin and his wife, Cuka, placed their faith in Christ.

"My heart was happy today," wrote Tim. "Well, happy doesn't quite cover it. I was overjoyed … as I listened to two old shamans giggling like little children because of their newfound faith in Jesus Christ."

The missionaries had been praying for the couple for 13 years.

"During those years there have been many mixed signals in our relationship with them," wrote Tim. "Sometimes they were very friendly, and at other times not."

There were times when Cuka hurried to go inside if she saw the missionaries coming. Ignoring them was the norm if she didn't have time to hide. Over the years Cuka had been very vocal about her disapproving thoughts of the missionaries.

The couple began listening to God's Word after seeing the change it made in their son, Nacho. Nacho befriended Tim and Ted and became a believer after hearing the Gospel in his own language.

Nacho now meets with Tim several times a week to study God's Word and to check scripture in the Tarahumara language.

"It's no small task to reduce the truths of God's holy word into an indigenous language that's bereft of terms or even concepts that correspond with scripture. As we've believed God to build His Church among the Western Tarahumara, He has been faithful. The light of understanding has begun to shine."

Pray for Nacho and his parents to grow in their relationship with Christ and to make Him known to others.

"I'm so excited I could about bust," Tim concluded.