MADAK BELIEVERS STRENGTHENED
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| Peggy and Chris explaining the Scriptures to a Madak woman. |
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October 21, 2009
by David Bell
Madak believers in Papua New Guinea have completed a series of lessons designed to strengthen them in their faith.
Many Madaks who have yet to place their faith in Christ attended and missionaries Chris and Peg Bittner believe that some of them have now become believers.
They hope that the teaching will ground the believers in God's Word and enable them to make decisions about animist practices that have permeated their lives. One such cultural event is the lininbo, a ritual that can occur many months after a person dies.
"It can take a year or longer to prepare everything," the Bittners wrote. "Gardens have to be planted, baby pigs raised, and many other details lined up."
The lininbo is the pinnacle of a two-day event called a lok luxa or loklok panga (impress your friends). At the lininbo several pigs are stacked on top of a large pile of taro root that is wrapped in tree bark and tied with bush vines. Then a close family member -- always a man -- stands up and begins a "magical" chant.
"He chants to show the spirits that the dead person's clan has done all the right things to put the dead person to rest," the Bittners wrote. "It's like telling the spirits, 'We have properly buried this person and performed all the required things to complete the transfer of his power, possessions and land to his children.'"
"In the middle of the chant people usually rush the chanter and throw ash and white powder all over him. … It will be interesting to see how the new believers will handle this when a family member dies. … Many already recognize its origin but it's never easy to be counter-cultural."
Please pray that the Madak believers will understand and follow the Holy Spirit's leading as they compare their cultural practices with God's Word.
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