The Choco mission, part 05

In my previous post on Choco I mentioned that, “I now look back and wonder whether or not there was truly something calling out to me that night, something that was not of God, but also could not harm a servant of God.” The reason I mention that is the following story from the Choco mission.

I have already mentioned that Choco suffered a terrible tragedy, on the night the side of the mountain slid down, blocked part of the river, and thereby caused a horrible overflow that killed 34 people and destroyed part of the village. I have also already mentioned that we committed ourselves to help them out. Part of our help was the building of a mother’s center to support the women of Choco. There are a couple of stories linked to that mother’s center, but I am thinking of the one at the end of the building phase. The Quechua in that area have a traditional ceremony that is related to the laying of the roof on a building. Part of the ceremony is the pouring of a libation of an alcoholic grain beverage to Pachamama, the earth goddess. I did not realize that when I went there for the ceremony. And, that trip, I was the only one there from the “outside world.”

When I found out about the libation ceremony I had a decision to make. In a previous post I wrote about how missionaries are now trained to have more cultural sensitivity to those to whom they are taking the Gospel. We do not contradict local beliefs, opinions, or practices unless absolutely necessary. However, this was one of those times. I decided that I could not allow the pouring of a libation to another god(dess) for something that had to do with our God. And, so I told them that, as the donor, I would not accept the libation ceremony.

Well, they looked at me strangely, but since I had been a good friend for several months, and had visited regularly, and had brought other people to help–that is another of the Choco stories–they decided to go with my strange request. And, so, they prepared to lay down the first roof tile. And, there was a growl of thunder in the distance. As we looked down the valley, we could see that a rainstorm was crawling up towards us. This may not mean anything to you, but remember that Pachamama is the earth goddess. She controls the weather, fertility, etc. And, remember, rain had wiped part of their village out. And, this odd priest had asked them to not hold a libation ceremony but here was this rain, symbolic of Pachamama, bearing down on them, just like in their worst memories. And, though it was a very light rain coming, nevertheless, I could see that it was being taken as a warning that it could get worse if they disobeyed her.

And, so they looked at me and they looked at the rain, and they looked at me. I just stood there saying nothing, but inside I was praying furiously. I do not mind telling you that I was scared. I was by myself in a highly emotional setting, with the signs of the other god(dess) bearing down on us. This was now a power encounter between God and Pachamama. And, so, I stood there and prayed. And the rain came closer, and we began feeling the first few faint drops and the rise in humidity, and the curtain of rain was almost upon us. Then the miracle happened. The rain split in two pieces and went by on the walls of the canyon, but the clouds were still overhead. Suddenly, the clouds split open a little and a beam of sunlight came through and landed right on the roof! And, without thinking or planning, I spoke in a voice that did not even sound like mine to my ears. And I said that God had shown that He had blessed the roof. And they looked at me, and they looked at the rain passing by without touching us, and they started to lay the roof.

That night we had the celebration party. Good food and good dance (native dances) were had. It never did rain on us on that trip. And, I thanked God for His mercies and His presence. Less than a year later the entire village talked to Fr. Alejandro Mesco, the Quechua priest mentioned in my second Choco post, and told him that they had all decided, as a village, to follow the Christian God exclusively. And, so, God won the power encounter with Pachamama. Do you understand now why I look back on that moon-filled night that I mentioned in my last post and I now wonder about what called me out that night?

I know enough science to know that the skeptics can find all sorts of reasons that explain my two stories. But, frankly, my experiences in remote South America have taught me that there are indeed things that go bump in the night and powers that are not friendly to God or His Kingdom. I will, however, point out that the Quechua, who still live as part of nature and not against it, know all the common and uncommon weather patterns of that area. And, their judgment was that this was no common or uncommon weather pattern, but something totally unexpected. They had planned the roof raising for a time when all their experience said that there would not be any rain to worry about. They would not have blinked at even an uncommon weather pattern. But, the pattern that came was so untoward and so timed for the exact event of the ceremonial laying of the first roof tile that they knew that something else was happening.

And, you know what? I agree with them, something else happened that day. And, God won. There are now several churches, headed by Fr. Alejandro, in that section of the altiplano. Pachamama has had her kingdom pushed back just a little farther, while God’s Kingdom has broken in just a little more.