Stealing Sago from a Spirit
Two local missionaries and their families were sent to Salien village on the western coast of Manus, Papua New Guinea, in the mid-1960s. Benjamin Pondra was a pioneer teacher and his coworker, Pokarup, was the church pastor. Benjamin and his family came from the mainland and knew how to work with sago, which was a staple food in the village.
There was a particular piece of land near the village that was regarded as masalai (evil spirit) land. On this land grew many sago palms. Beside the swamp stood a tall slender tree that was believed to be the masalai’s hideout.
Food rations for both missionary families had run out, so Benjamin suggested they cut a mature sago from the masalai land. Before doing that, he prayed for God to reveal to the people His power to protect His children from the evil spirits and to provide for their needs.
To ply open the sago tree, he needed a straight tree branch, so he climbed the masalai’s “hideout” and cut off a branch. He then cut down the biggest sago tree from which they could harvest sago starch to last months. God also provided them with a large school of fish they caught later that day. These they happily shared with the villagers, who were amazed at the amount of sago harvested and the number of fish caught.
Previously, no one who had set foot on this land had escaped the masalai’s revenge. Death was usually the person’s fate, so everyone expected news of the teacher’s death the next day. Even the spirit man came by the teacher’s classroom to witness his collapse and eventual death. When nothing happened, he decided that the teacher’s God was stronger than his gods. After that experience, the village children were encouraged to attend the little Adventist School.
Adventist schools still strive to reveal Jesus, who protected and provided for Benjamin and his co-worker and their families. He is the same God who can protect and provide for you and me today. Come to Him now.
Verse of the day:
“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want . . . Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me” Psalm 23:1,6 (NKJV).
