#135 Shanksteps – She dances too much!
“She dances too much!” That was the reason that Pamda’s son brought her in to the hospital. He was called by the other members of the family saying that his mother was ill and that he should come quickly. So, he traveled the 8 hours from Garoua only to find his mother if good health, if not TOO happy. The rest of the family said that she would be okay one minute, the next she was talking non-stop to people they couldn’t see, and would start dancing and singing. This had been going on for several months and was disturbing to the family.
Sitting in front of me in my office was a cute little old lady covered with wrinkles from many years working in the sun. When asked a question, she got very animated and talked so fast I wondered how anyone could understand her. She was obviously still very spunky. I asked her son if she had been that talkative all of her life and he replied that she had. I asked her all sorts of questions about her dancing and singing; about her religious background and beliefs; if she saw and heard things that others did not; if she was bothered by what was happening to her. At first she seemed like she didn’t know what I was talking about. Little by little I guess she realized that she could trust talking with me (or at least that I understood a little of their beliefs) and started to open up to me about what had been happening. She said that although she was a Pagan, and believed in the spirit world, that she never had and never would “sacrifice” any of her friends or family for her o
wn wants and needs. Someone like that is somewhat unusual to find within the Mafa culture. Recently she had “unseen” visitors telling her to do some things that she didn’t want to do, and made her feel guilty. They would then tell her to dance and sing or they were going to be very angry and possibly take her life. She said that she did all of this against her will, but was afraid to stop because she didn’t know what would happen to her.
Fortunately her son was a Christian. We spent a long time talking about the evil spirits versus the good angels. We discussed how God is much more powerful than these spirits and that HE could protect her from future attacks. I reminded them that although we are in an (somewhat) invisible war, that Jesus has already paid the price and won the war. We pondered over possible avenues that the spirits were allowed in to torment Pamda. In the end, Pamda decided to trust that God could save her from her tormenters. Her son considered taking his mother back to Garoua with him so “spirit worshippers” wouldn’t be surrounding her, and so others in his church could pray her. Before they left, my translator and I both prayed for Pamda and her son to be cleansed and protected from further tormenting. I don’t know what the future will hold for Pamda, but I have agreed to pray for her continually. I have asked her son to send news from time to time. Please pray with me that Pamda
finds Peace in the arms of Jesus.
In His Mighty Grip,
Audrey