Death

I am reminded again how different life in Indonesia is compared to life in the United States.  I mentioned to you a few days ago about the funeral that Garth and I went to for a nephew of one of our pembantus (helpers).  Well, the story continues.  Apparently, when this boy, Robert, started getting sick, a neighbor noticed and gave him some vitamins to help him get stronger.  Later the boy died.  Now that neighbor is being charged with witchcraft and sorcery.  They are saying that she put a curse on him and killed him.  They have attacked her and her house and demanded that she move away so no one else dies.  They have also insisted that her family pay 15 juta ($ 1,500) along with 10 pigs and numerous bags of rice.

Other people have been attacked and beaten along with our pembantu.  She was beaten because in a family of all women, this nephew was the only boy, and she shouldn’t have “let” him die.  One woman went to call the police from a house with a phone.  While she was gone her house was destroyed and windows broken in.  There is much unrest between the two clans right now.  Each violent act just encourages more aggression.  Whenever there is a death, they feel like someone has to pay for it.  Please pray that they will accept god’s peace and stop the violence.

Rachel