The boat slipped quietly between the stilted houses, oars dipping into inky water. Under cover of darkness, Nicky* made her way to the spirit village.
Nicky’s own village was also built on the lake, and many of her people made their living fishing and farming vegetables, using floating beds to protect the growing crops from the rise and fall of the water level. Status was shown by wearing large necklaces – the richer the person, the bigger their necklaces. It was also a convenient and secure way to save money – silver and gold generally resist inflation better than cash.
Eight years ago, some Christians had visited this Buddhist community. They stayed for a while in the area, returning each day, but were never allowed to sleep there overnight. The Christians had told the villagers about Jesus, and some had believed. But as soon as anybody decided to follow Jesus, they would be forced to leave the village. Not only did they have to start their lives over in a new place, but they had to leave their necklaces – their savings – behind too.
With nowhere else to go, these new Christians made their way to an abandoned village about 30 minutes’ motorboat ride from their old home. It was called ‘the spirit village’ and said to be haunted. People thought it was inhabited by evil spirits who would bring misfortune and sickness on anybody who lived there.
Thriving
But as it turned out, the spirit village was situated higher up, closer to the source of a spring, where the water was fresher. To the surprise of their former neighbours, the newly-arrived population did not get sick, and they managed to keep their businesses going, too. Now that they were barred from entering their old village, they had to travel all the way to the main town to sell their goods, but their businesses hadn’t suffered.
Nicky was intrigued. The Christians had lost so much, but they were doing so well! How could that be? She wanted to find out more about Christianity, but if anyone found out she had visited the Christians’ village, they might make her leave her home, too. Would it be worth the risk? Fighting her fear, she waited until midnight and crept out.
Meanwhile, another woman was having trouble sleeping. She was convinced that someone was coming to her house at the edge of the Christian village. Unable to shake the feeling, she got up and went to the door. As she peered out into the darkness, she saw that someone was coming! Nicky’s boat drew up next to the house, and when she explained why she had come, the woman welcomed her inside.
By God’s grace, the woman was able to answer Nicky’s questions and share her faith. Nicky believed, and put her trust in Jesus. The risk had been worth it. But her trust was put to the test at once: would she have to leave her village now; where would she stay?
There was no need to worry, though. The Christian woman invited her into her home. She, and eventually the whole village, welcomed her into a new family, the family of believers. In time, Nicky’s mother also decided to put her trust in the Lord and came to live in the village too.
All over the world, people take great risks to find out about Jesus, and when they do, they make great sacrifices to follow him.
Wycliffe Bible Translators exists to help make the good news accessible to more and more people, so that they can discover for themselves the great treasure of knowing Jesus, the one who sacrificed everything to make that possible.
*not her real name
