Emelia, an activista, is one of the most godly Mozambican women I know. I have come to admire her venerable faith as we have walked together over the last few years in Project Life. So her unexpected confession that morning caught me by surprise.
"My parents were witchdoctors," she shared in a guarded tenor. The look in her eyes confirmed the truth she had just confided. We were on our way to the Mafarinha Bible study. The lesson in the bairros all week had been from Jeremiah's warning against worshiping idols. We bridged the lesson to the traditional witchcraft practice of Dondo's culture. I knew it would open up a door of opportunity to hear the stories and understand the draw of this dark ancestral religion. I just didn't realize how deep the darkness penetrated.
"How many of you have ever been to the witchdoctor?" I asked the activistas. Expecting a few, I glanced around and 100% raised their hands. Equally shocking were the same results in the bairros that week. Only one 14-year-old girl had escaped the doors of the witchdoctor. Everyone looked at her suspiciously as if she were an American who had never eaten apple pie or experienced a baseball game. They explained a variety of reasons for using the witchdoctor's services: herbal remedies, cursing a neighbor, infertility, obtaining wealth, protection from robberies, protection as they robbed others, advise from ancestors, calling out evil spirits, and performing sacrifices - both animal and human. One story from one woman was especially eye-opening.
"I couldn't get pregnant. It was going on ten years. So my husband and I went to the witchdoctor. He told us to bring milk, a black chicken and other items. I still wasn't getting pregnant. So my husband bought me a beautiful skirt that cost 250mt (about $10) and I wore it to the witchdoctor's house. He told me I couldn't get pregnant because I had an evil spirit. I was told to take the skirt off immediately and throw it in the river. I was sad to lose my beautiful skirt but I agreed and threw it in the river. Still not pregnant, a few weeks later I returned to the witchdoctor's house. I found his wife wearing the skirt I had thrown into the river." We all laughed at the the transparency of it but the other narratives passed on the same preposterous plot.
Emelia continued her story as I envisioned the life of a witchdoctor's daughter. She was forced to perform duties that were expected in her role. One day a Christian came to her house and shared Christ's love with her. She accepted Christ as her Savior in spite of her parents' strong objections and anger. She refused to change her mind so her parents refused to feed her. They continued to pressure her by forcing her to sleep outside. Her answer was found in a marriage to escape her arduous plight. Sadly, her parents died within a few years without seeking Christ's forgiveness.
I could see God play his patient hand in this competitive conflict between good and evil. Earlier in the week I had confronted Joaquim and Domingas about their continued practice of witchcraft. Joaquim's other daughter Melita is one of the patients involved in Project Life and has faithfully been coming to our Mafarinha Bible study. I was concerned that she might not return. Yet, all in God's timing, Emelia courageously spoke up that morning to the whole group and shared her testimony of her life as a witchdoctor's daughter. I watched in amazement as Melita listened to every word.
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