When we asked you to pray for the family of Edna, our house gal whose father-in-law passed away, we had no idea how much spiritual protection she would need.\u00a0\u00a0 We knew that African funerals involve a week of mourning, hosting friends and family who come for the wake, and the usual grief we all experience at the loss of a loved one.<\/p>\n
What we did not know, but Edna was dreading, was all the traditions involved in the Animistic beliefs.\u00a0 Family members are to completely shave their heads (men, women and children), and there are rituals in which the family members\u2019 faces are washed in a particular concoction of stuff, and oil poured on their heads.\u00a0 Edna refused to have her head shaved, and she\u2019d arranged in advance for her children to only be present for part of the week\u2019s events, and lodged at the home of a Christian friend for most of the time.<\/p>\n
It was when Edna stood up for her faith in Jesus and refused to participate (or allow her children to) in the animistic rituals that the opposition came.\u00a0 She was under incredible pressure the whole week.\u00a0 Her husband\u2019s mother is the 3rd<\/sup> wife of the deceased, and her husband is the elder of the only 2 children she bore.\u00a0 For that part of the family, he is responsible to carry on the duties as head of the family.\u00a0 A first generation believer, her husband is not as strong in his faith as Edna, a 3rd<\/sup> generation believer who had the support of her believing mother at her side.\u00a0<\/p>\n I was amazed listening to Edna tell all that was said to and about her in the course of the week.\u00a0 She was afraid that her husband\u2019s family would harm her, they threatened to find a new wife for their brother, now that they see she is not planning to carry on the traditional ancestor worship (which includes sacrificing a goat once a year, feeding the ancestors by placing food and palm oil at their graves).\u00a0 They are certain something terrible will happen to her or her kids since she refuses to honor her husband\u2019s ancestor\u2019s graves.\u00a0 But she quietly assured them that \u201cMy God will take care of me, I am not afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n I was so proud of her; I hugged her and told her that many of you, our prayer partners, were praying for her and her family.\u00a0 She felt your prayers, saying, \u201cI didn\u2019t know how I did it!\u201d\u00a0 Over the course of the week,\u00a0she’d talked till her voice gave out, explaining why she would never be able to carry out the animistic rituals they expect of her.\u00a0 Now she knows it was by the power of Christ through your prayers on her behalf.\u00a0<\/p>\n Please continue to pray for Edna and her husband.\u00a0 His family will put great pressure on him to find another wife, a second wife, who will perform the duties demanded by the ancestors.\u00a0 Pray that they have wisdom to handle each challenge as it comes, including the annual sacrifices to the ancestors, which now include his father.\u00a0 Pray that no tragedy occurs in the extended family, or it will be assumed that\u00a0her refusal to participate is the cause.\u00a0 And pray that his family will one day put their trust in Christ, who conquered the grave, and no longer be slaves to rituals demanded by false gods.<\/p>\n