The mountains of Southeast Asia are full of tiny villages where people worship spirits. These spirits may be those of natural elements, objects or ancestors. They are believed to control the elements and people’s fates, and must constantly be appeased through sacrificial rites, a task that falls to the village shaman, who serves as a bridge between the spirit and mortal realms.
FEBA ELSEA (Ethnic Languages of Southeast Asia) has a lively ministry in those mountains. They broadcast the gospel through shortwave radio and social media – Facebook Live is especially popular – and make long, arduous journeys to extremely remote places to visit listeners.
During one such visit, the team met two former shamans in a Mien village who had come to Christ through Mien Radio’s programs. One of the men shared the following testimony.
“I come from a family of shamans, and I inherited the profession from my father to support my family. I have always known that ghosts are not benevolent beings and that they rely on people for sustenance.
“At the end of 2023, my 25-year-old daughter got married and began experiencing blindness. Despite visiting a doctor, her condition did not improve, and she had to go into a spirit ceremony. While the ceremony initially restored her sight, her blindness returned after a month, rendering the ceremony ineffective. However, after hearing a broadcaster on a radio program speaking about God’s ability to help blind individuals, my daughter turned to faith and was miraculously cured. She has now been able to see for over a year and is doing well.
“Several months ago, I was inspired by the broadcaster’s words on Facebook and began to understand the concept of escaping ghosts and sin through faith in God. As a result, I reached out to the teacher to guide me in embracing this belief. However, my decision to embrace this faith was met with disapproval from my neighbours and even the village leader.”
Indeed, the village leader forbade both men from talking about God in the village and ordered villagers to stay away from the shamans and their families. When staff from Mien Radio tried to visit the two shamans, villagers prevented them from entering the village. After making special arrangements, the shamans were able to meet with the staff at a marketplace after dark.
Miracles abound in the mountains of Southeast Asia and God’s grace inspires FEBA ELSEA to stay committed to the task of sharing His Word, until all have heard.
