Maria

Back in June we told you a little of Maria Luisa’s story.

Maria’s situation has continued to go downhill. The Awa curer that her family took her to informed the family that Maria’s husband is the initiator of the problem because he wishes to take a new wife. The curer went on to say that Nestor has put a hex on Maria. The original snake that supposedly bit her was a spirit-snake, put there by a hex.

She continues to lose weight and cannot eat more than a few teaspoons at a time. The family says she cries for hours at a time, and is cutting and hurting herself. She has episodes where she feels like she can’t breathe, and often faints. The family has heard through the grapevine that the Chachi shaman has Maria’s spirit in a bottle. When the shaman puts the lid on the bottle, Maria can’t breathe and faints, and she only comes out of the faint when he takes the lid back off again. The Chachi have told the family that for this hex, there is no cure, and Maria will surely die.

The situation is very complex, with rumors that Maria’s family is interested in getting revenge on Nestor and his family. Because of this, the other Awa that live near the Chachi village are preparing to move, as they are afraid that they will be killed, such as by poison being put in their water supply.

This week the family moved Maria Luisa to a local Awa community center, where they are calling all the family together to do another evil-spirit-curing ceremony.

In all of this, we haven’t seen Maria or her parents, who are believers, run to the Lord for help. Please pray that as they will see that He is their refuge! It is easy for us as Americans to disregard many parts of Maria’s story. But for the Awa, the world of witchcraft and shamans is very real, and even scarier because they don’t understand the Chachi culture and the implications of what the shaman has supposedly done. And yet the Gospel message that we are here to proclaim is that GOD IS STRONGER! We ache to be able to help Maria and her family, and remind them of this truth.

Maria’s older sister Gloria is a believer, and lives in the city. Last night we had a chance to talk and pray with her. While she is not oblivious to what she has heard of the witchdoctor’s curse, she told us that she knows that God is bigger, and able to help, but fears her family is forgetting this. She has begged for time off work so that she can visit Maria and her parents this weekend. Please pray for Gloria as she visits the family, that she will stand firm and be able to encourage them. We are able to send a message to the family thru Gloria, as well.

Since Maria’s extended family includes many of the Awa in Ecuador, there are many Awa watching this drama unfold. We ache to see God’s glory upheld here among this needy people. Please join us in prayer for this difficult situation.

In HIS grip,

Kevin & Kathy