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Into the jungle
Lutheran, The, Aug 2002 by Mitchell, Sarah
MALAYSIAN LUTHERAN FIND UNSEEN BLESSING IN KEEPING A REMOTE TRIBE FROM EXTINCTION
Using blowpipes and poisonous darts, the men scour the jungle for small game and birds to provide essential proteins for survival. Although regarded primarily as hunters, they eat mainly wild roots and vegetables gathered in the jungle. Historically, the Jahai have moved between Malaysia and Thailand in a nomadic lifestyle that has no regard for international borders.
The Jahai tribe belongs to the Orang Asli, the indigenous people of Malaysia. The Jahai's ancestors migrated from China 7,000 to 10,000 years ago.
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But it was only 20 years ago that life changed for the Jahai-when the progress of a modern government claimed their habitat for a dam that supplies water to the rest of the nation. Now game is scarce and much of their traditional hunting ground is under water. A population of barely 1,000 remains. Their very existence is threatened.
Yet there is a spark of hope. A 39-- year-old pastor of the Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore, together with its bishop, Gideon Chang, and the Lutheran Orang Asli Committee is committed to bringing God's care to the Jahai tribe.
Loh Kan Hooi is not only saving souls but quite possibly is preventing the extinction of an ancient civilization. Every month the pastor takes a one-hour boat ride to visit Jahai settlements. On this day, she has Chang in tow and translates his short sermon-- a message of hope. With women and children on one side of the open-air, bamboo church and men on the other, the bishop tells them that their God is a living God and, therefore, can listen to problems.
Chang explains to the Jahai, whose original belief system is animism, that God is found in every living thing. The beauty of the sky and the clearness of the water are proof that God is present in the Jahais' lives and loves them, Chang says.
Sounds of chickens clucking and fights among village dogs accompany the service, but no one seems to notice. After the service and at the request of the elder tribesmen, Chang blesses the children and the sick.
"As a bishop, my mindset has to be very open," Chang says. Understanding that traditional missionary work would be ineffective and even inappropriate, Chang put together a "holistic mission" to help the Jahai and other Orang Asli tribes.
With assistance from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria and a $20,000 grant from the ELCA Division for Global Mission, Chang's goal is a long-term program focused on nutrition, hygiene and education. Aware that each of the 18 tribal groups of the Orang Asli community has different requirements, he depends on local pastors to implement his vision.
"I tell [the pastors] two things," Chang says. "To care for the people and to listen to them." The bishop is confident that a prolonged relationship of assistance will pave the way for a Christian message.
"How can they learn about God when they haven't eaten?" he asks. "We have to allow them to make autonomous decisions about their faith. We can't force them to believe in God."
Eleven of the 13 congregations
Loh serves are Orang Asli. One of her first challenges was to find the Jahai settlements, hidden in the Malaysian jungle. She chartered a boat and motored deep into the recesses of the Lake Temengor Dam, where she discovered two Jahai tribal groups. Loh has been ministering to the Kampung Bush and Kampung Tebang communities there for more than two years. In addition to implementing Chang's holistic mission, she coordinated the building of a church in each village and has arranged for more than 100 adults and children to be baptized.
Ministering to the Jahai presents many challenges. According to the Lutheran Orang Asli Committee, the average life expectancy is 37. They face high infant mortality rates, disease and hunger. They have no written history and lack a formal language or numbering system. They don't farm, cultivate food or cook. Fish-- plentiful in the lake that laps 100 feet from their settlements-are believed to possess spirits that mustn't be eaten. Chickens that are abundant in the Jahai communities are considered pets. Any suggestion of eating them is met with revulsion.
The Jahai must also fend off tigers, who share the same reduced habitat and occasionally come into the settlements looking for food.
'Terima kasih, Yesus'
"I have 30 ordained pastors. She's one of the best," Chang says of Loh. This becomes obvious during their visit to the Kampung Tebang village. Kevin, the village's assistant chairman, greets the visitors' boats. A diminutive man, Kevin, shakes Loh's hand respectfully. Speaking in the Jahai dialect, she immediately organizes the transfer of supplies from her boat.
"They've been unlucky hunting. They haven't eaten in two days," Loh translates. Then, within minutes, she's leading Sunday school for 30 children and their mothers.
"Terima kasih, Yesus," the students say.
Thank you, Jesus, indeed. On this day his church has provided canned milk, sardines, rice and noodles. The villagers will eat before nightfall.
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