Have you ever wondered what a Lord’s Supper ceremony or the foot-washing ritual looked like for the first time in an unreached nation, when the gospel was first being preached, and Christianity was a new movement embraced by only a few?

Well, this is still happening in different parts of the world, and it is what we experienced at our camp meeting with the Pnong.

For two nights and three days, we enjoyed a wonderful camp meeting in one of the villages. We ate together, slept in the same place, cooked together, and even bathed with them. There was a very large water jug about two meters from the house, and when the sun set, everyone took advantage of it to bathe and cool off. A major difference between our cultures is that, for them, privacy is not dependent on walls; it comes with their eyes. You have privacy because, although you are a meter away from the next person bathing, you can trust that they are not watching you. Interesting, isn’t it?

This was a very special camp meeting, where church members from all the villages gathered together.

As is to be expected at these kinds of events, spiritual attacks were quick to follow. One of our cars broke down on the road and the driver lost control, rolling the vehicle and rendering it unusable for the rest of the program. Thanks to God’s protection, no one was hurt. Even the driver, despite the car’s violent roll, felt like he never lost control of his body, as if Someone were holding him. Despite the enemy’s attacks, God was in control.

During the program, we shared topics such as the Second Coming, the state of the dead, and how to keep the Sabbath, as well as having a communion ceremony. Many of those present were new believers. Some only accepted Christ one or two months ago, so these topics were very meaningful to them as well as to the long-time members.

Participating in the event was our newest family of believers. The father (now deceased) of this family had been a witch doctor. Due to the nature of his work, this family has a good social standing among the Pnong, and their house is quite large. They offered to hold the program in their home. Formerly a center for spiritualist ceremonies, one can now invoke and praise the name of God here.

The mother of this household, MaSihuanh, is very ill with a chronic disease. Even so, she not only allowed us to hold the program there but, despite her weakness, made every effort to come to the tent where we gathered to listen to the sermons.
At the end of our beautiful program, we concluded with the Lord’s Supper. For most, this was their first communion ceremony.

To give you some context, most Pnong villages have no Christian presence and no background knowledge of Christianity from other denominations, unlike in our countries. Christian traditions such as the communion ceremony are completely new to them. So we were blessed to witness a ceremony established by Christ 2,000 years ago, now brought into this culture, where very few understand its meaning. What an undeserved privilege!

Our brothers and sisters’ respect for the ceremony was admirable. They listened to every step of the ceremony and understood its meaning in the purest, most innocent way.

At the same time, they had many questions, which challenged certain traditions we unconsciously hold.

“Professor, you said that women wash their feet with women and men with men, right? But can I wash my father’s feet?” one lady asked.

“Of course! If they are immediate family, of course, you can!”

“But I also want to wash my husband’s and my mother’s feet. Can I wash all their feet?”

While this certainly challenged my thinking of traditions, I recognized that Jesus washed the feet of 12 people in a single ceremony. I agreed to her request, since I did not see any prohibition against it in the Bible.

Another situation occurred during the bread-breaking ceremony. After explaining the principles of bread and what it represents, we distributed a piece to each person. Shortly afterward, one of the mothers, carrying a small baby, said to us, “Please, professor, can you give me a little piece for the baby? He’s hungry.”

The baby was really hungry and wanted to take the piece of bread from his mother. We explained to her that the baby could eat anything else, but that this bread was not merely for eating; it symbolized something special, so only those who understood Jesus’ sacrifice could eat it.

I understand her train of thought, though. Jesus’ final meal with His disciples is referred to as the Last Supper, and communion is often called the Lord’s Supper. Why could you not eat something at supper? Oh, the challenges of different languages and worldviews.

In the end, the mother did not give her child any bread.

Missionaries often face situations they must consider how to resolve biblically, while avoiding imposing their own culture or traditions. As missionaries, we trust that God will have mercy on us even when the answers we offer are not 100 percent correct.

Throughout the ceremony, we tried to stay focused on the main objective: sharing Christ with them and allowing Christ to work within their own culture. This ceremony, which we held as a group, was undoubtedly a step forward toward that goal.

At this event, we caught a glimpse of what it might have been like for the first Christians to share Christ in new places—with the joy of sharing Christ in new cultures, but also with doubts and questions about certain things that challenged their own traditions. Human errors were certainly also made during that evangelization process. Even so, we know for sure that, in all those circumstances, God was always there. He was moving through human imperfection to guide the new believers to grow and, one day, to go out into new fields to share what someone else had taught them. Our prayer for the Pnong is that they may continue to multiply and that the Light of God’s message may reach more unreached villages through them.

While it can be difficult, and even confusing, at times to share Christ with other cultures, we realize that before our efforts, there was no knowledge of Christ here. Now there is a Light shining with the potential to spread to other areas, and it makes all the effort and difficulties worthwhile.

Perhaps this is the mission God is calling you to, manifested through your presence in these places, your prayers and your constant support.

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