revival

God Moves Among the Masai

by George Thomas
CWNews

CWNews.com – An ancient, warrior tribe is abandoning its old ways to experience a touch from the living God, and is witnessing a Christian revival.

The Masai people, who were once fierce warriors, are now abandoning some of their old religious practices and dangerous traditions. I met some of these Masai believers on a trip to the east African nation of Tanzania.

Tanzania is home to one of Africa's crown jewels, the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro. Rising some 19,000 feet, Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain on the African continent.

But at the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, something more majestic is rising. The sound of ancient tribal voices praising the Lord.

Tanzania is home to thousands of people from the Masai tribe. Tall, slender and athletic, these colorful pastoral people have for centuries roamed the vast open spaces along Africa's east coast.

They live much the way their ancestors did many, many years ago. Their cattle are their way of life. The spear and ploughshare are essential tools for survival.

Time here is governed by the rising and setting of the sun. In recent years, Masai villages like the one in which I did this story, in northeast Tanzania, have also been governed by the hand of God.

Paulina Lysa is a Masai leader. She said, “We have accepted Jesus as our Savior and more and more people are turning towards God.”

Once resistant to the Christian Gospel, the Masai are experiencing something of a revival.

Michael Lomayani is a Masai Herdsman. He almost shouted to us, “I am saved! I am born again! The chains of bondage have been removed!”

For centuries, those chains trapped the Masai in various African religious practices and dangerous traditions.

Polygamy, promiscuity, adultery, witchcraft, and male and female circumcision, have all been part of Masai life.

When I was at Mererani, Tanzania, I saw that: as many in the Masai community have embraced Jesus Christ, many of their old traditions have been abandoned.

Luka Lykela is a Masai Elder. He said, “I used to have 3 wives. Now I only have one. Having Jesus in my life meant I had to put an end to those practices.

Mary Engala is the Wife of a Masai Chief. She explained, ”We worship a lot of gods in the Masai culture. But because of Christ, we now stop worshipping those gods.”

But the Masai are still reaping the effects of some of their old traditional practices. AIDS has cut short the life of many Masai. One of the primary causes of the virus spreading was the Esoto dance.

The Masai often performed this dance. It celebrated adulthood and fertility. However, the Esoto led to the sharing of wives, and eventually the spread of the deadly virus among the community.

A Masai girl told us, “We have a lot of people dying, mostly young people.”

It was not until World Vision, a Christian humanitarian group, partnered with the Masai in teaching them about the importance of abstinence and the love of Christ, that their lifestyle was directly confronted.

The Masai Chief said, “Sexual relations was a huge problem in our community. There were many bad things we did in our community that I cannot talk about. But the truth is that those traditions have stopped.”

Here under the Acacia tree, one of the most recognizable trees in Africa, those trained by World Vision educate the Masai about HIV prevention.

Many, like Paulina Lysa, believe these meetings and the influence of the church have helped raise awareness, and have even lowered mortality rates.

Paulina Lysa is on the World Vision Staff. She said, “The numbers have been going down. We go into public places, we go into churches, any place where people meet. We talk to them about HIV AIDS. We also bring them a message of hope.”

While I was in Mererani, Tanzania, I learned that because of the growing HIV AIDS education and awareness, today the Esoto dance is only performed in two of the seven Masai villages around Mererani.

Today these same people who were once bound by dark traditions and rituals, like the Esoto dance, are now leaping for joy, and singing praises to the beat of a different drum.
Wendy interviewed George on the CWN set.

Wendy Griffith: George has the modern world caught up to the Masai?

George Thomas: It sure has, in fact walking through the fields of East Africa, I saw one Masai leader with a cell phone, standing next to the Acacia tree, talking on his cell phone. In fact he was sharing with me how the Gospel is now being used with cell phones to communicate and encourage others. In fact, while he was on his cell phone, he got a text message from a fellow Masai believer saying, “Be encouraged, The Lord is your strength today.” Right on, modernity.

Wendy Griffith: Wow! Praise The Lord! But they’ve certainly kept much of their tradition, and they’re very colorful. Thanks, George.