The Peace Child

Don Richardson talks about working as an American missionary with certain tribes in Eastern New Guinea who are at war with each other in his book, "The Peace Child."  In that culture the great heroes are those who best practice treachery.  To trick your enemy is the ultimate feat.  They fatter their enemies with friendship and then slaughter them.  Nearby villages are lulled into believing that peace is desired and after a period of time to honor this new friendship a feast is given.  People are invited from the tribes with which they are at war to come to the feast and when they arrive they are informed that they are to be the meal.  And after eating them the cannibals with great delight tell the story over and over again of how they tricked their enemies into trusting them.  Richardson had a special problem taking the Gospel story to them.  For them Judas was the hero.  As they heard the story they admired Judas, because he tricked them all.  Richardson after trying to get through to them, finally in great discouragement, told them he was going to leave.   He couldn't help them and was very discouraged about their continued fighting.  Since he was a missionary doctor his antibiotics had helped many.  They didn't want to lose him.  So in a panic the hostile tribes decided once more to seek a truce.  But their problem was how to convince Richardson and each other that this truce was not just another example of treachery.  When you've lied so often, no one knows when you are telling the truth.  So in order to communicate to Richardson their honesty, their good will, they did something incredible.  One of the tribesmen went to his wife. who had a baby not yet a year old.  He took the baby, lifted it up over his head and walked across the battlefield to the other village.  He handed his baby to the other tribe and said, "This baby is now your baby.  And as long as you raise this baby and take care of it, it will be a sign between the two of us that our peace is genuine.”  This act of self-sacrifice by this leader convinced the other villagers that this was a truce that they could trust.  The celebrations began and it was agreed that the child would carry the name of the other village and it served as a bond between the two villages from that day on.  This child was known as the "peace child."  Now Richardson knew he could share the Gospel.  So he told them the story of one who was sent from the heavens to this hostile world, sent as a peace child to bring about a truce.  He was one whom God lifted upon on a cross for our peace.  And as long as we believe in the gift of this peace child God has made peace with us.