May 3. Don Richardson. At the age of 17, Don Richardson dedicated his life to Christ. After he graduated from bible college, he and his wife moved to Papua, Indonesia, where—for the next 15 years—they served the Sawi tribe.
Serving the Sawi was a soft assignment except for the prevalence of malaria, dysentery, hepatitis, and frequent violence. And the Sawi were headhunters. Cannibalistic headhunters. That could slow a missionary down. But not Don Richardson. Listen to this.
When tested, sometimes we have to speak up to see God show up.
Don Richardson and his wife Carol were drawn to the window of their treehouse home in a small village in the interior of Netherlands New Guinea. On the ground below, someone wailed, and on their shoulders, several Sawi natives carried a limp body. In the distance, a single voice cried out the news. Warahai was dead.
Richardson went to the house where the Sawi had taken Warahai’s body. Sobbing friends and relatives crowded around him. Determined to revive him, they pinched him, they burned him, and they shouted at him.
But Warahai didn’t open his eyes.
But Richardson saw the man was still breathing, he pressed his fingers to Warahai’s wrist and felt a pulse. Full of excitement, Richardson tried to tell them Warahai was not dead, but the Sawi gathered around only gave him blank stares. He couldn’t understand why.
One of the men explained, “Warahai is still breathing because he is in a condition of ‘apparent life’ called aumamay. Sometimes a person’s body keeps functioning for a while after his soul has departed. But it doesn’t last long.” They believed that if he were alive, he would have woken when they pinched and burnt him.
Then the sorceress Aham confirmed this supposed fact.
“Aham has told you, in the name of the demons, that Warahai is already dead.” Richardson’s voice boomed. “In the name of Jesus, I tell you he is still alive!”
“Give us time to pray over him and treat him. If he recovers…” Richardson hesitated, looking at the cold, lifeless-looking body, but continued, “If Warahai recovers, if he actually opens his eyes and talks to you and takes food, then you will know I have told you the truth in Jesus’ name. But if his pulse stops, you can believe Aham, if you want to!”
Some of the men laughed at Richardson. One commanded the body be prepared for burial. But Richardson spoke up again and claimed the body until the pulse stopped completely.
So he and his wife stayed with Warahai and treated him with medicine and prayed continually.
While they cared for the unconscious man, the next several days crept by and tested the strength of Richardson’s faith. Sleepless nights, angry relatives, a scare when Warahai’s pulse disappeared, and severe doubts—all seemed to make a mocking cloud around Richardson’s head. If God intended to heal Warahai, He would have healed him by now.
By the sixth day, Richardson decided to stop the medicine. Using it on a man who was going to die was unnecessarily depleting the medicine supply.
At one point, Carol noted that men in better condition than Warahai had died in hospitals surrounded by adequate medicine and equipment, and that only a miracle could save the man now. They’d rely only on prayer.
The next day, Richardson was taking a break from watching Warahai. Sawi natives were watching him, and shouted. Yelled for Richardson.
Richardson ran back toward the sick room and met some Sawi. “How is he?”
“He’s been talking to us,” the Sawi said sheepishly.
Richardson’s heart leaped for joy. Continuing on toward the storehouse, he found Warahai reclining against his mother’s lap.
“Konahari, Warahai!” Richardson greeted him enthusiastically.
“Konahari,” Warahai said.
The onlookers sat in still-shocked silence.
At the in-your-face victory, Richardson rejoiced with old and new believers. Surely, God had power to do all things!
And we are sure of this, that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will” (1 John 5:14 TLB).
Today how can you declare your faith in God’s life-giving power? When tested, sometimes we have to speak up to see God show up.
“Remembering Don Richardson.” Pioneers. Pioneers.org. Accessed August 4, 2020. https://pioneers.org/2018/12/24/remembering-don-richardson.
“Remembering Don Richardson.” Pioneers, https://pioneers.org/2018/12/24/remembering-don-richardson/. Accessed 2 April 2019.
Richardson, Don. Peace Child. Regal Books, 2005.
Story read by Peter R Warren https://www.peterwarrenministries.com/