An Unusual Guest

Last week when Travis brought the girls home from school, he asked to speak with me right away. The look on his face told me that this was urgent, so we went outside to talk privately. The week before, Thunduh’s cousin died and she had small children. Travis told me that if he understood the situation right, one of the daughters was living in the jungle, too afraid to come out since she thought that someone would kill her if she went home. Could this girl come and stay with us? And if so, could we get her right away so that she would not have to spend another night in the jungle? Of course, we agreed. So, Travis and Thunduh hopped on the motor bike and zoomed away.Imagine our surprise when soon thereafter, the motor bike reappeared with an OLD lady in the trailer with Thunduh! Somehow, something must have gotten lost in the translation! But, it was clear from her sobbing that she was in need, and I really like old people, so I was happy to help. I found out later that it was her daughter that had died, and yes, she did think that people would kill her if she went home.The next day, Thunduh went to school as usual. Aunty, as we call her, stayed in her room for most of the day, since she was too scared to come out. But, in the afternoon she got up the courage to come and talk to me. The only problem with that is that she speaks Mon and Burmese, no Karen and no English! But, she talked to me anyway, and I got enough translation from the little kids to understand a smidgen of what she was trying to say. She told me that there were people with guns trying to kill her, but she chants this prayer, and then they cannot see her. She then pulled off her clothes….all the men in the family suddenly became extremely interested in their toes….and showed me multiple stab wounds and machete cuts all over her body. She said that her daughter had been murdered, and if anyone saw her they would kill her too. Needless to say, I had a great deal of questions for Thunduh when she got home that night.All Thunduh would tell me that night was that her daughter dying seems to have made Aunty rather scared. But, the next evening, Aunty’s other daughter came to visit, and suddenly Aunty started crying and acting really strange. She told her daughter that people with guns had been to our house that day and were trying to find her. Things were starting to become really clear to us…this woman is crazy or devil possessed, one or the other. So that evening I cornered Thunduh and demanded answers….turns out that Aunty has a history of devil possession.So we find ourselves in a rather strange position. A devil possessed guest in our home, with a history of cutting at least herself up with machetes, and added to that her constant threats of suicide! She can be very sweet and helpful at times, but we dare not trust her around the children. Although I believe that every home would benefit from having a sweet little old grandma living in it, this is not quite what I had in mind!I feel rather inadequate for this situation, but I have a great friend who knows all about how to get rid of demons. At the very mention of his name, the hosts of darkness tremble! Guess I will just stick close to him. Anyone feel like praying?