Posts

Miraculous Survival

Image
  The famous British explorer and naval captain, James Cook arrived in Hawaii in 1778. His arrival happened during the Makahiki festival. This was a time when Native Hawaiians honored Lono, their god of peace, agriculture, and rain. Because Cook's ships arrived in a clockwise pattern around the islands—which matched the rituals used to honor Lono—many Native Hawaiians believed that Captain Cook was Lono returning to them. They treated him like a god and gave him food and gifts. After Cook's ship left, it got damaged in a storm and he had to return to Hawaii for repairs. The relationship with the Hawaiians became tense. The Hawaiians were tired of the sailors taking their resources, and someone stole one of Cook's small boats. On February 14, 1779 , Captain Cook went ashore to kidnap the local Hawaiian chief to hold as a prisoner until the stolen boat was returned. A violent fight broke out on the beach. The Hawaiians realized Cook was just a mortal man when he bled and...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Seed will Sprout

Image
  When the early European settlers went to South Africa, they set up the Dutch Reformed Church, which basically dominated the landscape. The colonizers associated with the Dutch Reformed Church. Then the German Moravian church sent a missionary to South Africa. On July 9, 1737, a young Georg Smith arrived in Cape Town as a Moravian missionary to work with the indigenous Khoi people. He settled in the “Valley of Grace”. The clergy of the Dutch Reformed Church expressed disapproval with Moravian missionary. This forced Georg to abandon his work and depart from South Africa. He had been there for only a short time and had only one convert, a poor woman called Vehettge Magdalena, when he was driven from the country. Georg never returned to Africa; He returned to his homeland thinking he had been a failure. Georg died shortly after returning home. He died on his knees praying for Africa. From Georg’s diary, we learn that Magdalena was a bright and eager learner. The young missio...
Post a Comment
Read more