Miracles happen to those who believe in them.
– Bernard Berenson, American art historian
From an island of inter-tribal wars and the legends of giants who roamed the Borneo central highlands of North Kalimantan, Kerayan has now become a fast-developing enclave.
Within the last 30 years, the highlands have become a place of peace, brotherhood and fellowship – thanks to the Christian missionaries.
Pastor Charles Hudson Southwell first established the Borneo Evangelical Mission (BEM) in Lawas followed by American John Wilfinger who opened the first school-cum bible college at Belawit in Kerayan in 1938.
Touched by the missionary’s love for the native highlanders, the Lun Dayeh community took up the challenge of changing their Pagan lifestyle by becoming committed Christians.
A miracle took place among a people steeped in the tradition of devil worship, child sacrifices when they were “adopted” into Christianity.
Sadly, for his dedication American Pastor John Wilfinger was “martyred” when he was executed by the Japanese at Tarakan on December 26, 1942.
Wilfinger had established a school and taught the Lun Dayeh Christian hymns and helped translate the Bible into the “Murut” dialect.
One of Wilfinger’s followers was Pastor Lucas Oyun was a teenager when he became a Christian.
His son Pengiran, was to follow in his footsteps.
However, there was a price to pay for “shaming the devil” and worshiping the White Man’s god which resulted in blindness afflicting Pengiran.
I met Pastor Pengiran on my way back from Long Bawan to Ba’kelalan when I hitched a ride on a four-wheel drive vehicle “taxi” packed with passengers.
Seated next to Pengiran, I thought the burly 50-year-old didn’t like me because he turned his head away from me when I smiled at him.
But during the hour-long journey I discovered the pastor was partially blind.
As a young man, Pengiran lost his eyesight after he was diagnosed with a tumour on right side of his brain.
He said: “After 10 years as a pastor I left the priesthood to look for a better job because my monthly salary of RM300 was hardly enough to help my children’s education.
“Two years after leaving the ministry, I had an accident when I injured my right eye while farming. Later I had fainting spells and when I saw the doctor, I was diagnosed with a tumour in the brain. I was sent to the General Hospital in Kuala Lumpur and was in a semi-coma for one whole year.
“However, with all the prayers and care of my wife and other Christians I was able to recover,” he reminisced.
Fearing that his days was numbered, because he could not work in the farm, he asked to be transferred closer to the Kerayan which was closer to home and he chose the nearest Malaysian cty of Kota Kinabalu.
For one month he underwent 30 sessions of radio therapy treatment at the Sabah Medical Centre.
“I recovered and the tumour disappeared but I lost the sight of the left eye. That’s why I didn’t greet you when you sat next to me,” said Pengiran, who has partial sight in his right eye.
Pengiran returned to the church and was reinstated as a pastor and attached to a small church in Lawas.
“While recovering in hospital in 1995, I realised that my vocation in life was to be a pastor. At that time my wife as pregnant with my youngest son, so I dedicated him to the Lord and promised to place my complete trust in Him despite my circumstances.”
Pengiran, who has been pastoring in Lawas for the past 20 years, added: “God has been good to my family because I have two daughters who are graduates, a son who has just completed his law degree in Kuala Lumpur and my youngest son who is studying in Russia, is on his way to becoming a doctor.”
Since 1960 the BEM church has trained more than to 1,500 pastors and established at least 700 churches in various parts of Sarawak.
A testimony by a principal of the Bible College said that faith has changed the life of the people.
He spoke of another “miracle” when he was his marriage plans were almost dashed.
“Just before our wedding we experienced a three-month-long drought and fires were spreading in the surrounding forests and getting nearer our village at Long Sukang.
“On my wedding day, I was told that the situation was critical and it was better to postpone the ceremony.
“But a village pastor Satu Lakui asked to hold on to faith. So, the congregation got together and had a short prayer pleading to God to stop the fires.”
True enough, three days before my wedding it rained non-stop until a big flood occurred.
“By the time the rain stopped all the fires that had been burning out of control were put out. Our wedding went on as scheduled.”
“Even though not everyone turned up because of the floods, we were all happy that no one was hurt. God answered our prayers.”
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
