There is a little girl that runs around the campus. She is actually 16 now but looks a lot younger. She was born with hypothyroidism. You can’t miss her. She has the brightest smile and loves meeting everyone on campus. Her name is Hakani and her story is unlike any I have ever heard. Hakani was born in Brazil
In this tribe they practice infanticide. There are over 200 tribes in the Amazon that participate in infanticide. If a baby is born that is deformed in any sort of way, if a women has twin or triplets, or if a baby is born to a single mother the tribe will take the child, usually at birth, and bury it alive.
When Hakani was born she looked like a normal healthy little girl. In her second year the hypothyroidism began to show. Her body became frail and she could no longer walk or talk. The people viewed her as there was something wrong with her; so they dug a hole, put her in it, and covered her with dirt. Those who participate with the act think they do a “favor” for these children, and feel that it is the right thing to do. I believe this. I do believe that in their heads they think by killing the child it is the best thing they could do. But I wonder what their hearts think. This concept can apply to practices in every culture. The people think they are doing a great justice for the children, and for their tribe so that the children do not hinder their people. It is going to take a revelation for the tribe to see the practice for what it is. Can cultural practices be more important than the basic human instinct – preserving life?
It is unsure how long Hakani was in the ground, when her brother came and saved her. He dug her out of the dirt, put her on his back, left the village and out of the jungle. Hakani was 5 years old when they met the missionaries. They adopted her and took her in as the brother couldn’t provide the full care she needed. She was diagnosed with treatable hypothyroidism and was able to fully walk and talk within a few years after her adoption. The missionaries became fully invested in ending infanticide. A movie was made about Hakani’s story. When she watched it she turned to her mom and said “That’s really sad.”
As of today the Brazilian government has recognized the severity and harm of the tribal practices and infanticide is no longer being performed. The tribes now have a concept of the human life and rights. The children are being saved and spared their lives but even more so the tribal people are being saved; saved from the hurt and pain that has been imbedded inside them and their culture from these acts. In the Hakani movie the adult tribal people were interviewed about the overall response from everything that happened with infanticide. They were blind but now they see. There was darkness in their tribe but now there is light. The culture of the tribe has not changed at all but through love and forgiveness as they know through Jesus, the spirit of death and destruction that was seeping into their lives (that they didn’t even realize) has completely disappeared. You don’t know something until you know. How do you know something isn’t right?
But the most amazing thing is that when we do realize we have been doing something wrong, something that isn’t life giving, something that isn’t “good,” even if you don’t realize it at the time… Everything we have ever done or will do is already paid for. We have another chance. There is freedom in Jesus – Rest - Peace. You can experience His ultimate forgiveness and break free of the chains that have been holding you down.
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sin
1 Peter 4:8
God calls us to love each other. Despite others actions, feelings and thoughts toward us, He asks us to love. He would like our response to others no matter what they do to be love. It is the best way. If we respond with love despite whatever the offense to us may be we become less offended. It lifts the burden upon our hearts if we sincerely respond with love. And how impactful it is for the other person! It is easy to respond by emotion and by your feelings; that is what is to be expected. You were offended, do you have the right to act upon the offense, to gain justice for yourself? Acting out of the opposite spirit shows love. Acting out of the opposite spirit of what your “flesh” feels, greatly diminishes the offense and the negativity will be broken. God is ultimate perfect love. His love for us is beyond what we can fathom, and it is this love that covers us from our imperfections as well. To sin is to miss the mark. We all fall short. But it is the love of God that encourages us to change in our ways and cheers us on for victory. He wants to see you succeed. He longs to see you succeed.
Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized
Acts 9:18
Every culture has a tendency to different degrees of scales that are placed into the peoples eyes. It’s easy to be blinded by the traditions and customs of your culture, what’s popular and what’s not. It is also easy to be offended of other people’s cultures, and it is easy to point fingers. Love. Like I said you don’t know until you know. And that revelation of “knowing” can come in an instant. But once you know, you can never go back to not knowing and back to the state or person you were before. Ask God to remove the scales from your eyes - save Hakani. He never fails to answer a prayer that is aligned with His own heart.
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