By Bryce Whiting

TANZANIA – Among the many customs the Hadzabe practice that seem strange to the Westerner is their aversion to washings with water. Our friends Pastor Amos and Pastor Festus have observed that the Hadzabe fear illness and even death if they should bathe in water. One predictable result is pungent body odors, which make it more challenging to joyfully present the good news of Jesus Christ. The evangelists have nonetheless risen to the challenge and the Holy Spirit has been poured out upon their hearers. A second predictable issue arises over the call to be baptized. Try to imagine the shock that follows an invitation to be completely put under water. Our Christian phrases connected to baptism take on whole new meanings if one is an Hadzabe with a deathly fear of water: to die with Christ, to put to death the old man, to be put under the earth, to place our lives in his hands, to name a few. The Hadzabe most probably had to deal with a great fear that if they were to be baptized they may actually die. We know, however, what casts out fear; a perfect love. It is our pleasure to show you some photos of what perfect love can do as committed lives are placed in the trustworthy hands of the Lord Jesus, and as newborn believers follow him into the WATERS of baptism.

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