Viewer Reactions

Ann Wester reports the following comments and reactions from viewers during and after the showings of PELENDO——

• “Malamu mingi… (Lingala trans.= Very good!)“Pelendo’s faith and courage and his manner helped me a lot!
  
  
• “The whole film encouraged me! “He really suffered to take the Gospel to many people!
  
  
• “It’s a realistic picture of our culture… showed real life and real places!
  
  
• “Many will come to Christ!
  
  
• “God still does miracles!
  
  
• “…the strength of Pelendo’s faith…
  
  
• “…the way he got answers to prayer in Jesus’ name!
  
  
• “The perseverance of Pelendo in seeking out Toma is a good example to us preachers!
  
  
• “The best is when God helps people leave their sinful ways, and lives are changed!
  
  
• “The film has good teaching all the way through it!”
  
  
• By a top church leader—“ Both pagans and believers will be taught… it answers some of today’s issues… all levels of Christians will get lessons from this… preachers need to be more willing to go to hard places… Jesus is stronger than Satan and fetishes… God will use sanctified Christians… there’s power in prayer… we need to be willing to forgive… not just look for money… it will bear much fruit!”

  
  
  Tim evaluates crowd reactions.

• Reactions…clapping of hands……
  
  
• … when Pelendo finally could read—
  
  
• … when the two crippled children started walking—
  
  
• … when Yakava said he had quit drinking palm brew—
  
  
• … at Pelendo’s courage to go and see the chief who had tried to kill him—

Ann writes: We arrived in Bozene around 5pm to find they weren’t expecting us! The pastor was away! So we went to the local official for permission to set up the show on the soccer field. He also was away, but both his wife and his secretary said we should go ahead. As we were setting up the screen, the driver took the evangelist around town, announcing the film show on the p.a. system.

We were about ready to begin when the police chief came to ask what we were doing, and whether people would have to pay, etc! After we answered his questions he left. Then the pastor came to say that the police chief wanted some money to post guards so there wouldn’t be any trouble! We let the evangelist negotiate and we ended up paying the equivalent of $2.50 for four guards with AK-47s to stand at the four corners of the field! We were also given four chairs with cushions!

One reason we agreed to pay… at Boyele the previous evening, after the show the kids got rowdy, running around, jumping on the truck, refusing to get off, and started throwing things… probably instigated by some walk-on actors (in the film) complaining they hadn’t been paid! Someone threw a stick and hit Pastor Massamba on the head. Local officials wanted to arrest the guy, but Massamba said no, he would prefer to talk with him and forgive him… perhaps the influence of Pelendo’s example!

Next: Equipment Problems